- Audio Cassette (5 Oct 1999)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Polygram Records
- ASIN: B00001WRO8
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Breakdown |
| 2. Angels Would Fall |
| 3. Stronger Than Me |
| 4. Into the Dark |
| 5. Enough of Me |
| 6. Truth of the Heart |
| 7. Mama I'm Strange |
| 8. Scarecrow |
| 9. How Would I Know |
| 10. My Lover |
| 11. Sleep |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
In the four years since Your Little Secret, Melissa Etheridge took time out from the limelight and became a mother-of-two. Returning to the music fray, she says, "I challenged myself on this album ... I would not coast." That attitude would explain the strained feel to some of the songs--the portentous soul-searching of "Truth Of The Heart", for example, or the studied rhyming in "Mama I'm Strange", with words like "tranquillise ... vaporise ... criticise". Behind the awkwardness, though, is still Melissa the articulate, impassioned rocker, with her emotionally direct vignettes and forceful melodies. High points to the album include the compassionate title track, the sensual love song "My Lover" and "Scarecrow", a protest song of U2-like proportions about Matthew Shepard, the young gay man murdered in 1998 in Wyoming. Though not as powerful as her key album, 1993's Yes I Am, Breakdown still rocks. --Lucy O'Brien
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When I first listened to this CD, I found that it was so much different than her last 2 CDs, it did not grab me right away. Then, while having the CD play while I did others things, the Lyrics really hit me! I finally got it! The first song, "Breakdown," gets the album off to a great start with its rolling guitar. That song, and "Enough Of Me" have those great Etheridgian choruses that we come to expect from her music. The emotional intensity is there-- raw and captivating. This CD rocks! With songs like " Mama I'm strange", and the powerful "Scarecrow" this music moves you and disturbs at the same time. Oh, and she has thrown in a couple of love songs for Julie as well. BRAVO Melissa!
Format:Audio CD
Same wonderful voice, trying out a few different themes but at heart, the same Melissa style.
Especially good for me are; Stronger than me (essential sing along) and Truth of the heart (my favourite on the album).
Especially good for me are; Stronger than me (essential sing along) and Truth of the heart (my favourite on the album).
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
64 reviews
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Brilliant return!
5 Jan 2000
Format:Audio CD
My intial review (written after only 2 or 3 listens) is gone but now I've have several months to live with this disc and played it dozens of times as well as see her live for the 8th time. This CD has really grown on me. It is far more introspective than anything she has done before and closest musically to the underappreciated "Never Enough" album, but only in that it's more an "experimental" sound (like Never Enough was). The album starts strong with Breakdown, Angels Would Fall and Stronger Than Me, all three are fairly typical Melissa songs about the pain inherent in relationships- whatever kind they might be. Angels, the single, is actually the weakest of the 3. The first taste of something different is the brooding power ballad Into the Dark. Moody and atmospheric may best describe this descent into the soul. "Enough of Me" return to a more rock tone with lyrics that cut to the heart, perhaps her best ever. "Truth of the Heart" follows, an enjoyable song but not anything special. The dance rhythms last seen on Never Enough resurface on "Mama I'm Strange" a lament/declaration of alternate sexuality with a fun beat and happy feel. The emotional highpoint of the record is "Scarecrow" The imagery is disturbing and heartfelt. It took me 7 or 8 times through the album before I could listen to this track without crying. It's a tough song to follow which is why i think "How Would I know" is the weak link on the CD. It's only an OK Melissa song and it's placement on the disc guarentees it's unmemorableness. The final two songs (on the regular release)are ballads, both packed with typical Melissa emotions and by themselves are strong songs, but placed as they are, they end the album on a low note (although it's hard to see the song "Sleep" anywhere else but ending the disc)
The 3 bonus songs are easily as good as anything on the album, although the first one, "Touch & Go" is the weakest, souunding like a leftover from earlier days. "Cherry Avenue" ressurects the dance beat and fun attitude of "...Strange" and makes getting enhanced disc worth it. Lyrically "Beloved" sounds like a rewrite of previous Melissa lyrics and being on the same disc as the similar "My Lover" makes it hard for this track to hold it's own, although taken by itself it is a wonderful peice of music.
A final note: the "enhanced" packaging is shoddy, with liner notes & lyrics only available in the multimedia portion, which needs to be closed down to play the disc on your computer. Very poor design.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Beautifully Done...Deeply Emotional
22 Jun 2005
Format:Audio CD
Melissa Etheridge reaches deep into the depths of her soul for this one. The album consists of 11 tracks that will touch you emotionally in some way. These heartfelt songs speak to the lonely and outcast. Feelings of break-ups, finding oneself, love lost and found, bigotry, honesty, and the confusing feelings of sexuality are the themes of this wonderful album..
Etheridge's voice is beautiful and soothing, and she captures just the right emotions and feelings for each song. In the song "Scarecrow" which she dedicates to the memomry of Matthew Shepard, his family and friends, she says :
"showers of your crimson blood
seep into a nation calling up a flood
thinly veiled intolerance
bigotry and hate....
I can't forget hard as I try
this silhoutte against the sky"
Other songs included are of course,the powerful "Breakdown", "Angels Would Fall", a very touching, "Mama I'm Strange",, and the beautiful "Sleep".(See buying info for complete track listings).
The music, musicians, and Melissa are outstanding. The album is an excellent quality, and includes a fold out pamphlet with all the words to the songs. It runs a little over 50 minutes in total. The CD is enhanced for viewing on a pc, and has instructions for pc and mac users (Quicktime 3.0 or better is required).
Etheridge fans will get lost deeply in this beautifully done album.
Laurie
also recommended:Boys On The Side: Original Soundtrack Album
Etheridge's voice is beautiful and soothing, and she captures just the right emotions and feelings for each song. In the song "Scarecrow" which she dedicates to the memomry of Matthew Shepard, his family and friends, she says :
"showers of your crimson blood
seep into a nation calling up a flood
thinly veiled intolerance
bigotry and hate....
I can't forget hard as I try
this silhoutte against the sky"
Other songs included are of course,the powerful "Breakdown", "Angels Would Fall", a very touching, "Mama I'm Strange",, and the beautiful "Sleep".(See buying info for complete track listings).
The music, musicians, and Melissa are outstanding. The album is an excellent quality, and includes a fold out pamphlet with all the words to the songs. It runs a little over 50 minutes in total. The CD is enhanced for viewing on a pc, and has instructions for pc and mac users (Quicktime 3.0 or better is required).
Etheridge fans will get lost deeply in this beautifully done album.
Laurie
also recommended:Boys On The Side: Original Soundtrack Album
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Best of the best.
13 Feb 2002
Format:Audio CD
This is one of the best albums of all time. You know an album is good when you keep going back to it, over and over again. This is a veritable addiction! Every time my wife and I get in the car, this album ends up in the player.
"Breakdown" is a true classic. "Mama I'm Strange" is eerily haunting with a really cool guitar riff. Everything else on this album stands easily on its own for quality of writing and musicianship.
If you want a really good album that isn't a waste of time and money, then get this one. It will be an old friend in no time.
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