Ghost Stories [Import]

I haven't been a fan of Chantal for very long (another criminally ignored artist here in the UK) but I already love this new CD of hers. It is quite different from the guitar driven and more commercial sounding last album, but it doesn't lack the quality of her previous CDs. Like her other work, the songs are driven by her brilliant piano playing but the use of strings in this album is very fitting and works well - especially on the eerie sounding "Ghosts of You" which is one of my favourite tracks.

Perhaps it is not as easy to get into on first listen like her last album 'What If It All Means Something' and this is more experimental - some of the songs on the album change style during - but this is still great alt-pop. The single 'All I Can Do' is probably the most pop driven song on the album, but the catchy 'Wonderful' is my personal favourite.

I'd reccommend this album to anyone who already likes her music, or powerful female singers such as Fiona Apple or Nerina Pallot. I'd highly reccommend Chantal Kreviazuk's earlier album 'Colour Moving Still' too.

Before buying this album, I had heard her other album, WHAT IF IT ALL MEANS SOMETHING. Although it was quite good, it was not one that grabbed my attention; the songs never really found a way into my head or heart when I wasn't listening to it. When I heard that Chantal had released a new album, and that it was meant to be darker and more experimental than her previous releases, I was quite eager to hear it and so judge for myself.
Having now had it for a few days, I have to say I do prefer GHOST STORIES to WHAT IF IT ALL MEANS SOMETHING.

The opening track, "Ghosts of You" is a very sentimental, personal song, about a friend of hers who has passed away. It is really a lament about loss, and imploring the deceased not to go, as the ghosts of you are all that she has to get her through the day. Although this could have been a very morbid, depressing song, it actually isn't. The memories she includes within the song help to make it a song that rejoices their friendship, as well as lamenting her death.
"All I Can Do" is your typical love song. It is basically a message to your loved one that, all anyone can do is love the other person to pieces and be there for them when they need it. This is a lovely uptempo song, one that is very easy to sing along to.
"Spoke in Tongues" is the third track, and perhaps one of the strangest. Again, there is an uptempo beat to this song. This belies the lyrics - the very beginning few sentences of the song show that the person who it is about is not well liked - they are claimed to want to 'destroy'. I have mixed feelings about this song. In ways, I like it for its experimentation, but I'm not very keen on the words for the chorus; they seem a bit childish. The music is lovely though.
"Mad About You" slows down the pace again. It is another token love song. Not that that is a bad thing - the music is brilliant and the track shows another side to Chantal's voice.
"Wonderful" is perhaps one of my favourite songs from the album. It is a fast paced song, which just begs for you to sing along to it. The chorus is brilliant - sing along and it can't fail to give you a little bit of confidence!
After the energy of "Wonderful", "Asylum" brings down the mood again. The opening of this track is very smobre - even Chantal's voice betrays vulnerability and pain. The lyrics are more imagined - by this I mean that, rather than a straightforward linear progression, the lyrics make this song more symbolic or metaphorical. This is another of the tracks that I feel could be classed as 'experimental'. It is perhaps one of the better songs - it suggests just the potential that is still within Chantal's talents.
Finally, I shall comment on "Time", my favourite song from the album. This song appears on her previous album, WHAT IF IT ALL MEANS SOMETHING. The music is fab. From the very beginning, you are drawn into the song. One thing that did strike me whilst listening to this song was how much it reminded me of Miuchelle Branch. As Chantal has helped to write songs for her, perhaps she has done something similar, and so it is ringing bells for me. Regardless of that though, it doesn't take anything away from "Time". Chantal's voice is just superb - like Tori Amos, on this track, Chantal draws out certain words to great effect. The track builds energy as it goes; I defy anyone not to sing to this!

GHOST STORIES is definitely 'darker' than the other release I have heard, but regardless of that, it is still quite mainstream. It has helped to make me decide to look out for her future releases though - perhaps this is the start of even greater things to come, with her next album being even more experimental.
All in all, a great release. Give it a few listens, and I'm sure it will grow on you.

I love this album, the songs are perhaps very simple but therein lies their beauty. Quirky, simple, beautiful is how I would describe chantals's style, especially on this album. My favourite song is 'all I can do' such an endearing number. 'Gohsts of you' comes a close second, but, form start to finish it's an amazing album. So simple, almost childlike.