- Audio CD (8 Jun 2004)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Content/Copy-Protected CD, Import
- Label: RCA Victor
- ASIN: B00022KF1A
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 65,999 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional!,
By Michael Mouse (Leeds, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Happenstance (Audio CD)
What an absolutley delightful surprise this album was. I've never heard of her before, and someone mentioned if I liked Fiona Apple and Martha Wainwright to give this one a go - and it was very good advice indeed. Rachael's breathy smoky voice is the perfect fit for the late night style of the album - definitely an album to listen to with the lights down low and a bottle of wine. Hints of country, blues, soul and jazz are subtley used to almost unnoticable effect, but really do add to the overall sound. The lyrics are mainly about walking in and out of love ('Be Be Your Love' (the type of sheer class that I'd expect from someone like Fiona Apple)and 'Quiet' two ends of the love spectrum). The layers in the songs are wonderfully built up - 'Collide' and 'Letter Read' start with a haphazard piano melody and 'Edith' builds with dark brooding bass line and whispered vocals. Rock styled 'Worm Me Down', Nyman-esque instrumental 'Moments With Oliver', jazzy 'I Want You' and all the other tracks I've mentioned are highlights - but the whole album is well above par. I'll pass on my friends' advice - if you're waiting for Fiona Apple's new album - this will more than fill the wait. Enjoy!
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A treasured discovery,
This review is from: Happenstance (Audio CD)
The capacity of Rachael Yamagata to grab the ear in seconds is shown by my discovering her behind the closing credits of an episode of ER.That song--"I'll Find A Way"--is typical of Happenstance only in that it touches on the pains and pleasures of falling in and out of love. In that it suggests another Norah Jones wannabee it's wide of the mark. Yamagata rocks, rants and ravishes in a way that Lucie Silvas can only dream about and Elton John lost years ago. "Be Be Your Love" is a measured start, leading into the devastation of "Letter Read", the outrage at love ended. Later "Even So" takes the other side and examines the pain of breaking someone else's heart. "Worn Me Down" could really break her in the UK given some radio play, while "Under My Skin" soon achieves just that. The album could live without the amiable "1963", which adds little, and the hidden track at the end isn't worth waiting for, but there's more than enough on this album to announce a major talent. Treat yourself to Happenstance now before the world catches on.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A gorgeous album,
By
This review is from: Happenstance (Audio CD)
i have been listening to this album for afew years now - and always found it worth returning to. i feel i need to let people know how good this is.
I got it after randomly buying her EP for a couple of quid in a shop - admittedly i did only buy coz she looked quite cute of the cover. Yamagata has a lovely smokey, airy voice that suits the softer more sombre approach to the music delivered on the album. I can see some comparisons to norah jones - but i would say she is much more like Leona Naess in her style. This isnt cheesy girl pop - it is definately by an artist who wants to be taken seriously. The lyrics are the usual love orinetated approach - but are not too metaphorical and personal but always a pleasure to listen too. Highlights of the album include the opener "Be Be your Love" - a lovely broken paino and drum intro leads into her first line of the album "If i could take you away....." and indeed she does. The attempt at a commercial single "worn me down" borders dangerously on becoming produced cheesy pop - but pulls it off successfully - it has a lovely melodic hook and a good vocal performance - one of the most varied on the album. Personally i prefer the alternate version of this song on the EP - it is more keyboard and string lead than guitar and drums. "I want you" has a 1920's charleston theme to it - an upbeat number with a great clarinet lead. "Moments with Oliver" - despite being a lovely cello instrumental could have been enhanced and developed into a lovely song and feels like a little bit of a chance missed. the closer "Quiet" is probably the best song on the album -soft brooding instrumentation, and a lovely build up and rachel swoons her way through the song. All in all i think she is an amazing talent worthy of more attention, is has a far more interesting vocie than many of her peers as well a the lovely blend of orchestration backing and that of a band. My only let down about the album is the overall tone it presents. The music is varied - piano led numbers, some acoustic ones, one 1920 style one and many with soft cellos and violins - but with apart from the more uptempo "i want you" the tone is very sad and sombre leaving me a little bit downtrodden rather than uplifted by this wonderful singer.... All in all this one of the best albums i have heard by a female artist in recent years. Definately worth checking out - graceful, beautiful and well written, executed and produced.
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