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Product Description
Review
Australian actress and children's TV presenter- turned-singer-songwriter Lenka has written an album which is a canny hybrid of Regina Spektor and Kate Nash. Trading on her reputation with the kids, Lenka's singing persona is child-like and naive, accompanied by animated videos and adverts for craft workshops on her MySpace page. And this tweeness carries through to the music itself.
Opening track The Show features very simple chopsticks style piano opening out into a showtime celebration of catchiness, complete with trombones and choir. It's become the most played song in Vietnam this year and featured on numerous commercials and TV shows. It's easy to see its universal innocent appeal.
The more sassy Bring Me Down is introduced by a choir of Lenkas and features a badly whistled interlude, not unlike Noah and the Whale's In Five Years Time.
The album's lyrics concentrate on Lenka being a bemused young lady in today's fast moving world. But don't expect any great revelations. Just references to the, ''big bad world'', ''the sun is hot in the sky'' and such profundities as ''I will never be you, I will always be me'' or ''You turn my frown upside down''.
Overall the instrumentation and arrangement is lovely, sympathetic and subtle, like the pizzicato undercurrent on Don't Let me Fall, and the spacious Trouble is a Friend. Unfortunately there are also many 'oom-chah' piano parts that ground the songs in cliché, such as the awful Anything I'm Not.
But all's not lost. The moment which lifts Lenka up from being a cute girly singer to an actual artist comes with Like A Song. So beautiful, this is the kind of song that slows down the listener's breathing; it's drumless and expansive. There's an expectant stillness, with vibes, synthetic strings and oboe that wrap around her voice, singing a French-styled melody. This shows what is possible when she drops the rock drummer and obvious, repeated piano.
Lenka is certainly not short on radio friendliness. Listening to the entire album may be rather like eating a pound of lemon bonbons in one sitting, yet there's plenty of promise beyond the sweetness. --Lucy Davies
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Lenka ( nee Lenka Kripac ) is an old-fashioned girl at heart.
Charm aplenty and chasing the dream with her eponymously
titled solo debut. The Australian branch of the Kate Nash and
Adele School Of Quirky Talent is well served by her efforts.
The majority of the eleven ( mostly co-written ) tracks on the album
sound as though they could have come into being at almost any point
during the past 30 years. 'Trouble Is A Friend' is a striking case
in point. The melody, arrangement and central vocal performance have a
timelessly naive quality. Almost but not quite banal by just a hair's breadth.
It is this quirky anachronistic ambience which sets Ms Kripac apart
from many of her peers. 'Like A Song' is another good example of
the subtle magic of which she is capable. A slow-waltz-time
composition whose stark arrangement conveys an
absorbing atmosphere of loneliness and doubt.
The interplay between voice and solo trumpet in the central section is haunting.
The many musical friends and helpers who have supported her vision
do so with un-flashy and economical skill.
Even the laddish Mr Day's vocal contribution on 'Dangerous and Sweet'
is mixed so far back that it assumes the form of a shadow in the wings.
Opening number 'The Show', a song which has brought her some small
degree of attention is, in fact, one of the project's weaker offerings.
The, admittedly, good-natured chorus is just a tad too twee to digest.
'Don't Let Me Fall' and 'Anything I'm Not', however', although not stylistically a
million miles away, somehow succeed by virtue of their warm-hearted delivery.
'Live Like You're Dying' is by far the strongest contender in the collection.
It's a big grown-up song, very well sung. A little darkness becomes her.
I'd happily hope for even a little more next time around.
Recommended.
Charm aplenty and chasing the dream with her eponymously
titled solo debut. The Australian branch of the Kate Nash and
Adele School Of Quirky Talent is well served by her efforts.
The majority of the eleven ( mostly co-written ) tracks on the album
sound as though they could have come into being at almost any point
during the past 30 years. 'Trouble Is A Friend' is a striking case
in point. The melody, arrangement and central vocal performance have a
timelessly naive quality. Almost but not quite banal by just a hair's breadth.
It is this quirky anachronistic ambience which sets Ms Kripac apart
from many of her peers. 'Like A Song' is another good example of
the subtle magic of which she is capable. A slow-waltz-time
composition whose stark arrangement conveys an
absorbing atmosphere of loneliness and doubt.
The interplay between voice and solo trumpet in the central section is haunting.
The many musical friends and helpers who have supported her vision
do so with un-flashy and economical skill.
Even the laddish Mr Day's vocal contribution on 'Dangerous and Sweet'
is mixed so far back that it assumes the form of a shadow in the wings.
Opening number 'The Show', a song which has brought her some small
degree of attention is, in fact, one of the project's weaker offerings.
The, admittedly, good-natured chorus is just a tad too twee to digest.
'Don't Let Me Fall' and 'Anything I'm Not', however', although not stylistically a
million miles away, somehow succeed by virtue of their warm-hearted delivery.
'Live Like You're Dying' is by far the strongest contender in the collection.
It's a big grown-up song, very well sung. A little darkness becomes her.
I'd happily hope for even a little more next time around.
Recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
brilliant album . kind of a mix between lilly allen and diana vickers . played on a car journey non stop , from somerset to manchester and didnt feel the need to change it for another one to listen to . will suit all ages as well .
Format:Audio CD
Delivered on time and no scratch, for a good price.
Best album she did, I think. Her songs are like things everybody thinks or feels, she's simple but great. Be positive!
Best album she did, I think. Her songs are like things everybody thinks or feels, she's simple but great. Be positive!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
good
There were no faults with this product-the CD played fine and the case was in good condition. There was nothing bad about it.
Published 7 months ago by BritishAndBuying
Made me feel like a dreaming teenager
I first heard Lenka's song "The Show" on the radio on a trip to Malaysia and loved it. It was one of those moments where you simply have to capture a few words and do a google... Read more
Published 20 months ago by DanSon
Light, poppy, cute!
If you like poppy, spritely little tunes (which I don't normally!) then this is for you. She has a great voice, unusual - cute even, and am glad she seems to be having some... Read more
Published on 29 May 2010 by Mark Hughes
Great album
Really worth buying, a fantastic album including 'the show' the hit which was used in the film 'angus thongs and perfect snogging'. Really great for teenagers and adults a like. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2010 by Molmol
great album
I really enjoy this album its really happy upbeat enjoyable pop music well written and composed. My favourite tracks are the show, bring me down, skipalong, knock knock and trouble... Read more
Published on 20 Aug 2009 by Dylan Thomas Cameron
Lenka
Absolutely LOVE this album. Lenka has such a sweet voice and her songs are so cute. This is a perfect summer album and the songs are perfect for cheering you up when you are... Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2009 by R. Hooker
BRILLIANT
Fantastic and brilliant CD from a strangely undervalued performer. Great melodies, super singing and excellent backing. Read more
Published on 1 Aug 2009 by Tssmith
Lenka
A joy to listen to. Lenka has an excellent voice and on this cd she uses different styles which makes it interesting to listen to.
Published on 29 July 2009 by Di
Lenka debut album
A fantastic debut album, I brought this just for the song "The Show".
But have found that the rest of the album is just a pleasing. Read more
But have found that the rest of the album is just a pleasing. Read more
Published on 22 July 2009 by D. Bolton
A fabtastic album
This really is a good album for the summer; it's varied but really easy to listen to with some catchy tunes. Read more
Published on 4 July 2009 by L. Broadbent
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