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Life for Rent [VINYL]
 
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Life for Rent [VINYL]

Dido | Format: Vinyl
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (228 customer reviews)

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Biography

Biography by Jason Ankeny
The electronic pop chanteuse Dido entered London's Guildhall School of Music at age six; by the time she reached her teens, the budding musician had already mastered piano, violin, and recorder. After touring with a British classical ensemble, she accepted a publishing job. Meanwhile, she sang with a series of local groups before joining the trip-hop outfit Faithless --… Read more in Amazon's Dido Store

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Product details

  • Vinyl (15 July 2008)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Classic Records
  • ASIN: B001BN1V76
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (228 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 688,602 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Life for Rent was always going to be a tough prospect for Dido--how to follow up the multi-million selling No Angel? On initial inspection, it sounds like she's decided to stick to the safe option--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, it's business as usual with down-tempo beats, lush orchestrations, the odd bit of acoustic guitar and her distinctive voice as the cherry on top. However, a closer examination of the lyrics shows that the sweet happy English Rose has a much darker side to her--the joyous revelations of tracks such as "Thank You" on her debut album have been replaced by the sound of her heart breaking. Dido writes from the heart, sharing her personal life with her audience, so Life for Rent tells the tales of her life away from the recording studio, in particular her public break up with her long-term boyfriend and all the apparent mess that ensued. With tales of rows ("Stoned"), confusion following an ended love affair ("White Flag") and her inability to settle down ("Life for Rent"), it's insecurities, self doubt and despair all around. There is hope, with one of the album's musical highlights "Sand in My Shoes", which sees her going off on holiday and embarking on a holiday romance--halfway between Club 18-30 and Shirley Valentine. It's impossible not to think of Bridget Jones when listening to the album, and this, in the first instance, is the audience for whom this album will reach out and touch. --Melanie Wilkin

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Dear Dido and shoppers.
Congratulations and well done are hardly worthy words of an amazing follow up to your first album, which was such an oasis in an otherwise overwhelmingly commercial market, leaving little room for the individual artist. It is not just the voice, lyrics or musical accompagniment - it is the combination. And may I say, it works for very few, but for you it really does.
In my humble opinion, it was absolutely right to continue along the same vein as "No Angel". Many of us are tired of hearing, or should I say subjected to, the efforts of marketeers, the rollercoaster approach of seeking the holy grail, forever changing the formula to see what can generate the next hit.
I get the distinct feeling you write for yourself, and express what you feel, always with a very strong link to something from your own life. Whether we like it or not, this creates a uniqueness, so rare today.
I hear critics urge you to change, spend the money, dress the part of a successful artist, behave like the rest. I really hope you don't, there are enough people doing just that - boring, predictable, unsophisticated in all its falseness and pretense.
"White flag" and "life for rent" have been widely played on the radio, but why have excellent songs like "who makes you feel" and "sand in my shoes" been relatively rarely played. These are brilliantly written and performed, absolutely true to the first album's style of fairly slow but intensely rythmic as well as atmospheric. The album in fact creates an ambience only a few seconds into the first grooves.
There are few albums I treasure, which are so closely linked to an individual, who they are and what they stand for. I see honesty and integrity here. Pure in so many ways.
If you as a shopper have not yet heard or experienced the pleasure of this young artist, there is hardly a better place to start than here. I wish there were many more like you Dido, music overall might become just that bit more pleasant, and not as often happens, end up in some sort of assault on your senses, political or otherwise views. This album is not reflecting a dark side, merely the many facets of the lives we live. And finally, should there be audiophiles amongst you, this album is superbly produced, enabling top class sound reproduction. Brilliant work.
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46 of 49 people found the following review helpful
By Craobh Rua VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
It seemed to me there were two large groups of people waiting quite keenly for the release of this album. Gathered together in one corner sat Dido's large contingent of fans, desperate for a new batch of songs. Lurking with intent in the opposite corner were the hordes of Dido-bashers, eager for a new reason to rant and rave again. Indeed, with the release date looming, some couldn't stop themselves from jumping up and down and screaming "coffee-table-music" at innocent passers-by. Having realised how wrong the bashers were about "No Angel", Dido's first album, I was one of those looking forward to this album. I have no doubts that people will continue to criticise - on the basis of this album, however, they will continue to be wrong.

The connection between Dido and Faithless continues with this album. Rollo, Dido's brother, and Sister Bliss had both contributed to "No Angel". Dido then returned the favour by providing lead vocals on "One Step Too Far", a single lifted from the band's "Outrospective" album. Now, with "Life for Rent", Rollo features strongly with a number of co-writing and co-producing credits while Sister Bliss plays on four of the tracks.

The album starts with four of its strongest tracks. The first and third tracks are "White Flag" and "Life for Rent", the album's first two singles. Sound and style wise, I don't think either would have sounded too far out of place on "No Angel". However, "Stoned", the second track, is something of a surprise in comparison. There's a slight change in sound, less acoustic and more of a keyboards-driven song. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of it but I'd now consider it to be the best of the bunch. Lyrically at odds with the nice-girl-next-door image Dido seems to have acquired, it's definitely a grower. The fourth track, "Mary's in India" is the first on the album to combine the keyboards and acoustic elements of the previous songs. "Sand in my Shoes", found later in the album, takes the same approach - both songs are quite simply excellent. There is also a hidden track - called, by the sounds of things, "The Closer You Get". It's one of those really pleasant, mellow, acoustic numbers Dido does so well.

So much for the "difficult" second album - I'd say this one surpasses "No Angel".

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
The Album Of A Godess 22 April 2004
Format:Audio CD
I really just love this album... i've had it since it immediately came outbut only decided to review it recently after being captured and totallytaken by the song "Don't Leave Home". This song almost makes buying thealbum worthwhile as far as i'm concerned, so having tracks like "WhiteFLag" and "Life For Rent" on as well is an enormous plus.
Dido's voice still sounds like that of an angel and it really helps pickmy mood up no matter what condition i'm in, happy or sad... moral stillgoes up!!
I can't wait for her third album, so those who don't own her second yetshould sacrifice the money for this
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dido-I don't know her
I found this in Oxfam at Preston which is actually a collectors shop and when I spotted that beautiful cheesecake pose of her on the back I figured it was worth the couple of quid... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Richard
Dido: Life for Rent
I never got around to buying this years ago but always loved the songs from this album and obviously the other Dido albums too. For any Dido fan this album is a must.
Published 14 months ago by S Wilson
Great songs
This Cd is one i never got round to buying when it came out but im so glad ive got round to it because every song is a good one, and when it comes as cheap as this did then better... Read more
Published on 15 Aug 2009 by Pj Dean
DIDO "LIFE FOR RENT"
There's alot of reviews on Amazon that I think are just completely pointless, I'm not saying that someone has to totally agree with what I think over someone's album, even when... Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2008 by Pete Doherty
Great album, ruined by copy protection
It's been over 5 years since this album was released. Everyone who wanted to pirate will have already have done so. Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2008 by David Powell
Suicide music
Depressing rubbish that someone gave me and I binned it.
Too much of this and Ide commit suicide.
Published on 8 Oct 2008 by J. C. Lott
Better than the first album
I think the answer to my fellow reviewer G P Mann's question is that the first album came along at the right time, had some exposure with the sampling by Eminem on "Stan" and then... Read more
Published on 10 Oct 2006 by Big G
Terrible
How can an artist go from the excellence of No Angel to this? Quite literally I am of the opinion that in particular the song Life For Rent is simply the worst song ever to be... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2006 by G. P. Mann
Dido loves Chris Martin = true
Dido is part of the whole Coldplay phenomenon. Suddenly we were all longing for nice, ordinary people who sing about nice, ordinary things in a - fancy that! - nice, ordinary way. Read more
Published on 25 July 2005
Calm Dido
Dido has always been a bluey popy singer even thoe her song have never got to number one both her albums have. Read more
Published on 17 July 2005 by Mrs. J. Walpole
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