Jubilee Offer: Patriotic Classics for £2.50 |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
It's been some time since the demise of All Saints, yet the legacy of their brief career has lived on thanks to the celebrity profile of the Appleton sisters and more importantly, the timeless songwriting of Shaznay Lewis. Open is everything one might expect from a former All Saint--catchy, sassy, funky and just that little bit different.
Lead single "Never Felt Like This" is pleasant radio-friendly adult pop with a nice melody and gentle accompaniment but it's far safer than the rest of the album. For the most part Open is incredibly funky, be it in a soulful way on "Dance", "Don't Know What to Say" or "Mr Weatherman", where Lewis's versatille voice flips between sweet vibratos and smoky whispers, or on body-moving dancehall such as "Mr Dawg" or "Now You're Gone", the latter especially exuding all the charm of Susan Cadogan.
Open takes many risks for a pop album but at no point sounds gimmicky. It uses dancehall, which is again popular, and it uses electro on "Radio" but neither style is blatantly used to stay on a bandwagon. Lewis and her producers inject enough imagination to make it fresh and exciting whilst retaining a high level of accessibility--it's everything that was hoped for from Shaznay Lewis's debut album.--Georgina Collins
Product Description
Open (CD Album) by Shaznay Lewis (ex All Saints) - 11 Tracks (Open - Dance - I Never Felt Like This Before - My Dawg - Heart Made Me A Fool - You - Mr Weatherman - Butterflies - u.a.) - 2004 London (25646 1760 2) - NEUWARE / New (never played) Shaznay Lewis Open Tracks: 1. Intro / Open, 2. Dance o Featuring : Biz Markie o Producer : Wayne Rodriguez, 3. I Never Felt Like This Before o Backing Vocals : Niki Haris, 4. Mr. Dawg o Producer : Basement Jaxx, 5. Heart Made Me A Fool o Backing Vocals : Melanie Blatt, 6. You o Backing Vocals : Niki Haris, 7. Mr. Weatherman o Backing Vocals : Melanie Blatt, 8. Butterflies, 9. Nasty Boy, 10. Radio, 11. Now You're Gone o Backing Vocals - Laine - Producer: o Jonathan Quarmby (tracks: 3, 7, 10, 11) , o Karl "K-Gee" Gordon (tracks: 1, 5, 8, 9) , o Kevin Bacon (tracks: 3, 7, 10, 11) , o Rick Nowels (tracks: 2, 3, 6)
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
During the influx of girl bands, after many record industry heads dismissed them as unprofitable until a phenomenon called the Spice Girls happened, All Saints were already an established band with something else to offer. While the Spice Girls successfully merged camp with pop in a delicious parcel, the All Saints took a more chill and soulful approach to their songs. Their songs struck a chord with "I Know Where It's At" and the UK number one single "Never Ever," which was penned by the mastermind of the group, Shaznay Lewis.
After the release of the critically acclaimed Saints & Sinners, All Saints split up. Former band mate Melanie Blatt released two singles to mediocre success and the Met bar shenanigans didn't help the Appleton sisters to deliver a credible album; instead they created the directionless and hitless Everything's Eventual.
Now Shaznay Lewis is the last to venture into the world of solo with Open. It comes as no surprise that the songwriter is simple in structure, yet effective, and that the hits come easy for the person who basically made All Saints the profound pop band that it was. With songs like the foot-tapping "Dance" and the youthful prance of "Butterflies," Lewis is bound to reign as the queen of mature pop. The lead single - "I Never Felt Like This Before" - is a gorgeous intricate ballad that captures accurate sentiment.
Open also is strong on reggae influences, which appear on the sun-baked "Now You're Gone" and the forever-catchy "Nasty Boy."
Shaznay also meanders into electronic awe on "Radio" and the wanderlust ballad "You."
Other tracks include the swaying honorable mention to big band "Heart Made Me a Fool" and the rock-tinted "Mr. Weatherman."
Like most complete mature pop albums, Open delivers sophistication with a well-balanced mixture of musical styles and paces. Shaznay Lewis is the only survivor of the All Saints phenomenon.
After the release of the critically acclaimed Saints & Sinners, All Saints split up. Former band mate Melanie Blatt released two singles to mediocre success and the Met bar shenanigans didn't help the Appleton sisters to deliver a credible album; instead they created the directionless and hitless Everything's Eventual.
Now Shaznay Lewis is the last to venture into the world of solo with Open. It comes as no surprise that the songwriter is simple in structure, yet effective, and that the hits come easy for the person who basically made All Saints the profound pop band that it was. With songs like the foot-tapping "Dance" and the youthful prance of "Butterflies," Lewis is bound to reign as the queen of mature pop. The lead single - "I Never Felt Like This Before" - is a gorgeous intricate ballad that captures accurate sentiment.
Open also is strong on reggae influences, which appear on the sun-baked "Now You're Gone" and the forever-catchy "Nasty Boy."
Shaznay also meanders into electronic awe on "Radio" and the wanderlust ballad "You."
Other tracks include the swaying honorable mention to big band "Heart Made Me a Fool" and the rock-tinted "Mr. Weatherman."
Like most complete mature pop albums, Open delivers sophistication with a well-balanced mixture of musical styles and paces. Shaznay Lewis is the only survivor of the All Saints phenomenon.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Everyone's always known Shaznay as the talent and driving force behind All Saints, so Open, even before the first listen, has so much to live up to. Shaznay draws diversely on jazz, reggae, pop and funk, fusing together in my favourite track Heart Made Me A Fool, plus the breathless On The Radio and Butterflies. But she takes it down a notch with the beautifully understated first single Never Felt Like This Before, and the gorgeous, harmony-laden You.
The album has its let-downs with the rather weak Mr Weatherman, and the repetitive Don't Know What To Say (on the subject of writer's block, which she obviously wasn't over by that stage) but even these can be enjoyed.
But overall, as expected, a class album.
The album has its let-downs with the rather weak Mr Weatherman, and the repetitive Don't Know What To Say (on the subject of writer's block, which she obviously wasn't over by that stage) but even these can be enjoyed.
But overall, as expected, a class album.
Best Track: Heart Made Me A Fool, You
Worst Track: Mr Weatherman
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Alright so I thought All Saints' music was OK, and I was not a loyal fan of the Appleton sisters either when they all split from the band. I wont even have taken a second look at Shaznay's music... but her catchy feel-good single, 'never felt like this before' definitley got my attention so I got the whole album because I'm not a collector of singles.
I was very impressed with the whole album, although the beats in 2 songs can be excessive. Its a little in the All saints style but with some dynamic (and good) raggae-ish beats, carribean beats and R & B which makes it different as well.
Its a bubbly feel good album thats great to daydream to, sing to and drive to... it'l definatly pick you up. I think its really worth buying.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brilliant pop with a reggae/ska tinged difference
Out of all the solo All Saints material, Shaznay's album is the one that continues to intrigue me the most. Read more
Published on 12 April 2007 by Alex A.C.M
Fantastic Debut
After All Saints it was only a matter of time before the truely 'talented one' emerged. And she does, Shaznay Lewis begins her debut career with 'Open'. Read more
Published on 22 Aug 2004 by Dutch and Red
Massive let down...
After hearing the wonderful 'Never Felt Like This Before', I was awaiting this album with anticipation. I can't help feel massively disappointed. Read more
Published on 19 Aug 2004 by Michael Mouse
Two Thumbs Up
I was a bit reluctant to the idea of another allsaint having a go at a solo career since after recent tries the other three hadnt got very far. Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2004 by "sheep_go_baa88"
Shaznay is back!
I never liked All Saints, but when Shaznay's debut came out I rushed to buy a copy. I wasn't let down by her amazing vocals and extreme talent, with any luck , she'll be able to... Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2004
Expectations Were Obviously Too High
The expectations were obviously too high for Shaznay Lewis. After taking a four year absence due to 'writers block' it's no surprise that her return to the charts caused little... Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2004
A nice summery album
I only listened to this CD for the first time today, and it's definitely possible to say that this sounds like nothing that All Saints (or Shaznay) has done before. Read more
Published on 1 Aug 2004
Shaznay Lewis "Open"
Firstly I have to say that I was really shocked that Shaznay's album debuted at #22 in the UK album charts, I thought the album would've gone top 10 at least... Read more
Published on 25 July 2004 by Pete Doherty
Shaznay doesn't disappoint
As another reviewer stated, there are some hints of All Saints in the harmonies on some of the tracks, but that is scarcely surprising as Shaznay was the driving force there. Read more
Published on 22 July 2004 by Kwadwo
Welcome back Shaz!!!
OPEN is one shining gem! Shaz's silky alto is a very welcome return. It's been way too long, but at least she is finally back! Read more
Published on 21 July 2004 by Adam Teak Lagowski
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
