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Product Description
Review
Emeli Sandé’s aptly-named solo debut single Heaven was arguably the finest British pop song released in 2011. The Scottish singer-songwriter’s seraphic vocal swoops and producer Shahid ‘Naughty Boy’ Khan’s reassuring old-school breakbeats were warmly received by listeners, while a striking similarity to Massive Attack’s Unfinished Sympathy can rarely hurt a song’s success.
Considering Heaven, which opens Our Version of Events, and the fact Sandé has written for everyone from Alicia Keys and Leona Lewis to Tinie Tempah, Sugababes and even Susan Boyle, it's perhaps reasonable to expect the most consistently great pop album since Girls Aloud’s Out of Control. Although this doesn’t arrive, we do have a charming and occasionally moving record full of care and polish, effort and grace.
"I can’t buy your love, don’t even want to try / Sometimes the truth won’t make you happy," sings Sandé on My Kind of Love, amid filtered pianos and surprisingly understated gospel chants. Lovely stuff, but it would have been a more compelling listen if the track was ludicrous and overblown, like the brilliant George Michael and Mary J. Blige cover of Stevie Wonder’s As.
Previous single Daddy is better. There’s a dose of believably bad male behaviour: "But friends keep telling you what he did last night / How many girls he kissed, how many he liked." Fittingly, the brooding mood created by a trip-hop beat and dramatic strings is reminiscent of another man famously lacking caution in his relationships: James Bond. On this evidence, expect Sandé to soundtrack a 007 movie within the next five years with the help of former grime man Khan.
A change of tone towards slow folk for Breaking the Law brings forth the album’s best lines: "Point it out, I’m gonna steal it / I will break in late at night, shake up how you’re feeling." Metaphorical though Sandé’s lyrics are, they retain a heartfelt truth, and it’s easy to imagine her peering round a corner at last summer’s protests and riots jotting notes feverishly.
Lifetime has a reference to books being burned and statues falling, while Hope includes the line, "I hope we can fix all that we burn". Barely a year after the Arab Spring, is it too much to hope for a politically-conscious pop star? One who can write brilliant songs and get fans thinking about something other than their broken hearts and rampant libidos?
The album ends with a version of Read All About It, the number one song she performed with Professor Green – whatever her motivation for including it here, neither Sandé’s talent nor ambition are in question. It seems unlikely she’ll make another album as restrained as this one, but it will be interesting to see whether she embraces a bolder sound, develops her own big ideas or, perhaps, delivers a captivating combination of the two.
--Lou Thomas
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CD Description
Debut album from the BRIT Awards' 2012 Critic's Choice Award winner Emeli Sandé, Our Version of Events includes the Scottish singer-songwriter's hits "Heaven" and "Daddy".
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
As I approach my 65th year, I have despaired at the direction of a great deal of modern popular music. Emilie Sande is, to me, a bright light in a dim world. She has great talent as a songwriter and a soulful voice that touches your heart. She deserves to succeed: a talent which could storm the World. A truly great soul singer.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I pre-ordered this album as I love one of the songs on it. I do this a lot and then find I don't really like any of the other songs. I'm glad to say that I love every song on this album.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a fantastic record, signalling a fresh, new emerging talent. Emeli Sandé has a great voice, great song writing abilities and a striking look. Couple that with her intelligent and grounded Aberdonian personality and wide ranging contacts in the music business coming out of her track record of writing songs for other people and you have an apparently sure-fire recipe for success.
You will have heard and noticed some of the singles released, but I first became properly aware of her from her appearance on Jools Holland, where she did a stripped down version of 'heaven'. I liked the breakbeats /trip-hop version which is the opening track on the album, but when you hear it taken down to an acoustic level you really appreciate the raw talent. To that extent the comparisons with Adele are inevitable (given that Adele now sets the bench mark and did a similarly impressive live take of someone like you on the same show, and not least because Emeli's first name happens to be Adele!)
This is a record varied in style. There are some excellent pop songs with full pop production, as well as slower more acoustic numbers. Her great voice and gift for melody are the linking threads, but some may find that range of styles detracts - sometimes this feels more of a showcase than a coherent album. But what a showcase! Subject matter for songs tends towards love: lost, found and yearned for. The lyrics however are often fresh and intelligent, and on occasion ('river') seem to transcend the human towards religious overtones (well that's my take anyway).
In summary, this is a great debut which will have wide appeal. Highly recommended.
You will have heard and noticed some of the singles released, but I first became properly aware of her from her appearance on Jools Holland, where she did a stripped down version of 'heaven'. I liked the breakbeats /trip-hop version which is the opening track on the album, but when you hear it taken down to an acoustic level you really appreciate the raw talent. To that extent the comparisons with Adele are inevitable (given that Adele now sets the bench mark and did a similarly impressive live take of someone like you on the same show, and not least because Emeli's first name happens to be Adele!)
This is a record varied in style. There are some excellent pop songs with full pop production, as well as slower more acoustic numbers. Her great voice and gift for melody are the linking threads, but some may find that range of styles detracts - sometimes this feels more of a showcase than a coherent album. But what a showcase! Subject matter for songs tends towards love: lost, found and yearned for. The lyrics however are often fresh and intelligent, and on occasion ('river') seem to transcend the human towards religious overtones (well that's my take anyway).
In summary, this is a great debut which will have wide appeal. Highly recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointed Sync...Emeli on the title but Jimmy Sommerville The Best...
I bought this cd still in its packaging , I wanted to SYNC it to my computer and my Mp3, The title of the artiist and the album was not of Emeli, it was of Jimmy Sommerville the... Read more
Published 7 hours ago by Star
simply the best
i absolutley love love love this album. There are a genourous amount of songs on the cd and i dont skip any of them. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Mrs. V. L. Skidmore
Chillaxing
I don't listen to a huge amount of music but when I find something I like I have it on repeat. This cd was no exception. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Mrs. S. K. Mann
gr8
fast delivery in tip top condition everything how it should of been ii would recomend this cdto anyone
found the reveiws that i read were useful also
found the reveiws that i read were useful also
Published 22 days ago by a
emeli sande album
I love this album the songs are amazing and I love her voice I love my kind of love and daddy plus her version of read all about it is amazing
Published 23 days ago by hannah
Emeli sande
I love this new album it's fab. Best album I've bought this year supply was quick and effient. Great job
Published 24 days ago by Jenster
Can we hear the songs please?
Emeli Sande is an amazing songwriter, and a superb performer. Having seen and heard her on TV, I was anticipating a brilliant album. Read more
Published 25 days ago by P. Waldron
music down load
Excellent track, great sound quality. It was just what I ordered and expected. Nice and simple to order and download.
Published 27 days ago by pom
Amazing
This is a MUST buy. Such a easy listen to album. I would reccomend this to anyone. Happy listening :)
Published 1 month ago by Melanie
Brilliant
I love this girl, brilliant song writer and a beautiful unique voice. Saw her recently in Birmingham and she was superb....and she's so young. Bigger things to come I feel...
Published 1 month ago by Dr. P. Dhahan
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