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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Piece By Piece--the second album from Georgia-born chanteuse cum naturalised Brit, Katie Melua, and the successor to her multi-million selling Call Off The Search--begins teasingly with the soft-peddled "come hither" jazz flirtations of "Shy Boy" and concludes with the whispering philosophical torch song resignation of "I Do Believe In Love". 
The two songs represent opposite ends of the emotional spectrum--sultry and kittenish on the one hand, solitary and ruminative on the other--but they also offer clues that the cutesy, crazy, easy listening Melua of Mike Batt's mentorship may be gradually acceding to the full bloom of self-determined musical adulthood. Melua's songs are often the more fretful and organic, the ghostly title track and the lovely "I Cried for You" are especially recommended, while the bluesier numbers (particularly the cover of the classic "Blues In The Night") seem shoehorned-in gratuitously to match an anticipated demographic. Batt's contributions are melodic, memorably buoyant and childlike, the Chinese-flavoured "Nine Million Bicycles" and the naggingly catchy "Halfway Up The Hindu Kush" are both charming despite their naive, pseudo-ethnicity and currently offer, particularly when compared to something as ponderously wooly as "Spider's Web", a necessary fun counterbalance to Melua's burgeoning compositional skills.
The two songs represent opposite ends of the emotional spectrum--sultry and kittenish on the one hand, solitary and ruminative on the other--but they also offer clues that the cutesy, crazy, easy listening Melua of Mike Batt's mentorship may be gradually acceding to the full bloom of self-determined musical adulthood. Melua's songs are often the more fretful and organic, the ghostly title track and the lovely "I Cried for You" are especially recommended, while the bluesier numbers (particularly the cover of the classic "Blues In The Night") seem shoehorned-in gratuitously to match an anticipated demographic. Batt's contributions are melodic, memorably buoyant and childlike, the Chinese-flavoured "Nine Million Bicycles" and the naggingly catchy "Halfway Up The Hindu Kush" are both charming despite their naive, pseudo-ethnicity and currently offer, particularly when compared to something as ponderously wooly as "Spider's Web", a necessary fun counterbalance to Melua's burgeoning compositional skills. At this stage, Piece By Piece fits together nicely like a little jigsaw puzzle. And even if it didn't, Melua would still sound simply ambrosial singing from a washing machine repair manual. --Kevin Maidment
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Review
After the huge success of Call Off The Search, it would be unfair to expect Katie Melua to stray too much from that winning formula for album number two. And guess what? She hasn't. The thirteen songs here flirt with blues, jazz and classic MOR, there's even a spot of exotica. So far, so good, but the trouble is that much of the original material here is so weak that it collapses under the strain of Mike Batt's highly calorific string arrangements.
Not only that, the choice of covers is almost surreal; Canned Heat's "On The Road Again" and The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" are miraculously transformed into bloodless dirges, while it really should be illegal for anyone to even think about covering "Blues In The Night". Katie's momma should have done told her to leave that one alone; her voice just isn't strong enough to handle that kind of material. Norah's got nothing to worry about on the strength of this showing... --Trevor Lord
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful,
By MKJ (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Piece By Piece [Special Edition] [CD + DVD] (Audio CD)
What a wonderful, wonderful talent. This beautiful girl has a fantastic, dreamy voice and this album really does her justice. The CD/DVD "special edition" gives some extra features, but it is the music, and the voice, that enthralls.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pieces add up,
By gnagfloW (Rosa Barks) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Piece By Piece (Audio CD)
Melua is not unlike Norah Jones; a jazzy feel is throughout the set. This album is more pop music oriented than her previous set, Call of the Search. Personally I feel this is a better album, the arrangements are tighter and here we have stronger melodies.There are no stinkers on this album. Nine Million Bicycles has already been a deserved huge hit world wide with its mystic oriental sound (and a fine accompanying video). The re-make of the Cure's Just like Heaven is a fantastic version that has been a big radio hit in my neck of the woods. Instead of the synthesizers Katie provides a simple arrangement with a guitar in the foreground and soft singing. I like this version even better than the original one which still has aged remarkably well. The third minor hit of the album is Spider's Web which boasts lyrics worth taking note of and a tight production. I saw this track live on TV, that version was more energetic and even better. The musicians on this album, by the way, are top performers and one can really tell. The title track is also a grower, which showcases how Katie can handle well delicate singing. Piece By Piece is an easy sounding album with high standards. It is not groundbreaking but it is immaculately done and yet full of life. I recommend it.
24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Melua Is Magical,
By AntiqueMan (San Antonio, Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Piece By Piece (Audio CD)
Along with Call Off The Search, I can say that if I was stranded on desert island and could have only 10 CDs, Piece By Piece would most assuredly be one of them. Every song is beautifully interpreted by this angelic songbird's ethereal, passionate and slightly melancholic bluesy voice. If you crave real talent and are just as displeased with the current state of the musical culture as I am, call off your search and rush to by this truly magical second album by the one and only Katie Melua. I daresay you will spend your entertainment money much wiser than this.Melua is maturing as an artist and exploring the full range of her talent with this successful second album. Rather than dissect and deconstruct this song by song, I would recommend just enjoying and savoring each song for what it is. They all possess a unique quality that I trust will reach you on the deepest emotional level. Enjoy. I give this 5 stars without hesitation. I honestly feel blessed to be on the receiving end. One could only hope this is but a second chapter in a wonderful and rewarding career for Katie Melua.
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