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Product Description
Review
In the three years since Amy Winehouse’s phenomenally successful Back to Black, the UK charts have been assaulted by an array of soulful starlets chasing a little of the beehive-topped singer’s limelight. Some have been welcomed, some not – here is not the place to name names. Instead, we celebrate the best artist yet in this post-Amy (and Blake, and everything else) field: Paloma Faith.
A native of Hackney, Faith arrives with some fantastically quirky baggage – she’s got a degree in theatre direction, worked as a burlesque dancer not so many moons ago, and is soon to appear in Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus after a turn in 2007’s St Trinian’s. It’s easy to be blinded by the girl’s CV, but it soon fades to circumstantial importance once the highlights of this debut album embed themselves in the listener’s head.
Faith’s voice is the first element of these sumptuous arrangements to strike, its idiosyncratic ticks and sharp inflections separating her from the pack in the same way as Duffy – but while the Welsh star's vocals can lack a sincere conveyance of the emotions behind a song, Faith’s sentiments are never in doubt, even on the surprisingly underwhelming (in context) singles Stone Cold Sober and New York. The former sounds designed to soundtrack an advertisement – successfully, as it turns out – and the latter’s lamenting loses some of its edge when one’s unsure if the New York in question is a rival lover or, literally, the city that never sleeps. Whichever it is, it’s stolen our protagonist’s lover away.
Better is the Salt-N-Pepa-recalling Smoke and Mirrors – it’s all in the “ooh-ahh”s – which brings a greater degree of sultry attitude to the fore, and showcases Faith’s neat wordplay – the cadence of her language is intermittently intoxicating in its breathlessness. Broken Doll plays rather too basic an analogy – “I’m a broken doll / and you’re the puppeteer” – but is retrieved from a descent into schmaltz by a cracking Bond-theme-worthy strings flourish in its final third. My Legs Are Weak is an accomplishedly bruised torch song of elegant melodrama, and Play On’s harpsichord stabs and dub-savvy percussion make for a sprightly rendering of elegiac expression.
Perhaps she’s playing up, acting out the role of a superlative pop-soul singer – but whether the lines are predetermined or not, one can’t find much fault with Paloma Faith’s performance here. --Mike Diver
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CD Description
Hackney-born 25-year-old singer Paloma Faith has been collecting critical acclaim throughout 2009, and it’s easy to see why. Her songs shine with soulful pop perfection and the unmistakable stamp of her inimitable persona. She draws on influences as diverse as Billie Holiday, Etta James, P J Harvey and Edith Piaf. Like her music, Paloma’s story never fails to thrill. In the lead up to her becoming a singer, she has been a magician’s assistant, trained contemporary dancer, St. Martin’s alumni with an MA in theatre direction, a performer in burlesque shows, and an actress. Paloma wrote her debut album in the UK, Sweden and America and recorded it entirely in London. The album features writing collaborations with Ed Harcourt, Jodi Marr (Mika), Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie), Steve Robson (Take That) and Jorgen Elofsson.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
109 of 115 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Something Soulful and Beautiful,
By
This review is from: Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? (Audio CD)
Let's ignore all Ami Winehouse references from the start because though the voice is similar that is where the comparison should end. Paloma Faith deserves to be considered on her own merits. With a background in dance and theatre Miss Faith is clearly a woman very aware of performance and composition in her music. At 25 years old she steps into a music scene which is primed for original female performers like her.
Opening track `Stone Cold Sober' feels like the swirling party that it depicts with soaring vocals, energetic horn sections and dynamic orchestration. The vocals have a confidence and swagger to them which makes Paloma stand out from the surrounding confusion which is entirely appropriate for a song about being the "sober" one at a party. It is a perfectly aimed opening track. It is followed by `Smoke and Mirrors' which demonstrates Paloma's theatrical awareness. It builds quickly between verse and chorus which is lead strongly by a good string section. Paloma's voice soars through the chorus. It sounds like she could fill any concert hall in the world effortlessly. Then rather than pushing on with another strong soulful chorus lead song the volume drops down to the lovely `Broken Doll' which rolls in with gentle drums and a soft flowing string section. It is the sound of a writer with a mature and considered approach, and the beautiful note she holds towards the end of the song sounds simply effortless and really adds an extra element of character. The title track of the album is a strong song backed by relatively simple music composing a gentle piano part, well placed guitar and minimal strings. The result is to focus you on Paloma Faith's voice which is used to great effect throughout the track. It exhibits both soulful verses and strong swooping highs in the chorus. The strings subtly build through the track without ever over powering the effortless vocals. `Upside Down' is really good fun track with a bouncy drums section and a call and response chorus. The production makes it sound slightly like an old record but there is also a speak easy feel to it. `Romance is Dead' then twinkles and swirls with layered piano parts and swooping backing vocals. Second single `New York' is a strong and slightly bitter track about betrayal by a lover. The actual story behind it is that Paloma Faith's boyfriend went on holiday to New York city once and then told her that he was never coming back because he had fallen with the city. The metaphor used in the writing of this song of depicting New York as a woman who seduced him works perfectly. Musically it is a fantastic song with a huge chorus in which Paloma is backed by a gospel choir that echoes her cry of "It was New York". Following track `Stargazer' starts with a twinkling piano part like the entrance to a dream. It is a broken hearted song with such strength of character that it will appeal to anyone who has ever loved someone without being loved in return, and the string section and chorus are a real highlight of the album. The album finally closes out with `My Legs are Weak' and `Play On'. These two tracks play off eachother brilliantly with a simple piano part and dramatic orchestration in the first being followed by a mournful string section in the second which is like something crackling out of an early 20th Century radio. It is a strong finish to a very strong album. Paloma Faith is a very talented woman and this has translated brilliantly into her debut album which is varied and intriguing with a good spread of pop songs that don't stick to conventions. Rather they are filled with her own soulful personality. This is a phenomenal debut.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Should be more famous than she is,
By
This review is from: Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? (Audio CD)
One word - amazing! Paloma Faith's voice is so different but catchy. Not only does she master pop-esque tunes like her own "stone cold sober" but she has a fantastic soul voice - hense why Jools Holland likes her so much. "Smoke and Mirrors" is my favourite song, as it's full of glitz and glamour and just fantastic to listen to. Of course, New York was the song that has sent her spiralling into fame, and "Upside Down" was also a big hit. Paloma's personality is infectious, and in my opinion not enough people know about her. She makes the odd appearance on TV shows like Alan Titchmarsh etc, but deserves to be number 1 in the charts! I have seen her live in Leeds and she was amazing, she puts on such a good show and makes such an effort with her set (although she doesn't have a 250 foot stage like some singers) and her backing singers are great. In fact all her band always play live on all the shows she appears on and they all are very individual. She has hillarious video diaries on Youtube and this CD is well worth the money
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply genius.,
By IMM (Gloucestershire) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? (Audio CD)
Not really that bothered about Paloma when I saw her on TV. In fact a few of her songs passed me by when they were in the charts. Then I bought this for my wife and had to listen to it in the car. Blimey, can this girl write a tune. The whole album is "box of frogs" genius. Would recommend it to anyone. I've now learned to listen to the charts more! Music has made a comeback.
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