Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
EP, 19 Nov 2004
By A Customer
An American songstress, fresh from supporting Damien Rice, provides her own insights into the painful woes of love. Her smoky, sultry Norah Jones-esque vocals are coupled with rich assortments of slick, jazzy, piano undertones. The MTV friendly, "Worn Me Down", offers strong potential for commercial success, while ably describing the progressive sins of a broken heart. Perhaps, Yamagata's inspiration is her ability to convey her own intriguing distress into universally appealing form of both emotional and musical redress.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding, 19 Jun 2004
This is the sort of music I wish there was more of. Music with a purpose, lyrics from the heart.'Collide' has got to be my favourite song on the EP. It's a blissfully majestic song, the chorus of which demonstrates Rachael's incredible voice. You just dissolve away to this, as you do to generally the entire EP. The EP will leave you craving more of the same from Rachael. You'll find this in her new album, 'Happenstance'. It's not quite of the same style - it contains slightly different versions of 'Worn me down' and 'The reason why'. Enjoy.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
The first three say, I love you, 1 Feb 2008
Good things come to those who skim through the bargain bins at indie stores. One example would be Rachael Yamagata's debut EP, which I snatched up for a few dollars, a few months before her debut album came out.
And it was worth a lot more than I paid. A smoky voice and lovelorn songs are the heart of this album, with a promising mix of vulnerable jazzy-pop with a hint of blues. Yamagata may be compared to established singers like Norah Jones or Fiona Apple, but the flavor of her songs is all its own.
Yamagata starts off on a strong note with the sad, cello-laden "Collide," before shifting to the catchier "Known For Years" and the fast-paced "Worn Me Down" ("Worn me down to my knees/I did anything to please/But you can't stop thinking about her"). Rounding it off is the melancholy "Reason Why" and slow-moving "Would You Please." (There's also a hidden track, the meditative "These Girls")
Love lost, love worn out or love that doesn't work seem to be the themes of "EP." Yamagata describes the feelings that lead to a breakup, being replaced in her lover's affections, and finally parting itself ("We can hang our heads down as we skip the goodbyes"). No angry-angsty-grrl stuff here, but a mature respect and reflection.
As well as unusual, Yamagata has a pretty eclectic style of music -- she seamlessly blends blues and pop, with a bit of good funk and a touch of classical. And the instrumentation is no less eclectic, with your basic quiet bass and drums being blended with keyboard and mellow sweeps of cello.
The plaintive lyrics stir your emotions without being whiny or self-pitying. Don't expect her to bash or blame -- instead she sings "Would you please let me slide a few words/under your door/the first three say 'I love you'/the last five 'but I can't no more.'" Her throaty, smoky voice is the centerpiece of the album, and she can carry the emotion as well as the notes.
Slow and meditative, "EP" explores the lingering emotions after love has gone -- and Yamagata does it with a truly exquisite style. Definitely a keeper.
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