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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This time, perfection., 14 May 2005
Good things come to those who wait. For fans of Tanita Tikaram's incomparably smooth, dark voice and lyrical songs, it has been a long wait indeed (some seven years have gone by since the 'Cappuccino Songs'), and what has now come to us is commensurably good. In fact, I think it's perfect. 'Sentimental' is a very immediate listening experience. The songs were all recorded in an ensemble fashion, i.e. the way you hear them on the CD is the way they were performed in the studio, with all musicians playing as a band. This alone lends a distinct warmth to the recordings, almost a small club live sound. The arrangements are sparse and simple, and beautifully executed; I don't think Tanita's voice has ever been this lovingly underscored by the instrumentation on any of her previous releases. Nick Lowe's backup vocals and the duet he sings with Tanita in 'Every Day is New' are an additional treat--his mild tones complement her voice perfectly. A wonderful choice. The songs themselves are deep and, indeed, sentimental (although not altogether melancholic), and show now trace of being written and produced with an eye on sales, hits, or any commercial concerns whatsoever. I'd say these are Tanita Tikaram songs the way Tanita Tikaram wanted them to sound, and many listeners will undoubtedly find that this is exactly the way they have always been wanting to hear them. The nicest thing about this album is that while some tracks instantly stand out, (say, 'Don't Let The Cold' and 'Don't Shake Me Up'), it's impossible to pick favorites after listening to 'Sentimental' a few times: there isn't a single song here that I feel like skipping, something that was not always true for Tanita's past releases. As far as TT's longtime devotees are concerned, I'm of course preaching to the converted. But what about the occasional listener who's still checking back to see if a successor to 'Twist In My Sobriety' has finally come along? Well, it hasn't, and I don't think it will, or even should. That was a great song, of course. But so is each and every track on 'Sentimental.' Start listening.
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~ Tanita Tikaram
~ Tanita Tikaram
~ Tanita Tikaram
~ Tanita Tikaram
~ Tanita Tikaram
