I've decided to be a smart ass and post a review of CD that I just love. I don't care what you think about it and, depending on how this turns out, I may just do this again. Today, I'm proudly presenting:
Album: White Turns BlueArtist: Maria Mena
Released: July 20th, 2004
Released: July 20th, 2004
Two reasons I wanted to do this; One, I've been listening to it a lot, which has driven me to spend way more on a CD then I've ever wanted to in order to import her most recent release, Cause & Effect and I can't wait for it to arrive. Two, in my repeated playings, I've been hearing the story of young girl losing it and I know it's not there because this CD was put together from her first two albums specifically for U.S. audiences. So, I'm going to spell it out track by track to see if I can not only convince you, but myself as well.
Track 01: You're the Only One
The start of a new relationship. Everything is bright and cheerful, and our young girl is reminiscing of all the times with this special boy. Laughing about her insecurities and how he's the only one who can be everything for her, until it all accumulates in her admitting that there's a part of her that likes to bring him down because she fears that if he realizes how amazing he is, he would leave her.
Track 02: Fragile (Free)
Another conversation with herself, only this time it seems things have gone south for our girl. It sounds like the boy realized how amazing he was and he made pain into something she could touch. She's hurt in this song and her lyrics tell you this, however the music is something different, it's almost as if it's telling you that there's an air of hope to this depression, that the girl may be determined to be better because of it.
Track 03: Just a Little Bit
The music for this much self-loathing should really be more melancholy. Our girl is slowly starting to go as she lists her faults. Maybe she should be a little bit stronger, or a little bit less needy, or even a little bit pretty, if only she could get herself together, she thinks this stuff wouldn't affect her. Maybe, he would need her...
Track 04: Blame it On Me
... or not. It doesn't matter now, she's angry. This relationship is over and it's her and the person he thought she wanted him to be fault, not his, and she's fine with that. However, she says, don't blame it on love, love had nothing to do with this, and if he blames it, he'll end up regretting it.
Track 05: My Lullaby
Our first real ballad. The pain is starting to spread and the mistreatment from her mother is coming into play. She's opening her soul to her, why she cries, why she sings, and then asks her why she treats her this way, saying, it's not my fault they didn't show you any affection and that the only things left for her are to become bitter and to grow old. Our girl is now clearly hurt and taking it out on other people.
Track 06: Take You With Me
The anger keeps spreading as she decides to tell her boy all that he meant to her. Saying her life was a circus show and she was on a rope about to lose her grip when his hand reached out to her. It's sentimental and raw and in this context it sounds like her life is starting to return to that circus.
Track 07: What's Another Day
It sounds like the boy is ready to hear her out. She pours her heart out to him, telling him that he's the best thing for her, that he made her the person she is today. She tells him that she can't sleep when he's gone and these days without him have been the worse. The boy, seeing all the inspiration blossoming from this replies with, "Well. What's another day?", meaning, she's lived through these past ones without him, why wouldn't that continue.
Track 08: Lose Control
The title here is pretty self explanatory. She's tired of waiting for him to come around, tired of all of it, so she's going to go have a little fun, kind of. She's not really trying to spite him, but more to incite jealousy, and do just what it takes to make him hers. Sit back, relax, and enjoy her show.
Track 09: Shadow
The beginning of the end. It's all coming back and merging together, all the songs prior are hitting all at once. She's back to second guessing herself and realizing that if she's this messed up she'll never be able to win him back. Not like this, not as herself, and definitely not as that person she was trying to be in Lose Control, she realizes that she is lost in the dark and the only thing she needs is to see the sun, she's a shadow, both his and hers.
Track 10: Your Glasses
We're thrown a curve ball, there's another girl and ours doesn't handle this very well. She now can't figure out why he could have ever possibly loved her, she doesn't kiss as well as his new girl and besides, as thinks as she returns to self-loathing, she's the one who drove him to her. Well, her and her fear of intimacy, she deduces from her reflection in his glasses.
Track 11: Sorry
The building anger finally bursts in her and she breaks down. In this ballad, the best song on the album, you can hear all the sadness rushing out from that anger and you can tell that she has nothing left, that the only thing she needs is him. She whispers, in desperation, "Why can't you love me? I'll change for you, I'll play the part." To which he coldly replies, "I'm sorry, so sorry."
Track 12: A Few Small Bruises
It's the end, and she's contemplating ending it, until someone intervenes. A new boy has been listening to her story, he reaches his hand out and tells her he understands and makes her sound genius, makes her sound special so she'll come down. Bringing us to the conclusion, where she realizes that, "Except for a few small bruises, cuts, and scars, well, I'm fine. Thank you for asking."
Is it a stretch? I don't know. Probably. But, I can't help it, my taste in music has always been driven by vocals and lyrics, and this album seems to do both very well. Maria's voice is unique and in places, especially Sorry, it conveys so much raw emotion that you start to feel very bad for her, she really sounds like someone who has lost it all and, to me at least, that's the way music should be.
Track 01: You're the Only One
The start of a new relationship. Everything is bright and cheerful, and our young girl is reminiscing of all the times with this special boy. Laughing about her insecurities and how he's the only one who can be everything for her, until it all accumulates in her admitting that there's a part of her that likes to bring him down because she fears that if he realizes how amazing he is, he would leave her.
Track 02: Fragile (Free)
Another conversation with herself, only this time it seems things have gone south for our girl. It sounds like the boy realized how amazing he was and he made pain into something she could touch. She's hurt in this song and her lyrics tell you this, however the music is something different, it's almost as if it's telling you that there's an air of hope to this depression, that the girl may be determined to be better because of it.
Track 03: Just a Little Bit
The music for this much self-loathing should really be more melancholy. Our girl is slowly starting to go as she lists her faults. Maybe she should be a little bit stronger, or a little bit less needy, or even a little bit pretty, if only she could get herself together, she thinks this stuff wouldn't affect her. Maybe, he would need her...
Track 04: Blame it On Me
... or not. It doesn't matter now, she's angry. This relationship is over and it's her and the person he thought she wanted him to be fault, not his, and she's fine with that. However, she says, don't blame it on love, love had nothing to do with this, and if he blames it, he'll end up regretting it.
Track 05: My Lullaby
Our first real ballad. The pain is starting to spread and the mistreatment from her mother is coming into play. She's opening her soul to her, why she cries, why she sings, and then asks her why she treats her this way, saying, it's not my fault they didn't show you any affection and that the only things left for her are to become bitter and to grow old. Our girl is now clearly hurt and taking it out on other people.
Track 06: Take You With Me
The anger keeps spreading as she decides to tell her boy all that he meant to her. Saying her life was a circus show and she was on a rope about to lose her grip when his hand reached out to her. It's sentimental and raw and in this context it sounds like her life is starting to return to that circus.
Track 07: What's Another Day
It sounds like the boy is ready to hear her out. She pours her heart out to him, telling him that he's the best thing for her, that he made her the person she is today. She tells him that she can't sleep when he's gone and these days without him have been the worse. The boy, seeing all the inspiration blossoming from this replies with, "Well. What's another day?", meaning, she's lived through these past ones without him, why wouldn't that continue.
Track 08: Lose Control
The title here is pretty self explanatory. She's tired of waiting for him to come around, tired of all of it, so she's going to go have a little fun, kind of. She's not really trying to spite him, but more to incite jealousy, and do just what it takes to make him hers. Sit back, relax, and enjoy her show.
Track 09: Shadow
The beginning of the end. It's all coming back and merging together, all the songs prior are hitting all at once. She's back to second guessing herself and realizing that if she's this messed up she'll never be able to win him back. Not like this, not as herself, and definitely not as that person she was trying to be in Lose Control, she realizes that she is lost in the dark and the only thing she needs is to see the sun, she's a shadow, both his and hers.
Track 10: Your Glasses
We're thrown a curve ball, there's another girl and ours doesn't handle this very well. She now can't figure out why he could have ever possibly loved her, she doesn't kiss as well as his new girl and besides, as thinks as she returns to self-loathing, she's the one who drove him to her. Well, her and her fear of intimacy, she deduces from her reflection in his glasses.
Track 11: Sorry
The building anger finally bursts in her and she breaks down. In this ballad, the best song on the album, you can hear all the sadness rushing out from that anger and you can tell that she has nothing left, that the only thing she needs is him. She whispers, in desperation, "Why can't you love me? I'll change for you, I'll play the part." To which he coldly replies, "I'm sorry, so sorry."
Track 12: A Few Small Bruises
It's the end, and she's contemplating ending it, until someone intervenes. A new boy has been listening to her story, he reaches his hand out and tells her he understands and makes her sound genius, makes her sound special so she'll come down. Bringing us to the conclusion, where she realizes that, "Except for a few small bruises, cuts, and scars, well, I'm fine. Thank you for asking."
Is it a stretch? I don't know. Probably. But, I can't help it, my taste in music has always been driven by vocals and lyrics, and this album seems to do both very well. Maria's voice is unique and in places, especially Sorry, it conveys so much raw emotion that you start to feel very bad for her, she really sounds like someone who has lost it all and, to me at least, that's the way music should be.
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1 comment:
Don't make me write a book!
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