No Angel

No Angel Artist: Dido
Label: Bmg
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 4988017620922
ASIN: B0001926TS


Release Date: 2004-02-25

No Angel


Related Categories:

Singer-Songwriters Singer-Songwriters
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
Adult Alternative Adult Alternative
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | R&B | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
R&B R&B
Categories | Imports | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. Here With Me
  2. Hunter
  3. Don't Think Of Me
  4. My Lover's Gone
  5. All You Want
  6. Thank You
  7. Honestly Ok
  8. Slide
  9. Isobel
  10. I'm No Angel
  11. My Life
  12. Take My Hand
  13. Worthless
  14. Me

Album Description

JAPANESE EDITION, RE-ISSUED WITH 3 BONUS TRACKS 'TAKE MY HAND', 'WORTHLESS' AND 'ME'. BMG. 2005.

Album Details

Japanese Re-release featuring Three Bonus Tracks: "Take My Hand", "Worthless", and "me".

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Emotional Mood Pop.......2006-07-06

Combine Dido's clear, emotional voice with excellent production values and the result is marvelous music. While it is easy to compare Dido with artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Sophie B. Hawkins, and Sinead O'Conner, Dido has her own style.

This CD opens with "Here with Me," a heartfelt song of longing and love. The delicate music with Dido's soulful voice sends shivers down my spine. This song is haunting, ethereal and emotional, establishing the theme for this CD.

The delicacy is gone with the feral song "Hunter." Dido has gone from singing about the person she wants to be with to telling someone that she wants to be on the hunt again. Dido's voice is quiet, yet assured. She is asking him to let her go, yet you sense from the vocals that she will leave him eventually, with or without his approval. She is the hunter.

The third track is after the breakup. The lyrics seem a bit strange after the heartfelt vocals of longing in the first song and the cat on the prowl strength of the third song. In this song she is more simpering and petty and thinking way too much about him. Given the strength of character in the first two songs, this song seems out of place.

The next song, "My Lover's Gone," brings Dido back on track, singing about the loss of her lover. The lyrics are poignant and mournful. The emotion she brings to her voice matches the lyrics well. The haunting instruments supporting the vocals are in sync rather than counterpoint. The music and instruments are delicate and misty, with a Celtic quality to them, and the song has an airy new age style.

Keeping with melancholy themes is a song to a departed lover in "All You Want." The harmonies and lyrics are the highlight of this composition. Dido laments the loss of her lover, but she does not accept that he left for another woman. She says that he made his bed, and he can sleep in it. As in most of the previous songs she remains, while upset and regretful, in control.

"Thank You" did well on the charts, and is a pretty song about how someone can brighten a person's life. Dido's vocals are electronically manipulated to increase the complexity of this song, with overdubs and echo. This pop song is bright and friendly and has a catchy beat that combine to make this one of the most radio friendly songs on the CD.

Getting back to a more melancholy tone is "Honestly OK." The topic is loneliness and feeling the need to share life with someone. There is a sharp beat to this song that shows some hip-hop influence, though not in the vocals. This song turns depression into emotional art.

"Slide" brings to mind Sade. The sumptuous mellow vocal overlays and style are reminiscent of some of Sade's music. Once again Dido's voice takes charge of the song and the subject, which is dealing with mistakes and the tribulations of life. The electronic touches are subdued and supportive and provide an interesting and unique feel. The drums retain just a touch of island beat, again similar to some of Sade's music. However, this song is Dido's.

The ninth track is melancholic, and yet the song keeps itself above a maudlin level to provide an enjoyable listening experience. "Isobel" is about love, regret and quiet resentment. It is amazing that Dido can sing about loving someone who is in the process of going away, but that is where she found strength to carry on.

"I'm no Angel" says that regardless of whether she is an angel, she tries hard to do the right thing. The lyrics are interesting and well performed. However, it seems that the vocal style is less in charge and Dido seems to struggle just a little to keep up with the instruments. Because of the power of the other songs on this CD we know she has the ability, so it is perception rather than fact. The result is that this track is vocally one of the weaker tracks on this CD.

Dido reasserts herself lyrically and vocally in "My Life." Dido could have sang this song with a regretful tone, as though she is breaking up with someone or has differences with someone that are causing her to do something she does not want to do. Instead she says she does what she does because she is in charge of herself. The steady beat is assured and is beautifully and quietly executed. This song seems to reflect Dido's true personality, which shows up in earlier songs. Perhaps this song also dares anyone to criticize her music, advising everyone that this music is who she is and she cares not what anyone says about it.

"Take My Hand" is a deep song, expressing the empathy that someone can have for another for whom they care deeply. When you are that deeply in love with someone there can be no lies because the emotions are plain to see; a wonderful and pretty song with a fast beat that proclaims the depths love can achieve. The music and the vocals in this song are strong to underscore the strength of the singer's love.

Listen to this album without distractions, because these songs are emotional and complex. The music is beautiful, the lyrics are well written. The few moments of weakness are well outweighed by the strength of the remaining songs. This excellent album is for those who like Sarah McLachlan, Sophie B. Hawkins and possibly Enya.

There are several versions of this CD, with various prices and availability. This particular version offers two bonus tracks over the version currently available in the United States, but with a substantially greater price. I recommend seeking a more reasonably priced version unless you absolutely need this version for your collection.

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