Diana Krall - The Girl In The Other Room
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Free Music Notes for The Girl In The Other Room
Free Music Review: ALL B.S. ASIDE--THIS IS A GREAT JAZZ CD
Hit: 5 Stars
I listened to this CD several times before I could feel out an opinion. At first I debated whether this was a jazz CD or a blues CD. Then I decided that was pretty much a non-issue. There are larger concerns here.We have to get the "big elephant" standing in the room out of the way. Ever since junior high school when pre-pubescent boys and girls started "going together" to these years as I witness the end of long marriages as one lays the other to rest, I have to allow that there is no accounting for why many couples find each other attractive. So if Diana Krall and Elvis Costello fall for each other and get married, I am not going to turn up my nose. They may well long outlast most "ideal" pairings of the beautiful and famous we have to endure in the public eye. I wish them both well and hope their house a happy one.
Still, I have to admit to have felt the dark gloom of dread in the pit of my stomach when I heard that Krall and Costello were "collaborating". After listening to Costello's first couple of albums, I pretty much regardied him as a "waste of time". I have this pet theory I call the "English Major Hypothesis of Music Reviewing". The chief feature of this theory that some reviewers take out the lyric sheet and write a raving review without ever listening to the music. For far too long, it seems to me that Elvis Costello has benefited from this kind of scrutiny. Costello has had a long and diverse career; but as inventive as he is lyrically his music is suffocatingly turgid. Now Costello is "lending" a hand in Krall's songwriting?
Whatever happened the final product is Krall's warmest and most tasteful CD in her recording career-and that is saying a lot. Maybe Costello rose to the occasion. Maybe Krall knows when to just follow her own muse. I don't know. Krall is getting a lot of press right now in which she claims she has stopped trying to prove herself to the critics and is now going her own way. "Blah. Blah. Blah". Could be true. But we've heard it all before. I think publicists have a generic press kit they make available to musicians for this kind of thing. "All that great stuff I did before was "me". But it wasn't as much "me" as I wanted. Now this is the real "me"!"
Who cares? Sometimes people don't want to know you that well. The proof is in the cooking and this is fine dining. The CD begins with Mose Allison's "Stop This World" that is confident and upbeat. A good part of this CD is in this vein where Krall is strong and vigorous to her audience. The other part of this CD finds Krall in a dark and meditative mood which "The Girl In The Other Room" is representative. Which face you like better will change as you go along.
Most will find Krall's "Changed My Address" and "Love Me Like A Man" quite compelling and fetching as her sultry voice warms your heart and hormones. On the other hand, Krall's rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Black Crow" and her own "Narrow Daylight" will speak to your soul. Unlike other reviewers, I think "Narrow Daylight" is the best cut on the album. I simply think it is one of the best things Krall has done. Reciting the lyrics is not enough. You have to listen to it. There are gospel chords and little pictures of walking in great halls, in forest groves, along the seashore and to a wooden cross as the singer wonders if "the kindness we count upon/ is hidden in everyone". It is a song about the first hint of joy after a long season of sadness. Wonderful.
Krall's own piano work has been unjustly ignored in the past and unfortunately it may remain so. But her playing has grown from her already impressive accomplishments to be consistently inventive and interesting. If Krall ever does a "no words" instrumental album I will be the first in line to buy it.
Live In Paris was one of the few occasions where I purchased both the audio CD and the DVD of the concert. Others took a pass but I enjoyed Live In Paris as one of the greatest moments in Krall's career. I should have realized it was also a kind of "summing up". Krall has taken another road. Time will tell if she will stay this course or take another fork to someplace else. But The Girl In The Other Room is worth the investment of your hard-earning cash and time.
Free Music Review: Same sound as her previous releases, with fresh new tunes!
Hit: 5 Stars
WOW... reading some of the reviews for this album here, you'd think Diana Krall has pulled a Miles Davis and started playing with musicians, instruments and rhythms that are completely outside of her regular niche. No, she has not gone "pop" at all. Do you see The Matrix credited as the album's producer? Do you hear synthesizers anywhere? Does she have any guest rappers or DJs augmenting her band? No? OK, we're getting somewhere.
So, where does this album place among her previous releases? Well, let's put it this way: if "The Look of Love" put you to sleep with its insistent sameness -- same tempos, same rhythms, no shifts in dynamics -- then this album will sound a lot to you like her second album, "Only Trust Your Heart." Just like on that album, Diana is backed by a sturdy drummer (unlike her more popular trio recordings). She also has a bassist and guitarist in her band (no sax this time around, though it wouldn't have hurt). Also like that album, she sounds vibrant and alive. No, she doesn't always sound full of zip and energy -- sometimes she's contemplative or melancholy. When she's not down in the dumps, however, her piano solos are sounding quite stirring and forceful, relative to her previous work of course (she's not trying to be Cecil Taylor, mind you!)
So what about the songs? Alas, if you are looking to hear her sing songs you have been hearing on and off for decades by many other artists since the dawn of time, you are bound to be disappointed. "The Girl In The Other Room" is not an album of old "standards," but rather it is a collection of new original tunes and some other tunes interpreted by Diana, tunes that are not traditionally associated with jazz. But does she ever jazz them up! Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue" will be familiar primarily to Costello fans as that moody torch song on his 1982 album "Imperial Bedroom." Here, it is finally cast as it should be: as a jazzy torch song sung by a first class jazz singer (no disrespect to Elvis, I like his version too). And how about that Tom Waits tune, "Temptation"? Well, those familiar with Mr. Waits know that he has always had a touch of jazz in his blood -- just listen to his "Nighthawks at the Diner" album and dare to tell me that you couldn't imagine ol' Charlie Mingus enjoying a performance like that! Well, "Temptation" is finally in the hands of an established jazz artist, and you know what? It sounds positively sexy as performed by Diana, and dig that bass player! Christian McBride, right? Sounds like he's excited just to be in the same room as Ms. Krall. You can feel it.
I could go on and on about how the title track takes the sound of her trio recordings and casts it in a more thoughtful light, or how touching "Departure Bay" is, etc. You'll just have to listen for yourself. Personally, I think this album is, thus far, Ms. Krall's crowning achievement. It's heartening to know that she has a far deeper well of material from which to draw than her previous albums indicated.
Free Music Review: Mouthwatering for those with more adventurous tastes
Hit: 5 Stars
All others: find comfort with the Standard menu. Original songs with lyrics that have a real purpose make this recording a surprise encounter. The words paint vivid and specific images that made me pay attention to them. Contrast this with the often-frivolous jazz lyric which serves mostly as a means to demonstrate "phrasing." The lyrics in this case belong to Krall/Costello, which tizzyfies some jazz scholars, upset with the infidel Costello's insinuating himself into the genre. How silly.
But forget lyrics for now. Melody-wise, Krall's writing is top notch: as imaginative and as grown-up as you'll find, musically appealing and never tiresome. I can say this even after listening to the album almost daily for over a month and still going strong. But that's just me. The late Ray Brown, however, observed in his liner notes for one of Diana's early albums, "I find that there is a lot of soul inside this lady." Brown, of course, was only a legendary bassist, not your seasoned jazz aficionado, but Krall's writing proves he was on to something.
Sound quality is astonishingly clear and intimate as it is on all of her albums. Krall's vocal style is somewhat "conversational," with a pitch centered closer to normal speaking, exposing ever more shades of her gorgeous, unmistakable voice. Most other singers don't have the vocal character to make this work and I suppose they have to jack up their volume to make up for it. Krall doesn't quite get into piano pyrotechnics but the instrumental half of her talent is out in force. Her solos and accompaniment are inspired and soulful; sometimes efficient and perfectly rendered ("I'm Pulling Through") and other times, ragged and muscular ("Love Me Like a Man").
Another reviewer nailed it: Krall has hereby made Costello's "Almost Blue" a standard. Beautiful, but too brief, Krall begins with a chord progression that morphs into an unexpected, awesome downbeat to begin the song. In concert, this is chilling. "Love Me Like a Man" has a big rockin,' blues sound, surprising for this kind of traditional four-piece band which is more suited to small jazz clubs. "I've Changed My Address," "The Girl in the Other Room " and "Abandoned Masquerade" are down-tempo and intense. "I'm Pulling Through," brightens the mood and Diana's exquisite arrangement of the tune would have made it a standout on any of her previous recordings featuring the Standards. "Narrow Daylight" is hymn-like. "Departure Bay," gentle and beautiful, combines images of British Columbia with grief-tinged but hopeful images of life in the wake of the loss of her mother.
Krall (and any other vocalist who ever had the poor judgment to lean up to a mic) has been knocked for vocals lacking passion, intensity, etc. So who's more passionate and intense: somebody "interpreting" yet another Standard or someone singing her own work?
Free Music Review: Hold the phones!!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
First of all, let me say that while I have been hooked on Diana Krall since the first time I heard "Peel Me A Grape" on my car radio, and have been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the release of this new CD, it took me well over a week to actually decide to purchase it. The first single "Temptation" did not grab me (see my review); the snippets of songs I heard impressed me less; and gosh, some of those reviews and comments! I only hope Diana is thick-skinned, because they are totally off-base and often unacceptably crude. Diana a Norah Jones-Wanna-Be??? Is this a joke? It's like accusing Meryl Streep of aiming to imitate Courteney Cox.Fortunately, I stopped by a music store listening-station on a lark, and decided to give "The Girl in the Other Room" a fair shot. From the teasing drum opening to "Stop This World", I was mesmerized, and practically stayed to listen to the whole album. In my opinion, this may very well be Di's best recording to date, although like others, I will always love her smooth touch with the standards. Listening to "The Girl in the Other Room" makes me feel as though I'm suspended and floating in some timeless bubble. In fact, I think that was the whole intention of this new repertoire: an enormously successful singer stopping the train and re-evaluating life. This collection could easily have been a complete downer, but miraculously, it isn't. Every song is an evocative, reflective winner that makes me feel that some untravelled path is just around the corner, after I sit down and take a breather. The title song about self-disassocation would fit well in a David Lynch movie; "Temptation" takes on an unexpected excitement within the context of the other songs; "Almost Blue" is just plain lovely; "I've Changed My Address" reminds me of that great, obscure detective musical "Gunmetal Blues". In fact, the whole album has a kind of film-noir feeling. "Departure Bay" is deeply heartbreaking and yet somehow hopeful at the same time.
No need to go on about the material, I have no reservations, just raves.
Diana sounds absolutely spectacular, her best vocals ever, "wild honey and scotch" as one critic so perfectly summed up her style. Here she is more lyrical than ever, and shows a much wider range of notes. The arrangements and recording egineering are to DIE FOR, a feast for audiophile ears. I was unable to locate the super audio SACD version, but I will ASAP. I can barely imagine what THAT will sound like!
Oh, Diana, how could I have been so doubtful? You've hooked me again!
Free Music Review: a TRUE Krall fan
Hit: 5 Stars
As my public nick name suggests, I usually stick to reviewing books. My taste in music is so eclectic as to border on the bizzare. So I accept that albums I love are not to everyones taste. But the reviews I glanced at for this CD are so far out of line I HAD to "write in" and disagree.I suppose if you want to pigeon hole Krall as a very talented singer who only covers Jazz standards, then you cannot fail to dislike this CD. But if you insist an artist only do what they did on their earlier CDs, how can one call yourself a fan of the artist? You may be a fan of the singers style when doing Jazz standards, but not of the artist. But on to the important stuff, the new CD.
This is a real departure from Kralls' previous recordings. 7 of the 12 offerings are written or co-written by Krall and Costello. And the other 5 do not fall under the heading of Jazz standards.
You still have the spare instrumentation of the music. Kralls' voice is as seductive and beguiling as ever showing off her consumate vocal skills. What you do not get is an "easy listen". These are not songs you know well. It requires you to actually listen to the words. Yes, listen to the words - although many seem to find this concept either to much effort or strangely offensive.
This album reflects the changes going on in Kralls' life over the past few years ( loss of her mother to cancer, new love). So there is a certain rawness in song and sound. A large part of that may be that these are not covers of songs she has had the chance to polish smooth in numerous live performances. This is new stuff. In an interview she has said that these songs are already changing through performance and she expects them to change even more during her current concert tour. I would love to hear what would result if she went into the studio after her tour and re-recorded this entire album. I will admit that I was torn between 4 or 5 stars, since as I say: there is a certain raw, unpolished feeling since she has not had the opportunity to polish these in concert as usual. But I went with 5 as an aknowledgement of the risk she took in not sticking to the tried and true.
So, if you are looking for the same old Krall, the critics are correct - look else where, look backwards. If you want to see what is going on with Krall and are willing to actually listen to the artist, give this a listen. It plays now as I write this and it will be playing as I drive into Vancouver to hear (you know, that thing that happens as you actually listen to an artist) how it has changed, evolved from the studio on her current concert tour.