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: The circle is complete
Hit: 5 Stars
Can there be anything more beautifully bittersweet than the emotional dichotomy of a death and a marriage? The resulting album as those emotions are explored and exposed is here in Ms. Kralls newest tangent. Some of the more scathing review(ers) are perhaps feeling what I did at first listen...whoa, this album is personal, perhaps too personal. The collaborations with Mr. Costello bring forth what diehard fans have known for a long time...there is a raw emotion that has served Ms. Krall well with past offerings of standards...this album brings forth (lyrically) the deepest of those emotions...thank god Ms. Krall has the chops to make it work.The swinging piano continues with this offering (though lacks the solos of all instruments that I associate with Ms. Krall)...as close as you can get to a live performance, a la "Live in Paris". Jeff Hamilton works his magic, as does John Clayton on three select tracks...sounds like old times. That's the key here...the old times were great...the new times, with the release of this album, are sure to be greater as Ms. Krall explores the depth of her songwriting talents. She must, however, keep offering her exquisite interpretations of standards. That is what made her...that's her core...that's not too much to ask.
If you are a longtime listener be prepared for something totally different with this album, a la "The Look of Love". If you're not ready for the emotional depth of the offerings then buy it, shelf it and wait for a death or marriage to give it a listen. Harsh? Well, maybe..but as we all mature (even Ms. Krall feels the blows of life) our emotional experiences become deeper and more meaningful...too bad we all don't have the artistic outlet to reveal and release those emotions. Thankfully we have Ms. Krall to help us through those times.
I've seen that others are having the same difficulty as me with this CD not playing on certain players. I drive about 4 hours a day and wanted to relish this CD alone in my car...by lo and behold, this is the ONLY CD in my collection that WILL NOT play in my car. It plays on my cheapy office CD player...I haven't dared try it on my computer. Come on folks pressing and releasing this CD...if enhanced means it only plays on CERTAIN players, then I will be most likely NEVER buy an enhanced CD from you again. P.S. My Josh Groban enhanced CD plays on everything I own...now, why's that? Figure it out and release a CD that plays on all players!!!!!!!
Free Music Review: How's this for media hype?
Hit: 5 Stars
4.5 stars; 90% satisfaction. How many artists provide 100% satisfaction? Answer: none. But to hear some reviewers, you'd think their standards were as high as their budgets are low. Me --I don't mind risking a few beans, experimenting on CD's by different artists. If I don't appreciate them, someone who shops at Salvation Army might.
The recording is not all that different. We're not talking here about an album of whale sounds. It's been said (I think by me, actually) that Diana's albums have such awesome sound quality, her voice is so layered and rich, her musicianship so inspired yet not overdone, that she could record nursery rhymes and I would dig it. But that would trivialize this effort so here's a thumbnail sketch of some of the tunes on this varied album:
"Stop This World" -Separated at birth from "Peel Me a Grape."
"The Girl in the Other Room" -Moderately up-tempo, dark, enigmatic and very catchy.
"Temptation" -As close to "Pop" as Diana has come. Good news for Pop.
"Almost Blue" -Awesome bass. Strong, smoky-bar-at-2 a.m.-ambience. Will undoubtedly be covered by many others in the future.
"I've Changed My Address" -Torchy, intimate, autobiographical.
"Love Me Like a Man" -Way too robust and funky for jazz. G' head, turn it up.
"I'm Pulling Through" -Exquisite, tasteful. Would fit perfectly on Diana's earlier (studio) CDs.
"Black Crow" -Difficult, nuanced melody. Trademark Mitchell: lotsa lyrics, not enough song. But Diana's phrasing is superb.
"Narrow Daylight" -Plaintive, thoughtful, Jackson Browne-sounding, as noted by another reviewer.
"Abandoned Masquerade" -A little somber. Same goes for "I'm Coming Through."
"Departure Bay" -Picturesque lyrics, tender melody. Very nice, especially when you're in a mood.
What's all the concern about who writes Ms. Krall's songs? Do we know anything about the guy who wrote "Frim Fram Sauce?" Did he used to write polkas? Who cares who wrote "Devil May Care?" And "Why Should I Care?" The issue never came up till Costello and Waits came on the scene. Diana changed the way we feel about the Standards so when she takes a new direction, all bets are off. It's worthwhile to be flexible. By looking now beyond the Standards, a vast array of interesting possibilities awaits Krall fans.
Free Music Review: From Nat King Cole to Elvis King Costello ...
Hit: 5 Stars
Hard to believe after listening to this outstanding album that a few years ago Diana Krall was tweaking the 1940s-vintage Nat King Cole trio formula, sounding more often than not like a breath of fresh air inside a traditionalist retro-jazz mode. After several similiar albums Diana showed she was willing to break out of her musical comfort zone with the orchestrated bossa-driven THE LOOK OF LOVE. Yet that out-of-the-box experience hardly prepared us for THE GIRL IN THE OTHER ROOM, which for the most part offers all-new material, much of it composed by Diana Krall herself (often in collaboration with her brilliant spouse Elvis Costello). It's only a little exaggeration to say she's gone from the Y1K to the Y2K great American songbook. The LOOK orchestrations are gone, the small jazz combo format is back but with drums included full-time. Overall the sound retains the attractive jazz elements of her past (swing, improvisations), but at times takes a tougher, bluesier stance. Diana's voice takes the lead in this area, sounding slightly worn but in a good, emotively-compelling manner that matches the depths of the excellent compositions. Speaking of the sophisticated tunes, without exception they manage to twist melodies and lyrics in fresh directions. Amazingly, the sum total of this disc bends the rules without breaking the spirit of Diana's best past efforts, managing to be instantly attractive yet certain to reward repeated listens no doubt for years to come.
The album mixes mid-tempo tunes with elegant ballads, no less bold and artistically successful as recent eclectic CDs by the likes of Cassandra Wilson. Furthermore, as much as I loved all of Miles Davis' transitions throughout his career, I admit that he tended to lose fans along his journey. But at this point, I'd say that Diana's managed to evolve in a manner that will keep her long-time fans on board while adding new ones. In fact, speaking of Miles I was thinking this may be Diana's KIND OF BLUE (relatively speaking). Overall, THE GIRL... shows off Diana Krall completing the transition from exquisite interpreter to an artist with an original, timeless vision of her own. Now, if anyone has a different opinion and can offer constructive criticism as opposed to a string of insults, I'd be interested in reading it.
Free Music Review: A Broad Emotional Pallet and Deeply Felt Delivery
Hit: 5 Stars
The big difference between this collection and previous Diana Krall CD's involves the range of emotions she elicits with these songs. For instance, "Abandoned Masquerade," is distinctly depressing, and "Black Crow," is as bleak as a snow filled, black and white, winter landscape at twilight. In the past Diana Krall has stuck to top notch classic songs with a warm, engaging emotional feel. A change to a broader emotional pallet was bound to trip up some of her long term fans, and hence the many negative reviews from disappointed fans who expected an outing similar to her many excellent previous productions.
For various reasons, some people don't want to hear songs that are depressing, and many people have a particularly hard time with the cold, alienated emotions found in a song like "Black Crow." The other side of the coin, of course, is that many people do experience a wide range of emotions in their lives, and it is exciting, moving and engaging to encounter songs that mirror their feelings.
Diana Krall has the sensibility and the musical talent to deliver these songs. This album evidences the continuing broadening of the emotional range that her voice can convey. I would say that this broadening has been in evidence in each of her releases, but it has become especially clear in the last two studio albums and in her recent live DVD's. It will, however, be disconcerting to some to hear the explicitly ragged, cracked vocal sound that she uses to such powerful effect on some of these songs.
Usually when I see a very mixed set of reviews like the one's found here, I tend to think that the artist has slipped, often quite seriously. In those cases, the good reviews are from the die hards who refuse to abandon a favorite, and the bad reviews are from the folks who are willing to accept reality.
In this case, however, I think Diana Krall has really opened up new and exciting emotional and melodic terrain that she has never risked in the past. There is nothing wrong with having a taste for the wonderful albums she has made over the years. However, if you are willing to explore some rough and challenging emotional terrain, you are likely to agree with me when I say that this is her best, and most satisfying album.
Free Music Review: What's not to like?
Hit: 5 Stars
New recordings by Diana Krall invite a torrent of bitterness and sarcasm from the cuckoo's nest of Internet reviews, some of which came from actually having heard the recording. It's obviously personal. Who knows why? There's the Anthem of the Anal: "It isn't jazz." Others will never get past "All for You." Diana takes them out to a fine restaurant and all they want is corn dogs again. They'd be happy with 12 cuts of "Peel Me a Grape." (At a concert, you can always expect someone rude enough to shout out a request for it, eliciting no more than a frown from Diana.) Still others think a singer ought to whimper, moan and caterwaul. They'd do better to cast their lot with "American Idol."OK -honestly? --I was a little disappointed the first time through. I had hoped for something with saxophones. I think it safe to say the recording is different from her previous ones. Why? Some original writing --that's all. What's not to like? There's more variety on this one, with pieces you'd describe as bluesy, jazzy, jazzy-pop, folk-jazz, blah, blah. Hey, c'mon, what you call it doesn't mean s - - t. It's all about the music here, and it's as well written as you'll find anywhere, appealing on a more visceral level and all delivered with breathtaking clarity by Krall and the band members. I've enjoyed it almost daily now for over two months and caught her incredible Calgary concert that included all but one of these songs. It was just like the album except on steroids. I'm a loyal Krall fan but Calgary is a hell of long way to drive just out of loyalty. Bottom line: some folks won't like the record and some will. It's a matter of personal tastes. What part of that don't we get?!
Don't hate her because she's beautiful. She's not the only bombshell revealing her physical charms on a CD. If you think she is, you should crawl out from under your rock some time and look around. No, Ms. Krall is hot because she is that rare combination of superb pianist/vocalist. If some people had their wish, there'd be Affirmative Action for homely artists.