Dido - Life for Rent
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Free Music Notes for Life for Rent
Free Music Review: How Am I the First?
Hit: 5 Stars
I often like to surf around on amazon.com and see what other people think of CDs I already own. I was very surprised to see that I am the very first person to review Dido's album "Life for Rent". How can such a high profile and talented artist not have ANY reviews? Well, I just had to put my two cents in about this album so that other Dido fans can have an idea of what this CD is like.I bought Dido's first album ("No Angel") before the flurry of interest in her. It was before she had collaborated with Eminem and before she became a somewhat-household name. I bought it on a whim at a record store after listening to it on one of those sample-headset things. I loved the sound of her smoky voice and I was very interested in the texture of the album. It didn't have a feeling like anything else I had ever heard.
Because I loved her first album so much, I was very excited about the release of her second album. When it finally came out, I picked up a copy and I was not diappointed. I like "Life for Rent" even more than I like "No Angel". Again, it has a feeling unlike any other album out there. Dido combines trip-pop beats with soaring, clear vocals to make a sound all her own.
1. White Flag (5/5)- This is my favorite Dido song. It starts off with an orchestral introduction mixed with choppy drums and then it cuts into Dido's eloquent vocals. The chorus is brilliant and catchy.
2. Stoned (3/5)- A dark song with a very dramatic sound to it.
3. Life for Rent (5/5)- Another one of my favorites. Dido sounds beautiful on this song and the lyrics are great.
4. Mary's in India (4/5)- The words are the centerpoint of this song, not the music. It tells a sad tale that really paints a picture for you.
5. See You When You're 40 (5/5)- This song has a very nice melody and it is intensely interesting to listen to every time.
6. Don't Leave Home (5/5)- I love this song! I always find myself singing it, and that's a good thing.
7. Who Makes You Feel (5/5)- This song is really sexy. It has a dark melody and is sort of, etheral.
8. Sand in My Shoes (4/5)- This is Dido at her most poppy. Still a good song, though.
9. Do You Have a Little Time (5/5)- It wasn't until I reviewed this album that I realized how dark it is! This is another song with a very deep and moody melody. Beautiful.
10. This Land is Mine (5/5)- This song has a happy and sweet feeling about it. I especially like it.
11. See the Sun (5/5)- A great way to end the album. After all of those dark songs, this has a relly nice, bright message that makes you feel comfy.
This is a great CD and a welcome addition to anyone's collection. Its like a soft, warm blanket you can wrap up in. I encourage you to buy it.
Free Music Review: Another Great Album !
Hit: 5 Stars
It seemed to me there were two large groups of people waiting quite keenly for the release of this album. Gathered together in one corner sat Dido's large contingent of fans, desperate for a new batch of songs. Lurking with intent in the opposite corner were the hordes of Dido-bashers, eager for a new reason to rant and rave again. Indeed, with the release date looming, some couldn't stop themselves from jumping up and down and screaming "coffee-table-music" at innocent passers-by. Having realised how wrong the bashers were about "No Angel", Dido's first album, I was one of those looking forward to this album. I have no doubts that people will continue to criticise - on the basis of this album, however, they will continue to be wrong.The connection between Dido and Faithless continues with this album. Rollo, Dido's brother, and Sister Bliss had both contributed to "No Angel". Dido then returned the favour by providing lead vocals on "One Step Too Far", a single lifted from the band's "Outrospective" album. Now, with "Life for Rent", Rollo features strongly with a number of co-writing and co-producing credits while Sister Bliss plays on four of the tracks.
The album starts with four of its strongest tracks. The first and third tracks are "White Flag" and "Life for Rent", the album's first two singles. Sound and style wise, I don't think either would have sounded too far out of place on "No Angel". However, "Stoned", the second track, is something of a surprise in comparison. There's a slight change in sound, less acoustic and more of a keyboards-driven song. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of it but I'd now consider it to be the best of the bunch. Lyrically at odds with the nice-girl-next-door image Dido seems to have acquired, it's definitely a grower. The fourth track, "Mary's in India" is the first on the album to combine the keyboards and acoustic elements of the previous songs. "Sand in my Shoes", found later in the album, takes the same approach - both songs are quite simply excellent. There is also a hidden track - called, by the sounds of things, "The Closer You Get". It's one of those really pleasant, mellow, acoustic numbers Dido does so well.
So much for the "difficult" second album - I'd say this one surpasses "No Angel".
Free Music Review: A Grower -- Better Than Her Debut
Hit: 5 Stars
It took a bit for "Life for Rent" to grow on me, especially since I first listened to it after reading several negative reviews. Not much different in style from her debut, but there's nothing wrong with that, IMO. She has a style which is instantly recognizable after just a few notes. That's her staple, so there is no reason to change, despite that common criticism I hear.1) White Flag - I did not find this special at all the first few times I heard it. I was afraid that if this was the first single, I had a lot to worry about if I was expecting something special overall. I was wrong. This song is so engrained in me, and is quite special. It just needs the chance to attach itself to your soul.
2) Stoned - Although the way this song starts out leads you to wonder where it's going to end up, it quickly became one of my favorites. I love the driving, flowing chorus, and it just builds and builds. Addicting.
3) Life For Rent - Very pretty title track.
4) Mary's In India - It took me a while to warm to this beautiful song. Just let it flow with your eyes closed.
5) See You When You're 40 - Another one which to me a while to warm up to. Very atmospheric.
6) Don't Leave Home - One of my favorites, and one I liked right away. I love the rhythm of this one. This should definitely be a single. It's one of her best.
7) Who Makes You Feel - I know there's a song in here somewhere, but I'm too distracted by everything else that's
going on. I skip this occassionally, but I'm trying.
8) Sand In My Shoes - Very different from the rest of the album, but fabulous. A great pop song. Also should be a
single, and a huge hit. If there isn't one yet, there should be a club mix of this.
9) Do You Have A Little Time - Not one of my favorites. Sounds a bit dark. Not that I don't like dark -- I do. But this just doesn't do it for me.
10) This Land Is Mine - Although it's a nice song, it reminds me of the feeling I have about "Thank You" -- the verses are great, but the chorus lets me down a bit -- too generic.
11) See The Sun - Maybe my favorite on the album, and a great way to end it. A sweeping, atmospheric, emotional punctuation mark on a great sophmore effort.
Overall, I'd give this 4.5 stars (c'mon, Amazon, it's about time you let us rate like that!). I had to round up, because it wasn't fair to round down.
Highly recommended!
Free Music Review: A superb follow-up to "No Angel"
Hit: 5 Stars
I wasn't really planning on buying "Life for Rent" right away. I was going to wait awhile but after hearing the first single "White Flag" so many times, I started getting antsy about buying it. When I got my pay check today, I saw that I had my yearly bonus so I immediately went straight to the record store to buy "Life For Rent" after depositing my pay check. I am so glad I bought "Life For Rent". There are really no words that could do justice to describe the beauty of "Life for Rent". I was kinda worried about that all too familiar sophomore jinx that often plagues a lot of new artists nowadays (Tony Rich anyone?). No sophomore jinx here. I immediately loved "Life for Rent" right away. The music is more subtle here and the lyrics more poignant, if not heart-breaking especially in songs like "White Flag" which I assume is about Dido's broken engagement to her former fiance. As much as I love Dido's debut album "No Angel", the album was played way too many times no thanks to the defunct "Roswell" and Eminem with "Stan" and his sampling of Dido's "Thank You". I absolutely loved the gentle acoustic guitar melodies on "This Land is Mine". That song really took my breath away. It really stood out. I love Dido's choice for her first single "White Flag". The first time I heard the song, I didn't think it was all that great but as I heard it more the more I became attached to the song. There is a bonus track following "See the Sun". A beautiful acoustic ballad. I'm not really sure of the title but I will call it "The Closer You Get". All the songs on "Life For Rent" were amazing. I loved every single one of them. Of course Dido had her older brother Rollo Armstrong (from the techno collective Faithless, another fave of mine) collaborate with her and he does a great job in producing and co-writing Dido's songs. Anyone familliar with Rollo's band Faithless can hear his influence through out Dido's music. Dido's singing is still as lovely as it was when I first heard her sing on "Here I Am" on CNN's now defunct music program "World Beat". It just goes to show you that oversinging isn't a good thing. Dido has a soothing, gentle voice mixed with a obvious English accent. After listening to "Life for Rent", Dido is definitely no one trick pony. She is here to stay. The four years it took Dido to release this album was certainly worth the wait.Free Music Review: Great from start to finish
Hit: 5 Stars
I love Dido. No Angel is an album that I totally connected with, it had so much meaning at that time of my life, which I'll admit was not so happy at the time, but certain songs gave me the lift to make a change (Hunter, for one). Life for Rent is different, she created it to be smooth from start to finish, the perfect road trip cd, which is exactly how it plays, it's always our choice on road trips. My husband also loves Dido now, and we recently saw her perform in Hollywood. Her voice was flawless, the band was great and the interaction perfect. We didn't want it to end! She sounded even better in person. She explained how different songs came to being, and that was interesting as well. I'll share one thing with you, because I see all the misinterpretations on other reviews of the song "don't leave home" This song is about addiction and drugs, it has nothing to do with another person or lover. Now that you know that, when you listen to the song again it will make a whole new world of sense. "Hold my hand" is about her first sexual experience (not the very first, but during her sexual awakening as a teenager). I love Dido's lyrics and the sounds of the music, the tone and the vibe. I also love how honest she is, she sets aside her ego and just lays it on the line. Things I feel but certainly wouldn't admit to the world, she blurts out without abandon. It's nice to hear another woman admit she's angry, jealous, possesive, giving, loving, open minded, etc. Like real people her moods shift, reverse, and get contridicted from song to song. She doesn't paint a perfect picture of relationships or her life in her songs, and doesn't apologize for it either, and that's much more honest than the pop b.s. that's out there. My husband simply listens to the music and sounds of the songs, doesn't pay attention to the lyrics, and completely enjoys it, while I listen the the words and the vibe. We both have different reasons for loving her, which makes it great to pop into the cd player when we're off on an hour long drive to the beach, we both can groove to it and be completely wrapped up in it for different reasons. My 2 year old daughter loves dancing to the beat also! I'll keep buying her albums and going to her concerts until she's retired. Her voice is timeless and the band is progressive that they will always be ahead of the "scene".