Melissa Etheridge - The Awakening
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Free Music Notes for The Awakening
Free Music Review: Concept Album - And That's Okay!
Hit: 5 Stars
From my title you might surmise that I'm not real big on concept albums. I like the concept of concept albums, but in execution I usually end up thinking they're more annoying than anything else. The Awakening is definitely an exception.
I've been a Melissa fan ever since I first saw her riveting performance of "Bring Me Some Water" on the Grammy's when she was up for best new artist. But even though I knew she'd released a new album I hadn't heard anything about it yet. Then I saw The Awakening for sale at the grocery store for $10 and thinking, "Hot damn!" I snatched up a copy. I then did what I usually do with a new CD, stuck it in the CD player in my car and listened to it the next few times I was driving. Don't do that with this album. I kept going, "Huh?" and scrambling for the cover to look at the song list to try and make sense of what was going on, which isn't good when driving! This one you'll want to put on at home, get comfy, and really listen to it uninterrupted.
My initial responses were things like, "Hmmm...'California' has a catchy tune, but it seems kinda like a retread, is this album gonna be a dud?", "What's with all these short little ditties?" and, "Am I losing my mind or are we on a different song now?" So after getting to the end of the album it was clear this wasn't a normal CD and I immediately played it through again with adjusted expectations and a more open mind. (Then after the second listen I finally read the liner notes, which of course helped further.)
After my second listen through I was thinking, "Hey this is pretty good stuff." By my fourth listen I was totally blown away. I especially like "I've Loved You Before" because I dig the whole loving through many lifetimes idea and the lyrics are quite moving. I like that she's mixed up music styles a bit more, with the really nice bluesy guitar on "An Unexpected Rain" and the playful, country flavor of "Threesome". There's also some very nice electric guitar work on several songs. "The Kingdom of Heaven" is probably my second favorite song on the album so far, quite powerful. The ending suite of songs is totally amazing and gets better each time you listen.
The Awakening is a very strong album with several songs that I'd consider to be classic Melissa in style and content, then moving through to the more political and spiritual stuff. Somehow they do all end up going well together and even the short interlude pieces add a little something special. Breakdown and Skin are still hanging on as my two favorite Melissa albums, but The Awakening is making a strong bid for favored status and is arguably her best album to date. Those who have called it brilliant and a masterpiece aren't wrong. The Awakening wouldn't be a good choice for a Melissa neophyte to start with I don't think, but for any fan it should definitely be added to the collection.
I'm finding it interesting that, despite how initially enraptured I was with Melissa's debut album, it's her later albums that are my favorites and the ones I listen to with the most frequency. Most artists for which I have multiple albums it's their early music that first engaged me that remains hard to beat and what I most prefer to listen to. But Melissa has been totally bucking that trend.
Free Music Review: Where the Dark Ends
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a good outing for Melissa Etheridge. The CD doesn't have the hook-filled avalanche of "Skin," but is very satisfying. "California" has her moving chorus, "I am almost free." The remarkable thing about "An Unexpected Rain" for me is that stunning lead guitar that almost weeps with feeling as it bleeds from the speakers. "All We Can Really Do" with it's one-line lyric plays like a companion piece to John Lennon's happy sing-along "All We Are Saying Is Give Peace a Chance." I tend to repeat the catchy Etheridge tune "Message to Myself" with its hook-drenched chorus, "I'm sending out a message to myself so that when I hear it on the radio, I will know that I am fine. I will know that I am loved." "Heroes & Friends" is another very sweet track with a soft beginning & a classic Etheridge build, "You can't find a star if you don't look up in the sky; You can't find the light if you don't know where the dark ends." "The Kingdom of Heaven" is perhaps one of Melissa's most thematically heavy songs as she addresses religious martyrs, "He strapped all his desperate pain & his faith to his body then blew them away." It probably won't wind up in the Hot 100, but it may be one of her greatest songs. The last three songs appear to be a trilogy repeating the album title before the song subtitle. "The Universe Listened" reflects the deep appreciation for life that a brush with death brings to a human perspective. "Imagine That" brings a strong political perspective, "I will not fight your war for profit; No sir I will not go." The guitars and Fritz Lewak's blazing drums heighten the magic. The timing of "What Happens Tomorrow" envisions the breaking of the highest glass ceiling, "I believe a woman can work hard & succeed; And we could be content to believe that she could be in charge of the free and be the president." "The Awakening" is an excellent set because it is about important issues that are sung with great appeal. This is a new direction for Melissa. While I like much of her work, I appreciate the spiritual and intellectual depth she demonstrates in her newest songs. Enjoy!Free Music Review: Biography in song
Hit: 5 Stars
These past few months have created a glut of gorgeous music much to the dismay of my credit card. I've vowed--due to space and ecological considerations--to start buying singles instead of whole CDs, but "Awakening" is very much worth having in its entirety. Besides, in this case, the samples are way not enough to get the feel of the entire song.
This isn't easy music to listen to. Melissa Etheridge has learned some hard lessons in her life and
"The Kingdom of Heaven" is probably the hardest to listen to. It's Etheridge's cut-to-the-bone take on the war. So, is "What Happens Tomorrow." There's no 'us' in them.
But what Melissa Etheridge is doing best on "Awakening" is sharing much of the deepest parts of herself--both good advice and hard-fought lessons learned. It takes a lot of guts to do this, but the lady's one of the bravest and strongest in the business.
"An Unexpected Rain" apologizes for her regrets--the lover who tried suicide because of their breakup, the meaningless encounters. It takes a strong person to make those kinds of admissions public in the hopes to make others stronger.
"Heroes and Friends" is the message that you need to continue to dream and try despite pain and failure:
You can't take a trip if you don't first say goodbye
You can't find a star if you don't look in the sky
You can't find the light if you don't know where the dark is
"The Universe Listened" is probably the strongest song (we don't start living til we've almost died). This haunting story song will stay with you for a while.
I could go on writing about this CD for pages, but what it all comes down to is what you feel when you hear the music. Listen, but be prepared to be swept into the songs and possibly shed tears.
Free Music Review: I'd give it 6
Hit: 5 Stars
I cannot believe the critics who don't like this album!!! I can't stop playing it/humming along/singing it. I e-mailed the link to STAR 103s live in studio performance to our priest, so she could see "Kingdom of Heaven". I think it's the best song she's ever written. Except maybe Unexpected Rain" or "I've loved you before". I love the way she takes you from wild and irresponsible youth to solemn introspection to rage over the idiocy of the powers that are running this country and our world into the ground.
I could so relate to so many of the songs, and can't find a bad song on it. I have most of her CDs but the only ones I ever play are the first album and
Yes I am. She's kind of like Joni Mitchell in that she wears her heart on her sleeve, bares her guts to the world, and pisses people off if she changes a thing. So what if some of the sounds sound alike? Isn't that what defines an artist's style? Never seemed to have hurt John Fogarty (IMO every one of his songs sounds exactly alike).
Melissa sings her heart out, and I am happy to say that I know she is singing to me and a whole lot of other people.
Free Music Review: EPIC
Hit: 5 Stars
Melissa Etheridge declares that this is a concept album. It's an evocative effort born of her experiences - there's really no place to criticize here. It's her journey, her story, and she tells it powerfully. If you're reading this you probably have other CDs of hers. Your collection just wouldn't be complete now without this album. The guitar playing is often overwhelming (in a good way) as is her voice! "Open your Mind" track 13 is phenomenal. The chorus is fabulous with her vocals and background vocals. Kingdom of Heaven will stun you. The last three songs on the disc are -- The Awakening (the universe listened)(imagine that)(what happens tomorrow)-- you've got to hear them for yourself. She wants you to listen from beginning to end, uninteruppted. Go ahead - read those lyrics, melt into the music and feel the conviction, consider your own beliefs about God, about politics, about this war, about music, how it moves you, how it inspires, and be grateful that Melissa made The Awakening. A masterpiece.
Highly Recommended