Vanessa Carlton - Harmonium
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Vanessa CarltonEdition: Music CD
Format: Enhanced
Published: 2004
CD Release Date: 2004-11-09
Music Label: A&M
Soundtracks:
- White Houses
- Who?s To Say
- Annie
- San Francisco
- Afterglow
- Private Radio
- C'Est La Vie
- Half A Week Before The Winter
- Papa
- She Floats
- (Hidden Track) ? The Wreckage
Free Music Notes for Harmonium
Free Music Review: Beautifully Captivating- Deep-Unique. Vanessa is Great!
Hit: 5 Stars
Harmonium is an excellent album. Her songs clearly have the soul and feeling that most songs today tend to lack. There is no cursing or swearing, making the album safe to listen to in public. The songs are easily related to with anybody. Here is my track break down and thier meanings:
1.) White Houses: This amazing song has an incredibly catchy tune, and the lyrics are adorable. It seems to be about a place where a girl stayed during the summer, meeting new friends, and even a boy, with whom she fell in love with, but mistakes were made. This song is easily relatable, for we as humans have all made mistakes and had good times. The song starts out happy and upbeat, but by the end tends to get a tad bit melancholy. Almost as if she is speaking happily about her happy memories and looking back with a bittersweet nostalgia. I rate this song 10/10. It is truly one of my favorite songs of all time.
2.) Who's to Say?: This song took me a long time to like. It has a somewhat long length (almost 5 minutes), and starts out rather slow. But the lyrics are inspiring. It seems to be about a relationship, unapproved by family. In the song, it really emphasizes the importance of friendship and love. Sometimes even choosing friends above family. I picture that this song is almost a speech; as if she's taking a stand saying "I'm going to love who I love, because I know that we can make it. It doesn't matter what you say, because who are you to say those things when you were once young? You're too old to remember how it is." And choosing her love no matter the outcome. I rate it 7/10. Very powerful and inspiring for someone in love.
3.) Annie: This song is absolutely beautiful. The piano has an intricate melody that grasps the listener in. It seems to be about a dying girl in a hospital. This song is very touching; we are able to relate because we see Vanessa's soft side, as she conveys her love to this young child who she admires. She speaks of how Annie, the dying girl, is strong and elegant, even though she's dying, and how she wishes more than anything she could keep her alive. I give this song 9/10, this is a relatable song for anyone who's lost a loved one.
4.) San Fransico: I love this song! It took me a while to love it, but it grew on me. This song really creates a soft spot for the listener. When listening to the song it feels as if it's a sunny day and you're having a wonderful time. The piano is beautiful, and the song is innocent and adorable. To me, the song seems to reflect the good times in San Fransico. All the memories, and the friends she was with really makes her feel like she's at home. Maybe that's what the song is implying, when you are having a good time with the ones you love, you feel at home. I give this song 9/10, it's adorable.
5.) Afterglow: This song is very slow, but the melodies beautiful. The lyrics are deep and meaningful. The lyrics are worth praising alone. To me, this song seems to be about overcoming hardship and trial; having just overcome a very hard time in life. The moment when you know for sure everything is going to be all right, and you just feel peaceful and content. Free and innocent. I think it's about the growth after a trial, hence the "afterglow" that comes from the storm of life. Beautifully inspirational. I give the song 7/10. It's beautiful, and relatable to anyone who's had trials (everyone).
6.) Private Radio: This song instantly caught my attention. It is rather upbeat, one of the more upbeat songs on her album. This is also somewhat of a duet song, for we hear two female voices harmonizing. I have a fetish for duets, so it immediately attracted me. The piano is catchy, although it takes some thought to think of the meaning. Perhaps it describes insomnia. To me though, it describes those nights where you feel so restless, and excited-when you feel almost adventurous, and just want to explore and take the night in for its dark wonder. Fun and catchy song, I give it a 6/10
7.) Half a Week Before the Winter: This is a truly amazing song. The piano is spine tingling and captivating: mysterious! It seems to express the hurt and pain of being caught up in one particular person, that you've given everything to, but yet in return they give you empty promises and fear. Only to find in the end, that the person you've been so caught up with was only feeding off you, and it's better to be alone. The song uses animals and monsters, such as "The Unicorns are flying high, powerful in coats of white"...and "the vampires are growing tired. the coats of white all turn to red". I think that the "unicorns" symbolize hopes and dreams that were once powerful and majestic. I think the "vampires" come from the doubts and rejection of the person who was feeding off of her, thereby thrashing and bleeding and feeding off of her "unicorn's" perfect white coat- I think the vampires are almost a symbol of destruction. It's very deep when thought about. 10/10. Perfect.
8.) C'est la Vie: This is an interesting song. The piano is certainly different and the drum beats are prominent, almost as if this is a warrior march or something. It's a very catchy song, that her vocals prove worthy to sing, for at one point she jumps octaves in the song, giving her voice a nice breaking effect. This song could be about many things, but to me, it seemed as if the song were about someone who was not in a good relationship. The song seems to be about a girl, telling her partner that all this time he/she has been dragging her down with lies. Although she once thought they were perfect together, upon further inspection, she could only find destruction. I give this song 6/10. It's catchy and interesting.
9.) Papa: Not my favorite song. It is an intense song, that those who feel betrayed or know fake people might enjoy listening to if they want to something to relate to. To me, this song is about a powerful figure, who has let the power go to his head. He has become fake, almost as if he is wearing a facade, and he manipulates people to do things he wants with his "plastic love". It is relatable because most of us have encountered fake people in our lives. I give this song 5/10. Very eerie and relatable.
10.) She Floats: Very eerie and interesting and long (over 5 minutes long). Unlike the other songs on the CD, this has a nice instrumental piece. It starts out very peaceful, but the tension builds. I think it is one of the more darker songs on her album. It's either about suicide or a girl completely at peace, whose mind is completely still and is just "floating" with peace. In the song, there is a girl screaming, perhaps it is the girl screaming to her death, or a girl screaming out in the rain, letting out all her frustrations, allowing her to be at peace once more (I hope it's the latter). The song is very eerie sounding with the scream, not one of my favorites, but surely interesting. I give the song 5/10.
11.) The Wreckage: I'm not a fan of the melody of this. Or the topic. It seems to be a car crash...oh what a happy topic...no. It is rather a depressing song. I don't recommend listening to this song before driving or it might scare people to go out onto the fast lanes. The car crash topic just doesn't suit my interest, it makes me somewhat depressed. But the lesson of the song is clearly that car crashes are easy to get into. I give this song 4/10. Depressing, yet well written.
The album all together is fantastic, and INSTANT favorite. I know I'll love it forever. If you like Vanessa Carlton, I really recommend buying this album, or even listening to its meaning.
Harmonium Poster
Vanessa Carlton returns with her highly anticipated sophomore album, "Harmonium." With the release of her first album, "Be Not Nobody," Vanessa was met with great response. Rolling Stone listed her as one of the "Ten Artists to Watch for 2002" and sure enough, her 2002 debut, "Be Not Nobody" was nominated for 3 Grammy awards and sold over 3 million albums worldwide.Now Vanessa is back poised to exceed the accomplishments of her debut. With the help of her producer Stephan Jenkins (3rd Eye Blind), and guest musicians and vocalists which include Lindsey Buckingham and Pharrell Williams, Vanessa Carlton has created, yet again, a truly outstanding album.
ENHANCED CD features intimate behind the scenes footage with Vanessa.
Sophomore albums are dicey affairs. With an early fork in the road before them, fresh-faced artists find themselves with a choice of either repeating the formula that worked before or venturing out in uncharted territory. Vanessa Carlton opts to test her range with her ambitious, admirable, but not always successful follow up to 2002's Be Not Nobody. Collaborating with boyfriend Stephan Jenkins (the Third Eye Blind frontman produced the album and helps out as a writer and musician), Carlton explores new themes and sonic textures throughout the 10-song outing, scoring impressively with the likes of "White Houses" (featuring Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham) and the assured, driving "Private Radio." The naiveté of "San Francisco" is ultimately winning ("Talking in the Mission over coffee/ This is my utopia" she gushes, though the line about "Steinbeck and those old men whistling" is a headscratcher). Still, the elegant arrangements and Carlton's insistent piano lines can't quite cover up a lack of truly memorable melodies. Yes, Carlton is maturing and Harmonium brings her closer to where she's going, but she's still got a ways to go. --Steven Stolder
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