Vanessa Carlton - Heroes & Thieves
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Free Music Notes for Heroes & Thieves
Free Music Review: Vanessa's Best Work: Honest, Bold, Mature, Complex and Breathtaking
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been an avid Nessaholic for about 6 years now, and Vanessa is one of my favorite artists. I'm not going to blather on about how much I love her like I did in my review for Harmonium; instead, let's focus on the topic at hand: Vanessa's absolutely brilliant third album, Heroes & Thieves. They say that the third time's the charm...well, I guess that cliche holds true for Vanessa. Both of her previous albums were amazing, but this one surpasses them easily. Harmonium was particularly stunning, and I applaud V for being able to create a masterpiece that goes above and beyond that record. Heroes & Thieves has a classical-pop sound, a sound that evokes artists like Elton John, Billy Joel, Carole King, and yes, Stevie Nicks, who duets with Vanessa in "The One." Musically, it's gorgeous, layered, and positively uplifting; a rush of sadness, wistfulness, exuberance, and hope. Lyrically, it's honest, powerful, poignant, mature, and poetic. It's the kind of album that becomes the soundtrack to your days. For me, the songs resonate within, and this album keeps me centered, it keeps me grounded, and it keeps me always appreciative and grateful for what I have, courtesy of bittersweet tearjerkers like "Spring Street" and "More Than This." The latter is THE single best song Vanessa has ever written, and it makes for a spectacular finish to a spectacular album. Other tracks, like "My Best" and "Come Undone", keep my toes tapping and flood my heart with joy; while at the same time, filling me with the sweetest kind of melancholy, like nostalgia. Vanessa Carlton is a true artist, and in the words of Stevie Nicks, she is "one of the great ones." It's pathetic how underappreciated she is. Heroes & Thieves is a rare work of art that will make you sing, make you dance, make you think, and make you cry. Buy this now, and discover real, passionate, stirring music from a someone with real talent.
Keep creating, Vanessa. I'll keep listening.
Free Music Review: Fairytale Music
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is just what us Nessaholics have come to expect. A work of art, for sure! I always look forward to V's new albums they are my inspiration as a ballet dancer and a designer. I don't agree that Stevie Nicks' voice is too mature, I believe it complements the sound of V's voice perfectly. My personal favorite is Spring Street, it tells a great story. I also like Heroes and Thieves, and of course The One w/ Stevie Nicks. A great album well worth the great price!Free Music Review: If There Is A Nolita Fairytale, I Guess This Is It.
Hit: 4 Stars
Vanessa Carlton came out in 2002 with her debut album Be Not Nobody and just like Alicia Keys she was a classical trained pianist going mainstream, but apart from Keys that was Soul, Carlton was all about Pop with beautiful piano melodies and hook driven choruses. She also wrote her own music, making her a quite interesting artist to look out for. "A Thousand Miles" became s smash hit making it to #5 on the charts and she and producer Ron Fair had made a fantastic job on "Be Not Nobody" that was among the best and most diverse sounding albums of that year ultimately selling over 2 million copies. Unfortunately, Vanessa's sophmore album Harmonium that was less meliodic happy pop and more serious melancholy midtempos didn't even sell 5% of what her debut had done and none of the singles became hits either. I wouldn't call it a bad album, it just wasn't anything that her debut was, that's why fans rejected it and it didn't get much airplay. Now 3 years have passed and Vanessa was dropped from her record label A&M and joining Irv Gotti's label The Inc. A weird change you may think?. Will Gotti produce some of the songs and will Vanessa go from pretty pop to rough Hip Hop all of sudden?. Don't worry, nothing has changed and Gotti is just the executive. On "Heroes and Thieves" she, wrote all songs together with now ex-boyfriend Stephan Jenkins (Third Eye Blind) and Linda Perry (Ex. Four Non Blondes) who also wrote songs for Pink, Xstina and and Gwen Stefani. The overall result is surprisingly good combining both great happy pop with serious confessional midtempos, and making "Heroes and Thieves" a very good album coming out of nowhere. Let's take a look at the songs.
Her first single called "Nolita Fairytale" tells the story of what's going on in her life during the last few years. Moving to the Nolita neighbourhood, touring with Stevie Nicks and and getting dropped from her previous record label. A beautiful love song with great arrangements called "Hands on Me" where Vanessa sings "We crossed the deepest oceans/Cargo across the sea,/And if you don't believe me/ Just put your hands on me". "Spring Street" is a song about moving away from home and taking care of yourself and experiencing freedom far away from your parents. It got this very nice sing-a-long melody "Na na na na na na na" on the chorus making it a possible single. "My Life" is about her and Judkins relationship ending but how they still are friends and making music together. The Next song "Come Undone" have a simular theme but this one is considerably stronger with a very memorable piano melody. It shows Vanessa Carlton at her best. "The One" is a slow paced song about her love for this special one. I had hoped that Stevie Nicks would have a bigger impact on it since it's credited as a duet, but she's really just singing with Vanessa on the hook. What a waste. The title track is a standout though, and one of my favorites here. She combines emotional lyrics with piano melodies and a memorable hook. I feel like it's about her finding the true paths in life and that meaning being without her "darling" and finding what she's searching for before she can come back. Must be a single as good as it is. "This Time" is another personal song, more simular to the sounds of her sophmore album. "Fool Like Me" is a sad melancholy song about being a fool in love. Alot of people will like this one and see themselves in it. A classic piano ballad without heavy arrangements called "Home" was rumoured to be the second single. It does have Deep lyrics and an unexpected u-turn in the end with some magnificient piano work, but It isn't my favorite single pick. Closer "More Then This" is another midtempo. I guess it's about not being happier in a relationship. It ends with backround choirs singing along during a few verses.
Overall, I think this is possibly her strongest effort so far perfectly combining the two diffrent sides of her. There's something for everyone here and if you liked her first album you are gonna like this one too. I do hope that people will still care and realize that it's an hell of an effort and a worthwile purchase. Not all songs are perfect but most are memorable enough. "Heroes and Thievies" is Vanessa Carlton back in form.
Free Music Review: Great as Always
Hit: 5 Stars
Being an avid Vanessa Carlton fan, I had to get this album. Its really great, a little different than her first two albums. I'd say its more mellow than the other two, but not as depressing as Be Not Nobody. My favorite songs on the album are Come Undone, This Time, Fools Like Me and More Than This. The One is also great because it features Stevie Nicks. Overall,I think its definitely worth the price.Free Music Review: Vanessa's best CD!
Hit: 5 Stars
I liked Be Not Nobody, loved Harmonium, and absolutely am AMAZED by Heroes And Thieves. While Vanessa has always incorporated classic pop like Carole King and Billy Joel into her music, she really goes in the classic pop direction on Heroes & Thieves (the piano on the song "Heroes And Thieves" is even a bit like Billy Joel's "Piano Man"), and she pulls it off extremely well - aided by her voice, which doesn't over-emote as much on this CD. I think this kind of music suits her voice better than some of the Goth-influenced and darker stuff she has done before. "Nolita Fairytale," with its rollicking, busy rhythm, also is different from most of the CD. Favorite songs are: "My Best," "Spring Street," "Come Undone," "Heroes And Thieves," and "Home."