Album- Our Version of
Events
Artist- Emeli Sande
Since winning the Brit Critics Choice Award back at the
start of 2012, Emeli Sande just went from strength to strength and was arguably
the biggest star of 2012 in the UK. I thought I would take a look at her whole
album as she prepares for true worldwide domination to see if it’s actually
good as the fact that everyone seems to be buying it suggests.
Track 1- Heaven
The first track is a powerful number with clattering drum
beats and a powerful orchestral undertone that highlights the serious ideology
of the track. Lyrically the track speaks of the idea of being good within life
and how in the end we will be gone, and Sande really brings out the moral
message through potent imagery in the verses and the simplicity of the chorus,
which invokes the idea of how life is so long. The production gives a 90’s,
epic sounding flavour to the record, with the choir in the middle section
having that powerful, moral quality. And with her powerful vocals Sande really
brings her work to life, also showing a sense of vulnerability in what she is
saying.
3.5/5
Track 2- My Kind of
Love
The second track is a powerful RnB ballad that has elements
of soul, holding a sense of sincerity. The lyrics speak of how Sande will
always be there for that person she really cares for, especially when they are
at their lowest. And whilst the song is not as lyrically heavy as the previous
track, it still has a depth to it, and this allows for the vocal of Sande to
shine. When she says we’ll feel her kind of love, she means it. And the simple
production of the track with its slight dark undertone makes for a kind of epic
sound to the track.
3.5/5
Track 3- Where I
Sleep
This track is a short but sweet ode that is about being in
that state where you can be anywhere with someone special in your life and just
feel at home. The track is a light pop soul ditty that has a freshness to it
through the light vocal performance of Sande. But what really stands out to me
on this song is the production, which has a handclapping, almost jazz like feel
and simple drum beats that steadily build and are met with violins. But the
production never gets to powerful, meaning the song is never too overdramatic
and the simple message of the track is always conveyed.
3.5/5
Track 4- Mountains
This track is really nice and simplistic and features deeper
vocals and just a grand overall sound that makes the track sound really nice
and beautiful. The song lyrically is quite deep and so can mean different
things to different people, which is really one of the beautiful things about
Sande’s work. But in every case the song has that theme of really striving for
something through the metaphor of climbing mountain. The more downplayed vocal performance
with its lilting tones allows for a chilled but powerful attitude to the track.
And again the production is superb, featuring a more acoustically driven sound
with light but deep guitar rhythms and subtle piano instrumentation, before
leading into a orchestral, violin led crescendo in the songs final moments that
really leaves the song having a lasting impression.
4/5
Track 5- Clown
The song was apparently inspired by Sande’s initial
struggles within the music industry. But again it’s a number that can mean
different things, and to me I felt it could almost being a kind of empowering
number in that although it is an emotional ballad it has that emotional resonance
that might make people realise that they are not alone. Lyrically the track
blends the personal and observant qualities of her lyrics well and unfolds as a
kind of a message to the world that everybody hurts. And this really comes
through in the vocal performance, where Sande really keeps it reserved and nice
until the middle section where she has that power and shows that this song is
powerful and she isn’t the joke people may have thought she was. With the track
being led by piano instrumentation and some nice violins, the song really
allows her to shine vocal, and with the reserved production the song becomes
all that more potent.
4/5
Track 6- Daddy
(featuring Naughty Boy)
This up tempo dark number has an early 90’s dance floor feel
and lyrically speaks of the idea of being addicted to something so badly it
hurts you and you just don’t realise, and it’s definitely a track that is
lyrically potent because it has that sense of the world being overpowered by
addiction, which is very much the truth. The vocal performance is good here but
takes a little bit more of a backseat to the powerful production with its
forceful beats and fast paced undertone that gives the track that nice sense of
urgency.
3/5
Track 7- Maybe
This track was written many years ago and almost feels
highly unique on the record as it is a bit more blatant in its message. The
tracks lyrics speak of that sense of confusion and wondering after a break up
whether that was really the right thing to do. And lyrically the track really
works in that the verse unfold like Sande telling us her story, and then the
chorus almost as if we are listening in on Sande pleading with her lover.
Whilst very down tempo and chilled it doesn’t mean that the record is laden
with a sadness that is too strong, as this track has a lightness to it that
makes it have that sense of this maybe wrong but at the end of the day it may
be just right. The wall of sound that is created within the production is nice
and powerful, featuring some subtle synths sounds whilst still having that
orchestral, epic sound that the record is really built on. And the vocals are just so beautiful, being
really simple and heartfelt and just truly stunning it’s one of those songs
that I feel you really have to listen to in order to get the full flavour of
the track.
4/5
Track 8- Suitcase
Suitcase is a simple down tempo number that features an
extreme acoustic sound and lyrically speaks about the idea of a partner leaving
and the frustration that this causes. The tracks another example of how simplicity
is the key to much of the greatness of Sande’s work, with the vocal performance
being delicate and quite cute with a sense of vulnerability and a steadyily
building power. And the strumming guitar and violins are really nice
production, with the simple drum beats that come in after the first chorus
giving a nice rhythm to the track. Lyrically the track also taps into that
emotion of a loved one leaving brilliant, and with the violin based finish the
song comes to a beautiful end.
4/5
Track 9- Breaking the
Law
This track was inspired by Sande’s relationship with her
sister and how she would do anything for her sister because they are that
close. However it is another song where the listener can also take control, and
so it can be relevant to anyone special within your life. The vocal is delicate
and subdued but has a slight haunting tone that differentiates it a little from
the other tracks, with the lyrical stresses of the chorus giving a nice chilled
but potent essence to the track. Lyrically it’s powerful in the simplicity of
its message but the way that this simplicity comes out of a nice metaphor. And
featuring an even more stripped back sound than ever, the power of the message
definite comes through.
3.5/5
Track 10- Next to Me
This was probably the breakout single for Sande in many ways
and will be the one that is her signature up tempo track for a while. And it
comes at a great time within the record as a whole, as it offers that sense of
diversity to the artist. The track is about the good men in life and how they
are always there for you, and it works in being about perhaps just your man but
having that bigger sense of faith and god. The lyrics are more simplistic than
some of other work and so the heart of the track definitely comes through, and
the vocals are really good in giving that sense of unity, with the chorus being
very distinct in having that bringing the crowd together feel. The production
features powerful drum beats and a very old soul driven sound that is equal
parts modern.
4/5
Track 11- River
River has been described by Sande herself as being about the
“strong silent type”. The track sinks the record seamlessly back into a nice
down tempo state, and whilst it speaks of those quiet ones who are probably the
ones with the most to offer but keep in the background, the track definitely
has a nice quiet energy that is powerful, particularly coming out through the
more forceful production of the chorus and the contrast with the very piano led
verses. The track definitely features a stunning vocal as always, and in this
vocal there is almost that sense of Sande herself being one of those quiet
people, with her music giving her the voice she needs, and so it’s definitely a
track that really unites the artist and her fans.
3.5/5
Track 12- Lifetime
Inspired by how she could never find a link between science
(as she studied medicine) and music, this light number speaks how things just
won’t last forever but you will last a lifetime. The track is just really nice
and sweet with a vocal that is parts fragile parts strong and utterly stunning,
and just a really nice beat that gives that sense of beauty and strength to the
track. And it’s shortness is also a real value of the track.
4/5
Track 13- Hope
Co-written by the wonderful Alicia Keys, this track does
exactly what it says on the tin, invoking a sense of passion and observation
through the use of imagery. The tracks production is powerfully led by piano
until the introduction of some nice drum beats. And vocals again great. Definitely
feels like this girl can do no wrong.
Track 14- Read All
About It (Part III)
The final track on the album is a piano led ballad that was
inspired by the original collaboration of Sande with rapper Professor Green.
After performing the song many times with Green she was inspired in terms of
the what the track meant to her, as the original song was deeply personal to
Green. The song featured heavily within the closing ceremony of the London 2012
Olympics, and this is perhaps because this track has that sense of the track
relating to many people and having that unifying ideology of just being open.
Vocally and production wise it is just stunning, and it definitely means that
the record finishes on a high.
5/5
Final Review
If I am totally honest I was a bit sceptical when I started
listening to this record as I felt that while she was a great artist I wasn’t going
to love her for a whole album like so many seemed to. But she definitely
surprised me. This is because of the fact that whilst the tracks are in many
ways similarly, there is always little subtleties to the songs that make them
very unique. And whilst her lyrics and vocals give a deeply personal flavour to
the record, the songs also have a powerful relatibilty factor that is really
great for the listener. Plus, with absolutely no filler, I finally see just why
everybody loves Emeli Sande
10/10
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