Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Dido- Girl Who Got Away Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Album- Girl Who Got Away

Artist- Dido

British singer-songwriter Dido garnered international success way back in 1999 with the release of her debut record No Angel, and in particular garnered attention for the stellar track and controversial ideology of her and Eminem’s collaboration “Stan”. Since then Dido has continued to have success, most recently with her work being nominated for an Oscar. This, her fourth studio album, comes as a sort of comeback to the music industry and presents a growth in sound, apparently. But is this really the album we want from Dido, or is it perhaps the signal that she is no longer the bright music star that she once truly was?

Track 1- No Freedom

Describe by Dido as not a relationship song but more about love in general in all its forms, the opening number and lead single is one of those songs that when it begins you can pretty much tell that it is a Dido song, as it has that ethereal, folk energy and simple sound that she has really cultivated. Here we find the singer speaking about this relationship which can only exist in a loving state as long as there is freedom, whilst she can’t be free without love at the same time. The tracks lyrical content is really nice in its simplicity, with the verses having this storytelling quality, whilst the chorus finds the singer just repeating the hook, changing it slightly for the last line. The chorus has the potential to become annoying in terms of the repetition, but vocally Dido brings her fragile and distinctive vocal that makes for a warmth but vulnerable quality within the track. The vocal layering in the chorus also makes for a catchy quality that will make you sing along in your head, and you just get caught up in this chilled but quite deep spirit of the track. The simple drum beat, strings and guitar melody in the production all just combine to create a mellow sound that is both light enough to enjoy but sad enough to get the emotion of the track to come through, and so this is definitely a great opener to the record.

3.5/5

Track 2- Girl Who Got Away

The album’s title track is definitely something that shows that she is evolving as an artist in terms of the electronic base of the production and the modern sound that she brings, whilst still maintaining that sense of artistry that we really know her for. Lyrically the track is great and it has that almost diary like quality, as if we are listening to Dido’s inner thought. And she also really brings a relatable quality to the track in terms of the wishful ideology that she employs, as she things about wishing for just one day to be this other person, in the process suggesting that there is bad things in her life and tapping into that thoroughly human condition of vulnerability and daydreaming. Vocally the singer is really strong within the track, building with every section and having a really nice tone, with the rising of her voice towards the end of each song making for a really memorable tune. The track has this subdued and dark undertone in the production, which builds as the track plays out to be joined with this steady back beat and electronic undertones that almost make the song seems like it is about to turn into a proper club stomper, particularly in terms the velocity of the bridge, which is really powerful.

4/5

Track 3- Let Us Move On (featuring Kendrick Lamar)

Kendrick Lamar is one of the rising stars of the hip hop scene, and so it may seem a little weird at first to think that he has created a track with Dido. But it’s not the first time she has made a tune with a distinctive rapper, and so it is simple to believe that the track will work. The song finds Dido in her typical sombre tone, and this track does have that kind of “Stan” feel to it in energy. However lyrically this is more of a hopeful message, focusing on the idea that life is short and so we should just forget about the bad things, a message that sounds both universal in tone, but also has this sense of Dido focusing upon a specific relationship. The subdued quality of the track makes it a nice listen, and in keeping things between this dark and hopeful place we can ignore the lyrical repetition that slightly hinders the chorus. Lamar provides a strong rap section for the bridge that gives a cool intensity to the track and complements the quite spiritual vocal of Dido, who imbues the song with this sincere quality. The production is also strong, drawing a line between the old, traditional Dido with the piano melody and simple sound but also showing how she is evolving in terms of the hip hop beats and the transitions between sections, which feel thoroughly modern.

3.5/5

Track 4- Blackbird

Dido up’s the tempo more with this track and offers some nice diversity in terms of the overall sound of the track and the kind of sad but almost bitter edge of the songs tone. Lyrically the track acts as this tale of a bad relationship in which this guy seems to have changed and now Dido feels that she can’t give her love anymore because she just gets pain in return. With her heart being like a blackbird wanting to be free. Dido creates a strong track in terms of how it has this potentially bitter side but really just is based in fragility, which powerfully comes out in the smooth vocal delivery, particularly with the key change of bridge that acts as that nice emotional centre. The track’s production is strong in terms of its electronic influences and swishing, dj rhythms mixed with potent strings and almost melancholic melodies that combine for a simple yet powerful sound.

3.5/5

Track 5- End of Night

Album track number 5 and the record’s second single is definitely one of the songs that have a modern feel attached to Dido’s typical delicate vocal and sad message. And this is to be expected when the track was produced by Greg Kurstin, a man who is one of the leading people in today’s music world (he did co-write and produce Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” after all). Written about a friend of Dido’s, the track finds the singer telling us of this relationship with this person that was built upon bad qualities and potentially lies, and now she feels nothing and juts wishes to celebrate, in this case the end of the night. It’s a powerful metaphorical tone that is given substance by the smoothness of the vocal performance and the use of vocal layering in and a high key in the bridge to emphasise the passion, fragility and power of the song, showing that the singer has firmly moved on. Production wise Kurstin brings a nice simply electronic energy to the song with the bubbly electro beats and the small synth notes that give a touch of light to the dark energy of the track. The production is also strong in terms of giving this almost dance energy to the song but still keeping in line with the stripped back tone that we know Dido for, and so this is definitely a good musical collaboration.

3.5/5

Track 6- Sitting On the Roof of the World

From that electronic energy of the previous track we are transferred to a simpler, stripped back tone that finds Dido at her acoustic best and sort of reminds you why the public found her really appealing in the first place. Lyrically the track has this retrospective feel and once again has that personal touch as if we are reading the singers diary, as she sings about being in this great place in life after this journey, with the track having substance perhaps through how the singer alludes to her husband, who helped create the track. The lyrics have this kind of two fold quality, as at times we can feel that she is happy in the place that she is in, but at others it seems she feels uncomfortable. It’s this conflicting tone that highlights the power but price of the lifestyle of a well-known singer and “star”, whilst also emphasising how people who can ground you can make it all feel better. But the great thing about the song is that Dido doesn’t have to make things obvious, and instead allows us to take things in and get to grips with what she is saying, thereby connecting with the track more. The singer has such a smooth vocal tone that almost makes the song feel like a daydream, with the bridge being powerful in terms of the layered tone that gives the track an almost ethereal quality. She never needs to over sing and just keeps the song really simple, all the while keeping us interested. And in terms of the production the track is quite beautiful, with that simple guitar melody that feels very delicate and sweet but also potentially sad at the same time and just adds to the intriguing layers of the track.

4/5

Track 7- Love to Blame

As the track changed in sound from the previous tracks, we get another change here, which shows how Dido is really an interesting artist. And this track has a very different, perhaps more alternative tone than the previous track that feels a bit more laidback and also is much different vocally. This is because her vocals are continually layered throughout the track, and the key is much higher in certain sections, making for a nice listen, although the layering is perhaps a little annoying. The track finds the singer telling us about how you search for love and it can be a dangerous kind of journey in which the only thing we can really blame our feelings on is love. It is quite a cool lyrical concept that is hook driven and catchy, however the lyrical content is perhaps a bit weak here as there is a little too much repetition. However the singer definitely makes up for the lyrical content through the sound of the track, with the production having a reggae groove that gives a nice dance energy to the track (e.g. you can really sway back and forth and get lost in the song a bit). The purely instrumental section between the second and third minute of the track is also really cool, featuring a great use of tins and horns to give a nice rhythm and getting you to love the track by the end.

3.5/5

Track 8- Go Dreaming

Dido keeps the tempo on the same level and doesn’t indulge in the simple level that we know she can do really well, but instead shows this cool modern edge to her sound. This new level of Dido as an artist is brought out prominently by the clattering energy of the production that is very catchy, with the electronic sounds working well in the transitions between sections, and the beats having a kind of acoustic feel that has this sense of Dido almost just walking along a street and strumming various objects to create the sound, which really brings us interest into the song. Vocally it is a little bit safe in my opinion, but it still has enough of a light tone to appeal and feels like the vocal is really attached to the lyrical message, in which Dido seems to play this role of this woman who just wants to kind of let go.

3.5/5

Track 9- Happy New Year

The title of this track has that potential to signal to you that here we have a happy musical offering from the singer. Yet if you actually listen to the track, this is far from what she gives us. Instead we are treated to the quite down in love Dido that we have heard before. And this is perhaps the downfall of the track. The lyrical content is strong, with Dido putting on this performance of a fragile woman who cannot celebrate because her love is no longer what it once was. Vocally the singer is strong, with her tone having that breathless fragility that elevates a track like this. Production wise things are kept simple with a nice back beat and smooth transition. But when it all comes together, it feels like this is a track that Dido can easily produce, and so whilst it is not a terrible song, it just doesn’t have that spark of vibrancy and something new that other songs on the record have shown.

3/5

Track 10- Loveless Hearts

Starting off with a stripped back tone that makes the vocal performance a little more powerful and then building the electronic base, the penultimate track is one in which Dido brings this sense of searching for meaning. The lyrical content of the track seems to bring across this message of the end of a relationship in which Dido is in quite a bad state and asks why her world was created in such a nice way only to crumble down. It is a potent subject matter that is given gravitas by the searching tone of the chorus with its memorable lyrical content, and the sound of the track also builds with the production in terms of the intensity of the electronic beats and the employment of drum beats to allow for a climatic, quite heart-breaking finish. The only bad thing about this track is the vocal performance, as although Dido brings this sense of being fragile through her vocal tone, sometimes it feels a little disjointed and more as if she is just complaining.

3/5

Track 11- Day Before We Went to War

The final track is this potent sombre note that has a kind of cinematic feel from the very beginning. The track opens with the sound of rain falling and birds tweeting, before dying down and being replaced by xylophone like electronic beats that are subdued and nice, being mixed with the powerful use of strings within places. The production is really simple but effective, and works powerfully well in terms of how it allows the vocal performance of Dido to really shine. Dido brings a real delicacy to her vocals, with the singing of the title being a poignant and pure moment within the song. Lyrically this is a track that has a storytelling quality and shows the singing focusing on quite mundane life in the verses and emphasising that something is about to change soon, seemingly being that moment when you know the end of a relationship is coming, and as a final track it works beautifully.

4/5

Final Review

I wouldn’t say that I was never a fan of Dido’s, but I wouldn’t say that I have ever really followed her music closely. Yet in listening to this album, I really think that Dido deserves her place in the music world and still has something to give as an artist. Certain songs are a little jarring vocally, and sometimes the record border on being to samey, but otherwise this is an intriguing album that blend cool electronic notes with powerful lyrics and a beautiful vocal tone that comes together for a cool record, and the new modern sound of the singer is also great in terms of how it straddles the line of dance floor but never goes into stereotypical, bland territory. A worthy contender for one of the best albums of 2013.

7.5/10

Best Track- Sitting On the Roof of the World

Worst Track- Loveless Hearts

No comments:

Post a Comment