Theatrical! - Before this CD, the only other album of Alison Moyet that I owned was her 1984 debut Alf which contained the brilliant ballad All cried out.I only came across this CD recently despite it having being released in 2002. Apparently her former label Sony didn t want it released as they feared for its commercial viability, so she released it on her own label.Produced by The Insects (very cool name :-)) who have worked with Massive Attack, what we get are epic, cinematic ballads, Trip Hop, and even Dub with almost poetic lyrics. Opening cut Yesterday s flame is a brooding ballad which sounds like something you ve heard before, only it s a new Moyet co-composition. The title track Hometime (with double bass, and an instrument labelled weird bass), and Say it are Trip hop, swirling dramatic strings and electronic flourishes. Both are brilliant.My favourite song is Ski which is electro Dub (if there s any such thing). I just love the deep bassline and beats. Do you ever wonder is a beautiful Pop ballad, the most commercial sounding in my opinion.If you don t come back to me is a lush cinematic ballad with echoing effects, while the haunting You don t have to go has a quivering riff, and builds to a powerful vocal climax.So, was Sony right in rejecting the album? Alison Moyet became the 5th best selling female act in the UK in 2002. Sales aside, this album is a real gem.
Home, not so fast. - When I first heard that Alison was working with the Insects Production team, not knowing who they were, I thought it sounded like an interesting match. It doesn t really work here, within the LP you ll find depressing compositions that owe more to lyrical poetry. Moyet s voice is triumphant, but the music writing leaves so much to be desired. Not one track here you can sing-along with or even dance to. I love the Moyet ballads, but the Insects should have understood her fan base to the extreme. This is like a nap to an insomniac. Give us the cloud of down again Alison, we need a full night s dreaming.
damn good - Here s my two cents about the mixed reviews of this album: you get what Alison is trying to accomplish, or you don t. True, just about all of her fans fell in love with her voice when she was one-half of Yaz(oo), and then when she became a solo artist. What La Moyet did so well, for so long, is belt it out like no one s business. She delivered the goods, and then some. If you re solely into that Alison, Alf and Singles are your ticket.What is clearly evident is that Alison had a solid idea for an album, but it didn t fit the mold of what her then-record company wanted her to sound like. Unless you re Madonna, the big record companies want you to more or less sound the same. Moyet is hardly the only artist to hit this roadblock- Toni Braxton is another example.The stupid thing is that this album is a no-brainer. It s precisely what you want to hear when you re sipping martinis at the bar of a hip restaurant, driving around town in the wee hours of the night, or getting intimate. Sony should have handed out free samplers of this CD like candy at hip bars and java joints everywhere to generate word-of-mouth. But no, Big Brother Media got a tension headache!Thankfully, Moyet had the COURAGE to believe in her musicianship. While I do like the Alf-era Alison, the belter with the pipes of gold, it gives me goosebumps to witness how she s grown as an artist. The best tracks on Hometime percolate, inviting you to drink the fine brew.The most emblematic number is More, but there are several jewels in this crown. Yesterday s Flame is an apt opener, but Should I Feel That It s Over grabbed me. I just love the line, Why wrap it up so precisely? Her vocal delivery is as divine as ever.My favorite part of the album are Say It, and Ski. Say It just keeps building, until Alison s singing, say it, say it, say it over and over with pure, unadulterated bliss. Ski ups the ante, raising the temperature by several degrees. It s my favorite track, and the most experimental, perhaps.Do You Ever Wonder? is the most pop-oriented moment on the album, a real winner and a major told-you-so for those naive enough to think she s lost her vocal mojo. The penultimate track, The Train I Ride, will have you floating on a cloud of effervescent bubbles. There isn t a single loser among the eleven tracks. I think the title track is the one moment that feels a little forced, but it isn t a bad number.As a last word, it puzzles me why some reviewers describe Hometime as dark. Raindancing it s not, but it s no funeral dirge or Jagged Little Pill, either. Hometime is a heady mix of deft lyrics, intelligent vocals, and trip-hop brilliance.
Superb Singing and Songwriting! - It is with great pleasure that I write this review. As a fan of Ms. Moyet s, it is marvelous to see how far she has matured since her days in Yaz. This is no pop-tart here. This is a woman indeed. I am very pleased with the evolution of her voice, songwriting and creative style. Bravo Alison. This was well worth the money spent to puchase it. In these days of junk artist (Britney et al, it is very gratifying to see a female artist bring some much needed depth and skill to the table. Do you self a favor and give this superb album a listen. You will be glad you did.
HER BEST - WITHOUT A DOUBT ALISON MOYET S BEST, MOST CONSISTANTLY SATISFYING SOLO RECORDING. SOLID ALL THE WAY THROUGH - NOT A CLUNKER IN THE BUNCH. A FINE AND LONG AWAITED RETURN.