There is a God. - Enya s music may be heard by some as celestial, after hearing this collection of songs, some may change their minds. Moyet s voice is out in front, albeit the music s playing, one s ears don t bend to that noise. I liken the music on this disc to the gold band that holds the flawless diamond in place. This is true nirvana: Thank you God.
What s It All About? - This is a strong song suite sung with Alf s trademark craft and very nicely produced. Je Crois Entendre Encore is a beautiful track. (The only demerit I would give is re-writing the lyrics at the end of Almost Blue) But am I missing something? My cd didn t have Alfie on it.
Disappointing - I ve been a fan of Moyet s take-no-prisoners alto since the Yaz days, and I always knew she had more legitimate music in her. This album hints at that, but never quite lives up to the potential. Her phrasing is dreadful -- she likes to take big noisy breaths between significant words. A few tracks succeed, like the two French-language songs, the English folk song, and What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life, with those amazing sweet old lyrics by the Bergmans. Other choices like The Man I Love and two Elvis Costello numbers have been done better by singers from Ella to Audra. Even the pitch-impaired Gwen Stefani did a better job with Amost Blue.
Miss Understood - Rather than give a play by play review, I ll help you out with a quick note to supplement the thoughtful writings (and occassional hyperbole) you ll find in other customers reviews.When asked about the title for this project by a journalist who was mistakenly thinking she was referring to herself as perhaps The Voice (ala Streisand or Sinatra), Moyet hastily pointed out the real meaning of the title: all of these songs place a primary importance on the usage of the human voice as a musical instrument, and afforded her a chance to learn and stretch her own abilities. Rather than anoint herself and give us a predictable and slick package of Standards, she was simply using the opportunity to learn (as in a college course that might be called Voice). Along the way she got to pay tribute to songs that intrigued her. She approaches the legacy of one of the greats here: Dusty Springfield. In fact she covers two songs Dusty had recorded, and her phrasing, though exquisite, is not content to copy anyone. She makes these songs her own, and we, like her, find ourselves learning along the way.Once viewed in the proper light, it becomes apparent just how wonderful the occassion of these recordings truly is. Anne Dudley was criticized for what some called boring arrangements. The word is understated or maybe tasteful, people. For example: I don t recall ever hearing a string quartet on Windmills of Your Mind, nor do I recall noticing it was used here until one of many recent listens.Dudley and Moyet have taken the high road here. Follow them, and see familiar musical terrain from a delightful and elevated perspective.
Bewitching, Elegant, and Prepossessing - There are a number of beautiful pieces in the album Voice that will leave you entranced by enchanting arrangements and Moyet s potent vocalization. Some of these are the Windmills of your Mind, The Man I Love, and Alfie. Among the more appealing songs is the classic What Are you Doing the Rest of Your Life. A number that so many performers have sung and have done no justice to, Moyets version is simple, romantic, nostalgic, and perfectly balanced. There is nothing generic or cabaret-ish about Moyet s Voice album, nor does it conjure images of a chain-smoking lounge singer at a musky downtown bar. The performances in this album by both singer and arranger are as classy as the song themselves.