CD
Review -
Artist: Justine Kay
CD: Dreaming In Colour
After four years working in the studio, the much-anticipated
debut album from English singer-songwriter Justine Kay has been
released. "Dreaming In Colour" is an anthology of
eleven deeply personal songs, ranging from ballads to trip-hop,
rock anthems to folk songs. The elements that make this work
an integrated album rather than simply a collection of songs
are clear - Justine's distinctive vocal style, her introspective,
soulful and original lyrics exude a strong and strangely compelling
personality.
The album begins with the rocky "Were Do I Begin?",
drawing the listener in and introducing Justine as a formidable
songwriter. The melody is instantly memorable and yet she blends
it smoothly with profound words and phrasing. Justine's voice
is unique - she has been likened to Alanis Morissette, Stevie
Nicks, Sarah McClachlan and many others, but her style is distinctly
her own. Her voice is deeper, richer and more powerful than
her petite blonde image suggests, and she performs each song
with a compelling empathy to both melody and meaning. Each
song on "Dreaming In Colour" tells a story and the
poetry of this album is impossible to ignore.
Recording began in 1998, although demos of "Where Do I
Begin?" and "If You Want Me, Tell Me" had already
been recorded and posted on Justine's page at mp3.com. The response
to these rough recordings was overwhelming and the decision
was quickly made to follow them up with a full-length album.
Justine already had a vast library of songs that she'd written
from her teenage years onwards, so it was simply a matter of
choosing the songs and recording them...
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Photos From Justine's CD - Click
For The Big Image
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"Where Do I Begin?", "If You Want Me, Tell Me",
"You Say", "I Thought", "Running Away"
and "I End Up Crying" were chosen initially. They
had all been written on acoustic guitar and the exact arrangements
and production had yet to be decided. Each song evolved during
the recording process, each fulfilling it's unique potential.
"If You Want Me, Tell Me" had formerly been a straight
ballad (as fans from mp3.com will know from hearing the original
demo recording) but the new trip-hop feel gave a it a new lease
of life and gave a new canvas for Justine's breathy, pleading
vocals.
The only song that remained completely unchanged from it's original
form was a song called "Lady". Justine wrote this
right at the end of the recording sessions and everyone agreed
that it was too good not to include on the album, even at this
late stage. So Justine sat down and played and sang the song,
acoustic guitar and vocal, exactly as it had been written. It
is the simplest arrangement of the album and yet to many of
her fans, this is the highlight of "Dreaming In Colour".
Justine is laid naked, her voice and her guitar and indeed her
soul, are exposed to minute scrutiny. It is a finely crafted
songs and a moving performance.
The title and cover artwork of "Dreaming In Colour"
imply a surreal beauty and that is exactly what this album delivers.
Justine invites you to share her deepest feelings, her private
thoughts and perceptions encompassed in her music, and the dream
that you share with her by listening to her album is an original
experience. From the rock anthem opening of "Where Do I
Begin?" to the very last note of the aptly named "Bittersweet",
Justine holds nothing back when sharing her life, her loves,
her dreams and aspirations with her devoted fans.
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