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Review: Jack Foley
GIVEN that her debut album, Playing My Game, sold more
than two million copies world-wide, and went platinum in the UK,
following it up was always going to be a neat trick for Norwegian
singer/songwriter, Lene Marlin.
But rather than panicking, or becoming too arrogant, Marlin sought
out the talents of producer, Mike Hedges, who has worked with
U2, The Cure and Travis, and has gone for more depth, delivering
an album of carefully constructed ballads, which should bring
her more of the same success.
How much you get on with the album, depends on how much you love
ballads, as there are plenty of love songs on offer; something
which eventually works to the album's detriment in the long-run.
When it is good, the album is a fairly lively affair, with the
stronger guitar sound better serving the likes of The Cardigans-esque
first single, You Weren't There, as well as the catchy
Sorry - moments when Marlin's breathy vocals sit comfortably with
the guitar melodies that do evoke memories of Travis.
But too often the album seems content to drift into the slow-building,
moody ballads, which are supposed to provide the ideal platform
for Marlin's dreamy lyrics.
The only one which really strikes a chord is the soft, wistful
My Love, with its strong sense of longing keenly brought
out in Marlin's style, and the acoustic backdrop; but grander
numbers, such as the piano-led Faces, or Story,
feel a little laboured and lifeless.
Still, hopeless romantics of the female persuasion are likely
to derive the most pleasure out of it, which is the type of market
it's really geared towards - a grittier version of Dido, if you
will.
Treated as such, it delivers a certain amount of pleasure, while
the power of Marlin's vocals is beyond question.
Related stories: Lene
Marlin interview
New album, Lost In
A Moment, reviewed
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Track listing:
1. Another Day
2. Faces
3. You Weren't There
4. From This Day
5. Sorry
6. My Love
7. Whatever It Takes
8. Fight Against The Hours
9. Disguise
10. Story
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