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Rating:
Gabriella Cilmi.
By now, everyone knows her, and if not by name, then by the song "Sweet About Me," one of the biggest hits of the year just ended.
When the single was released, this young girl (she was 17 at the time of release) was adored by everyone, critics and public alike, with some calling her the pure and sole revelation of the year, others saying the song was simply a pure pop gem with strong blues sounds, others claiming she would surely bring a new chapter to the history of music. In short, a semi-deity.
And from the heights of her Mount Olympus, this young girl, alas, gives us her debut album.
The critics are ecstatic, the Times delights in giving her 4 stars without much fuss (I am keen to know how much the reviewer was paid) and it seems everyone else is competing to give her even more.
And, driven by a series of more than excellent reviews, and the fond memory of her first single, which, after all, being the essence of simplicity, had a very catchy, almost hypnotic tune (divine powers of such a goddess?), I ventured to purchase this album.
Without a doubt, I was in the mood for challenges.
My ears braced themselves to listen to good music, a bit of pastime pop. And, after the opening of the two modest tracks "Save The Lies" and the just mentioned "Sweet About Me," my eardrums start to scream and beg for mercy.
This, in fact, is nothing other than the latest arrival of the Winehouse clone generation, yes, because if she had been born three years earlier, we would have found her doing dance pop 'à la Britney' with bleached hair and breasts on display, now, however, people like aggressive girls, who treat boys badly, and who have that very retro vibe.
She, however, has nothing, except an impressive voice, wasted on songs that express nothing, like "Sanctuary," a recently released single, which seems like it’s going to take off at any moment but can never quite do so, tracks that try to blend a light blues sound with something a bit more danceable (commercial matters) like dance pop ("Don't Want To Go Bed Now"), some ballads so dull they seem like a black hole ("Einstein," "Sit In The Blues") and some tracks with a sound tainted with a brush ("Cigarettes And Lies," "Terrifying").
Unfortunately, the album leaves us with nothing in our hands, so much so that even when a track is good ("Awkward Games," "Safer," "Echo Beach"), we feel nothing but a very bitter aftertaste of falseness, of songs designed only to please the masses, disregarding quality, whether it’s there or not.
And it seems not even this was the time when someone would salvage the musical situation. And it feels like the millionth time I've repeated this sentence.
I console myself thinking that in a couple of seasons, when the record label has squeezed her dry and realizes she won't produce any more juice, she'll disappear from circulation, or perhaps, because really, she doesn't lack the voice, she will create a true album...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Save the Lies (03:40)
I'd Like To Find Something
I Got My Best Dress On
And I'll Play From Dusk Till Dawn
And When You Sleep Tonight
I'd Hold My Pillow Tight
I'd Turn All The Lights Off
Oh I Say, Don't Say, That You're Up To Nothing, Your Sure Up To Something
Today, Boy I'll Start A Laughing Cause You Will Pay
Save The Lies
I'm A Saying I Might Get A Bit Rough, If He Aint Good To Me, Oh, Good To Me
So I Say With A Smile Cause I Know, That He'll Be Good, You Better Be Good To Me, Ya Better Be Good…
You Better Treat Me Nice
Or I'll Come Back To Bite
Boy Just You Wait And See
I'll Throw You In Skin Deep
Into Reality
No This Aint Fantasty
Oh I Say, Don't Say, That You're Up To Nothing, Your Sure Up To Something
Today, Boy I'll Start A Laughing Cause You Will Pay
Save The Lies
I'm A Saying I Might Get A Bit Rough, If He Aint Good To Me, Oh, Good To Me
So I Say With A Smile Cause I Know, That He'll Be Good, You Better Be Good To Me,
Ya Better Me Good…X2
Gonna Set Your Bright Soul Alight
I'm Gonna Play My Right Card Tonight
I'm Gonna Fly My Bike, Ride My Kite
I'm Gonna Eat You Up, Bite You By The… X2
Save The Lies
I'm A Saying I Might Get A Bit Rough, If He Aint Good To Me, Oh, Good To Me
So I Say With A Smile Cause I Know, That He'll Be Good, You Better Be Good To Me,
Oh Good To Me
02 Sweet About Me (03:23)
Ooh, watching me
Hanging by
A string this time
Don't, easily
The climax
Of the perfect lie
Ooh, watching me
Hanging by
A string this time
Don't, easily
Smile worth
A hundred lies
If there's lessons
To be learned
I'd rather get
My jamming words
In first, so
Tell you something
That I've found
That the world's
A better place
When it's
Upside down, boy
If there's lessons
To be learned
I'd rather get
My jamming words
In first, so
When your playing
With desire
Don't come running
To my place
When it burns
Like fire, boy
Chorus (4x):
Sweet about me
Nothing sweet
About me, yeah
Blue, blue, blue
Waves, they crash
As time goes by
So hard to catch
Too, too smooth
Ain't all that
Why don't you ride
On my side
Of the tracks
If there's lessons
To be learned
I'd rather get
My jamming words
In first, so
Tell you something
That I've found
That the world's
A better place
When it's
Upside down, boy
If there's lessons
To be learned
I'd rather get
My jamming words
In first, so
When your playing
With desire
Don't come running
To my place
When it burns
Like fire, boy
(Chorus 6x)
03 Sanctuary (03:28)
That old pair of jeans
You always see me wearing when it’s grey
You know what i mean
I’m riding a lazy mood
Cause you’ve been waiting got me ready to go
And i’ve been straying off the way that i know, keep me
Wise enough, nothing to owe
Guess i need ya and i want it to show
Lying here in my sanctuary
Days go past its autumn already
And i wish it would thunder
Oh! High up in my sanctuary
Day’s go past it’s autumn already
And i sit here and wonder
And i’ll kick off my shoes
Think about the things i’d like to do
Everything going smooth
There ain’t nothing i’d rather do
Cause you’ve been waiting got me ready to go
And i’ve been straying off the way that i know, keep me
Wise enough, nothing to owe
Guess i need ya and i want it to show
Lying here in my sanctuary
Days go past its autumn already
And i wish it would thunder
Oh! High up in my sanctuary
Day’s go past it’s autumn already
And i sit here and wonder
What i say and what i mean, are two very different things
Can’t tell life from lies got a bad sense of spins
What i say and what i mean are two very different things, babe, it’s time to figure it out
Holding your hand in my hands and i wont let go
Keeping your words and your face is a place like home
I’ve been blind don’t you know
04 Einstein (03:39)
I'd Like To Think Like Einstein
Know The Equal Of Pi
And Never Need To Ask Why
Why, Why Boys Don't Cry
Where We Go When We Die
And Whats The Meaning Of Life
Whatever The Weather Man's Saying We Follow
Sunshine Or Rain
But He'll Never Tell Me How I Feel Tomorrow
Pleasure Or Pain
The Lessons I'm Learning, Just Leave Me Burning For More And More ,I Lie Awake Hoping, Jesus Aint Joking I'm Sure, That His Sure
Whatever The Weather Man's Saying We Follow
Sunshine Or Rain
But He'll Never Tell Me How I Feel Tomorrow
Pleasure Or Pain
So Tell Me Why The World Keeps On Turning, Turning
And Why So Many People Are Hurting, Hurting
How We Traded Honestly For Lying, Lying
Cause Were Only Gonna Make It If Were Trying, Trying
You Put A Man On The Moon
But You Can't Save That Baby
And That Pains Me
You'll Make A Red Rose Turn Blue
But You Can't Stop Us Dying Keep On Trying
Whatever The Weather Man's Saying We Follow
Sunshine Or Rain
But He'll Never Tell Me How I Feel Tomorrow
Pleasure Or Pain
06 Don't Want to Go to Bed Now (03:15)
I know you'll think it's right
If you see inside my mind
It's summer everyday
And it's music through the night
I know you'd think it's fine
If you free your state of mind
Some might say it's strange
But the bullets worth a bite
Oooh waiting, waiting baby
Oooh waiting, waiting baby
And I
I don't wanna go to bed now
I wanna be indiscreet
I don't wanna got to bed now
Bed now, not now, no
And I
I don't wanna have to beg now
That's sellin my soul too cheap
I don't wanna go to bed now
Bed now, not now, no
I feel it in my feet
And I feel it in my bones
My heels dug in so deep
Need a truck to drag me home
I know you feel it too
Through the faces in the crowd
It's only me and you
And some good stuff going down
Oooh waiting, waiting baby
Oooh waiting, waiting baby
You look good, look good
Your good looking yeah
You look good, good, good
Your good looking yeah
You look good, look good
Your good looking yeah
You look good, good, good
Your good looking yeah
And I
I don't wanna go to bed now
I wanna be indiscreet
I don't wanna got to bed now
Bed now not now no
And I
I don't wanna have to beg now
That's sellin my soul too cheap
I don't wanna go to bed now
Bed now, not now, no
You look good, look good
Your good looking yeah
You look good, good, good
Your good looking yeah
You look good, look good
Your good looking yeah
You look good, good, good
Your good looking yeah
07 Awkward Game (03:28)
Oh What My Luck The Game That I Played
I'll Duck For Cover When You Call Out My Name
And Oh La La La Unravel Your Chain
Cause I Won't Touch Ya, Ya Burning Flame
You've Seen All Of Me And I Know
That All The Riches Come And Go
Theres Something I Need You To Know
So, Quit Askin Me, No, No More
Can't You See,Tonight I Won't Fall
If You Follow That Same Awkward Game
Theres Nothing To Gain You Will Find, Oh Yeh
Some Day I'll Explain It's Fact, I Did It Again Yeah
When Your Heart Skips A Beat, Silence Be Afraid
I'm Loving The Heat Honey I Got The Rest Of Time
And I Feel Oh So Good Like I Should And I Know
Time Is Frozen, Bound And Brocken Promises Are Cheap
So, Quit Askin Me, No, No More
Can't You See,Tonight I Won't Fall
If You Follow That Same Awkward Game
Theres Nothing To Gain You Will Find, Oh Yeh
Some Day I'll Explain It's Fact, I Did It Again Yeah
If You Count All The Stars You'll Find
You'll Loose All Your Sleep
So Don't Wate All Your Time
Pretending You Can
Well I'm Taking Back All That Your Stealin'
Cause I Don't Nothing Your Dealin'
Sorry Not Sleeping I'm Leaving
Memory Coming Back Creeping
08 Safer (03:24)
That Someone Far From Home Said To Me
I Can Tell, Luck Has Run Dry, What Do You See?
The Sky Above's Kind Of Brocken And Torn
And Every Rose Plucked From My Hearts Twisted With Thorns
And Just When I Think I'm On Top I Wonder How I'll Get Back Down
And Just Then The Moment Is Lost, I Stumble And I Hit The Ground
And I Just Wanna Feel A Little Safer, Yeah I'm On My Knees
And I Don't Wanna Deal With All This Later, The Pain I Just Can't Take
And I Just Wanna Feel A Little Safer, Yeah I'm On My Knees
And I Don't Wanna Deal With All This Later, Just Drifting On The Breeze
That Someone In My Head Said To Me, I Can Tell
Deep In Your Heart You'll Find What You Need
Wasted Time Building Castles With Sand
And Everynight I'll Watch Them Fall And Slip Through My Hands
And Just When I Think I'm On Top I Wonder How I'll Get Back Down
And Just Then The Moment Is Lost, I Stumble And I Hit The Ground
And I Just Wanna Feel A Little Safer, Yeah I'm On My Knees
And I Don't Wanna Deal With All This Later, The Pain I Just Can't Take
And I Just Wanna Feel A Little Safer, Yeah I'm On My Knees
And I Don't Wanna Deal With All This Later, Just Drifting On The Breeze
10 Terrifying (02:37)
I Know You Think I’m Terrifying
But Honey I Ain’t Even Trying
I’ll Cook Your Dinner While Your Waiting
I’m Sure You’ll Find It’s Fascinating
Hey Little Dog Don’t You Know, I Got A Feeling That Your Waiting On Your Tin Of Gold
Oh Yeah, Baby, Baby Don’t You Know, You Don’t Need Money If You Really Wanna Loose Control
Hey Little Dog Don’t You Know, I Got A Feeling That Your Waiting On Your Tin Of Gold
Oh Yeah, Baby, Baby Don’t You Know, You Don’t Need Money If You Really Wanna Loose Control
I Believe Theres A God, Making My Time, Baking My Bread
I Can See It’s A Sign Think Of A Rhyme Shaking My Head
I Believe There’s A God, Making My Time, Baking My Bread
I Can See It’s A Sign Think Of A Rhyme Shaking My Head
I Know You Think I’m Terrifying
But Honey I Ain’t Even Trying
I’ll Cook Your Dinner While Your Waiting
I’m Sure You’ll Find It’s Fascinating
God Bless This Stubborn Soul She Cried
He Lived A Lonely Life And Died
Hey Little Dog Don’t You Know, I Got A Feeling That Your Waiting On Your Tin Of Gold
Oh Yeah, Baby, Baby Don’t You Know, You Don’t Need Money If You Really Wanna Loose Control
Hey Little Dog Don’t You Know, I Got A Feeling That Your Waiting On Your Tin Of Gold
Oh Yeah, Baby, Baby Don’t You Know, You Don’t Need Money If You Really Wanna Loose Control
Loose Control
Loose Control
Loose Control
11 Sit in the Blues (03:23)
Baby Listen, Everytime You Asked Me, I Gave You Mine
Invitation For One Night, But You Never Thought Of Me More Then Twice
Cause There Aint Nothing That I Could Speak
You Give And You Take Then Your Done With Me
I Sit In The Blues, Waiting For You, Who I'll Never See
Theres Never Good News No Not Bout You
Cause Something Don't Feel Right
Theres Nothing To Choose I Cant Refuse My Turn To Try
I Guess I Loose Boy Aint That Right
I'd Hate To Lie, My Friend Don't Deny
Cause What You Sees Real Even Though You Can”T Feel
Count Back From 5,4,3,2, 1 Times
You'd Say You'd Drop By, But I'm A Fool Everytime
Cause There Aint Nothing That I Can Speak
You Give And You Take Then Your Done With Me
I Sit In The Blues, Waiting For You, Who I Never See
Theres Never Good News No Not Bout You
Cause Something Don't Feel Right
Theres Nothing To Choose I Cant Refuse My Turn To Try
I Guess I Loose Boy Aint That Right
The Way I Feel
And What I Know
Cause I Can't Explain
Whats Going Down
The Way I Feel
And What I Know
Cause I Can't Explain Why I Can't Let Go
12 Echo Beach (03:25)
I know it's out of fashion
And a trifle uncool
But I can't help it
I'm a romantic fool
It's a habit of mine
To watch the sun go down
On Echo Beach
I watch the sun go down
From nine to five I have to spend my time at work
My job is very boring - I'm an office clerk
The only think that helps me pass the time away
Is knowing that I'll be back at Echo Beach some day
On some enchanted evening
The sky's alive with lights
Our building in the distance is a surrealistic sight
On Echo Beach waves make the only sound
On Echo Beach there's not a soul around
From nine to five I have to spend my time at work
My job is very boring - I'm an office clerk
The only think that helps me pass the time away
Is knowing that I'll be back at Echo Beach some day
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
Echo Beach, far away in time
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By FrancescoSeta
She certainly emerges as the best voice of the new millennium.
The closing, simply impeccable.
