Albertine

Brooke Fraser | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: November 30, 2005
• Label: WOOD AND BONE LIMITED
• Copyright: 2008 Brooke Fraser
• Total Length: 45:27
• Genres: Alternative Rock/Singer-Songwriters, International/Australia & New Zealand, Pop/Adult Alternative, Pop/Singer-Songwriters, Rock/Singer-Songwriters
• ASIN: B0019BA0ZE
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,630 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #10 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > International > Australia & New Zealand

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Words can't describe the beauty of Brooke's voice, lyrics, and music, October 9, 2008

By 

paygenie "Pianist and sheet music collector" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Albertine (Audio CD)

Really, no words can describe the unique beauty of Brooke Fraser's music. It's melodic, poetic, socially/spiritually aware, some of the best songwriting out there right now. Once you have heard the CD "Albertine," you will never forget it. If you can't sample the songs here, you can listen to the songs on MySpace (.../brookefraser).

The New Zealand singer-songwriter has a multi-dimensional voice. Her voice is lilting, a confident soprano, marked with an emotional, sometimes desperate, alto. Her voice is rich and resonating, makes your heart stop a bit. It's pure, raw talent. Brooke's therefore at her best in the spiritually-themed tracks like "Faithful" and "Hymn" where it's just her and a piano.

The rest of the CD -- a mixture of pop/rock/folk/alternative (it's hard to label it all really) -- goes way beyond what you'd expect from a 25-year-old artist. She addresses the theme of generations in "Seeds":

"Child, what will you live to do? What have I left for you? What will we leave behind?"

The CD's title track, "Albertine" is a tribute to lives lost in the Rwandan genocide and a call to arms to look beyond ourselves, to help those in need.

"C.S. Lewis Song" starts off simple with vocals and a piano then gradually builds in complexity to a driving, rock alternative track that then fades into song #7, an unnamed rock music interlude with guitarist Michael Chaves. (Chaves, one of the most sought-after guitarists by recording artists, played/toured with John Mayer.)

There are of course, the songs about love, but the ones here go far beyond the average FM radio ditty: There's the universally appealing "Shadowfeet" and "Deciphering Me," and the almost tribal, certainly unique, "Love, Where is Your Fire?" (You just have to hear it to see what I mean -- sample her songs on MySpace!).

Already a platinum-selling artist in her native New Zealand, the "Albertine" CD was released in the U.S. in May. The CD is produced by Marshall Altman, the famed Los Angeles producer behind Kate Voegele's hit CD. Brooke is currently touring with the Hotel Cafe Tour with Anya Marina, Meiko, and Priscilla Ahn. Brooke has previously written/recorded songs for Hillsong United, a Christian organization.

Though there is religious influence in some of "Albertine"'s songs, the CD is far from being preachy. If you're looking for Christian music specifically, check out Brooke in Hillsong's CDs like "All of the Above" and the "I Heart One Revolution" also available on Amazon.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Even an old geezer like me likes it., November 11, 2008

By 

Jeffrey A. Thompson (Iowa City, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Albertine (Audio CD)

I bought this CD because I'm a big C. S. Lewis fan and there is a CS Lewis song on it. I listened to the song and liked it so I ordered the album. When I first listened to the album, I was disappointed, but that didn't last for long.

I still think the CS Lewis song is the best track on the album, but Shadowfeet and Albertine are growing on me. A couple of the songs I still don't care for, but I strongly recommend the album. The album has the best lyrics of any modern Christian music I've heard for a long time. She does strange things with her voice and my wife who is classically trained dislikes the album immensely. For me, I usually like her voice and the lyrics more than make up for it.

Bottom line: if you have read something of Lewis like "The Weight of Glory" and read 2 Corinthians, then when you listen to the C. S. Lewis song, you'll think this album is easily worth the price. The other songs are very good too. The lyrics made me meditate on heaven, what God is doing in my life now, and on who God is. That amazed me.

In His Name.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, May 2, 2007

By 

Lauren S (Benton, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Wow, I bought this album after only sampling a couple of songs, but I am so glad I did!! It is truly one of the best albums I have ever heard. Definitely in my top5 of all time. The lyrics are beautifully written and the music compliments that. I would definitely recommend this album to everyone!! It's sooooo good!I can listen to it several times in a row. Unfortunately, it is not available in the U.S., but thank goodness you can buy it on Amazon!!!
Oh, and check Brooke out on the Hillsong United albums. They are amazing!!