Customer Reviews

Albertine

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!!

New Zealand native Brooke Fraser, the writer and singer of Hillsong United's Hosanna, Lead Me To The Cross and None But Jesus is my clear cut top new female Christian singer in the last 2 years. Her vocals are so great you can get lost in just listening to her sing, but that is a bonus as the songs on Albertine have some of the strongest lyrics of the year. Brooke's songwriting is deep and challenging like Sara Groves and fellow CCM newcomer Joy Whitlock and her voice is stunning like CCM stand-out singers Christy Nockels (Watermark), Tiffany Arbuckle-Lee (Plumb) and Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan, whom are all my favorite female singer-songwriters.

Opening track Shadowfeet is one of my favorite songs of the year, both musically and lyrically and really showcases Brooke's excellent singing voice. The bridge "You make all things new" will have you singing along in worship. First single Deciphering Me is a nice upbeat love song and very introspective. Love Is Waiting is beautiful and biblical and will certainly be used at weddings. The title song Albertine is named for an orphan in Rwanda with whom Brooke has a special bond. The lyrics and music are stunning on the song in particular this stanza: "Now that I have seen, I am responsible, Faith without deeds is dead, Now that I have held you, In my own arms, I cannot let go `til you are". Some other stand-out songs are Faithful, Hosea's Wife and Hymn. A song I keep coming back to is C.S. Lewis Song, an amazing ballad with a tribute to the Christian author's Screwtape Letters, which includes these challenging words: "There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way". Brooke writes and sings these amazing lyrics in the bridge of C.S. Lewis Song: "For we, we are not long here, Our time is but a breath, So we better breathe it, And I, I was made to live, I was made to love, I was made to know You". WOW! Absolutely amazing.

Brooke's album is almost perfect and is worthy of award consideration, and she is my choice for best new artist 2008.

This girl is beautiful inside and out. Her music is no less. Check her out on UTube if you want to see more before buying. You will enjoy it. I can't stop playing it again and again.

I first heard Brooke through the music of Hillsong United. Since she has written and performed some of their best music lately, I became very interested in this solo effort. When the samples became available on Amazon MP3, I was impressed by what I heard and quickly bought the album.

It's rare for a mainstream record to have such musical and lyrical merit. "Albertine" is one of the best that I've heard. Each song has been carefully crafted and stands on its own. There is no filler. You'll find a lot of stylistic diversity, but she still manages to make a very cohesive album. Everything has an earthy feel threaded together by acoustic guitar and piano.

If you like good music, buy this album. You won't be disappointed.

I came to hear Brooke Fraser when my son was married, his fiance had two Broook Fraser songs in the wedding. Love is Waiting from Albertine was one of them. I love the WHOLE album!

I have to admit that mainstream music market today is no longer attractive to me, so I pay more attention to the other music market, Albertine is my latest discovery and possibly the best so far.
All the songs are well organized and unique, especially Shadowfeet and Deciphering Me. Fraser's voice is amazing as well. Just like other reviews read, this is a true treasure.
Buy this album, it will not let you down, I promise.

I am so glad that I took a chance and invested moolah into this CD. It's amazing. Brooke's voice is like...velvety...hot chocolate-y...and completely captivating. Her lyrics are heartfelt and genuine--I love every song. Most are about her relationship with God, but there are also a few about romantic relationships. The song Albertine is beautiful--and was inspired by her experiences in Rwanda. All in all: Perfectly balanced, perfectly written & original--can't stop listening.

This CD is amazing. it's been such a blessing. i identify with all the songs, almost as if she were singing the pages of my journal out loud. the lyrics are profound, amusing, meaningful- they make you think, cry, smile. not to mention her voice is pretty much, well, amazing. so basically- you should buy it. even if it's purely for the rush of opening a package shipped to you from the awesome Aussie-land itself. it's totally worth it. Albertine