Customer Reviews

Alesha Show

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

 

 

In a year when all the major divas of r&b, pop, and dance released albums (Janet, Madonna, Mariah), it was the year of the surprise (Lady Gaga), the phenom (Rihanna), and the comeback (Cyndi Lauper, Brandy) which has had many insiders in the music industry abuzz.

Now, in comes Alesha Dixon, who has released music in the past in the UK but never before in the US, and she may be about to break through big time. And the reason for this is the wide range of songs offered on her latest set. Witness the lead single "The Boy Does Nothing" and it becomes clear that Dixon is willing to take some chances. The album's highlight, however, is the midtempo ballad "Breathe Slow." This is an extraordinary pop nugget that could become a hit in any country on any chart. There was never a question as to whether this girl could sing (her vocal work with Misteeq was always stellar, if not stunning), but the material has to be good also, and in this case, it is. Many of female pop vocalists perish because they have nothing to sing or say, and the songs are not memorable enough to catch on. But this album is the exception. 2008 is almost over, but even this late in the year, there have been some unexpected surprises (Brandy and Mya have released great albums this month also). Christmas definately has come early this year for fans of Alesha Dixon, in a form of an album abundant with flavor and substance.

I just happened to hear "The Boy Does Nothing" on my car radio, and thought it was exhillerating, and made a mental note to get her entire album someday.
When that day came, I was surprised to learn that all the songs on the album were just as good. Also, the music video for The Boy Does Nothing is awesome! Really, you NEED to hear this girl and watch some of her videos (maybe Youtube is a source?). Its great to watch and you get to see how stunningly beautiful she is.

The CD arrived before it's scheduled time and it was packaged just as described by the seller. thank you! :-)

Lyrics are annoyingly bad. She should have spent more time writing her songs. Seemed like everyone was in a hurry to get her to stardom. Whoops. Fail.

Wait a minute, there's something not quite right here. A music album by a former girl-band member with connections to a reality tv show, that doesn't reek like haggled eggs ? Can it be true, or has my brave defiance to all things Cowell finally been eroded, leaving me like a beetle on it's back - vulnerable and prone to the nastiness of bursting infection?

Some of the above rating-stars are for Alesha herself; she's adorable, quick, languid, with the kind of working-class bubbly personality that you never tire of. Ferociously sexy with a touch of Stevie Nicks huskiness.
Yes, 'The Alesha Show' is a million miles from being a classic, but if you compare it with, say, Cheryl (love me please, people !) Cole's rigid effort, you need only a nugget of good taste to realise the contrasting warmth and infectious flow that signifies a stonker as opposed to a stinker.

Hell, some of 'TAS' is VERY good: 'Italians Do It Better' (A lie - Welsh people are far more renowned for their longevity, copiousness and athleticism) a simple, breathy pop outing, sees Dixon - seemingly far from home - almost in vintage Hall and Oates territory. It has that fat, smoky, mid-seventies, soul-throb to it; a fluent rock which Dixon decorates with a sensational vocal.
An ice-maiden like Cole would give a lung for the praline attractiveness of 'Italians Do It Better.' The biggest problem I had with Cole's debut was that the lyrics sounded like they were written by a precocious, precious 14 yr old; 'TAS' is Paul Simon in comparison.

It's a similar story all over 'TAS,' Dixon exhibits subtle vulnerability through the sweet 'Breathe Slow' she rocks out surprisingly successfully on 'Play Me' with its loonie Jerry-Lee piano, and there's the inevitable emotional ballads which is where I think her voice is strongest. She sings all of the superb 'Chasing Ghosts' off-key, giving the performance an almost experimental edge, reminding strangely of the Isley's fab 'Behind A Painted Smile.'
There's some lazy bad: 'Cinderella Shoes' is pretty naff and 'Can I Begin' didn't twang my heartstrings in any fashion, but as a whole, Dixon's arresting black mince-pies are overseeing a minor gem.
This type of tapping-in is instinctive, it comes in the womb. You couldn't teach Cheryl Cole this stuff if you pointed an Uzi at her.

And all this after an awful 'Sgt Peppers'-like fanfare/introduction nearly derails the whole 'show.' A unpleasant jolt, putting me in thought of my misguided uncle, crunching a garden fork through a hedgehog I was playing with, one balmy, pre-teen evening. Shaking with shock, my parents let me stay up to look at Corman's 'Pit and the Pendulum.' What a night THAT was !
Anyway....

'TAS' is a polished talent, fashionably diverse (don't pigeonhole me, guys!), with sweeping, crisp arrangements and lyrics for once not aimed at children and stupid adults. It won't stop war, feed the starving or help find a cure for cancer, but it does provide a fun and zappy respite from worrying about it all.

This is a Great album, The music sits alongside all my great PRIME rock like Chicago, Beatles, Moody Blues, Stones, ELO and fits in quite nicely. Why was it not available as an MP3 download at both Amazon and ITunes?

I love her! I think she is absolutely beautiful and extremely talented! I really like how this CD is so eclectic and her smooth melodic voice fits perfectly w/ every song. a true work of art. I wish she would cross over to the States I think she would do well here! anyhoo, my favorite songs on the album are as follows:

"Breathe Slow"
"Cinderella Shoe"
"The Boy Does Nothing"
"Chasing Ghosts"
"Hand It Over"
"Can I Begin"
"Italians Do It Better"
"Ooo Baby I Like It Like That"
"Don't Ever Let Me Go"
"I Don't Wanna Mess Around"

over all I say the album is excellkent!! worth the money!!!