Customer Reviews

Anjulie (Dig)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

With a light airy yet expressive purr remniscent of Corinne Bailey Rae's or even Gospel singer Nicole C. Mullen's, 25 year old Anjulie's music is as rich as her heritage. Of Indian, Canadian and Guyanese descent, her music runs the musical gamut from the Jazzy Latin-tinged "Columbia", the acoustic/Ska-tinged "Same damn thing" to the bouncy contemporary R&B sound of "Addicted2me".

Opening is the single, the retro Nancy Sinatra-style "Boom" with creepy Morricone-sounding guitars and intermittent bursts of Brass. "Rain" is a stunning lilting summery ballad ("He got a knife in my back, stop turning please"), while raising the tempo a wee bit is the horn-peppered retro Soul "Some dumb girl" (with a groovy bassline, in which she commands her lover to "Keep your clothes off, I'm not rushing out like some dumb girl).

A sweeping overture ("Crazy that way intro") leads to the stripped piano ballad "Crazy that way" (with dramatic strings and multi-layered vocals coming in). Other standouts are the Ragga/Hip Hop-tinged "The heat", the corny yet sweet ballad "Love songs", the litling Soulful "Day will soon come" (like something Ms Bailey Rae would sing, with lyrics declaring her impending stardom) and closing Bollywood-tinged "Jamba" (think M.I.A and you get the picture).

All of the songs were penned by Anjulie, or co-penned (and produced) by Jon Levine of the Canadian R&B group Philosopher Kings. Rich and highly impressive, this is one album you'll get hooked on. An eclectic melange!

Guyanese-Canadian chanteuse Anjulie is the latest "It" girl surrounded by a massive amount of hype since ol' what's her name. Although you can objectively fill in the blank with whatever "hip" female songwriter of the past five years, Anjulie and her songwriting partner Jon Levine (ex of Philosopher Kings) possess enough chops and variety on her self-titled debut to keep things interesting.
Anjulie has demonstrated she has a wide array of musical influences reflected on this album such as Nancy Sinatra, Alanis Morrissette, Lauryn Hill and Annie Lennox. The first few tracks on Anjulie's debut run the gamut from the stylish and swaggering guitar twang of opener "Boom" to the retro-disco of "Some Dumb Girl." "Addicted2Me" is flawed as the falsetto that Anjulie adopts grates at certain times. However, that' s a small price to pay for a debut as eclectic as this one. The album effortlessly segues from hip-hop (The Heat) to her singer songwriter shtick (Colombia, Same Damn Thing) but tends to overwhelm the listener because Anjulie's all over the musical map. If there's one major fault of this album it's that each song on this album seems to be written as a single for whatever guise Anjulie is adopting. Perhaps on her next album, Anjulie will find one genre to explore and immerse herself in fully.

Whats so funny about my first interest in this album was actually when i saw the cover when i was scrolling through the album recomendations on here. This cover was just so pretty to me that i clicked on it to find out who this girl was. Then i listened to the samples and was blown away!!!I dont listen to this kind of music fluentlly. But this cd is totally creative and her voice is so pretty i enjoy every song on this cd but the highlights are:
Rain
Some Dumb Girl
Crazy That Way
Love Songs

Buy this cd its really good!!

I was searching this site for a different sound and found this little gem! Anjulie has a lovely, sweet voice showcased through her use of many different musical styles. There's a pop, soul, bossa nova, 60's girl group (esp. in I Want the World to Know). My faves include: Boom, The Heat, I Want the World to Know, Love Songs and The Day Will Soon Come. To radio: play this CD!!!

With a beautiful and unique voice, and a slick style that drips over every track, Anjulie's self titled debut is an album you really should check out. With influences ranging from hip-hop to rock to pop, not to mention cultural flourishes and a beautifully controlled 60's vibe, this is a really solid collection of infectious dance tracks.

Starting off with `Boom', her first single (the video is delicious) and a surefire major hit. With European flare, infectious `boom' musicality and that intoxicating voice that just caresses your eardrums. What I love so much about this girl is that she maintains that accent while she sings, which is something that is hit-or-miss with a lot of singers, who lose a lot of their personality when they sing so technically proficient. Anjulie is instantly recognizable with those vocals. She follows that track up with `Rain', a spunky little track that sports a borderline rapped verse structure that still manages to contain a smooth elegance of Anjulie's vocals. She should do that more often. Along the same vein of `Boom' is `The Heat', a feverish dance track that capitalizes on Anjulie's exotic sensuality and is primed and ready for radio play. While the beats on the album can seem simple and rather standard for their flavor of hip-hop, there are minor, subtle touches of culture that really set them apart from the rest of what we hear today.

I LOVE the 60's pop vibe of `I Want the World to Know'. It has such style and, while obviously pulling from an influence decades old, it sounds so fresh and exciting. The same can be said for `Day Will Soon Come', a more laid back track that has a slick vibe and simple yet memorable beat.

The album closer, `When It's Love', is just beautiful; nothing else needs to be said. Her voice is like silk, and the simplicity of the track only adds to its purity.

Those 6 tracks are really the standouts for me. The rest of the album is also very good, but these are the best (in my humble opinion). Tracks like `Some Dumb Girl' are instantly likable (and that subject matter is just so appropriate, don't you think). `Columbia' has a really nice sweetness to it; an earnest loveliness. `Crazy That Way' (and the intro) are good songs, and I know that they have a following with her fans, but they are not my favorites here. `Love Songs' is another one that I just don't really get into. `Addicted2Me' is a mellower dance track, like a laid back `Boom'. It's a nice spin on the dance track, but it doesn't have the power of `Boom' or `The Heat'.

`Fatal Attraction' reminds me of something one of those teeny bop queens would put out if they had a little more guidance. It has a soft edge that most popular teen sensations don't have yet would totally benefit from. `Same Thing' is a bouncy track that has a very likable factor that keeps you entertained and makes you smile.

It's a cultural thing.

So, I completely recommend this purchase to anyone wanting a fresh experience that will leave them with a smile. Anjulie has the talent, the looks, the style, the...everything really. The album is not perfect (sometimes it's not always a good thing to offer so much, you start to slack and produce filler) but it is a solid debut that holds a lot of promise for perfection to come.

Anjulie's self-titled debut is a heady, stunning blend of bossa nova, easy listening, Bollywood, rap, and reggae. She is genre-defying, with a sound that at once evokes the '60s but is refreshingly contemporary. Signed to Starbucks' Hear Music label, her songs are like espresso shots with plenty of sweet cocoa thrown in. She has a diversity of sound, reflecting her origins. Like Leona Lewis, she has Guyanese ancestry. Like AR Rahman, whose "Slumdog Millionaire" soundtrack, she is from India. Like Nelly Furtado, Alanis Morrissette, and the annoying Nickelback, she's from Canada.

Anjulie's musical beginnings made me skeptical at first. Like the sappy Colbie Caillat, she's a MySpace artist and her songs are featured on MTV "reality" shows like "The Hills" and "The City." She opened for Disney divo Jesse McCartney (NOT the son of Sir Paul the Beatle). But then I listened...

The opening song,"Boom",is a spicy blend of '60s James Bond theme-style guitar with Bollywood. "Rain" is bittersweet,with the chorus about "never falling in love again." "Some Dumb Girl" has a bossa nova sound, evoking the Girl from Ipanema (except Anjulie is the Girl from Guyana) It's reminiscent of Sergio Mendes in his heyday. "Addicted2me" is relentlessly catchy and rhythmic. It's one of the strongest songs. "Crazy that way" is jazzy and symphonic. "Fatal Attraction" is another bittersweet song of longing. "The Heat" is the best song overall. It's a steamy mix of Bollywood, rap, and reggae with a tribal beat. It opens with the sound of a shower... from there, it launches into a song that's HOT! "Colombia" is an easy listening ode that is, surprisingly, not in honor of Brazil. With its bossa nova rhythm, one would think it's about going to the Copacabana."Same Damn Thing" has a catchy reggae rhythm. The closing songs, "I want the world to know", "Love Songs" and "Day will soon come" bring the album to an optimistic, happy ending. While each song stands on its own, it also flows together as a seamless whole. It begins with heartbreak, longing, loss, but ends with hopefulness.

There's a bonus track as well, hidden in the last song. "When it's love" is an acoustic,gentle ballad. It's lilting, comforting. It's like a hot cup of cider on a wintry Canadian day.

"Anjulie" is a stunning debut. May we hear more great music from her in the future!

I had my eye on Anjulie ever since I saw "Boom" on Vh1, her song was catchy and i loved her deep voice. I was able to download a few of her other songs about a month ago and I loved those ones too, unfortunately i cannot remember the name. Her style is somewhat all over the place but it simply shows her versatility. I haven't bought a CD in a long time but I did buy this one.

Anjulie is easily the best new artist I have heard in YEARS... her voice is rich and gorgeous, her range incredibly varied. She is at times reminiscent of artists like Nelly Furtado and Corinne Bailey Rae, but only in the best possible ways. Anjulie is a stunningly beautiful woman (just check out the intensely awesome video for the first single, 'Boom') and yet her music completely overshadows her genetic blessings. I hope to hear much more in the future from this amazing new artist, and I dare say that I think I smell a Juno... maybe even a Grammy?! in a perfect world...

This Anjulie CD is exactly what i hoped it be, her sound is unique and romantic like corrin Bailey Rae but with her own twist to it.

From the first note I heard her sing, I was hooked. Her light soulful voice filled my car and took me to another place and I wondered; where have you have been all my life Anjuli? Apparently in the Starbucks warehouse.
Occasionally I pick up a CD at Starbucks, usually something I never heard of. I know, it seems ridiculous to pay fifteen dollars for a CD of someone you never heard of and I don't really make a habit of it. I am more of a dollar bin girl. Sometimes a cover catches my eye or the title of the band/singer sounds interesting or the CD title is good. I know you are thinking, just look them up on the internet to see if you'd like them, but what fun would that be. Every CD is like opening a Christmas present. Sometimes you open it up and inside you find the set of matching crocheted doilies that your crazy Aunt Edna made for you at the home, sometimes it's a gift card to the Olive Garden and sometimes it's the flat screen with the surround sound you've been saving that perfect spot on your wall for. You never know.
The first time I bought one of the "unknowns" at Starbucks, I looked at it for three weeks before buying it. I kept thinking about it and then saw Antigone Rising on VH1 and liked them so I did buy it. The second time, I again looked at it for a few weeks but then picked up Lily Allen without hearing it first and was glad I did. Since then, I occasionally spend the fifteen bucks and have not been disappointed yet. I don't know what kind of person chooses their music but we must be synced somehow. Corrine Bailey Ray, Sia, Alice Smith, Fleet Foxes and now I can add Anjuli to the list.
Her voice is a mix of the gentle soul of Corrine with the depth of Nelly Furtado and once you start listening you can't stop. From the first song, Boom, which I can't even put into a category, I was hooked. It is a little soul, a little island, a little-I don't know, I am not a musical theorist, I just know I like it. The CD has a blend of music and as a whole is worth every bit of the fifteen bucks I paid for it and hopefully mainstream radio will catch up to the Hear Music pick. Make sure you hang on for the hidden track (and unlike the minute you sometimes have to wait from these jackass music producers, it's only a few seconds) because it's the whip cream on this delicious blend of your favorite desserts.
You cannot help but feel good when you hear her voice.