Customer Reviews

Bed

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Juliana Hatfield keeps things simple with this musically and emotionally focused release. Each of her solo works have grown progressively more mature and "slick" in production quality. BED steps back a bit in studio effects with Hatfield deciding to strip the sound down to a visceral level and take on the production herself.

The result is an outstanding and cohesive journey through the ten tracks that let her display her growing lyrical maturity, sense of humor and the ability to take an "outside looking in view" of her place in the music industry, and other topics.

Hatfield's fans will not be disappointed in the melodic accessability of the songs here. The harder edges ones really rock, and the more introsepective tracks sound great. The middle track "Backseat" is the centerpiece of the album in which she makes a touching plea for the listener (and maybe herself) to just basically hang in there and believe in themselves. It is the longest track of the ten, and builds in emotion and momentum from its beginning to end.

Overall, a very strong release from one of the original and most individual of the alt-girrrl-rock artists.

Juliana Hatfield really puts together a solid album with "Bed." Unfortunately, the album registered only on the indie scene. It has one of the best pop songs ever written, "Backseat." The album has a more ROCK feel to it, but she doesn't loose that quirky sense of pop she has. And her voice...enough said. I'm looking forward to what she has in store for the future.

I received my copy Tuesday, April 15, 2003 and I love it! I have the orginal U.S. version and this one is the United Kingdom import version. It has two extra tracks at the end, "Sellout" and "Trying Not To Think About It" which are the first two songs on the 1997 "Please Do Not Disturb" EP. The Japanese import version of this album has all 6 songs from the EP and two previously unreleased tracks, "Mean And Evil" and "Anemia". It's a shame that CD is so hard to find though. It's a special order item and even Amazon(.com) was having trouble finding a someone who had that particular version. This album is cool though because it's package is a Digipack. For those of you unfamiliar with that term, it just means that instead of the jewel case, the packaging is the album cover, front and back, on high gloss cardboard with the plastic CD holding case inside. The original booklet with the lyrics and everything that is the same as the one in the standard jewel case, is included in a little pocket inside the packaging. Most people have at least one CD with this type of packaging. Juliana's other band, the Blake Babies have this packaging on their 2001 release, "God Bless The Blake Babies". Anyway, this is a very good album. All the songs are great and it's amazing how this album was recorded in a week and sounds so professionally done. Get your copy today whether it's this version or the original. I would prefer getting this one because of the unique packaging and the two extra tracks. Also, I am sure it is most likely a limited edition item and I'm assuming after awhile, import albums become hard to come by. Thanks for reading this and be sure to check out the rest of Juliana's albums and the Blake Babies albums.

The dreaminess with which hatfeild has, comes through on several of her songs. Her efffort with which she had to change labels because her old label wouldn't put the album out was worth it to "Old" Hatfield fans. But the new album is similar to past albums and leaves not much room for new things. Hope fully though the album will catch a few eyes and a few new listeners.

I really loved this CD. I thought it was sparse and rougher - something I think she was trying to attempt with some of the songs on "Only Everything". This CD has been on heavy rotation on my CD player this past month. What can I say? I am rather biased when it comes to Juliana. I think she is far superior to the other music that is heavily played on the radio. I can't wait for her next release!

Ms. Hafield is clearly the most underated singer of recent times. The song "running out" is my favorite, but the whole album rocks. It is her finest work. Her music gets better with each album and this is her third. It is a shame that label problems have distracted from her talent and ability to write and record music. She is the single person listed as producer on this album. If you liked her first two albums and her many, too many, EP's you will not be dissapointed. By the way Juliana is currently touring if she is coming to your town,and is playing in a smaller venue,get tickets immediatly. I was turned away at the door last night in MPLS. The fact that she was considered "unmarkatable" is testemount to the fact that the powers that be are out of touch with fans who appreciate good songwriting and genuine style. I am limited to 1000 words or I could go on forever about this amazing young woman. If you don't buy another CD this year get "Bed".

In the late '90s, alternative music was collapsing on all fronts, with a smooth and overproduced variant of it starting to seize public attention, and the burgeoning Boston alternative scene pretty much completely collapsed. For her part, Juliana Hatfield had a rough go, with "Only Everything" not selling as well as the superb "Become What You Are" and the label rejecting her proposed followup, "God's Foot" (unreleased to this day). Hatfield broke with the major label and snuck and EP out (the phenomenal "Please Do Not Disturb") before releasing "Bed", again on an indepedent label.

What's perhaps most surprising about "Bed" is that it largely feels like a followup to "Only Everything". Given how different the material from "God's Foot" and "Please Do Not Disturb" was from that album (the former was well constructed and arranged, the latter loose and agressive), its a surprise that four years later she'd return to that sound. The main differences is that she's experimenting quite a bit more with vocal harmonies, and the mood is overall a bit more passive. The big problem is that, like "Only Everything", while the material is largely decent enough, very little of it actually stands out.

What does stand out is fantastic-- opener "Down on Me" in the tradition of "Only Everything"'s "What a Life" starts with a blast of feedback and churns and bubbles as Hatfield mumbles her sarcastic lyrics before breaking into one of her better solos on record. "Backseat" is among the best ballads she's written-- an extended, driving piece with a lovely chorus, it really is inspired. Ditto for the somewhat heavier "Bad Day", with the kind of catchy chorus that drills itself into your head and some great fretwork again from Hatfield. But for these, there's too many songs that while not particularly bad, just don't go anywhere ("I Want To Want You", "Live it Up", "You Are the Camera").

A note-- if you can dig it up, the Japanese release of this is well worth getting-- it includes the entire "Please Do Not Disturb" EP as well as two other tracks available nowhere else.

Even with its flaws, "Bed" is a good record. Newcomers to Hatfield's music should probably start with "Become What You Are", which is both more accessible and a better record, but this may be a good second or third place to look.

The dreaminess with which hatfeild has, comes through on several of her songs. Her efffort with which she had to change labels because her old label wouldn't put the album out was worth it to "Old" Hatfield fans. But the new album is similar to past albums and leaves not much room for new things. Hope fully though the album will catch a few eyes and a few new listeners.

No matter what "People" magazine says, her new album is far better than the slop that is on the radio right now i.e. Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind. Check it out, it is not as good as "Become What You Are" but it is VERY good and raw!

This LP is amazing. It's the best Juliana cd ever. She plays her heart out and then keeps on playing. Each song is unique, rendering the listen a fun and exciting one. I recommend this LP to anyone who appreciates good guitar, vocals and a lot of soul.