Customer Reviews

Bleeding Heart Graffiti

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Nina Gordon, a former member of Veruca Salt, delivers beautiful, substantive pop/rock music again with Bleeding Heart Graffiti. While a bit slower (especially at the end) than Tonight And The Rest Of My Life, Bleeding Heart Graffiti has the advantage of showcasing her voice more. It is a solemn CD, but Nina hasn't gone toothless on us, as "Suffragette" and pieces of other songs show. Nina's older now, and not as venomous as she was with Veruca Salt. But she never gets too whiny. If you did not like Tonight And The Rest Of My Life, you probably should skip this one. But if you liked that CD, Bleeding Heart Graffiti could be one of your favorites of 2006.

...I love Nina's voice and songwriting so much, that I forgive her for it. As a matter of fact, the quality of the tunes here, the sequencing and concept feel (with the intro title "track", interlude of "This Was The Year", and outro of "The Crickets Sound Like Sleigh Bells" playing with the non-holiday "Christmas Lights"...ironic with Nina being Jewish and all), make the album more than just a series of songs, but an actual ALBUM made to be listened to in order from beginning to end. It seems that Nina put some effort into this area here. I should hope so, being it's taken 6 loooooooong years between Nina's wonderful solo debut "Tonight And The Rest Of My Life" and the new "Bleeding Heart Graffiti".

I also know this disc went through some kind of stylistic evolution, which could be reason for this delay. I know Stacy Jones, Nina's former bandmate and boyfriend from Veruca Salt as well as Letters To Cleo and now American HiFi, and producer of Towers Of London. When I spoke to him last, I asked about Nina and this record. He said she was working with Ethan Johns who worked with Ryan Adams and that this record was going to have an alt-country/Americana feel. I found that interesting and intriguing, and I kinda hear that influence in these new songs and how they turned out. I also know Nina is close to LTC's Kay Hanley, and that she kept her gear in Kay's garage, so there is Kay's influence as well. Plus, she's written some songs with one of my new fave female singer/songwriters, Courtney Jaye, who released an awesome, Nina-ish debut on Island. One of their collabs was "This Is The Day" on Coco's record, and another is the awesome single "Kiss Me 'Til It Bleeds" on Nina's "Bleeding Heart Graffiti".

I guess, Nina reconnected with longtime producer Bob Rock in Hawaii, put all these pieces together, and this record is the FINAL result. Let me tell you, it took getting used to, but I love it. I miss the out and out rockers, but Nina's maturing as a singer/songwriter and it seems she's in a blue mood lately. This is fine, because her heavenly, intimate, vulnerable voice can really break your heart if you're in that mindstate. Some songs are a bit aggressive, which evokes her rockier roots, but her melodies are really rich here, like melted dark chocolate. Every song has something sublime about it. Sure, Nina's songs are powerpop, somewhere between Susanna Hoffs and Aimee Mann, but on the softer side of the spectrum (the catchy "Suffragette" is the closest thing here to a rocker), and to inexperienced listeners, they will confuse her style to corporate bubblegum acts like Hilary Duff or Aly & AJ. But Nina's songs are deeper, with more substance, and more art to her melodies...in the end, they stick to your heart and never let go. Every song could get played on the radio, but I can't stand radio, just Sirius satellite radio. It would be awesome to hear on Sirius "Christmas Lights", the single "Kiss Me 'Til It Bleeds", "Turn On Your Radio", the gorgeous "Pure" and "Watercolours", the sublime heartbreaker "When You Don't Want Me Anymore" (I almost broke down when I heard that song), the epic "Bones And A Name" and lovely "The Time Comes". Regular radio stations won't "get" these new songs because they are not commercial and too rich + pure for their playlists. Let me tell you, it was worth the 6 year wait to hear these songs in finished form on this disc. Nina put her time into these songs, the effort really shows, BIG time. I sincerely doubt Axl's new GNR album will be of the same quality on "Chineese Democracy", and Nina's fanbase didn't put as much pressure to finish up "Bleeding Heart Graffiti" (love that title too), so she could concentrate on making it perfect...I am happy with the results.

I'll be thrilled if her next album has more rockers, but if not and it takes ANOTHER 6 years, I won't mind. Anything Nina records will be wonderful, she seems incapable of writing a bad or even an average song. She seems to be a perfectionist and only wants to record and release quality. Next up, a tour, please?????? I missed the last one.

I was worried that 'Bleeding Heart...' wouldn't be as interesting as her debut solo album, but after hearing 'Superstar', I discovered I had nothing to fear... it is the most haunting and moving song I've heard this year...

I think many of Nina's fans long for her to bring the rock again and manage the balancing act on her albums between loud and soft, distorted and crystal clear. Unfortunately this album doesn't offer as much balance as in the past. There's far more slow, straightforward pop songs and ballads here. "Suffragette" is perhaps the hardest rocking gem, but even that shows some restraint. The album starts off with "Bleeding Heart Graffiti" which is merely an intro that could have been the epic rock anthem we've all been waiting for...listening to it I was all smiles as I anticipated the huge guitars and crashing drums that would kick into the next verse and then...that never materialized, 30 secs and it switches to the next track...ugh!!! I knew at that moment this album wasn't going to be the rock album I wanted, but after listening to the next track "Christmas Lights" I knew I would love this album regardless, rock or not rock. What the album and these songs deliver is the purity of her voice. She has such a heavenly voice, it's so clear and amazing. All these songs are perfect little showcases for that. There's very little effects, distortion or production smoke and mirrors to distract or hide her voice...and that's a good thing...thanks to Bob Rock for that. I give the album 4 stars cus I know she can rock harder and that's what I want more of but I'll take this album any day and know that it will easily wind up on my Top Ten this year.

The songwriting, lyrics and production excel on this CD! A great journey into the personal thoughts and feelings of every woman (at least it seems). Touching, creative lyrics and good hooks, keeps you listening straight through to the end!!

If you expect this CD to be anything like Nina Gordon's exploits in the band Veruca Salt, you're going to be disappointed. However, if you come with no expectations, then you might be pleasantly surprised - this girl can sing.

The album starts off jerkily, with different vocal styles. You'd be forgiven in thinking that you're listening to Sheryl Crow for some of the opening tracks. Not a particularly good thing. However, by the time you get to track 7 or so, Nina Gordon gets into her stride and produces some catchy, melodic songs which showcase her voice (something that was hidden in Veruca Salt).

All in all, a recommended album. Definitely a grower.

I liked her first solo album better than this one, but this still has some catchy songs and good vocals. I'd recommend the first solo album of hers before this one.

This is Nina Gordon in full blossom, a gifted artist who built a "rock" solid foundation with the alternative band, Veruca Salt. The new millenium coincided with her departure, to begin a solo career. "Tonight and the Rest of My Life" was her exceptional debut. It revealed a softer side of Nina Gordon, both as a writer and performer, and probably surprised many, though I always suspected she had it in her. A half dozen years passed before her follow-up, but the result made the wait worth it. Listened to as a whole, "Bleeding Heart Graffiti" sounds almost like catharsis. There's love, loss, regret, anger, loneliness...and (again and always) love. This album has wonderful production (Bob Rock), great musicians and profound lyrics, performed with the beauty and vibrancy that make you feel Gordon's inspiration. It's been a couple of years since this release, and I read somewhere that motherhood has put Nina's career on hold. She's certainly earned the hiatus, but I just hope two things: That she doesn't lose her wonderful inspiration, and that she somehow knows that we're still out here, waiting.

This sophomore solo effort from Gordon has some absolute pop gems, and it also has a redundancy in its second half that makes the last twenty minutes reasonably forgettable.

First, the gems--the opening single "Kiss Me Til It Bleeds" is infectious as hell. It is a song that is both sassy and cute at the same time, like the girl next door with a charmingly malevolent streak. Further along, we catch a brilliant Gordon ballad in "Don't Let Me Down." Aside from beautifully evocative musicianship, we get a sincere love song couched in a vocal cadence that makes this song stand out from the others. These were, hands down, two of my favorite songs to come out of 2006.

Aside from that, well...there isn't a single song that is bad. That said, there are few that are memorable, either. There are some good songs ("Christmas Lights", "Suffragette"), and then there is a lot of songs that don't do a great deal to distinguish themselves from one another--low-tempo ballads meant to showcase Gordon's amazing voice. None of them are bad...they just start to accumulate and feel a little disposable.

All things considered, I'd like to have seen a little more variety, which was far more evident in her previous effort.

That said--she is incapable of writing a BAD song, and is incapable of performing a song badly. So throw down some change on this one--it is worth it, warts and all.

I have loved Nina for a while, since hearing Tonight and the rest of my life on a Charmed eppisode, I've had to import both albums to Australia, they haven't hooked onto her angelic but moving voice....yet.

Favourites on this album would be Christmas Lights and Suffragette, although they will people shouldn't try and equate this album with her first solo offereing, both amazing but both different, if you like her voice I recomend this, you wont regret it.