Customer Reviews

Blue on Blue

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Sixpence None the Richer's last album (2002's "Divine Miscontent") wasn't well received commercially, long-time duo singer Leigh Nash and guitarist Matt Slocum called it a day and disbanded Sixpence. Since then not much has been heard from Leigh Nash, until this release, her first solo album.

"Blue on Blue" (11 tracks, 44 min.) is a welcome return of the "angelic" voice of Leigh Nash. Her singing is one of the most unique and warm voices that you will ever hear. Leigh co-wrote all of the tracks of the album. One of the things that puzzles me about the album is the sequencing of the songs. When "Along The Wall" starts off, it's like you're being plunged midway into an album. In fact, a much better way would have been to make "More of It" the opener. Indeed the better songs on this set appear on the seond half: "Angel Tonight", "Cloud Nine", the title track and closer "Just A little" are fantastic songs. Matt Slocum, who wrote most of the songs for Sixpence, co-wrote one track, the beautiful balled "Nervous in the Light of Dawn".

In all, a welcome return of Leigh nash's beautiful voice after a 4 year hiatus after the demise of Sixpence. I can only hope that she will tour in support of this album and make a visit to Cincinnati or somewhere close by.

Any fan of Sixpence None The Richer should like this album. That's not to say that Blue On Blue is too similar to Sixpence - there's more piano on this album, and it sounds a bit more poppy. This is not a bad thing, because Leigh's catchy song structures really shine in this environment. The only slight flaw here is the heaven theme is used on three songs. But "My Idea Of Heaven" is the best song here, and Leigh's angelic voice certainly fits the other two. Songs such as "Just A Little" and "Nervous In The Light Have Dawn" have that amazing imagery found in Leigh's songwriting. Highly recommended!

This CD really displays Leigh's vocal abilities in a way that even Sixpence didn't. At the reigns of her own project....the lyrics, instrumentation, vocals all mesh perfectly. The lyrics are very thought-provoking, and yet display such a positive message (which is the irony of the title). Leigh's vocals are in top form....and the voice of an angel. What really also stood out to me was the experimentation with sounds/instruments----and it really paid off. The whole thing comes together into something I am sure she is incredibly proud of....and should be. And we are lucky enough to be along for the ride.

Despite her 15 years in the music business, Leigh Nash is still a young woman. Not all that much older than the age where many musicians are just starting their careers. Technically she is a new solo artist, but many will recognize her voice as the lead singer of Sixpence None the Richer. With a platinum album and Grammy nomination under her belt, Nash is no newcomer and yet she maintains an innocence and fresh feeling throughout her debut solo CD.

Leigh's voice is the shining star of Blue on Blue. She sings with a flawless blend of strength and frailty -- a beautiful jewel, pitch-perfect, ethereal, and vulnerable. Let's not forget Blue on Blue is a debut CD, and with continued solid promotion this album will do well and set up even better things for Leigh. Expect her to continue to grow as a songwriter, and if she keeps her producer and crew together for her next album, watch out world!

Song by song review available at SockSpider.

I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about this album at first, as it seemed like a mroe worldly departure lyrically from the more spiritual substance of Sixpence None the Richer, but the more I listen to it, the more this album as grown on me. I think my mistake was in expecting more of Sixpence, which is NOT what this album is. This is Leigh Nash finding her own voice, style and direction. I can apprecaite the album knowing that. The songs are beautiful, just much less substantial ("my idea of heaven... lying here with you..." I'm thinking Leigh borrowed this lyric from a 1980's 'Heart' song, but no worries, it sounds great. This is a great album. Maybe the followup will have a little more substance to go with the beautiful vocals.

Leigh Nash- one of the great voices of our time and her first solo outing is no disappointment. In fact at it's best it's amazing and very moving. Sixpence always had a special place in my music collection. All those years performing with Matt- it's obvious those roots go deep and you can hear it coming through on this CD. At the same time it's fun to hear Leigh coming into her own- You get the feeling she's just getting started. Cool beans!!

I have always liked Leigh Nash's voice. It's very unique and wonderful. I have to admit I am just a passing fan of Sixpence None the Richer. I really don't know a lot of their music. But with this album, I might check out their other work.

As a whole this album works nicely from beginning to end. This is an album that definitely grows on you. Give it a chance and it's nice to listen to. I really like the first song and find myself leaving this album play out to the end.

What is surprising to me is the quality of production. Peirre Marchand is well known for working with Sarah McLachan. The production here seems a little murky. The balance between her very lovely voice and the songs seem off just a little. I felt like her voice has matured but the arrangements weren't mature enough for her voice, if that makes any sense at all!

I also think arrangements on many of the songs could have been fleshed out a little more. There are a couple of stunners on this album (Along the Wall, Thank You) that I keep thinking could have used better arrangements. The second song "Nervous in the Light of Dawn" is an absolute and true gem but its arrangement falls a little flat and steals a little limelight away from the song itself. I would love to hear a revamped version of this song.

I almost feel like Leigh Nash should have pulled a Fiona Apple -- it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if she took the songs she had in hand, found another producer and then see what would have come of it. There are a lot of good songs but they seem to miss just a tiny little bit, an album that could have been stronger.

Despite my irrelevant and minor quibbles with this album, I really do enjoy it quite a bit. I hope to hear much more work from Leigh Nash, she should have an even longer career if she so chooses.

I could not help but share what a treasure this album is. Rich and absorbing, the kind of music one can listen to again and again and again. Leigh's voice is truly angelic and she is a masterful lyricist. She does a wonderful job telling stories through her songs, engaging the listener through her voice, the lyrics, the melody and instrumentation. I'm buying the cd for friends as this music truly is a gift.

Leigh Nash is famous for her voice. Not in the same way as Whitney Houston or Christina Aguilera, but rather the exact opposite. Nash's voice was always the most attractive part of Sixpence None the Richer, despite what some may say. It's not that it's the greatest voice in the world, but its more unique than anything else in popular music today. For Sixpence fans who were a bit disappointed by the break-up of the band a few years back, Leigh Nash's first solo album "Blue on Blue" might bring a bit of vindication.

Perhaps too much vindication, because it seems as if Leigh Nash is either too in love with her former band's sound or too afriad to branch out and let it go. While this is not a huge disappointment to a lot of Sixpence fans, it definitely bugs the heck out of me. For the last decade I've been listening to Sixpence songs, so I was hoping for something different when Nash decided to go solo. Unfortunately for me, these songs are almost indistinguishable from any Sixpence song. Arguably, they tend to be a bit more mellow, but ultimately this is the same music that Leigh Nash has been making for years now.

Don't get me wrong, these songs are good, its just that there's nothing new brought to the table. Hopefully, if Nash decides to release another solo album, she will try to make music that is out of her comfort zone. Otherwise, this once-cute, pixie folk rock stuff will eventually take its toll on her career. At least that's how I see it.

Recommended for Sixpence None the Richer fans and anyone who's still down with that sound.

Key Tracks:
1. "Along the Wall"
2. "Nervous in the Light of Dawn"
3. "Ocean Size Love"

Leigh Nash, former singer of Sixpence, None the Richer weaves a beautiful pop showcase displaying her unique, but appealing vocal style with the assistance of Sarah McLachlan's longtime producer Pierre Marchand. Nash gets an assist from the bevy of all-star songwriters including Marchand, Rick Nowles (Cars, Stevie Nicks, Bryan Adams, Bette Midler), Billy Steinberg (Stevie Nicks, Madonna, Cindi Lauper, Bangles, Heart), Holly Knight (Pat Benatar, Heart, Patty Smyth, Tina Turner), and Anne Preven (Natalie Imbruglia, Madonna, Sinead O'Conner).

I was hooked from the opening song "Along the Wall", and it just kept going with the melancholy "Nervous in the Light of Dawn" and "Never Finish" along with the catchy "My Idea of Heaven", "Angel Tonight", and "Cloud Nine". Slight lyrical references to religion, but nothing overtly Christian.

A perfect cup of tea for those who enjoyed the Sixpense sound... or wonderful pop tunes in general.