Breathing Underwater (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)

Marié Digby | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: September 7, 2009
• Release Date: September 7, 2009
• Label: Hollywood Records
• Copyright: (C) 2009 Hollywood Records, Inc.
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 51:34
• Genres:
• ASIN: B002NHDV6I
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Marié ventures from "stand-out" to "blend-in", September 7, 2009

By 

Dean Baird (Sacramento, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Breathing Underwater (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) (MP3 Download)

This is a tough one. When I heard Marié Digby on NPR's Morning Edition Saturday with Scott Simon last year, I was so taken with her voice and style that I immediately downloaded "Unfold" from iTunes. The album was enchanting from open to close and most of its tracks remain in heavy rotation on my iPod. Marié's passion, sincerity, and beauty came through loud and clear in well-produced but organic arrangements. I could listen to this collection of songs over and over without losing interest.

Marié is clearly a music wonk. She loves it; she lives it! She works hard at her craft and the success of "Unfold" garnered her a well-deserved higher profile. And she never stops! Look at the wealth of content on her YouTube channel if you think she's not among the hardest working musicians in the business.

She was clearly keen to explore a new path. "Breathing Underwater" is the expression of this desire. Marié is completely ga-ga over her new "baby." And that's as it should be.

But I must confess that the new album falls fairly flat for me. The acoustic production that made her stand out has been replaced with drum machines, multi-layering, and auto-tuning. The delicate, vine-laden garden lattice of "Unfold" has been replaced by a hard, brick wall of sound this time out. Given the current state of mainstream music, she now blends in. I don't know why Marié would want to sound like so many other young women in the pop market. But that's where "Breathing Underwater" deposits her.

Marié is the beautiful woman who doesn't need makeup; you cringe a little bit when you see her layer it on in an apparent attempt to be more like her peers.

In the end it's Marié's call, alone, as to where she takes her music. I have no doubt that "Breathing Underwater" will do very well for her. But it doesn't do much for me. Did I buy it? For $2.99, and given my affection for "Unfold," I could not resist. And I will listen to it several times hoping that something about it grabs me. "Unfold" grabbed me right away and has yet to let go. Marié wanted to move away from "Unfold." I'll nourish a hope that she keeps moving; on to something different for her third album. Perhaps something like Koop or old Zero7...? I'll still see her when she tours. That will likely be my best chance to hear acoustic versions of the new songs.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lost in transition, September 8, 2009

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D. de Gruchy (Campbell, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Breathing Underwater (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) (MP3 Download)

I love Marie's first album and her youtube covers. Breathing Underwater is a departure from the sound and style that first drew me to her. The new album is multi layered sound spew. That isn't to say there aren't any good songs on it. There are, but you have to wade through a number of less than interesting songs to get to them. While expertly mixed (really, the EQing on this album is phenominal) its limp and lifeless in feeling. Perhaps I over expected it to be more of the same things she's been doing. I admit I just blindly bought the album without listening to it because she's so incredibely talented that I assumed I'd love this venture. If I had to classify this I would say its more Uber-Pop vs her previous style of Indie/Pop. I'm glad she's trying new expressions and ideas, this one though just doesn't fit me completely (hence the 3 stars).

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars In New Waters, September 7, 2009

By 

Mineable (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breathing Underwater (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) (MP3 Download)

Like a few of the previous reviews, I am a Marie Digby fan and have seen her perform live several times. If you have not seen her live, I highly recommend it. In an intimate environment, with Marie and just her voice, keyboards, and guitar, her voice and music is captivating and sounds like she is pouring out her soul just for you. Simplicity speaks volumes for her. Her voice is vulnerable, honest, and tells a story you can relate to.

One of the problems for me that plagued her debut album, "Unfold", was the heavy production on the title track and "Beauty In Walking Away"; when there are too many cooks in the kitchen, tinkering with ProTools, it distracts from her voice and lyrics.

So it was a shock to me when I heard the first single, "Avalanche", from the new album "Breathing Underwater". There was so much going on in the song; it was even more produced than anything on "Unfold".

I read Marie's decision to make her sophomore album "Breathing Underwater" with heavier beats and autotune was to venture out of her comfort zone and try something new. I applaud her for that. If one doesn't take risks, they'll know what they are capable of.

Does the album work? Parts of it. When the production, her voice, and lyrics work, it is a recipe for VERY GOOD Pop with a message ("Crazier Things", the title track, and perhaps "Come To Life" and "Symphony"). When it doesn't, it's a generic dance tune that could be the voice of anybody ("Know You By Heart") or earnest but overbearing ("Feel" - somewhere in this track is a heart-wrenching song, but the over-the-top drum machine blaring is deafening). In "Feel", her vocals and lyrics are top-notch and meaningful, but instead of complimenting her vocals, it sounds like she is competing with the synthesized beats to not be drowned out.

Often the songs are inoffensive, easy to listen to, but indistinguishable. To clarify, a mediocre Marie Digby song is still 90% better than the fluff pop-tarts and Kewpie dolls who infiltrate airwaves and iTunes dole out on a constant basis.

I purchased "Breathing Underwater" because Marie is an artist with a beautiful voice and song-writing that resonates; I hope to see her creating music for a long time to come and I cannot wait to see and hear how she evolves as an artist. Unlike some, she appears to be a musician who isn't afraid to take risks and is in the industry because she loves music and wants to share it.