Customer Reviews

Brilliant Midnight

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well, seeing as NO reviewer online or off has decided to write about the followup to 1996's 'Spirit' album by Caroline Lavelle and noticing that I seem to be the only one interested in her growth as an artist and find it interesting to follow her career, I thought I would give 'Brilliant Midnight' a review. I still cannot believe that she is being ignored this week as the new REM and Weezer albums come out, but such is the state of music and my realization that if it isn't commercially viable then it isn't good. And of course, that's the silliest thing to say, but it seems to be the case....Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears as formidable talents??? So, here we go with my "review." Caroline is a wonderful poet and I can admire her for her gift, mainly because she doesn't just spoonfeed you lyrics; they are creative, you have to think about their meaning, and they are ambiguous enough in many cases to mean different things to different listeners. These songs are not just replete with inane song lyrics.......this is poetry set to music and visa versa. Plus, she uses other people's poetry, "Siamiant'o" and "Le pourquoi" to convey her musical message. One may not have a clue about their subject matter, yet the music speaks for itself and reflects what language cannot. The biggest difference between "Spirit" and "Brilliant Midnight" lies in the second song, "Anxiety." It could either be about a smothering relationship or a stalker, but the electric guitars/drums are plugged in and Caroline uses her cello and gasping/moaning in a menacing and frightening way to almost let the listener wonder whether this "torture" is enjoyable or whether she is running from him. This song is so far away from anything on "Spirit" and it is truly intoxicating, mainly because you realize that Ms. Lavelle is doing what SHE wants musically. Unlike the formidable presence of William Orbit on her debut, the electronic aspect of "Brilliant Midnight" is there to enhance the songs, not just dominate them. This isn't to say I dislike her debut, but this album is SO much better. I bought this album on Tuesday the 15th of May, and I still cannot take it out of my cd player......I'm that impressed with it. It is also better to listen to as a whole, for there is a mood being set and it sometimes bleeds into the next song so wonderfully. My favorite songs include: Farther from the Sun, She Said, Siamianto, All I have, Le Pourquoi, Karma, and Universal. "The Fall" is another lovely song........ok, they all are well crafted, her voice is absolutely marvelous (she has extended her range and it is excellent) and the arrangements are clever and never meander into the banal. The only songs that are close to anything on "Spirit" are 'Anima Rising' and 'Farther than the Sun,' and many of the songs on this album wouldn't seem out of place in a classical voice recital....but they transcend musical genre because they are in the hands of such an adventurous musician. Her work on the recent Jocelyn Pook album, "Untold Things" is wonderful and worth a listen.....no vocals, but her exquisite cello can be heard. I also can't wait until the end of the year when she releases another album of new music: this being the poetry of World War I poets set to her own compositions. I can only hope that someone else will take a listen to this and by the amount of "Brilliant Midnight's" sold on Amazon.com, I realize that she does have fans. I look forward to seeing how all of this tranfers to a live setting......I'm sure amazingly well. Definitely an album I will be buying for all my friends and one that I find more and more interesting and sonically deep the more I listen to it. You really should do so as well.

...go over to Amazon UK and buy the latest release there. It feels like an almost different album (showing my age there). I own both versions, now, and far prefer the release that was on her own label.

Along with a few extra tracks, you get a far more vibrant feel, and a deeper, richer tone to each track. Do yourself a favor and splurge - get both - one for the car and one for the house. You will not be sorry.

BTW, anyone who already knows the spectacular talent of this composer and lyricist needs no further explanation. Anyone who hasn't given her a listen should hurry and buy either copy NOW. Timeless music, folks...so heartrendingly lovely that there are no words that can possibly describe the experience. Nuff said.

The word "beautiful" is a bit ubiquitous in my reviews, I think, but the adjective definitely applies to Caroline Lavelle's music. Her voice is extremely gorgeous, and she hits notes with an indescribable sultry technique that will make any man shiver (97% chance). However, what makes the listening experience truly enjoyable is that Lavelle writes great songs and she's a clever lyricist. Her talent is truly brought forward by her second album (which she produced herself). The musicianship on Brilliant Midnight (great name!) is a lot more elaborate and intense. Granted, it's still slow and moody, but the compositions have a greater overall sense of space and vigor. "She Said" shows this, with its quaking, emotionally intense chorus and robust orchestration. The first song, "Farther than the Sun", is an evocative stunner that would fit nicely on the debut. There is a lot more acoustic instrumentation on this album as well (compared to her debut, which was dominated by electronics), with nicely composed string arrangements, and Lavelle's cello a lot more involved in the music. "Twisted Ends" is a short little instrumental at the end of the disc, where Lavelle plays piano and cello in soft, tranquil melodies. The odd "Siamant'o", based on a poem called "A Handful of Ash", is exquisite, bare music of cello, keys, and guitar under a haunting vocal melody. Seven-minutes long and based just around a few chords, it shows that the simplest music is sometimes the best. "Universal" is calculated beauty, with a mysterious lyric and a whispering vocal. Also interesting are the delicate pop-flavored "All I Have", the exotic percussion of "Anxiety", and the enchanting "The Fall". There was a six year wait between Spirit and Brilliant Midnight...now we know good things were being done in that interim! I just hope the wait isn't as long for album #3.

As a Massive Attack fan who heard of Caroline Lavelle through their early singles I didn't like 'Spirit' at all. The material seemed quite thin and the the production and the vocals lacked soul. So having received this new album as a gift I was not expecting too much. More Celtic Trance maybe but I was not anticipating an adventure. As it transpires this is an unusual hybrid of classical tonality, first person song writing, warm vocals and beautiful musicianship. Unlike a lot of pop artists with classical pretensions this is music that can stand next to many recordings from the core repertoire. Not because the music itself is that complex,for the most part it isn't that far away from regular pop song structure, but the same feeling is present that you might find in turn of the century chamber music. It has a real fin de siecle feel about it;longing,loss,regret,passion and sad sex. The similarities in the artwork between this and her last release had me assuming this was another Willian Orbit production and listening to it the first time I was amazed at how far he has expanded his music since the classical covers recording. As it turned out Orbit is no where to be seen in the credits and Lavelle is credited with having produced it and arranged it herself. For me only Kate Bush's 'Hounds of Love' comes close in terms of how much sensitivity and detail is in these recordings. There's nothing contemporary out there that is in the same universe in terms of poetry, melody and emotion. The reason for 4/5 review rather than the full 5 is that there is an ugly remix of the least interesting song placed at the end of the cd. Would be excellent to hear what Massive Attack would make of some of the more ambient pieces but this mix of "All I Have" is anti-music and spoils the real end of the listening experience, a sad and funny cello solo with laughter.

Having been a huge fan of Caroline's previous album "Spirit," I was almost choked with anticipation when I heard that she was releasing a new album after six years. Well, "Brilliant Midnight" is not "Spirit." For one, much of the electronica-quality is missing...nevertheless, this album is soooo beautiful. The instrumentation is entirely more organic, and the songs are even smarter and sexier than on the first album. Probably the best thing about the album is Caroline's voice. I'll admit it...I am totally in love with her style of singing. Her voice is so intimate and lovely...There are a few rockin' songs on this album too, interspersed between the quieter ones. Amazon needs to provide audio clips!! If you like Sarah McLachlan, or Tracy Thorn, you will dig this album. AMAZING WORK again Caroline. Hopefully, Caroline will receive the attention that she so richy deserves.

Caroline Lavelle is an unknown name in the States pre Spirit.Yet she was the co founder of Humouresque in 1981,has an association with no less than Virginia Astley and Jocelyn Pook and spent the next 15 years doing sessions or guesting on other artistes albums (Vangelis,Jam Nation).Last year she had a hit single on the Dance Charts called BREATHE,credited to the ART OF TRANCE featuring....I collect her music because I collect anything connected with Virginia Astley. Her career is thoroughly detailed in my book THE FLUTE PLAYING NYMPH AND THE RENAISSANCE LADY. ... .

I wrote this review for the 2.0 release but it applies to the this one too:

"Caroline Lavelle blends wonderfully her past experiences with electronics (William Orbit, Hector Zazou) and her ability as a celloist and composer in this album, balancing between pop influences and a deep passionate sound of strings and vocals. The final result is a deeply organic album, which departs from her previous solo experience and ventures into an almost classical environment. From the musical transposition of poems from World War I, to the anxiety caused by insomnia to a relationship narrated with metaphores from the natural world, Brillian Midnight revals itself as an intimate travel through the human soul."

You might also be interested in knowing that Brilliant Midnight 2.0, besides the three extra tracks (which can be downloaded at Caroline Lavelle's website), has also different mixes than this release: so, if you're a hardcore fan and love every different version of a song, you won't miss the opportunity to get your hands on both releases!

Totally brilliant! intelligent vocals and a warm, evocative voice from singer / songwriter Caroline Lavelle. As another reviewer has already written, the whole texture is built up layer upon layer of interesting and evocative instrumental and vocal playing which produces a rich and deep setting for each individual song. This CD was a gift from a friend in the States and it is quickly passing hands from friend to friend here in Germany where it is coming out shortly. My favourites are Farther than the Sun and Anima Rising but that being said, each song grows more and more on you with each new listening. I certainly wouldn't describe the CD as depressing as one person has already written. Mellow is the word and the mellowness is great! Let's have some more very soon!

Totally brilliant! intelligent vocals and a warm, evocative voice from singer / songwriter Caroline Lavelle. As another reviewer has already written, the whole texture is built up layer upon layer of interesting and evocative instrumental and vocal playing which produces a rich and deep setting for each individual song. This CD was a gift from a friend in the States and it is quickly passing hands from friend to friend here in Germany where it is coming out shortly. My favourites are Farther than the Sun and Anima Rising but that being said, each song grows more and more on you with each new listening. I certainly wouldn't describe the CD as depressing as one person has already written. Mellow is the word and the mellowness is great! Let's have some more very soon!

Caroline Lavelle has really hit her stride with the wonderful eclectic collection. Even more adventurous in her explorations of sound and moods than her first album "Spirit" (which is wonderful in it's own right), this album showcases her glorious talents and wonderfully intimate, slightly husky voice. One of my favorite tracks on the album is the second - Anxiety. This is the one that should get airplay in my opinion. You can hear the incredible heart-thudding bass that is William Orbit's forte driving the song into ecstacy with Lavelle's incredibly sexy voice weaving an exotic spell. Other tracks on the album are a splendid showcase of Lavelle's creativity. Heartbreakingly beautiful juxtapositions of voice and cello, some tracks are very atmospheric and moody, yet others almost remind you of a french chanteuse like Edith Piaf. She'll remind you of Sade or Sarah MacLachlan, but not quite. Caroline is definitely in a class all of her own.