Chinese Boxes

Kim Richey

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 10, 2007)
• Original Release Date: July 10, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vanguard Records
• ASIN: B000QEIOPS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,069 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It's been a long five years between releases, but Kim Richey has clearly spent the time wisely, perfecting these 10 new songs. She clearly enjoys working with different cowriters, since eight tunesmiths--including such contemporaries as Joan Osborne and Mindy Smith--collaborate with her on this superb set. Producer Giles Martin (George's son, producer of the Beatles' Love) injects a somewhat more pop-oriented approach that works wonderfully with this introspective and intricately crafted material. "Jack and Jill" colors in the missing backstory of the children's ditty with sumptuous yet frilly harpsichord, flute, kazoo, and whistling. The title track recalls a snappy Suzanne Vega, adding multi-instrumentalist Billy Mowbray's sax, mellotron, and vibes, while "Not a Love Like This," the Osborne co-write, brings reverbed guitar and a bit of retro to arguably the album's finest and most robust melody. "Pretty Picture," the only tune composed solely by the singer, is a tender, intimate love ballad sung with heartbreaking sensitivity. Richey is in sparkling voice throughout, sounding inspired by her band, the production, and especially the magnificent tunes. The laid-back, layered sound on "Another Day" and the sprightly "I Will Follow" perfectly capture the nuances of their lyrics with subtlety and class, two aspects of the singer's style that have never been compromised. There's not a weak track here, and the sharp sequencing makes this an album that ebbs and flows with Kim Richey's richly articulated vision. --Hal Horowitz

Product Description
Newly signed to Vanguard Records, Kim Richey is set to release her first collection of new music in five years on July 10th. Chinese Boxes was produced by Giles Martin and recorded in London at Eastcote Studios and Air Studios Lyndhurst. Giles Martin's most recent project was The Beatles "Love" soundtrack, which he collaborated on with his father, Sir George Martin.

Chinese Boxes is a collection of 10 beautifully crafted soulful songs. The first single "Jack and Jill" (and lead track) gives the couple in the nursery rhyme a bit of a back-story - and the listener a hint of the discoveries to come. The title track tries to define a mysterious person before giving way to "Drift", a poignant love song (co-written with Mindy Smith). "The Absence of Your Company" showcases Richey's vocal vulnerability in a sparse instrumental setting while the cautionary "Another Day" highlights Kim's stunning sense of melody. The album-closing "Pretty Picture", is an intimate ballad that speaks honestly of true love.

Fans and critics alike have long awaited new music from the critically appraised singer/songwriter, whose other albums include Kim Richey (1995), Bitter Sweet (1997), Glimmer (1999), Rise (2002), and The Collection (2004).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetic Masterpiece, July 11, 2007

By	B. Gould (Norfolk, Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For Kim Richey to not be a household name after all of the superb albums she has released over the last decade has got to be one of the music business's biggest mysteries. On her fifth studio album Chinese Boxes, she continues to make a simply beautiful album full of poetic lyric writing that breathes life into her highly emotive and real songs. Her voice has never sounded better either. From cover to cover, this album is simply a masterpiece. I hope this album finally catapults her to the rich allocades she deserves--out of the box and into the light.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More of the same = Excellence again and again., July 12, 2007

By	qqonos (Saint Paul, MN United States) - See all my reviews

There are truly more "performers" out there than one might care to shake a proverbial stick at. But there are fewer and fewer Artists making great music these days. People who can truly craft a song, and then produce it to such an extent that the final product significantly moves you. Kim Richey does just that.
Although I think it may be a disservice to even remotely classify her efforts as pop. In the conventional sense of the word anyway.
Her music is deep enough to create it's own mini genre. You'll probably find yourself, as I often do, craving Kim Richey music. There aren't a great deal of people in my music collection I can truly say that about. Sting comes to mind... maybe Peter Gabriel or Sheryl Crow. Where their production sense and musicianship, coupled with their songwriting and performances allow you to keep the CD continuously running. Music always interesting, with solid melody, that leads you somewhere satisfying.
Every one of her albums is consistent from start to finish, and this one 's no different (Yogi Berra anyone?).
And how many albums do you own, where you really enjoy 90% or more of the music on that album? Two of the only things you'll ever find annoying about Kim Richey's music, is that there isn't enough of it, and you don't have as many people you can talk to about her material, because they're just simply not aware yet.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars such a nice vibe on this one....., August 3, 2007

By	J. Bilby "littlebibs" (Kingston, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

first off thanks to Darden Smith(another smooth singer who knows how to
do it right) for reminding me that Kim Richey has a new one out and to
check it out, and that I did. Its been a while since I last heard from Kim. I've been playing this on and off for the past week, nice selection
of songs, feelings, vibes and especially the production, sublime, but of
course its that voice of Kim Richey that draws you in. I hear so much of
the Beatles sound from the past woven in these melodies, it gives Chinese Boxes a timeless feel and one you will want to play whenever you're in the mood to relax, pour a glass of wine, a beer or whatever and think, this is one of the best of the year for this style of music, by far. Would
like to see radio wake up and play songs like "Turn Me", "Jack and Jill", "not a love like this".