Customer Reviews

Cold Weather

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album fills you with awe and inspiration while at the same time breaking your heart. Since I purchased it a week and a half ago, I've had it playing on an endless loop in my car and I have no plans of removing it from the cd player anytime soon. It's a graceful, achingly beautiful album. Mostly stark, always intimate, imaginative and smart, this album is simply exceptional. On many of the cuts, Ms. Weiler forgoes the more muscular vocals she's capable of and reaches, instead, for softer, more elegiac octaves. The result is a more personal, sometimes more vulnerable performance. Her performances of "The Weather I'm In", "Ruin", "Christmas Sweater" and "Honolulu, Minnesota" (a duet with this song's writer Darren Jackson, A.K.A. Kid Dakota) in particular, are truly moving. Two songs that formerly appear on her live album: "Medicine" (formerly titled ""Swimming"), and "Out of the Blue" receive much softer, sweeter readings on this album, helping construct a consistent album with a uniform emotion - one that illuminates her album's title quite nicely. I can't possibly praise this album or this artist highly enough. Her song "Sacred" proves she not only is one of the most impressive vocalists to come around in some time, she also is an extremely adept poet and much more insightful than her young years would indicate; I don't know if I've ever heard a song as beautiful and smart. The same goes for the entire album. Do not hesitate to purchase this wonderful work!

If you haven't listened to Brenda Weiler yet, you are truly missing out. I was introduced to her music in college, and I loved it instantly. She is an outstanding performer. Her shows are awesome, but it's her music that keeps me coming back for more. She has a clear, beautiful, pure voice and her lyrics are very thoughtful and deep. All of her CDs are on constant play in my car, at home and at work.

Her new CD, "Cold Weather", is outstanding. It is completely different from her other CDs, but it is equally as good, if not better, then anything else she has released. Her previous releases were more folk and acoustic. She uses a band for, I think, all but two songs on "Cold Weather". (She used many of the same artists/producers on her CD "Fly Me Back".) It does not detract from her music at all but enhances her amazing voice and honest lyrics.

Please, pick up this CD. You will not regret it! If you like indie, folk/rock female artists, you will not go wrong with Brenda Weiler.

It's an excellent album.

First of all, Brenda is an amazing songwriter who, though it seems impossible, keeps getting better. Add to that her incredible vocal ability. Then toss in the remarkable musicians she surrounds herself with for the recording of this album. Sound great? It is...
The emotionally evocative performances in such songs as "Christmas Sweater," and it's response, "The Weather I'm In" are definite highlights. However, these only portray one aspect of the album. There are also the slightly more upbeat or spirited musical moments in songs such as "California."
The album features a few songs previously only available in a live format (which is an experience not to miss by the way) including "Trouble," "Out of the Blue," and "Medicine" (previously entitled "Swimming").
Also worth mentioning is the Darren Jackson penned duet, "Honolulu, Minnesota." The song is an inhabitant of each location pleaing for the other to come visit in a quite somber manner.

I'm quite fussy in my preferences for female singer/songwriters, requiring something quite inimitable for me to invest my time and money. Brenda's music fulfills those requirements and more... pick it up, you won't regret it.

Cold Weather
I had the privilege of listening to Brenda Weiler's music several times while in Iraq and I enjoyed it because her music offered me a relaxing way out of the stress and troubles of combat.
Thankyou for being there for me.
Michael Mazak

I have to preface this review with the statement that I do not usually like folk music. My girlfriend listened to this and after a few listens I was hooked. Brenda has a great sense of melody, and her compositions are strong and memorable.

I also had the honor of seeing her in concert recently. She was simply incredible.

I stumbled onto Brenda Weiler quite by accident. And, I must say, it was the best accident that ever happened to me! Within minutes of listening to the free downloads of her music, I ordered all of her CDs. I completely agree with the fan who states (here in these reviews) that Brenda's are songs you'll love instantly yet somehow find yourself loving more and more as you listen to them again and again! I have told all of my family and friends about her and have even taken measures to get her to come to St. Louis. Hopefully she will be here next Spring! You can bet I will be in the first row, as I fear Brenda is headed for great success and her future venues will be in football stadiums!! I highly recommend this CD to ALL of you out there. Buy it! You'll not be disappointed!!!! It's a beautifully rich and wonderful compilation!!!!!!!!! NOW GO BUY IT!!!!!!!!!

I listen to this CD day and night - still, I cannot get enough of it. Its ... different. Which makes it that much better. She stated at one of her shows that its one of those CD's you learn to like - the more as you listen to it. Yes, that's true - but its also one of those CDs you like the first time you hear! Brenda's voice is so mesmerizing. I once read that after listening to her music, you feel as though you know her. Thats just it! She lets us into her world with those lyrics. She is an excellent writer let alone singer/musician. This CD obviously shows us what she's really capable of. It's more complex than the previous (all of which I love!). I've seen her perform with the band and acoustic for this CD... it really doesn't matter - its all worth seeing! She definitely deserves to be heard on the radios - more publicity. I gave this CD 5 stars - because I love it... and after all of her hard work - she deserves a heck of a lot more than 5 stars! Amazing CD - its a keeper! ;) Great job Brenda - I'll always be your number one fan! :)

I've encountered Brenda's unique voice only two years ago, yet I have not found any other female folk artist to resemble her vocal and lyrical qualities. Brenda has a personality and skill that allow her to pass both delicate and definitive, both sweet and sad, both vulnerably-bare and still somehow reserved. This appears in all her five marvelous cds.

But in contrary to her other cds, Brenda's current album is very coherent, cohesive, and self-sufficient - probably purposefully - which adds a feeling of oneness to the whole peace of art. Most of the songs revolve around the theme of her emotional ambivalence regarding close relationships, wanting to deal with them directly yet being drawn to escape to which makes her happier (the familiar roads, her family, her own self). An almost parallel theme is the foggy, sad affect that surrounds everything, and is translated from and to - (concrete) weather. Accordingly, the clothes are shields that guard oneself from coldness of the soul and surroundings. Always throughout the album, her voice, the melodies, the instruments and sound effects, are in full harmony with the text, nurturing, clarifying, and always walking along each line like a good ol' pal. There are some tunes that are different from and exceeding Brenda's usual style, like the beautiful hallucinatory 'faucet', and the more poppy 'scatter', and 'California' (which reminds me of the early R.E.M albums, for the raw guitars sound maybe). Also, there are some songs that appeared at her live cd (which is a bliss to all of you live-shows lovers) that here get fresh interpretations, that is: 'trouble', 'out of the blue', and the brilliant 'medicine' (which was titled swimming beforehand, thus transforms its meaning). Also, the interesting 'Honolulu, MN' that spreads a cubist-like presentation of two different voices analysing the same situation from two different angles.
But please don't be misled; Brenda is neither about melancholy nor about sophistication (like Dar williams for example). Brenda is a pure emotional entity, who grows and evolves with each album, always gently pours her emotional experiences into your heart, as is, in a way that doesn't leave you bitter or helpless, but instead with deep empathy and closeness that linger on with you as if she were your best friend.

To conclude, this is an album definitely worth buying. For fullest Brenda experience, don't hesitate to buy all of her four former cds, as her stepping-stones are not less fascinating.

Brenda has done it again! She is talented and brings a new and fresh voice to the women's music scene. If you have listened before to her other albums, you won't be disappointed, and if you are new, you will see why so many love her! Check out her site (brendaweiler.com) for more information on her, and pick up this album!

Honestly - the previous reviewer said everything perfectly, and I 2nd everything s/he said. I just wanted to add my 5 star review and encourage everyone to pick up her albums. This album is much softer than her previous, but it's just another demonstration of Brenda's diverse talent. She has many devoted fans and a following that grows with each album - check out her albums and you will know why.