Customer Reviews

Crazy Love

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Before Melanie got unfairly labeled as a "novelty" artist with her hit "Brand New Key", she was an unexpected well-received performer at Woodstock. Following Woodstock she hit the charts with the brilliant "Lay Down (Candles In The Rain). I consider "Lay Down" one of the staples of pop music culture. Not just because of it's brilliant delivery (with the Edwin Hawkins Singers) but because it captured an essence of Woodstock that Melanie had witnessed and lived. An essence that still lives on today for those who wish and hope for peace on earth.

Her new recording "Crazy Love" is possibly the best set she has ever released. It certainly matches the greatness of "Gather Me", "Stoneground Words" and the wonderful "Madrugada". (However, it is sad to see that Amazon currently lists it as "out of stock." It is available at other online sites).

It's hard to pick a favorite from this recording because they're all equally good. "Punishment Fits The Crime" and "You Can Get Anything Here" are very Dylan-like.
While songs like "Smile", "This House" and "Poet Is King" are pure Melanie in top form. "Prone To Wander" and "You Don't Know Me" are also songs that leave an impact. The title track is probably the most unexpected sounding track here, but it's just great and very current sounding. And, Melanie hasn't lost anything vocally. It's as if time has done nothing to alter her voice.

The recording gets its updated sound thanks to the involvement of her son Beau Jarred who also contributes outstanding guitar work here. He treats his momma well!! Interestingly enough the European version of this disc has an alternate version of "Crazy Love" on it that is totally different in atmosphere from the one on the American release. The great thing is the two versions compliment each other. I love them both. (Incidently, the European release also contains an extra track "Last Call").

This is a generous CD musically and time wise. It's as if Melanie has given her all on this recording with the feeling that she may not have another shot at a project like this. She sort of alludes to her fear of "lack of time" in a short-spoken dialogue on the CD.

Melanie is an artist who deserved better from the pop music world. But, she appears to have done things her way and persevered. No matter what she sings she sounds involved, convincing, and honest. In this day and age of midriff baring cloned female singers, Melanie is a true relief. Poet is King.....indeed!!

What a wonderful surprise! This CD is great whether you are a Melanie fan from long ago or just discovering her. The music here varies in style from pop rock to dance rhythms to simpler folky songs. Melanie has not lost her touch and is growing as an artist. This CD makes that very apparent. My favorites are And We Fall, Smile, Crazy Love, and Prone to Wander. I have listened to this CD over and over already and don't think I'll ever tire of it because there seem to be so many hidden layers to the songs. Melanie's phrasing is as good as ever and this CD deserves to be recognized as one of the best of 2002.

If you've forgotten the musical and lyrical force that Melanie blessed us with in the late 60's, early 70's, one listen to her new CD "Crazy Love" will remind you of what makes the singer-songwiter so important an American fixture. And the best part of this is that it is not a throw-back to her early work,(despite the fact that the collection concludes with a re-working of her contoversial Brand New Key) but music and lyric timely and current, but still unmistakingly Melanie. She speaks with the wisdom of age, without pretention or sentimental whimsy.The arrangements are beautiful, and especially notewotrthy is the fantastic guitar work of her son ,Beau Jarred,who simply graces this collection with his performances. I was hopefull when I brought this CD home, and delighted when I heard it.It would be beneath the merit of this work to say "welcome back" I'd rather say "welcome home, Melanie" In a world grown colder each day, this music will make you feel warm again. And we all need a little warmth, don't we?

It's September 24th, the release date of this CD, and I bought the one and only copy that I could find locally. Having been born in 1970 I am probably one of her youngest fans.

"Let me tell you about my voice. It's big and loud or tiny and soft. It comes from several places in my body and being, and I truly love it" is what Melanie wrote for the back cover of the CD case. And it's so true. Her voice is all that and more, Melanie's voice is as incredible as ever. The songs vary from soft and slow to loud and faster - one more beautiful than the one before -- or just as wonderful?

Melanie speaks to us, the listeners on track 12 followed by the wonderful song that this CD is named after -- CRAZY LOVE. I have to say this is my favorite song on this CD. The last song is, 30 years later, a brand new version of BRAND NEW KEY. In the little booklet that accompanies the CD, Melanie writes about this song and her problems with it. This new version is just as wonderful as the original. This song as well as many others has a few explanatory words and it's fun to read them as you listen to the music. Melanie allows us into her world for a while and through her words it's easy to feel welcome there. All in all I would definitely consider this a MUST HAVE for any and all Melanie Safka fans.

Sidenote: On the CD cover it shows melaniesafka.info as a website address, however, I received an error message trying to go there. Instead you can find her official site at www.crazyloveonline.com

"Crazy Love," is just a great record plain and simple. It's all here: THE great voice, great songwriting, great production values, great artistry. Beginning with the rocker, "And We Fall," the record takes off running. She continues more of the same with the poignant, "Jammin' Alone," and then goes through a great bluesy, "Punishment Fits the Crime." How can one not love the song, "Smile," with it's layered orchestrations and meanings? And how can I not mention the inspiring, "Till They All Get Home," though I could go right through the exciting playlist. Everything here is fresh. OK, I must mention "You Can Find Anything Here," in addition to the title song, "Crazy Love," and "Come Away Come Go." Great songs, and oh so interesting. Beau Jarred Schekeryk is largely responsible for the truly exciting arrangements and his guitar work on this record is captivating to say the least. Melanie's voice has never sounded better. She sounds like she's having a blast throughout and is absolutely in her prime and glory. This is a record to be played over and over again, as so much can be missed on the first listen and the second and the third, etc., etc., etc. Crazy Love is truly brimming with "crazy love."

Melanie has never gone away. She has been giving concerts and recording through the years but "Crazy Love" is her first album distributed by a major label in a very long time. Never before have I heard such a magnificent work by this singer/songwriter! That is, not for a very long time and her other albums are more than well worth listening to, but "Crazy Love" is her masterpiece of the twenty-first century. The production is tight, innovative, stunning and Melanie is in very fine form on all the songs. These are all her songs--she is the songwriter and this is her album. Beau Jarred adds back-up vocals and accompanies his mother on guitar. This is a mother and son team and they are in synch. The sound is contemporary. Forget the many compilations of early Melanie because you won't find that sound on "Crazy Love" even on the new version of "Brand New Key" which ends the album. It is a short version that, I find, is a notice that the album is ending. And it ends all too soon even though it clocks in at over 60 fast minutes. The songs blend into one another so smoothly. It is a journey that is captivating. "And We Fall" is an uptempo gem followed by a rousing "Jammin'Alone" and both songs are hit material. "The Punishment Fits the Crime" is heart wrenching and beautifully sung. The title track is amongst my favorites. There are many songs on this albums that have hit potential written all over them. While "Crazy Love" is commercial, Melanie hasn't sold out on her artistic quality. This album is a work of art, with the sound of a concept album. Every sound belongs where it should be and with such superb songs it is impossible to pick out a favorite.
This album really needs to be recognized and heard by the public.
It has been far too long since Melanie has been heard over the airwaves and this is THE album the public should hear. Her husband, Peter Schekeryk and son, Beau Jarred Schekeryk, have proven masterful in producing Melanie's best album since the 1976 album, "Photograph". "Crazy Love" is NOW, it is contemporary in its sound and Melanie, a great singer who deserves more recognition than she has received as one of the finest singer/songwriters of our time. She proves her genius and how great she can be on this album, "Crazy Love". She sings with conviction and deep feeling from uptempo songs like "You Can Find Anything Here" to sincere pathos on "You Don't Know Me" and the production weaves a magic spell around her voice that draws the listener in to really listen. This is an album to really listen to;it is definitely not background music. I recommend you get out your headphones and hear Melanie's exquisite voice and the superb production. This is a classic not to be dismissed. Again, for now, forget the numerous compilations and hear a magic lady, a great artist on her greatest work in years; a masterpiece called "Crazy Love".

"Crazy Love" is a classic set. There are no weak tracks. 6 are instant CLASSIC favorites of mine. The one that is most instantly addictive for me is "Prone to Wander" with its insistent beat; Melanie's voice explodes just before she reaches the chorus, "Passion's in a waiting state; I've got to go." Her great Shirelles homage "Right About Now" makes me reach for the repeat button with that pulsing bass and the sha-la-la chorus. Melanie's sung Dylan songs so forcefully through the years (Lay Lady Lay & Hard Rain) that she's beginning to write with a touch of that same inspiration on "You Can Find Anything Here," "You can find your pockets in someone else's pants; You find McDonald's in Paris, France." The title track explodes with the staccato buzz of strings adding a classy tension punctuated with the flare of Spanish guitar, "It's a heart grown strong from too many loves gone wrong on those wild ride nights with the sad sad songs." This track is to Melanie what "Heroes & Villans" was to Brian Wilson & the Beach Boys, a tour de force. And then there are the two tracks that are so fun & moving, they demand to be heard: "Smile" updates "Beautiful People" era Melanie with its cast of thousands background vocals and Melanie's mock German accent commenting on suspicions about the American smile. This is followed by the classic anthem, a prayer for protection, "Till They All Get Home," which whether it's about our military overseas or your spouse on a trip has such a universal appeal with the angelic choir chorus that it could be played over and over for years. On top of that, there are 11 other tracks, all strong, 9 of which are new songs. "Crazy Love" is Melanie at a creative peak, not to be missed. This CD is more than a treat; it's a blessing. Don't miss it!

What a treat to see a new studio album out by Melanie and what an album it is! Her voice is just fantastic as it's always been but more mature making her songs even more interesting than they were. She uses her voice like no other in the industry. There is not a bad track on this album, although track 17 could have been left off as it's an odd finale for a fine collection of songs. Otherwise, it's a perfect pop album that has much to offer. Rock, Latin flavored rhythms, techno rhythms, many instrumentation changes in the middle of songs, and oh yes, great song writing. Melanie has much to say and is here to stay. There is no other singer/songwriter out there like her. She's an American orginal and a world treasure.

I am in a quite desperate state these days. After 40 years collecting music, thousands records at home, all kind of styles, and only one I can listen to again and again and this is Crazy Love. Impossible not to cry hearing "Punishment fits the crime" and "You don't know me". But all others could be cited of course, this album is a masterpiece. Word sublime should be used. Melanie is an extraordinary gift.

"Oh baby come away, come go to the party in my heart and the dance in my soul." What wonderful lyrics written by Melanie on this cd. I cannot write anymore because I have gone to the party in her heart and the dance in her soul! You are all invited to go there too if you get this cd!