Daniel Powter

Daniel Powter | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 11, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B0009F2BTO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,688 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #87 in Music > World Music > North America > Canada

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Bad Day," the first single off Daniel Powter's small masterpiece of a debut disc, has been divebombing TV-watching Americans for months. Turn on "American Idol" and there it is, accompanying the latest axed contestant off the stage. Switch over to Showtime, and it's on promos for "Weeds." The VH1 video is inescapable. Yet nobody knows who the guy is (a 35-year-old French Canadian, it turns out), and attempts to compare him to other singers inevitably come up short. Powter is poppier than James Blunt, more substantial than Adam Levin, and way less hangdoggish than Train. He is--and there may be no flattering way of saying this--like the late-'70s pop king Leo Sayer: an elastic-voiced and enormously infectious singer who can make you feel like dancing in the space of a few deft keyboard plinks. Powter, the disc, has legs, too: "Bad Day" is as big a bummer as its title suggests compared with the all-out party that is "Jimmy Gets High." "Free Loop" chugs toward its vaguely sad station stop in the most ingratiating way possible, and "Song 6" sucks you in with a groove that won't soon stop doing loop-de-loops around your every thought. Powter to the people--it should have come a lot sooner. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

Daniel Powter confirms Powter's fine songwriting talents with standout tracks such as the memorable opening track "Song 6", the driving melodies of "Suspect" and the delicate ballad "Jimmy Gets High". It was produced by Mitchell Froom (Elvis Costello, Crowded House) and Powter's long-term collaborator Jeff Dawson.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for a Bad Day, October 11, 2005

By 

Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Daniel Powter (Audio CD)

This is a phenomenal debut album from Daniel Powter. The stubbly-jawed, green-eyed, beanie-wearing 34 year old Canadian singer/songwriter gives a very impressive account of himself, and has already sold more than 100,000 albums, due mainly to a killer first single "Bad Day", something with which we can all identify.

"Where is the moment when we need it the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue sky's faded to grey
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carrying on

Stand in the line just ahead of the law
You're faking a smile with the coffee you go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces every time
And I don't need no carrying on

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day"

Powter wrote the songs on this album over a one year period, his musical taste inspired by childhood violin sessions, accompanying his mother on piano. The second single will be "Free Loop", but the excellent "Song 6" would also have been a great pick.

This album is definitely a keeper, other great tracks being "Jimmy Gets High" and "Lie to Me" (falsetto bits and all), "Styrofoam" and "Hollywood", but then every track is a potential single. The only problem is that there are only ten songs, and that's a crying shame.

Amanda Richards

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now HERE'S a set of songs awfully diverse in style by a very brave artist!, April 18, 2006

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Daniel Powter (Audio CD)

This is no ordinary debut CD--when I got it as a gift a few days ago I had never even heard of Daniel! He's going to be a force to contend with by his peers. There's the strong and beautifully arranged song "Suspect" where he shows his feelings for another as he sings how "all (he's) thinking about is you." The CD also starts off rather strong with two songs entitled "Song 6" and "Free Loop." They are both great tracks, even though "Song 6" is more mellow and even has a somewhat '70s R & B feel to the melody while "Free Loop" has a quasi-rock feel to it. Look for songs like these to be on the airwaves in the coming months!

When we were discussing the CD, somebody said that the album is simply too short for the money you'll pay to own it. If they're trying to tell you that this CD is not worth your money, they are WRONG! Just one listen and you can tell that this album is a strong debut that leaves the listener already wondering what Daniel will do for his sophomore album. He can make his voice do a very interesting falsetto and he was brave to put different types of songs on his debut album. He took a chance and according to the charts it is only the beginning of the pay-off! As I mentioned earlier, there is a contrast in style between "Song 6" and "Free Loop." In addition, "Suspect" has a "harder" rock feel to the melody and "Jimmy Gets High" is quite a cynical story that yet is quite engaging and beautifully written all at the same time.

In short, I am VERY impressed with Daniel's debut album. The moving song "Give Me Life" with its great melody is well placed as the ending track, too. Daniel wrote songs for his CD which proves he can both write as well as perform. This is a great CD for his fans; but moreover it's a great CD for anyone who respects an artist bold enough to take a chance and produce an album that bends the rules to fit his own desires--there's simply no one single style of song on this CD. For any artist to be brave enough to take that chance tells me he'll--and I'll-- be back for more! Great work, Daniel!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great New Canadian Artist, August 4, 2005

By 

Kelvin (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daniel Powter (Audio CD)

Another great Canadian artist. Already big in Europe, Daniel Powter follows in the footsteps of other pop/rock mellow singer/songwriters like john mayer and jason mraz. The first single "Bad Day" was what first caught my attention with its radio friendly tune, but the rest of the album is great, with my favorite "jimmy gets high"