Customer Reviews

Everybody's Got a Story

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I have decent respect for Amanda Marshall, and when her first album came out, it was not bad as far as pop albums go. Granted, it was only a pop album, and it was not stellar, but from that album I decided to investigate her music further as she put out more albums. Thus, I decided to grab up this latest attempt of hers to make pop music.

Well... it's pop music, that's for sure. It has a very weird mix of strings, hip-hop, and beats that I can't say that I dig on very much, myself. The combination of all of these elements seems rather awkward. Further investigation only seems to work against this album.

This album seems to have contorted Amanda Marshall's vocal career toward the current trend of pop sound. Her elegant voice on this album sounds much more manufactured, shallow, pale, machined, and extremely short in range. These are the kinds of qualities I expect in the pop singers like the current Britany Spears and Christina Aguilera as far as how they "reinvent" their sound. Amanda Marshall's vocal sound, in my opinion, takes a step backward because of this mixing/masking catastrophe.

Finally, one of the saddest things I find about this album are the lyrics. They aren't intelligent, snappy, or even strike me as anything other than juvenile/adolescent at best.

This album is not a very strong effort for this artist. Some rather odd/off-sounding elements coupled with an awfully invented mechanical sound that waters down her vocal potential with some equally weak lyrics does not make for a striking effort. It is different, but not all different is good, and I believe a listener would find more enjoyment from either her self-titled album or "Tuesday's Child" if you haven't been completely turned off with her from listening to this album.

When I saw that she had a new album out, I was so excited. I bought Tuesday's Child blindly on the strength of her first album...and never regretted buying before listening. Amanda Marshall is one of those artists who's so good I'd buy anything by her. I'm still amazed she hasn't become more famous here in the states.

So when I saw her album at Best Buy, I bought it in a second. Sadly after listening to it a few times, hoping it would grow on me, it hasn't yet. I praise Amanda for being able to re-invent herself, but I'm not sure I like the new Amanda Marshall. She's falling into a genre I've never been a big fan of. Though, from the mixed reviews on this site, I guess some people can appareciate it. But from this Amanda fan: it's not for me.

Living close to the Canadian border I occasionally pick up their radio stations, which is how I first got hooked on Amanda Marshall's music a few years ago. I was so excited to get this CD and have not been disappointed! It's cool to see an artist who is so versatile and does her thing damn the consequences!

The CD runs the gamut of emotion from the romantic "Marry Me" to the borderline trite "Sunday Morning After" (which in my opinion should have never been a single to the radio). There is some great string work in "The Gypsy" and "Everybody's Got a Story"; and a really funky-bluesy trumpet intro on "Brand New Beau". Amanda is not afraid to experiment with funky beats, spoken word and (maybe a smidge too much) synth work. My favorite songs are the title track and "Double Agent". Another awesome 'story' song is "Colleen (I Saw Him First)" - the tale of Amanda's fairweather friend.

I have been listening to this CD a lot the past year or so and am not even close to tired of it yet! Buy this CD - Amanda is an amazing artist, I'm shocked and disappointed she's not more popular in the states.

I absolutely loved Amanda's first two CD's and eagerly awaited this new release. I am so disappointed with it. It just doesn't seem to fit her. I really don't want to listen to it a second time, but I may just in case it grows on me. If you haven't listened to this CD, don't buy it before you do. I wish I had an idea of what it was like before I bought it.

I'm most impressed with the depth of Amanda Marshall's meaning in each song (specifically "Coleen (I saw him first)" and "Double Agent"). I usually don't listen to R&B, but the slight folk overtones are apparent and nice guitar, especially in "Marry Me" (which is possibly the most romantic proposal song I've heard in a long time).

This album inspires me to think about many issues, not just be satisfied with the status quo. If it's not your style of music you enjoy, you simply may not like it. If the tunes are catchy to you, disecting the meaning of each song brings great reward.

I have both of Amanda Marshall's other cds. I bought the first one at the recommendation of a friend and never regretted it. couldn't wait to get hold of the second one and even went so far as to have a friend go to Canada to get it since it was released there well before it was released here. So when I happened to be in a local music store and saw that she had a new cd out I bought it without hesitation. I wish I had hesitated! I will give it another listen just to be fair, but I do not think this is one that will grow on me. I think the production of this one took her in a direction way too far from her style. Maybe they were trying to appeal to a younger crowd with this one. My suggestion is to give it a listen before you buy it.

This IS the BEST CD I have listened to this year! I can't stop playing it.

CANADA's favourite Rock Chick Amanda Marshall is about to FINALLY become a household name! If you're already a fan, then brace yourself >> because Amanda has changed direction. (The sexy photos on the sleeve are the first signs but the dramatic start to the first track is what makes you stop and listen.) She never quite hit the same level as Jewel or Sheryl with the adult ballads and rock anthems that coloured her first 2 albums; so this time around, Amanda has gone pop and it sounds like she's finally been able to do the album that she always wanted to do. Hooking up with Peter Asher & Billy Mann (-who have co-written & produced recent hit albums for Swedish Stars Robyn and Jennifer Brown) was a stroke of genius! >> The raw, guitar-led sound is still there but it is fired with a contemporary edge.

The title track and first hit single, "Everybody's got a story" is a perfect start to the set. Fun lyrics, a great hook and sparkling chorus lines that stick in your head: "So you can see my bra underneath my shirt/ watch the wind underneath my skirt/ but that ain't the picture, it's just a part/ Everybody's got a story that could break your heart". Her first 2 albums were full of serious, adult attention but this one sparkles with the youth and vigour that you would expect from a young female artist. Yet Amanda has managed to straddle the divide by writing intelligent words that would never appear in a Britney song and creating tracks that match the beauty & class of a Diane Warren hit on a Celine Dion set. Just take, for example, the quiet love song "Marry me" >> You will NOT hear a more beautiful song this year.

Though EVERY track dazzles in it's own light, there are of course highlights: "Brand new Beau" is so well written, you feel like you are in the room with her, when Amanda walks in on her boyfriend with ... another man! "Sunday morning after" is a blinding after-party rock anthem; Amanda wakes up to find herself with a tattoo, a tongue piercing and a guy in the bed -and tries to retrace her steps from the Saturday night before! "Colleen (I saw him first)" is a great story of the wild girl and her quiet best friend -and what happens when they crash into a gorgeous guy; a strong anthem for the underdog! Opening with a marching drum, "The voice inside" is another thrilling, up-tempo track with a great hook and intelligent lyrics (-I love the way that Amanda cries out, "my heart aspires to genius"!); the message here is that beauty is not always on the outside. I could go on and on because I seriously love every track here! The album closes with a powerful 2 minute acapella, "Inside the tornado" that leaves you breathless and wanting more (-and that's when I usually press play and start all over again).

First rate and totally recommended. Don't wait!
(For further listening pleasure, try Jann Arden's Best Of: "Greatest Hurts" and the new CD from Jennifer Paige: "Positively somewhere".)

Amanda Marshall originally released this album in Canada on November 13th, 2001 with a different album cover, but this one has the same tracklisting. There is a significant difference between this album and her first two, which might shock some fans. The album combines different elements. First we have textured and layered background vocals, which create this effect on most of the songs. Then many of the songs have hip hop beats mixed with jazz on some tracks. Amanda worked with NY DJ Molecules on this album.

This album is definately a grower on you, but it's worth it, as this album really does have some substantial material on it. The title track is a piece of pop heaven with a great underlying message, to look beyond the outside to the inside of people, because we don't know what happens day to day in other people's lives. "The Voice Inside" might seem a bit silly with its lyrics, but its also another message about not letting other people dictate you, and listening to your own voice inside. "The Gypsy" really had to grow on me, the violin intro is really unnecessary, but the song is actually quite pretty with a message about letting love set its own course and not rushing it. "Colleen (I Saw Him First)" is a song about two best friends who go after each other over a man. "Double Agent" is the album's third single in Canada, and it's one of the most poignant songs on the album and very telling of who she is, talking about her heritage.

"Sunday Morning After" follows the drunken hangover and tries to recall what happened the previous night, its a delicious piece of music. "Love Is My Witness" is classic Amanda Marshall, a stirring ballad backed with some fierce vocals. "Brand New Beau" recalls a relationship in which she was cheated on - with another man. "Marry Me" is the most beautiful song on the album, just a simple acoustic track with some beautiful lyrics. The album closes with "Inside The Tornado", an accapella track which uses the layered vocals to the best of its effect.

Overall EVERYBODYS GOT A STORY is a pleasant album once you give it a chance to grow on you. Why compare it to the first two, which are great ones already? Why not just enjoy this one for what it is? It's a bold move on her part but musical magic at the same time.

If you don't know Amanda Marshall listen to the sound clip samples here at Amazon, or look her up on YouTube, there are several videos available, you'll know if you like her right away.

For me... I love her music, I have been waiting for years for a follow up album to this CD. In Everybody's got a Story" Amanda marshall tells several from romantic ("Red Magic Marker", "Love is My Witness" Marry Me"),friendship and betrayal ("Colleen", "Brand new Beau") to dealing with bigotry ("Double Agent"), to a hilaious look at the consequence of partying a bit to hard in the 21st Century ("Sunday Morning After")to other challenges in life (" Witness", "Dizzy" and "Inside the tornado") .

One of my favorite hook"s from AM is her use of the parentheical thought. Here's an example from Sunday Morning After".

"I remember yellin' Hey DJ, Jack of all you might like this song.
(That's when it all gets hazy)
Now my clothes are sellin' on E-Bay and I don't know what I'm gonna put on. (Where were my friends to save me?)

So here's the deal,
Amanda Marshall is clever talented and beautiful, and it all shines through on this CD. what more could you want from a musician and an album?

This disc has gotten quite a bit of flack for moving away from Amanda's sound on her first two CD's and moving towards a sound that is easier to sell to the mainstream. I think it is unjustified, who wants to listen to the same sounding songs disc after disc.

Here he voice is in fine form. "Sunday Morning After," is a catchy pop tune that will have you still singing it hours afterword. "Colleen" and "Marry Me" also stand out. For me though the highlight is without a doubt "Sunday Morning After." I can't ever remember a song about a drunken one-nighter coming in such a catchy, fun and funny package.