Customer Reviews

Fortune Cookies

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I, like most, discovered Alana Davis by chance with her debut album. I am always attracted to unique and beautiful voices - Alana could sing my hometown phone book and make it sound sexy and poignant!

Her debut album was a bit raw, but that was so obviously part of her charm. This second album is a bit more "produced," so required some adjustments in my expectations. A good sign? I found myself singing one of the songs a day later and far from my CD player.

I just saw Alana live (opening for 5 for Fighting...who? ; - ) -just her and her guitar - proving that though her MUSIC may have been put through a greater electronic wringer this time - her voice is unadulteratedly BEAUTIFUL! A throaty angel on earth.

Neither CD will disappoint. For a more bluesy/folk/alt rock feel buy the first (Blame It on Me), for a more mainstream sensibility buy this one. Either way, discover this jewel of a vocalist/singer/songwriter growing, improving and experimenting on each successive release. Let's hope we won't have to wait so long for her next album!

I was so awed by Alana Davis' 1997 debut,"Blame It On Me" that I was nearly tripping myself to get her 2001 followup "Fortune Cookies".

That was the right choice too because "Fortune Cookies" achieves a rare goal:it surpasses the debut-and "Blame It On Me" wasn't a simple album to followup too.

Alana's husky,free-sprited voice is even more soulful and sultier
on "Fortune cookies" and all eleven tracks are treasures.Filler-free.From the poigant "Save The Day" to the funky spunk of the Neptunes-produced "Bye Bye"(one of my favorites on here),it's no limitations...Others standouts include a simply "blazin'" rendition of Whodini's classic "Friends",a sincere reworking of the Stephan Jenkins'-penned "I Want You",the reggae-influnced "Got This Far",the misty "I Don't Care(Lonesome Road",
and,well,the whole thing.

This CD did it,I am now an offical Alana Davis fan."Fortune Cookies" is an honest,beautiful,and complex album THAT you can enjoy without touching the trusty SKIP button.

P.S.:If you don't know it yet,Alana is the person singing in that American Express commerical...

I've loved this CD since it was released last year. It's a great follow-up to her debut. I'm not sold on every track, but for the most part "Fortune Cookie" is a solid release with my favorite tracks being "Save The Day" and everything from track 7 to the end of the disc.

...if yall ever wanted to see a fat man do a complete back flip, land on his toes, then slide down into hiphop spin move then yall missed it!! yall shoulda been in the record store when i saw this cd on the shelf!!
(...) girl...where you been!?! a brother like me missed you...
anyway, the wait was worth it...i love this girl's voice!
and it's true, maybe this disc isnt as 'deep' as her first one, but i think that's because she seems to be havin some fun here instead of dwellin in some bittersweet, meloncholy mood.
the overall sound is reminiscent of 'blame it on me', but definitely with a more laid back groove.
but maybe i'm jus biased because i really love her voice and she could proly sing 'kumbaya' or 'row, row, row your boat' and i would like it. but for right now, i'ma play the silver off this thing, wait for her next one and then wear that one out too!

Alana Davis returns with 'Fortune Cookies', which is definitely one of the best albums of 2001. Alana draws on her influences like Stevie Wonder for 'Save the Day' and 'Don't Have a Chance', then twists into a Joni Mitchell vibe with 'When You Became King'. Aside from being a great singer/musician, Alana penned most of the songs herself, proving that she earns the title of singer/songwriter. Alana even manages to kick it old school with a clever reworking of the Whodini classic 'Friends.' The track 'Bye Bye', which was produced by The Neptunes, brings on the funk and slaps you in the face when you start to feel her calming vibe. Only one word can describe the rest of the record, AMAZING. She dips back into her influences to come up with the reggae hop in 'Got This Far,' a delightful surprise toward the end of the record. Lastly, she carries her listeners out with a sweet loving tune called 'Easy To Love.' All in all, the album title 'Fortune Cookies' is an exact fit, because it's full of sweetness and good vibes. If there is one record you buy for the rest of the year, make it this one, you won't be disappointed.

This girl must have amazing powers of telepathy. It seems that she knows exactly how I feel and has written songs form-fitted to my life. I know I'm not the only 20-something gal who feels this way.

In her debut album, "Blame it on Me," I found my personal anthem ("Crazy") and this time 'round she's crafted the pop-rock track, "Bye Bye" to fit into the painful recesses of my wounded heart. This track is a bit cheesy and less folky than most of her stuff, but "Bye Bye" busts out a strong statement that has helped me move past a sticky situation in my life. Thankyou Alana.

Beyond her seemingly telepathic abilities, in this album she's shown her vast stylistic influences. From her folk-inspired roots to a psuedo-reggae track, Alana takes the listener on a journey of soulful singing and thought-provoking lyrics. The most notable difference is the maturation of her song writing in this album. Although her radio-single "I Want You," was not self-authored, other great tracks like "When you Became King," "How Many of us Have Them (Friends)," and "Got This Far" were of her design. Take, for example, some lyrics from "Got This Far" and see if you agree with me:

"I don't think I wanted to take your time
I don't think it ever crossed my mind
That you would be more to me than just a lover.
Cause I was doing fine on my own
Wasn't really lonely, just alone
But at least I knew where I was and what I wanted...".

If you have the opportunity to see her perform live, then do EVERYTHING you can to see her. She is unbelievably down-to-earth and very charismatic. That wild mane of hair is a MUST SEE! I saw her perform solo in a small venue; she had the crowd laughing, singing, thinking...and having an ear-gasm the whole time.

This album doesn't replace my love of her debut album, instead it makes me adore Alana all the more and leaves me panting with anticipation for her next release.

Alana's debut was impressive enough, but I was unprepared for this. This album bristles with true and inspired greatness. Like all good singer/songwriter music, I feel like I'm listening in on her conversations when I listen to this album. Added to this, though, are her jazz, blues, hip-hop and reggae sensibilities. This is an extremely potent, at times almost overwhelming combination. This music is sensitive yet tough, and its mood bespeaks a quiet and unassuming optimism in the face of a sometimes cruel and uncertain world. Taken as a whole, this is a good ALBUM, because its mood sustains all the way through and takes you on its emotional journey by giving you different shades and flavors (no pun intended) while giving you the basic emotionally connected nourishment you need.

On top of this, this music can also be simply enjoyed as damn good, listenable, even danceable, pop music. Alana's singing is so distinctive and the grooves are so good you can just listen along in your car or on the train.

I think Alana can be very proud of how far her lyrics have come along over the past five years. Not that the lyrics on her first record were all that bad, but these words prove once and for all that she is a singer/songwriter of the first rank. They are simple, direct, heartfelt, and honest. Some of these words hit you in the solar plexus and make you skip a hearbeat, because you can relate to their emotion. Alternatively, I was also able to relate to much of what she says at an intellectual level as well, which tells me that she's growing as a person. I look forward to experiencing even more of this, as she intellectually soaks up more info and ventures, perhaps, into political and social topics.

The only thing I can't speak to is Alana live. I am anxious to see her perform these songs in the flesh, and to watch her re-interpret this material on the fly. If she can accomplish that jazzy feat with any of the flair she displays on this album, she'll truly be the queen she sings about on the record. All hail, not the "Pope" of Greenwich Village, but the new "Queen!"

What a staggeringly beautiful (inside to out) and talented woman. Get the record and find out for yourself.

There are many folk singer/song-writers out there overworking their pampered asses to release a couple of hit songs to support their otherwise measly albums.

That is not the case with Alana Davis.

Five years after releasing her incomparable debut album "Blame It On Me," Davis resurfaces with her sophomoric effort "Fortune Cookies."

Back in 1997, Davis stirred a bit of controversy covering Ani DiFranco's politically-heavy "32 Flavors." DiFranco's avid fans expressed their fury at Davis' poppier, chorus-ready version of DiFranco's staunchly raw anthem. How could a newcomer under a corporate label use a song written by independent and anti-commercialization DiFranco to promote herself on radio and MTV?

The answer is easy - because she did it better.

The incident overshadowed Davis' debut album and the beautiful talent behind it. "Blame It On Me" was by far one of the best releases of last decade.

Describing Davis' genre of music is not that easy. She is the perfect combination of Tracy Chapman and Jewel with a slight pinch of Bill Withers' mellowness.

"Fortune Cookies" opens with the coffee-shop friendly "Save The Day," which does not stray far away from her previous release.

Throughout "Cookies" Davis maintains a strong hold on granola folk melodies with songs such as "When You Become King" and the humid "God Of Love." The low-beat is also assisted with the sad, yet optimistic "I Don't Care (Lonesome Road)."

However, unlike her first album, "Fortune Cookies" experiments with urban beats without forgetting the folk formula. "Bye Bye" sounds like Nikka Costa's "Like A Feather" without the overproduction. Davis also revamps Whodini's "How Many Of Us Have Them (Friends)" into a street-smart tune.

The biggest surprise on the album is "Got This Far," a song that sticks out because of its reggae beat, yet is anything but a sore thumb. The collection of songs blend into one another, making this a smooth record - a rarity nowadays.

"I Want You," the first single released off this album, and "A Chance With You" are inspirational up-tempo numbers. The latter contains one of the most beautiful chorus arrangements I have heard in a long time.

The mastery of vocal integration with melody is clearly demonstrated with the multi-faceted "Under The Rainbow."

"Fortune Cookies" closes with the remarkable "Easy To Love" which leads to an untitled hidden track and a reminder that true talent, such as Davis, is rare and should be supported.

"Fortune Cookies" is truly an exceptional record - one that will stand unforgotten.

"Blame it on Me," Alana Davis' debut cd, was released during the Lilith Fair onslaught and got lost in the avalanche of female artists releasing records at the time. Her debut far exceeded anything released at that time and forboded great things for this talented and lovely young woman. A few things seem to have gone wrong for the follow up. 1. A brillant debut 2. Far too much time has gone by and expectations seem to have soared to high. 3. Heavy handed production 4. Dumbing down of lyrics. Alas, the arrival of "Fortune Cookies," the slickly produced long awaited follow up. Alana has retained her unique vocal style and her integrity. The problem is probably with a record company overly anxious for a hit. Each track is polished to the point of losing the organic charm of "Blame it on Me," and one track blends effortlessly into the next with little distinction. This might have been the next logical step had it come out one year or so after her debut--but certainly doesn't account for four years away. I have a suspicsion that an artist of this caliber would soar on a smaller label not overly concerned with tapping the mass market.

Alana Davis is an incredible voice yet to receive the recognition she deserves. Her latest, Fortune Cookies, is (in my opinion) one of 2001's best. Her voice is incredibly soothing and beautiful. And she is a great songwriter. If you like Tracy Chapman, Ani DiFranco, Jonatha Brooke, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, Tori Amos, & Stevie Nicks, you should really pick up this cd (as well as Alana'a last one - Blame It On Me.) With all of the new releases coming out just in time for the holidays, don't let this one get overlooked.