Customer Reviews

Happy This Way

5 star:		(5)
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I'm weak on torch singers, saloon musicians, crooners of songs that require only a piano and bass for backup. But I knew that Judith Owen is the wife of Harry Shearer --- the brilliant commentator [...], legendary member (Derek Smalls) of "Spinal Tap" and multi-voice of "The Simpsons."

And so I wondered: What kind of singer would this sharp-eared, hyper-critical guy marry?

Well, a very talented singer. And a kindred spirit.

Harry Shearer was a child actor. Judith Owen's father was, for 35 years, an opera singer who performed with many of the greats while his young daughter watched from the wings. Handel Owen --- what a name! --- had eclectic taste for a classical musician; Judith grew up listening to jazz and gospel. (Though the Owens lived in London, the Beatles were completely off her radar for this self-described "opera brat".)

When she was 15, her mother died. For refuge, Judith took to songwriting. She had an eccentric genius as a pianist: "I have a perfect ear and I can hear everything; I can't read or write music as I am symbol dyslexic." All she needed was the urge to perform. And once that came....

Judith Owen has spent years and years on the verge. James Brooks, the noted writer-director, heard her sing at a party and had her record "Hand On My Heart" for "As Good As It Gets". Her versions of "Eye of the Tiger" and "Smoke on the Water" --- as a ballad --- are cult classics. But she's hard to pigeonhole; she refuses to record a CD in any single genre. And so industry mavens don't quite know what to do with her.

Great musicians do. Richard Thompson, k.d. lang, Cassandra Wilson --- they happily record with Judith Owen. To them, she's Joni Mitchell, incarnated as a torch singer. Rickie Lee Jones singing scat. And, like her husband, a sharp-tongued ironist with a big sentimental streak.

All the sides of Judith Owen are on display in "Happy This Way." She begins with a song that evokes her Welch heritage, and soon finds herself paying homage to doomed English singer Nick Drake. She sounds like an LA hipster when she gives advice to the Paris Hilton set: "Your face in magazines/don't make it look like work." And like an old soul soon after: "I need some sympathy for myself." And, in a lovely song to her father on his 80th birthday, she's all modesty as she describes her friends' reaction to his singing:

I'm proud and I'm pleased
That through him, they must see me
I'm the acorn, he's the tree

I'm aware enough to know that jazz now favors female singers, and that, each year, we get a new one to marvel at. We never seem to get Judith Owen. Our loss. I'm correcting it a tiny bit here: You don't have to sit in a club nursing Jack Daniels to appreciate the deep sensitivity, the good taste and the exceptional voice of Judith Owen

I've always thought that "12 Arrows" was the best Judith Owen album, but "Happy this Way" is a return to form. Her two previous CDs lacked variety, so it was good to hear a couple of up tempo numbers on this album "Painting by numbers", with some tasty guitar from Richard Thompson, and "Happy this way". The other standout tracks are "Nicholas Drake", also with Richard, and "My fathers voice" which prviously appeared on Judith's "Christmas in July" album. The only downside is a quantic remix (whetever that is) of "Enough" which was done a lot better on Judith's album "Lost and Found".

OK, if you are considering purchasing this CD stop and just do it. The first time I heard Judith's voice it was on the radio and I thought to myself I don't know who this is but I have to find out. I also kept thinking that she should do a duet with one of my favorites Julia Fordham. So, I found her CD and surprise, it turns out these two already figured that out. Judith has a beautiful voice, great timing and sense of humor to boot (see covers of Deep Purple and Spinal Tap on other recordings). Happy This Way is a great introduction to a true talent, but you will be happy anyway you go if you pick another of her recordings.

This CD is wonderful. There are songs I play over and over. Her phrasing is different and I love it. I enjoy the CD so much that I bought another one to give to a good friend.

5 stars!! I can only agree with the other reviewers here. I have had no exposure of any of her other work but this is an excellent album and highly recommended. It is an eclectic mix of styles from celtic, through jazz to contemporary with some surprises but it just grows and grows on you.
If you think this sounds good then you should hear the high resolution SACD surround version on Linn Records, superb! - you can also download this in various formats, including the studio master, from their web site.