Customer Reviews

Home Is Where

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Holly McNarland may take home the prize for some of the dumbest album titles around (Stuff? Home Is Where My Feet Are?), but don't let that deter you. Her music and lyrics are far smarter than her unfortunate choices in titles.

Though her 1997 debut Stuff had much more raw firepower, Home... kicks up the eccentricity a notch. Check out the techno-ed up "Brush into My Tears". Her melodies on this album are less immediately accessible and her song structures more ambitious, but there are still rock-out moments aplenty. Lead track "Do You Get High?" is a classic McNarland kicker in the veins of "Numb" and "The Box", with rough but anthemic vocal harmonies, big beats and electric guitars. McNarland has refined her vocals a bit to take the grating edge off, and while I enjoyed her unrestrained wails on Stuff, her singing has definitely matured. Her lyrics have improved greatly, dispensing with the sometimes awkward phrasing that had been her only lyrical flaw up to now. "Beautiful Blue" doesn't quite scale the heights of McNarland's best song "Water", but it remains an effective demonstration of her musical alchemy -- the reconciliation of the beautiful with the ugly, the tenderness with the rage. When this woman rocks out, she's a force to be reckoned with, her muscular arrangements, soaring but surprisingly versatile voice, and sure-handed song progressions demolishing the likes of Alanis Morissette.

Five years was a long time to wait and I think Stuff is a stronger album given its unbridled energy. However, it's still mighty nice to see a talented, uncompromising singer-songwriter back in action. Think of it as riot-grrl energy with musical finesse and catchy pop sensibilities.

I got this CD after hearing Beautiful Blue on the radio and was blown away from the simple beauty of it.

I was wondering how good this album would be. After all, it took over 4 years to make.

Lke wine, Holly let herself age a little bit to perfection.

The music is complex yet simple, and her voice is hard-edged and beautiful. She is a living oxymoron (in a good way)

Soem of the songs are instantly accessable (Do You Get High, Sister, Beautiful Blue) while others you grow to love (my favorites I Cry, More, Dallas)

She manages to get a very strong point across without being too wordy. In fact, many of her songs are lyrically repetitive, which usually bugs the hell out of me, but I like it here.

A hidden gem that every true music fan should seek out.

Holly fans have waited over 4 years for her follow-up studio CD and I have to say the wait has been well worth it.
The harshness and anger may well have been somewhat diluted, but we still have Holly writing and singing about things she cares for, love, anger and now being a mother, her child. "Do You Get High" was written about her son and "Beautiful Blue" was reportedly written after Holly witnessed the tragedy of September 11th with her son. Both songs have already been released as singles in Canada and are excellent.
It seems wrong to pick out tracks from a CD, which in my opinion, has no weak tracks, however stand-out songs apart from the singles are "Dallas" the spine tingling "More" and my current favourite "When You Come Down"
I feared that after such a long time away from the business Holly would disappoint, but thankfully has delivered a CD that will only enhance her growing reputation.
The fact that Holly is not a bigger star than she is, is beyond me. Part of me wants to keep something so precious to myself, but that is only being selfish. Holly should be a star and with the backing from her record company, this could be the CD to give her what she so rightly deserves.
Thank-you Holly, please don't make us wait another 4 years for the next CD !!

...

This album is also very good. It is a bit more mellow than Stuff. There are some exceptional songs on this record. There are a couple less good ones, but just about every album has a couple.

My favorites are Beautiful Blue and Watching Over You. She has a very pretty voice that can also be very powerful when she wants to crank it up. The album also has some nice drumming on it and is well produced.

Anybody who was hoping to write off Holly Mc after her maternity leave will be sorely disappointed with this album. Just as Madonna followed motherhood with her strongest album yet (Ray Of Light) Holly has done likewise with Home. Not only did Holly show her commitment to the empowerment of women by her Lilith appearances, she has also demonstrated her own power with this triumphant return.

This is indeed an album of great songs and no filler. Yet there are standout songs, with the simply stunning Beautiful Blue and the murderously singalong Dallas being among the best.

While Stuff, with Numb, Elmo, Porno Mouth and UFO was a powerful album, on "Home" Holly has just fine tuned the songwriting and delivered what is by any definition a classic album. There is more maturity and texture here, as evinced by pieces such as the epic closing number, More. Holly is also using her voice more effectively and displaying a range that may surprise some listeners.

The haunting video to the utterly classic Beautiful Blue certainly captures the mood that permeates the album, and showcases both Holly's heavenly voice and heavenly physique. It is so refreshing to occasionally see a female star who actually looks like a real woman instead of a fashion industry stick insect. Lest we forget, Marilyn Monroe was a size 14.

Wonderful.

Track 3, Beautiful Blue, is the song featured in the opening credits of Falcon Beach. This Canadian show ran on ABCFamily the summers of 2006 and 2007.

This is the best yet...the kind of CD you can put in, play beginning to end and then do it again and again. As others have noted, "Beautiful Blue" is a classic as is the driving "Dallas". "When You Come Down" is a favorite of mine. I have all the others but there's something more to this. The arrangements do the lyrics complete justice giving extra punch where needed as well as leaving open spaces in other songs allowing the music to breathe. Holly is just one of those rare performers (like Heather Nova) with something magic in her voice that brings the lyrics alive in a way that reaches deep into ones soul. This sounds as good (if not better) two years (and hundreds of plays) after I bought it as it did the first time I heard it on her website. I can't recommend this one enough.

Holly McNarland took five years to release a follow-up to "Stuff" and in that time I wondered if she was ever going to release a new album. Thankfully, she did and "Home is Where My Feet Are" is a masterpiece! Most of the songs are slow and beautifully sung and exceptionally produced. While "Stuff" was a great album, I have to say that Holly's new album is wondeful!