Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: September 1976
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fontana a&M
• ASIN: B000002GBH
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #52,004 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There weren't many female singer-songwriters on the radio (and especially the charts) in the 1970s--you could count them pretty much on two hands. That said, it's only mildly surprising that this LP made it about halfway up the U.S. charts (and did much better in the U.K.). The songs are so well written, the style so warm and appealing that radio just had a hard time ignoring them. "Down to Zero," "Love and Affection," and "Help Yourself" are witty, smart observations of human relations, showcasing Armatrading's sure vocal style and adventurous folk-pop sensibilities. Like Roberta Flack's "The First Time," Armatrading's "Somebody Who Loves You" is a deeply-felt and moving love song, and "Save Me" is a painful and private moment the listener almost feels guilty for overhearing. This is a milestone album in Armatrading's oeuvre. --Lorry Fleming

Product Description

Digitally Remastered. 10 Tracks Include: Down to Zero, Save Me, Love and Affection and More. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sound That Was Ahead Of Its Time, June 21, 2000

By	William M. Rand (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

I bought this CD for one of the wierdest reasons ever. It's listed on Amazon.com's Essential of the Year List for 1976, that was the year I was born, so I decided what the heck and bought this CD not knowing anything about it, boy am I glad. This CD is great. The sounds are awesome, and Joan Armatrading is a very skilled songwriter/musician. So many songs on here are phenomenal like "Water With The Wine" which tells such a heartfelt story. "Tall In The Saddle" which is inspirational at times for me. "Down to Zero" and of course "Love and Affection" are also great songs. It's easy to see where people like Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, and so many of today's top female artists could have been influenced by this music. I feel that Joan has a stronger emotional attachment to her songs than any of these others do nowadays. A great CD and a great find.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique and Sensual, December 7, 1999

By	R. Prescott "longplayer1" (Blackfoot, Idaho USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was living in the great city of Portland, Oregon and one day I heard "Love and Affection" on the radio. It only took one time and I was off to the record store. I remember well the first time I listened to the entire album... It was a unique experience. I knew that I had made a new discovery. Joan Armatrading is an incredible singer/songwriter/musician. I've loved many of her works since and have nearly her entire catalog but none will ever match this effort. To this day...I don't think I will ever hear a song that expresses what it should always be like to find someone new and discover whether or not they are that one and only special someone that we all are looking for like "Love and Affection" does. But, it's not the only one worth mention.... "Water With The Wine", "Down to Zero" and "Save Me" are also among the many great cuts here. A must for any record collection.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whew!!, September 27, 2001

By	W. Weinstein "William Weinstein" (London, UK) - See all my reviews

Whatever happened to Joan Armatrading? She simply dropped off the face of the planet sometime in the 1980s and it is our loss. This debut album shook England during my teens. I remember trying to learn the lead solo in Tall in the Saddle, slow-dancing with an early girl friend to Love and Affection (wait until you hear the saxophone solo)
This music is full of memories for me and still has great power to move so many years later. Ms Armatrading is a wonderful songwriter and a fabulous guitarist. If enough of us buy her back catalogue maybe she'll come out of retirement.