Customer Reviews

Learn to Sing Like a Star

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Kristen's solo work is usually dark and a bit pensive, but for some reason the songs came out with a bit more push and drive for this solo effort. The Amazon review above nailed it pretty well. She, as always, shows great creativity, emotion, and layering in her songs that draw you in. Her voice is now more raw and powerful than in previous albums, but this is not a bad thing at all. Don't forget to check out her other bands - the hard charging 50 Foot Wave, and The Throwing Muses.

The emo kids should lend an ear to Kristin Hersh if they want their music with dollops of misery.

It is never more eloquently done than on "Nerve Endings", the agonised lyrics set against uncomfortable chord changes, with only the elegant string arrangement to provide any balm.

"Getting up is what hurts," she wails on "Day Glo", and sings of being "twisted in slo-mo by angry water". (Having had the misfortune to name her last band 50 Foot Wave just before the Asian tsunami, and then mourning the flood disaster in New Orleans, Hersh's own home suffered a burst pipe so destructive that it used up the family savings and forced her to sell up.)
As Hersh's spiky work goes, this is less fraught, the sourness of that cracked voice balanced by the sweetness off the strings.
Still, it's never exactly easy listening.

How's that for faint praise? Actually, truth be told, it's a little spare, thus the 3 stars, only six of these songs made my MP3 list, which now contains 79 songs, and could have more. The problem is that as fine as this music is, and no question it's far more worthwhile than 99% of the drek dumped on plastic daily, it's really more of the same. Good, sure, but is there any real growth from what she did on "Hips and Makers" all those years ago? I don't see it, in fact I'd rate that material higher.

So, as much as I like her music, isn't it time for her to move on to something else? She and her charms were wonderful, but maybe it's time to stick with a band, try to build an ensemble sound and see where it can go with a writing partner as an equal. Right now she's spreading her talent a bit thin, and it's starting to tear a bit.

I don't write many reviews. However, Kristin hit the nail on the head with this one. She has so many good albums under her belt, I don't know how she keeps doing it. There is maybe one song on the album that is so-so. The rest of the songs are good to incredible. Sugar Baby, Vertigo and especially The Thin Man are fantiastic sings and my personal favortites. This is much more mellow than her 50ft Wave stuff. If one needs a basis for comparison.

I HIGHLY recommend.

This is one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite all-time artists. This is one of the few albums where I pretty much like 90% or more of what's on it, which is very high by my standards. A lot of my favorite bands typically only hit like the 60-70% mark. Some of it is instrumental filler but listened to as a whole (like we all did before mixed tapes and MP3s) those instrumental tracks really add to the feel of this album and its proper songs. Not to be ignored is the terrific string work of The McCarricks on this album. They especially brought this music to life at her live show which I was fortunate to have come through my city last year. Couple this album played live with all her other great work and you will see what a powerful artist too many people have not had the opportunity to even know about.

I think this is some of her best work yet, although that is hard to say about such a talented singer/songwriter. I have been playing it over and over since it arrived.

Kristin Hersh is responsible for some of my favorite recordings in the psycho rock genre. It is difficult to feel less than moved about "Learn To Sing Like A Star" as every prior solo album from Kristin made an instant connection to my brain and proceeded to stay there for years and years afterwards. Maybe the stand out cuts like "Vertigo", "Peggy Lee" and "The Thin Man" will eventually allow me to feel this albums overall flow as well as her prior records always have done. As hard as i try though, these songs just don't hang together as a full album for me. Something seems to be missing. I keep playing it over and over waiting for it to finally kick in; but so far, no kick. I will always buy any solo album from Kristin but i was hoping for a stronger effort this time.

This is by far the best KH album since Hips and Makers. It's amazing to see her journey over the years, experimenting with each album. Every song on this record is catchy and I feel reflects a certain serenity and happiness/calmness in her life. Thank you Kristin for some great new tunes. I HIGHLY recommend this album, and everyone I've exposed it to has had nothing but good things to say about it.

There are very few voices that are able to entangle my brain and cavort me into a wicked state of bliss. Kristin's words channel through her and somehow devour enough air to sonically challenge the soul. Her work is pensive and brutally honest. "Learn To Sing Like A Star" is a remarkable blueprint of experience from a musician that emulates stimulation and soluble existence in a state of being human. Thank you so very much for your inspiration Kristin, it is always a pleasure to hear your muse.

I've been a Kristin Hersh/Throwing Muses fan since early 4AD days, and I don't write reviews but if you are reading this, you MUST buy this album. This is by far her best album yet. You will not be dissapointed. -Duhfig