Customer Reviews

Living Under June

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As with a lot of others, the first of Jann Arden's songs that I heard was "Insensitive" in the movie "Bed of Roses". That song stayed with me for days until I was able to get to the local Tower Records to buy the soundtrack. Imagine my displeasure to find that "Insensitive" wa the only song in the film that DID NOT appear on the soundtrack. Luckily for me, there was one copy of "Living Under June" left in the rack. Since that day, it has become a favorite. "Unloved" is a touching and sensitive ballad that paints a vivd picture of past mistakes, regrets, and missed opportunities. "Good Mother" is an up-beat anthem of strength and resilience. This is the CD that fits every occasion...dinner, Saturday housework, over-time at the office,chilling out after a crappy day , whatever!Then music and the lyrics are touching, uplifting and fit many lives and many dreams. It's a great CD.

One day I hear a song "Insensitive" on the radio some years back and take a chance to locate this CD to find a treasure. I'm one to search high and low for a CD when something captivates me so strongly. This woman can sing, write and create a distinguishing influence with her work. The lyrics are simply stated but when Jann sings them they become so profound. She has the ability to take you inside her as though it all is happening to you--that somehow these are your own words and feelings.

It is "very rare" to find a singer/songwriter that one looks forward to their next release. Jann is one of them. Her voice, style and presentation would be difficult to immitate so there is no one I can compare her to. Her voice is emotive, clear and full on all songs on this album. It is a solid recording effort.

My Favorites:

"I Would Die For You" - is a heart tugging song that speaks of total committment of the love many yearn for all their lives. It's makes you wanna go out and find that person you were head over heels for and tell them your feelings.

"Could I Be Your Girl" - Haven't you ever wanted to ask someone you liked that? I have. This song is upbeat and catchy and I love the demon aspect of love coming after you. "Love is a demon and your the one he's coming for. Oh my lord!" The 'so bad' 'so good' sides of this song are so seductive and Jann sings it that way.

"Looking for It" (Finding Heaven) - shows a spiritual side to Jann's personality as she searches for meaning within her self dialog. "Oh I am looking for it. I am looking for myself". It fits so well with the album.

"Gasoline" and "Wonderdrug" - are her more evocative side. Go Jann!

"Living Under June" - is a scream! Ever have an experience like that? I'm sure we all can relate and gotta love the dry wit Jann delivers her tale to the audience.

"Good Mother" - is a mantra/affirmation of how a positive figure in one's upbringing can produce a whole person. Jann's voice is so honest and heartfelt in deliving her message on this piece. This song should really be an anthem for families because it is a powerful song of inspiration to others. I feel like big banners of her parents are lowering in the background as she sings "feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward, be yourself...just be yourself!"

"Insensitive" - is a matter of fact song about being dumped before you even get a chance and how you are falling in love with a person before you get to make an impression. It's a sad but true depiction of unrequited love from a skank. <grin> Okay, so he just wasn't in love with Jan.

"Unloved" - a song for humanity even though it is personal. The duet with Jackson Browne is right on. A nice blend of vocals with little musical accompaniment.

Nothing to date has exceeded this work from Jann. The atmospherics, the music, the lyrics, the vocal expression; all converge to evoke a sultry still night on an outdoor stage where magic skips among
the crowd so captivated and riveted they have no desire to awaken from the spell of it all.

With each day that goes by, this CD sounds better. I listen to "Demolition Love," "Insensitive," "Good Mother," or almost any of the other songs and continue to get the same satisfaction. So few CDs offer that kind of experience. Now, with the two new CDs beyond her "June" work, I have even more of an appreciatiuon for Jann and this specific CD. "Happy?" doesn't have the energy or romance of "June," and the new Canadian release, "Blood Red Cherry," has plenty of variety, but not the beauty. Jann sounds much like Alanis Morisette, which is not the direction I'd like to hear her head to. "Living Under June" may end up being the finest recorded document in her career, and a disc that measures up to anything in this catagory of music. It's going to be tough to beat!

Wow! A wonderful mix of emotional, clever lyrics, fine musicianship, great voice, range of musical speeds and styles. Each tune seems to have its own life, and the fact that the vast majority of tunes are easily enjoyed many times over means that CD has "legs". Fits different moods with songs that hang around in my head long after I've turned the music off. Emotionally, reminds me in some ways of James Taylor, with strength in so many areas, making for a very satisfying listening experience.

I purchased this CD about 5 years ago, after hearing the song "Insensitive" on the radio. I had figured that, although I probably wouldn't like her other songs (as this happens so often), just to have that 1 song would be worth the money - I was going through a breakup at that time, and this particular song spoke to me (If you've heard this song, I'm sure you'll know what I mean).

However, I was really surprised when I listened to the CD for the first time - I actually loved every single song! I'm still listening to it now, 5 years later, and I still love it.

Jann Arden' "Living Under June" just may be the closest thing to musical perfection that can be achieved here on this earthly world.

Boy, I'd hate to think that I'd have to actually go to the "great beyond" to find out for sure. Thank Goodness I don't have to, I can stay right here and listen to her terrific music right here on earth.

She (Ms. Arden) grabs your attention from the very first song, "Can I Be Your Girl", and she then proceeds to take you for a total musical experience that you soon won't forget.

Her melodic haunting vocal phrasing, and the deep heartfelt emotional delivery on her other songs like "Demolition Love", "Insensitive", "Gasoline", and "Wonderdrug" left me speechless, but clearly humming her songs for days.

The pure musical enjoyment that I got from this album ("Living Under June") has lead me to purchase several more of Ms. Arden' CD's.

For the record, she has had me "in her grasp" as a big fan ever since I first heard her music seven years ago, and I know that you'll enjoy this CD just as much as I did. Be prepared to be a loyal Jann Arden devotee.

This is one of the best CD's I have bought in a long time. I'd heard some of her song's on the radio, more popular ones like "Insensitive" and "Could I be your girl", and purchased this CD hoping to find more like it. Smartest thing I have done in a while. You can put this CD on and let it play, you don't have to skip over songs. It is superb from beginning to end. Her lyrics are so intimate that you will feel like you wrote them, or that she wrote them for you. My favorites are "Demolition Love", "Gasoline", and "Good Mother", but like I said the whole thing is amazing. Buy it and see for yourself.

"Living Under June" is an excellent, honest production from a Canadian artist that has not yet gotten the attention she should have south of the Canadain/American border. I first heard the track "Could I Be Your Girl" on a sampler CD and I took a chance on the full album without knowing much about Ms Arden or her work. What I found was a very capable singer/songwriter and an album that carried itself well from the first track to the last. Every song sounds "honest" with true feeling and a tasteful performance. The album is pure adult contemporary - a somewhat 'folk-ish' alternative to the likes of Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan and Paula Cole. Highly recommended.

She really has. When some bozo told Jann that she was "just twenty pounds away from being on the cover of Vogue", her mother told her, "You should have told them you didn't want to gain any more weight". NOBODY who looks as good as Jann did at the time of this album (check out the Wonderdrug video, for example) needs to lose a single ounce.

Fashion industry madness aside, Jann Arden is a beautiful woman and superb singer/songwriter, and Living Under June is probably her best album out of a very impressive bunch. If I had to pick out my favourite song, it would probably be Good Mother, which also has a stunningly beautiful video. Still, this is an entire album of great songs - Could I Be Your Girl, Wonderdrug, the title track, and so on...

To top it all off, Jann also has the most wicked sense of humour. While advertising her utterly brilliant Greatest Hurts album, she announced that disastrous relationships had made her a very wealthy woman. Still haven't caught her on tour yet, but I'll be working on it.

Good job, ma'am.

I had never heard of Jann Arden before a local radio host, Steve Dahl, introduced his audience to this phenominal talent. After listening to a few tracks, I decided to purchase Living Under June. That was months ago and I find myself constantly reaching for this CD in my collection. Tunes like "Unloved", a great duet with Jackson Browne, and "Good Mother" are just two of the many pleasant sounding hits from this artist. I highly recommend this CD to anyone that enjoys a great talent that puts together songs that mean something. There is definitely a story behind Jann Arden's writing style and lyrics. This is a must buy!