Pretty Little Stranger

Joan Osborne | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 14, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vanguard Records
• ASIN: B000ICLRAM
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,867 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like A Tiger, November 24, 2006

By 

Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pretty Little Stranger (Audio CD)

Joan Osborne's "Pretty Little Stranger" has some shining moments. The self-penned title tune has an excellent beat, a throbbing bass line, and Joan's powerful vocals connecting with the band, "There is a Spanish boy who also rides the A train. I want to tag him like a tiger so I can track him as he moves around the city so I can guard him like an angel." This is a stellar track, on a par with Joan's best work. The beautiful melody of Patty Griffin's "What You Are" is polished by Joan's lovely vocals, "Do you wish you were the silence of the moon? Nobody knows but maybe you will be soon." Joan's "After Jane" is a delight with the vocals passionate and the music cranked, "Will I rise up again? Will I ever know a friend like my Jane!" There are other beautiful moments like Beth Nielsen Chapman's gorgeous tune of "Time Won't Tell," given a country twang with pedal steel guitar and Vince Gill on harmony. Rodney Crowell's "When the Blue Hour Comes" is a lovely ballad. On a few tracks like "Brokedown Palace" & "Shake the Devil" the band seems sleepy, unable to keep up with Joan's vocal fireworks. Most of the CD is excellent and deserves to be embraced by Joan's fans, old & new. Enjoy!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt and expressive -- a triumph for Joan Osborne!, November 20, 2006

By 

Invisiboy2001 "invisiboy2001" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Pretty Little Stranger (Audio CD)

I have to admit that I was apprehensive about buying this new Joan Osborne album, because I was disappointed with her "How Sweet It Is" from a few years ago (I am not really into soul music, per se). Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised with this new CD. The music has a country-rock feel to it, and her voice is exquisitely expressive. The girl can SING.

This CD is similar to albums by Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash (the song "Who Divided" sounds like it could have been lifted from an early Rosanne Cash album, while Osborn's remake of Kris Kristofferson's "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends" features delicious, tender, just-ahead-of-the-beat phrasing one would expect from Emmylou Harris).

A thrilling aspect of this album is that Osborne has returned to recording songs she has written! After her last two CDs of mostly covered material, I am excited to get some more nuggets from this talented songwriter (wait till you hear "Pretty Little Stranger" and "Who Divided" -- perfection!!).

Overall, this is a terrific albumn for fans of music by country-rock women like Lucinda Williams, Matraca Berg, Emmylou Harris, Juice Newton, Linda Ronstadt and Rosanne Cash. Highly recommended!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Minimal Funky Joan, December 5, 2006

By 

heavymanners "jahlives" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pretty Little Stranger (Audio CD)

There's a direct connect between what Joan did on the Funk Brothers' "Standing in the Shadow of Motown" film and this new album.

It's bare.

No frills.

Backbeats to die for, even on the so-called country tunes.

And thankfully, none of the over-production by engineers that compromised her several previous works. (Send the orchestra home, thanks.)

Actually, I wish Joan would just sing the phone book, or Dixie cotton field slave songs, or just scat any Robert Johnson guitar riff - "a capella."

That would be the ideal venue for this woman's roots soulful spirit.

Less is always more with Joan.

The music industry moguls have to be truly reviled for not promoting her when she had her moment....

But this new CD is testimony that Joan's still one of us....

When is the tour behind this album happening?