Rockinghorse

Alannah Myles | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic Recording
• ASIN: B000V3Z4HA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,149,590 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an album instead of a kiss--from Alannah, February 23, 2003

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rockinghorse (Audio CD)

Alannah Myles returns with a somewhat darker and grimmer-toned album. Yes, the familiar bluesy-hard rock is still present, but she's expanded her talents and the songs are better.

"Our World Our Times" is a grim night in the city track, somewhat reminding me of the Cult's "Witch" in theme. Alannah recites the first couple of songs in a monologue before the familiar bluesy-hard rock guitar riffs that characterized her debut album kicks in with intensity matching the harshness of the urban life. One line seems in tune with the current climate: "These times are like dynamite a head-on with history/Some fool's bound to burn it all down don't care about you and me."

"Make Me Happy" has a tempo akin to Def Leppard's "Woman", a Leppardish sound, and with some funky overtones. Love that bass in the song's intro.

"Sonny Say You Will," a plea for an unforgettable moment that will last forever, is one of the two killer ballads here, opening with a sun-coming up synthesizer. It blares into power ballad mode in the verse before the chorus, where it quiets down. One of my favourite songs.

"Tumbleweed" is back to that chugging blues-rock that's in the same manner as "Still Got This Thing For You" from her previous album. It's about a man gambling on dice who could be either a tumbleweed or a rolling stone. With Alannah singing "Looks like I'll be driving home tonight", guess what happens to him?

The blues guitar on the lazy "Livin' On A Memory" sets the tone and is another urban night life song on crime: "Hiding from the light/Running from my destiny/Haunted by a flame/Lying low livin' on a memory."

My favourite song here begins with some forlorn and tragic strings, which is later accompanied by acoustic guitar. "Song Instead Of A Kiss" is "to all of you who wait so long and need so much." That this didn't become a single is sheer criminality, as there's a universal appeal in this song. This is even better than "Black Velvet."

The mid-paced "Love In The Big Town" is yet another night life song, but in a smaller setting. The alienation, glitter, false smiles and people wanting money are still there. It's like a slowed down version of "Kick Start My Heart."

The flight of a troubadour who was looking for some piece of mind, wanting to fly instead of holding on to shaky ground is the story behind "The Last Time I Saw William." Clearly he was burned out from "hurtin' songs", what with that "long line of loneliness in the corner of his eye."

"Lies and Rumours" sounds like Bon Jovi, or a variation of "Love Is" and "Kick Start." The intense skiffle-blues of the title track closes the album.

Most of the songs were written by Christopher Ward and David Tyson, and the selection was well-chosen. Why this album hit the bargain bin after a year I don't know, as it deserved way better.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite All-Time Album, August 20, 2004

By 

CPT Terry Rogers (FPO, AA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rockinghorse (Audio CD)

I have purchased copies of this Album/CD's in the Clearance rack just to give to my friends. Not only did I like this album better than her first one, I thought it was the best complete album of songs by any artist in the last 20 years. Unfortunately her next two albums really fell off in the quality of material, but this set would be included in any collection I would choose for a long stay on a deserted island. Try it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rockin Alannah!, April 13, 2010

By 

ProggaWogga (Texas & Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rockinghorse (Audio CD)

I picked this up when it first came out. I recall that "Make Me Happy" actually got some airplay, although I don't think it's the best track here.

In general there seems to be a theme of frustration, longing, and tension on many of the tracks here. The mood of the album seems to culminate on "Livin on a Memory" that has possibly some of the most strung-out sounding lyrics you'll ever likely to hear. "The street light calls, into a devil hotel...Isn't life a crime, on a bed of stone, when the devil calls, you better walk alone..." and one of my favorite verses of all time "...the bugs still bite, and the breezes blow, between your dreams, right through your clothes..". The verses are backed by a wonderful acoustic guitar played bottleneck style, while the choruses really kick in with full instrumentation. An incredible slow paced rocker that really burns.

The opener on what was "side 2" "Song Instead of a Kiss" is an incredible power ballad which again teeters on the brink of restraint and chaos. The strings here are very effectively arranged, and the tune - and Alannah's voice - just soar. The verses are backed by simple acoustic guitar and what sounds like three flutes playing a beautiful minor key harmony a la "Stairway to Heaven". The sentiment here, Alannah offering this song to the interminably frustrated lovers - just as the chorus states: "It (this song) is for those who like to cling, it is to those I sing. Here is a song instead of a clutch, instead of a moon, instead of a soothing touch in the afternoon". Well done, and then some.

Listen, just the 2 songs above are worth the price of the cd. However, there are a number of solid rockers including Tumbleweed, Love in the Big Town (a great anthemic rocker), Our World Our Time, and oh yes, the title track, although it's just Alannah's (nasty) voice and a (well played) acoustic guitar.

I was surprised to find some of the other reviewers found "Sonny Say You Will" and "Last Time I Saw William" as quality songs. I find them both plodding, contrived, unconvincing, uninteresting, and totally unlistenable. It's not that Alannah's voice is ineffective, but there is no way anyone can infuse these 2 klunkers with any genuine emotion. Thus 4 stars.

But listen, there is more than enough good stuff here to get your rock-groove on. And once "Livin On a Memory" burns through your ears and penetrates your bones, you will be ready to really really rock, believe me. Just turn it up a little and let that edgy, tension filled mood take you in.