Customer Reviews

Slow & Steady Seduction, Phase II

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Slow & Steady Seduction, Phase II" delivers, but with some issues. It is best to skip past the first few tunes. The top of this album sounds too corporate radio friendly. Some of Anya's charm is washed out when appealing to such mainstream sensibilities. (I will admit that 'Cut it Out' has actually grown on me.) The album finally fires on all pistons with 'Drop Dead Blues.' From here on out, the album returns to Anya bliss. The rest of the album enjoys that time-tested brand of clever girliness. The sound generally ranges from rock to indie folk. 'Vertigo' is one of the highlights. Not replicating her previous work, this material is more produced. Leaning away from indie folk, this new direction gives "Slow & Steady Seduction" a more commercial presentation. At times this new production employs electric guitars, large scale vocal dubbing and a philharmonic orchestra. The spectacular oddity here is 'Águas de Março.' As sang by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Elis Regina, I have long been enchanted by the Bossa Nova classic. Anya's rendition is pure ear candy. Comparatively, these songs are good but not as strong as those on her debut. The humor isn't quite as funny, the observations aren't quite as poignant and the melodies aren't as compelling. Length is another issue with this sophomore album. Even before removing the first few songs, the total length is only 35 minutes. Should you buy "Slow & Steady Seduction?" Coming from somebody who's been listening to Anya since the "Exercises in Racketeering" EP was first released, yes. "Slow & Steady Seduction, Phase II" is a good album, but if you're new to Anya Marina, start with "Miss Halfway."

I enjoyed Anya's first album, Miss Halfway, so I had to at least give this album a try. O.M.G.! This has become one of my favorite albums. From the first song (Move You) to the last song (High On The Ceiling), you really feel the seduction in every song. This is one of those rare albums where you'll truly enjoy every single track.

As far as individual tracks go, Move You, All The Same To Me, and Vertigo are fast and catchy. Listen to them just a couple of times, and you'll find yourself singing along to them. The other songs are a bit mellow, but they all stimulate your senses. The most seductive of them all is Waters of March; it is hot, passionate, sexy, lustful, and sensual.

Really looking forward to a follow-up to this album.

Most of the time I'm not a fan of female artists, but I love Anya Marina. Her music is so unqiue and original. I loved it from the first time I heard it. Anya Marina is an amazing singer and songwriter and this album proves it.

I'll admit I had never heard of Anya Marina before she opened up for Jason Mraz this spring. But now I am hooked - this is a great album and I look forward to hearing more from this talented musician.

Anya has a unique sound and style and this CD is fun. I like every song, but one ; how often can you say that? Very happy with this purchase

Has a nice beat, superfun lyrics. A totally different sound, and yet very fun.

I first heard Anya Marina on a quirky Tostinos commercial. I liked her breathy voice, and upbeat tune. I searched for the song and discorved the artist. I love the acoustic sound of the instruments and Anya's sexy throaty voice.

I love playing this record while just chilling at home w/ a cup of Chai or entertaining friends.

-Becky

Slow and Steady is a fantastic piece of work by this incredibly gifted performer. Anya is a rare performer who's recorded work doesn't suffer in comparison to her live performances. Don't get me wrong, you should see her live, she's great. But she can manage what few others can, and that's convey a real emotional connection with just her voice.

It's also been incredibly fun watching her evolve from album to album over time, great popish groove i'm digging on this newest one. I love this new album, and I hope you enjoy it too! If you like Liz Phair, Jill Sobule, etc... you'll love it.

This is an album of excellent songs (five stars) which work amazingly acoustically (go to a gig) and in the right hands will be great pop tracks. Anya is a seductive singer, with complex songs, sadly let down by inept production. That production has mostly drowned the immense presence of her performance with mechanical beats and often hackneyed backing tracks. Yet there are some gems in here despite the production, because she is a great performer. Also, buy her first album here: http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Halfway-Anya-Marina/dp/B000HKKREC/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

Anya is an outstanding musician, has a unique voice and is a lovely person to boot! But some of the tracks are ruined by an over-foregrounded backing and rhythm section, with drums which are so thuddingly uniform and inane they appear to be made with an 80s drum machine. There's a musician under all that junk. This is common: for example Lady Gaga also suffered from bad production on Poker face: check out both versions of that on youtube.

Details of the songs:

1. Move You starts out with fine Anya acoustics we're used to. It turns into a well-crafted foot-tappable piece with a forward, driving beat. Except for one thing: it sounds as if the drums from Fine Young Cannibals' She Drives Me Crazy have been kidnapped, given some amphetamines and threatened at gunpoint. The subtlety of Anya's honey-tobacco voice and seductive performance - which you can hear in the intro - is smothered.

2. All the Same to Me would be a great song if it had been produced a la Winehouse, with slow beat, jazz trumpet and minor sensibility. The writing has Winehouse influences and is excellent. However the production has a Britney-esque overproduction, seemingly intended as synth-pop for 13-year-olds. For example it's partly-ruined by the "double clap" motif at the end of phrases (see the preview). It's a fun song, and she does it very well, but the production makes a potentially wonderful song entirely disposable.

3. Cut it Out is a good Anya album song. Starts acoustically. You can hear her fine voice and singing, but it's somewhat drowned out by the backing. There are some fun Beatley influences in the style, however, making it a good listen.

4. Afterparty at Jimmy's is a completely new departure and actually a great fun song. Not about subtlety, it has simple detuned rhythm guitar and an attitude harking back to classic 60s British bands (Kinks maybe), via Blur. She's getting down and dirty on this one, in the best sense. New departure for her and the experiment works, it's a fine track.

5. Drop Dead blues. A band from the early seventies (perhaps Gary Glitter's or the Bay City Rollers) did the drum section for this song in their bathroom. As you might imagine, this can get in the way of her music-making. Apart from that, it's a good fun syncopated song, typical of her songwriting and well worth it. Some neat guitar too.

6. A classic Anya track, with her amazing vocals and intense performance, Vertigo is a great pop vocal track, but also features the everpresent one-armed drum machine.

7. Lullaby for a Realist shows you what she can sound like acoustically, demonstrating her talent without the insensitive mixing and flat pounding drumming. Her intense performance marries with her uniquely open and complex voice to fine effect. Its title also belies a typical theme for Anya: buy her first album and you'll see she's a fine analyst of complex emotions. This song is over far too soon!

8. Two Left Feet also has great potential as a fine pop song, but why are the drums so relentlessly over-the top? Our Speeded Up FYC drum machine is back. Production rethink required: pehaps some synth fx up top and a more subtle drum track will fill out the track better.

9. I love Waters of March: it's a softer latin acoustic track (bossanova?). [edit] It's a cover of "Aguas de Marzo" by Tom Jobim, says my pal Aram, which makes a lot of sense. We love those Brazilians. Thankfully this version features fewer drums than Anya's other tracks but the backing tracks are still unnaturally forward in the mix for her performance. You can hear her voice on this track, which is wonderful, but I'd like to hear more of it. I missed the usual tension and intensity of her singing and writing because of this. There's even a piano gliss with bell ding. Nuff said. Lovely song, but hang the DJ.

10. Not a Through Street pays to her strengths with a very vocally-forward mix, playing to her dreamy style of song, and using that mic effect made famous on her "Miss Halfway" song. "I remember you secretly" embodies that alluring, seductive style of her best songs. This is a great song, but in this version, unfortunately the drums when they arrive are just so uninteresting and ill-conceived they intrude upon the song.

11. Cowboy is a neatly-written foursquare piece, with tension, beat changes, some neat rock guitar touches, and generally a fine song. HAs some western touches, but then again some Beatly production moments which actually work quite nicely. Again, get a new drummer.

12. High on the Ceiling. Her words are excellent, and the voice but it's hard to tell because... the backing was done in the bathroom again by our 70s lads. Who were probably high on the ceiling.

Summary

Anya is an amazingly intense singer, writing emotionally smart songs with subtle turns of phrase. She has a beautifully rich, involving and complex voice. Her production and technical team lets her down a lot on this album. nonetheless it's probably worth it. And her first album certainly is!

Even better: Go and see her live. She tours a lot..

An amazing follow up to her first album, SSSPII is something every serious music enthusiast should own. Extremely well thought out, this album has just the right kick to put a smile on your face and make you want to dance, or just kick back and relax.