Customer Reviews

Song for Someone

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Those who have followed Perry's career from the start, may have wondered at the nature of his third studio album, California, which seemed to opt for a much more commercial approach, quite unlike what had gone before. For a first time listener, it may have proved a pleasant experience. For those used to the darker, more sombre material of the first two albums (like myself), it was a bit of a shock to the system. I still find it difficult to listen to, because it's so mellow and relatively absent of gravity and meaning. The new album is something of a bridge between the earlier style and the style employed on California. There are moments of intense beauty here that do much to restore any faith lost with the California album. The Fox In Winter is certainly the most beautiful thing Perry has recorded. There's also Ava, a throwback to the girls' names of the first album (Anouska, Genevieve), and worthy of a place alongside those two mournful classics. The opening track features the kind of poetic lyric that Perry sadly abandoned on the previous album, and recalls the dark propulsion that drove the first album along. Perry spends much of his time here singing in his haunting falsetto. Once more he sings like a debased choirboy in the ruins of a burnt out cathedral, and his voice remains as a metaphysical imprint on the mind. Overall the album is a success, but there are a couple lapses back into the meaningless mechanics that manifested themselves on the previous album, the biggest culprit being the final track, Coming Home, which is pointless in its repetition. I also find Tropic Of Cancer a bit tiresome. A few smiles may be raised at the choice of cover version - Native New Yorker, yet it has a certain charm and ennui. In conclusion, this is something of a return to previous form for Perry, even if a few tracks could have been cut out. Those who appreciate him best when he's at his saddest and slowest should purchase the Broken Statues live concert, as it is an exquisite portrait of the man and his art.