South

Heather Nova | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 21, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: V2 North America
• ASIN: B0000640MD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,280 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Gloomy Sunday

2. If I Saw You in the Movie

3. Talk to Me

4. Heaven Sent

5. Help Me be Good to You

6. Like Lovers Do

7. Virus of the Mind

8. It's Only Love

9. When Somebody Turns You On

10. Waste the Day

11. I'm No Angel

12. Tested

13. Just Been Born

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Possessing a strong, if unspectacular, voice and an adequate melodic sense, Bermuda-born half-Canadian Heather Nova fills her fourth album with a mix of sprightly pop numbers and moodier meditations on love. The former, sadly in the minority, are easily the most engaging songs on South--the swooning opener "If I Saw You in a Movie," the first single "Virus of the Mind," and the teasing "I'm No Angel" (cowritten with ex-London Suede guitarist Bernard Butler) resound long after the last notes of skin-deep lovelorn ruminations like "Talk to Me." It's not that all the songs about uncommunicative lovers and romantic idylls are bad. It's just that by the time Nova's heart opens "like an oyster shell" on South's closing track, the album has fallen victim to the musician's most indulgent singer-songwriter tendencies. Only the Hungarian suicide ballad "Gloomy Sunday," tacked on three tracks before the end, offers any hint Nova might be deeper than she appears in her self-penned tunes. --Shawn Conner

Product Description

Japanese version of her 2001 album with the bonus track 'Man In The Ocean'. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An album beyond comparisons..., May 23, 2002

By 

ClubNinja (MA, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South (Audio CD)

Heather Nova's most recent disc, South, has been the subject of many comparisons, such as those in other reviews here. This album is *not* a good Sheryl Crow kind of record though - it's a *great* Heather Nova record. The sound captured in this effort is the product of a heartfelt evolution from her early Oyster album through the magnificent Siren disc. The songs are bold and revealing, much as Heather Nova's music has always been. This time around, they feel a bit more romantic and warm than those on other albums, but still maintain their edge and sensuality. I'd claim the record was more mature than those previous, but Heather Nova has always sounded a little more mature than the rest of the pack so it's nothing new. Essentially, South has the same soul as always, but a new, stronger body to carry it.

To perhaps illustrate just how good this album is, I'll point out that I have several hundred albums on CD, and a 25 disc changer to hold those at the top of the pile. Right now, nuzzled up next to a remastered copy of Dark Side of the Moon, sits South. It belongs there.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a more mature heather, May 22, 2002

By 

Karen A. Sevier (Phoenix, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South (Audio CD)

Ever since I heard "Like Lovers Do" on the SERENDIPITY soundtrack, I've been waiting for this CD to come out here in America for months, and I can say it was well worth the wait. The American edition features a new opening track "Welcome" and new album cover art.

This album on one hand seems more commercial than past albums, and on the other hand seems like a perfectly natural progression for Nova. Where OYSTER was reflecting the frusteration of youth and SIREN was the awakening of womanhood; SOUTH is all about being comfortable in your own skin. There's no heavy rages going on in this album. Instead, we get a song like "Virus of the Mind" where Nova playfully scoffs at the idea of being part of the norm. This album is also packed with the kind of sensuous moments, hinted at in SIREN, in songs like "Waste the Day" "Like Lovers Do" and "If I Saw you in a Movie" - the latter showing a new direction in Nova's sound.

For listeners more fond of the harder edged Nova from OYSTER and before or "I'm the Girl" "Ruby Red" or "Blood of Me" from SIREN, this may seem a bit too lite. But if you liked the love songs from SIREN, this album seems to be following that strain. And in my opinion, that's not such a bad thing. Being in love can a wonderful thing, and being comfortable with yourself is more satisfying than being frusterated. Heather seems happy, and the album sounds like she was having a good time recording it. She seems to have definately found her sound-this being the most organic and consistant album she's done so far. Thanks Heather for making happiness seem okay.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bought it for 1 song but got a whole lot more, October 25, 2002

By 

xyz (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: South (Audio CD)

While out driving one day I heard this great song on the radio, 'Like Lovers Do'. I made a note and called the radio station after I got home to find out who the artist was (at least that's the way I recall it now). I vaguely remember hearing the name Heather Nova mentioned sometime in the past.

I listened to these 20 - 30 second clips from the album tracks on CDNOW and some other sites. The only thing I really liked was still 'Like Lovers Do'. I was willing to buy the cd just for that one song, which I finally ended up doing this week.

What a surprise it was to hear all these other nice songs. I couldn't be happier with the cd. I like her voice and style and the mellow sound. To me, she sounds a bit or reminds me of Edie Brickell (now married to Paul Simon). I bought the cd South for the one song but ended up discovering a wonderful artist.