Customer Reviews

Star

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Tonya Donelly formed her band Belly after jumping around in Throwing Muses and the Breeders, in which she was largely unrecognized. When this album was released in 1993, it cracked the Billboard Top 10 and even earned the group a Rolling Stone cover. The video for "Feed the Tree" was placed into heavy rotation on MTV's "Alternative Nation" and "120 Minutes". Unfortunately, the record was released at the worst possible time--when 'alternative chick bands' were a-dime-a-dozen. Juliana Hatfield, 4 Non-Blondes, Liz Phair, and countless others dominated the radio and the charts, and Belly was lost among them and virtually crucified by the tone-deaf music critics of the time. So while the album did, in fact, sell moderately decent, we have the heartbreaking experience of seeing five copies of this disc on the clearance shelf of every CD Warehouse in the country. Ironically, that makes this gem fairly easy to come by.

But the album is a masterpiece. Every song was written solely by Donelly. Her voice is silky and borderline-'cute'...but her lyrics are anything but. The darknesses of suffering, abuse, and loneliness dominate the themes, glossed over by beautifully simple and peaceful melodies. Each song has a remarkably simple 3- or 4-chord format (similar to the Lemonheads--another great band of the genre) but the listener does not notice that; he/she only hears beautiful melodies and sweet, smooth vocals.

An often overlooked aspect of this album is the harmony. Sinead O'Connor, Natalie Merchant, and Dolores O'Riordan (of the Cranberries) all employ the concept of harmonizing with their own voices (which is nothing new to 'chick bands'). However, Tonya Donelly does it the best and has remained virtually uncredited.

The opening song, "Someone To Die For" is a haunting acoustic number. The second song, "Angel", is a wonderful overview of the 'feel' of the album--a catchy tune with Donelly's soft voice masking her dark lyrics.

"Dusted" ventures into the realm of child abuse, while "Every Word" is a slow, haunting, drifting tune. "Gepetto" was a minor radio hit; a beautiful melody in which Donelly does a great job of harmonizing with herself. "Witch" is a short, somber melody over an acoustic guitar.

"Slow Dog" is perhaps my favorite track. For some reason, music gives me an adrenaline rush. Donelly's voice is exceptionally sexy and the simple three-chord melody is somehow launched to epic status.

"Low Red Moon" is another haunting melody, very reminescent of post-Roger Waters Pink Floyd. A definite high point.

"Feed the Tree", of course, is the single that launched Belly to their short-lived pseudo-fame and unfortunately tagged the group with the unshakable 'one-hit-wonder' label. The song, actually, is quite good. As catchy and sweet as the melody is, the lyrics are pretty deep: "Silver Baby come to me, I'll only hurt you in my dreams." Donelly's vocal capabilities are widely celebrated on this song.

"Full Moon, Empty Heart" further exhibits Donelly's vocals. She singlely and unaidedly holds a high note for an impossibly long time, melting the listener with her soft cooing until falling into the main chorus. A brilliant song.

"White Belly" is another slow and somber track with haunting and suggestive lyrics. A powerful song, deep with superb delivery.

The record takes a drastic turn with "Untogether", the most personal song on the album. Donelly sings a narrative over her acoustic strums and accompanying slide guitar, with lyrics that will strike a nerve with any listener who is haunted by their past (which applies to everyone, of course). Another definite high point that will stay with you long after the album is done.

"Star" is a completion of a theme that started with "Someone To Die For" and continued in "Witch". A short yet moving track that inevitably brings us closer to the end.

"Sad Dress" is one final 'rocker' that celebrates Donelly's songwriting and harmonizing abilities before bringing us to the closing track "Stay", a slow and moving love song. The melody, like the rest of the album, is very simple yet very beautiful, giving us a final (and emotional) dose of vocal-harmonies and sad lyrics: "...I love him near, I love him dear, and I've loved him for hundreds of thousands of years..."

While this record was virtually lost among releases by REM, Snoop Dogg, Stone Temple Pilots, Ace of Base, Blind Melon, and the other chart-toppers of the time, it takes my vote for the best. I would further advance "Star" to one of the best albums of the 90s: "Downward Spiral" by Nine Inch Nails, "The Chronic" by Dr. Dre, "Nihil" by KMFDM, "Automatic for the People" by REM, "In Utero" by Nirvana, and "Under the Pink" by Tori Amos. Lastly, I would even go so far to say that this is one of the best rock albums ever, included among the ranks of Nine Inch Nails, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd.

No one's musical experience is complete without listening to this album.

i have to admit that i'm a fan of 4AD bands such as Throwing Muses and Pixies (how couldn't i be?). But Star is such a fragile yet biting record. I keep on listening to it every half year or so, and i always feel amazed about how the songs don't sound old. It sometimes may sound a bit cheesy, but it's got a real sensibility. Angel and Dusted are thrilling and (in a worrying sad way) euphoric, while White Belly and Low Red Moon are touching and really dark. I would honestly say that every song here is a work of art...musically and lyrically.

I got lucky with this CD because I bought it after hearing only one song, Feed the Tree, soon after it came out. It was one of my few impulse buys, and I remember fretting about how much of the album I would actually like just before listening to it. To my relief, and mild disbelief, I ended up liking every song on the album. It isn't a "difficult" album; you will most likely know whether or not you like it pretty quickly, and yet it still sounds fresh after all these years. The music is fairly straightforward and poppy, but for the most part the lyrics are wonderfully abstract and open to interpretation. However, they still fit very well with their respective songs, and offer a glimpse into a neighborhood I forgot I even knew existed. If I had to choose my favorites from this album they would be Angel, Slow Dog, and White Belly.

After this album, Tanya Donelly was no longer stuck in the shaddows of her old bands Throwing Muses and the Breeders. Donelly digs deep into herself and throws into each track something personal and sometime unsettling. Of course many remember the fairy tale "Feed the Tree" and petulant "Gepetto" pop hits that burned up the radio in the early 90's, but the true gems on Star are such intimate and sometimes dark songs as "Angel" (I'd still rather have a man) and "Star" (I can never win with this body I live in) and "Low Red Moon" (I've got strong arms for a skinny girl and I say He belongs to me) All of these songs are lyricly and musically beautiful, although I must admit it took a few listenings for me to really appreciate it for the masterpiece it is.

I have owned this fascinating album for many years and keep coming back to it. The lyrics are strong, but it's the whole package that comes together: voice/harmonies, music (the guitars complement voice and theme perfectly), and lyrics (dark, poetic). Everyone knows it's rare to find an album you want to listen to all the way through, not just 2-3 tracks. This is one of those albums.

Somehow in the early 90's, I managed to listen to "The Breeders", "Juliana Hatfield", and "Throwing Muses", but never "Belly". That changed recently when I picked this up cheap, and found out that it really was one of the great alt-pop albums of the era. The big hit "Feed The Tree" is on here, as well as "Slow Dog" and "Gepetto". However it's the lesser known songs like "Untogether", "White Belly", and "Sad Dress" that make me really like them. Alot of this is rather moody stuff, under the disguise of happy catchy alt-rock. "Belly" also has a "best of" out, but it would be nice if "Tanya Donelly" released one, covering all her bands and solo career.

I wish i was old enough at the time to appreciate this one, because this is one great album. The songs "Dusted" and "Gepetto" are the best songs on the CD in my opinion, and I continued to listen to this CD even months after i got the CD. A must have for anyone who just loves to listen to great music and is open-minded to listen to the different approaches artists take on the rock sound.

Tanya Donelly has a history with great bands, and it might be difficult to pull oneself out of those shadows and find one's own voice, but with Star she succeeds in this daunting task. Star is a glorious debut from her new band, Belly. Tanya Donelly sports melodic musical talents with girlish vocals... and produces something splendid! "Angel" and "Dusted" are remarkable songs... and then the middle of the CD gets bogged down in a sort of dull sameness, which I can listen to, but don't think is the heart of the record. The really exceptional part oft his album begins on track 8 "Low Red Moon" when the entire tone of the rest of the record becomes hypnotic and sheerly pleasurable with the minor exception/interruption of "Feed the Tree" which is not a bad song... just an overplayed one on college radio and "alternative" MTV at the time when this was released. My favourites on this album are the incredibly creative "Untogether" and the lovely closing track "Stay". Tanya definitely holds her own on this album.

Tanya Donnelly's best album (regardless of who she worked with) is this bright-eyed, big-hearted pop-rocker. Star perfectly balances the moody and ethereal (Every Word, Someone To Die For) with the all-out driving classics (Slow Dog, Feed The Tree) and throws in an ill-judged but compulsive ballad (Untogether) for good measure. A must-have album.

Although for years she was a member of the widely known and highly praised Throwing Muses , Tanya Donelly didn't surface until 1993 when she formed Belly and released their debut , " Star " . With the help of the Gorman brothers she created a record of twisted , dreamy pop which went on to become a million-selling album despite the deeply personal character of many of it's songs .

Ten years after it's initial release , Belly's first offering sounds as interesting and fresh as ever . The key behind it's power is very specific : it's music atmosphere . Donelly's sweet , tender vocals , haunted lyrics and melodies all together resulted in a sometimes sunny and generally ethereal piece of music which flirted with the listener's dark side . Gepetto and Feed The Tree are beautifully written pop songs yet the most fascinating moments of the album are it's moody ones . Dusted is intense and speedy , Someone To Die For and Every World are abstract and spooky while Angel is probably the most edgy and gripping one of all . The highlight of the track list though must be " Low Red Moon " , a ballad which captures the listener's soul and never lets it go . It's the most claustrophobic song i ever heard along with Radiohead's " Climbing Up The Walls " and P.J.Harvey's " Teclo " .

Besides being a great pop and rock release , Star helped Donelly to find more room to breath as an artist of her own and express herself artistically . A decade after her band's debut The Muses are recording again all together while her second solo release is undeniably one of the most affecting , magic records around . She dezerved to become famous and she dezerzes to be rediscovered once again .