Customer Reviews

Sylvia Hotel

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Once again Cheryl Wheeler has released a selection of songs that at one minute makes you laugh so hard that you are crying and at the next, you are crying so hard that you start to laugh. It talks of everyday issues, of love lost and moving on, it is a deep, touching and often funny work. She has a voice of an angle and the wit of a stand-up comedian. But it is the depth and beauty of her song writing that is her true gift. If you have never seen Cheryl Wheeler sing live, then you are truely missing one of the most magical events in music today. Sylvia Hotel captures a snapshot of that magic with live recordings of Unworthy and Potato but the real beauty of the recording for me comes in the lovely but sad title song, the lonely Lighting Up the Mighty Mississippi and Rainy Road Into Atlanta. Also All the Live Long Day and But the Days and Nights are Long are stand outs. Sylvia Hotel is one of the most satisfying releases in a long time, it is not to be missed.

I bought this album several months ago and really love it. At first listening I would have called it a 3.5 or 4-star album: the production is a tad heavy in places, and Cheryl's voice is smoother and less gritty than in her live performances (aside from the two live tracks). But unexpectedly, this album grew on me in a big way. Cheryl's lyrics are deceptively simple and so insightful about the small pleasures in life. His Hometown and Lighting Up The Mighty Mississippi in particular I find just incredibly moving--I feel like they'll be with me a long time. I guess I can understand why other reviews rated this album lower--a couple of tracks are weaker than the standouts--but every review is personal, and I can only say that Cheryl Wheeler has touched me personally with this album. If you are a fan of wistful, beautiful singer-songwriter music, you just may feel the same way. Five stars, at least.

The title track to Cheryl Wheeler's last album, "Mrs. Pinnocci's Guitar" is a story about a late-night sing-along where neighbors and friends sat around on the porch and shared what they knew through the medium of music. "Sylvia Hotel" creates the same effect. Wheeler is constantly reviewing and observing the emotions and situations she knows best. If the subject matter seems mundane, her language and subtle phrasing take songs such as "If it Were Up to Me," "Meow," and "His Hometown" from folkie to divinely simple songs that defy classification. One standout is the breathless "But the Days and Nights are Long" (originally titled "Boulder Hotel Room" in concert), which uses a repetition of rhyme and deceptive verse form to lament and resolve lost love situations in all their forms. The inclusion of live tracks and live studio takes on Wheeler's most recent records helps to convey both her enthusiasm and humor that would otherwise only be available live in concert. The only drawback to this album may be an overabundance of pedal steel and dobro sounds, which never quite seem to fit Cheryl's straightforward vocal style. Perhaps a solo 'cello or oboe would have better suited tracks such as "Sylvia Hotel" or "...Nighs are Long." Overall, this is a grand mixture of poignant and lightheartedness that showcases Wheeler's strengths and puts them, finally, in the spotlight.

I'm a big Wheeler fan, and am thrilled with Sylvia Hotel. There are so many beautiful songs (including my favorite, Rainy Road Into Atlanta) which are filled with evocative images. If it Were Up to Me is a song for the 90s, a rallying cry in response to recent schoolyard shootings and the proliferation of guns. I saw her perform this at the Newport Folk Festival, where she received a lengthy standing ovation and I didn't think the song could be done any better -- but the music on the track in this album is incredibly moving. There is even a very funny surprise track. I can't wait to see how Cheryl Wheeler tops this album!

Wheeler has such a beautiful and expressive that even if she wasn't a singer-songwriter she would have a career in Music. She is also a great performer, and a funny woman, making all this together, an artist you can't resist.

This is Wheeler 5th release and not much different than her previous releases. Her songs are mostly personal, about being an everyday woman, an average person living in a crazy word. In But The Days And Nights Are Long, she sings:

Life is short, but the days and nights are long
Time will heal all the wounds
Someday soon I'll be rising, I'll be strong..."

In an anti-gun song, which is, as it should be the most rocking song, If It Were Up To
Me, she makes a list of the reasons that make people kill, but accuses the guns:

Maybe it's the movies, maybe it's the books
Maybe it's the bullets, maybe it's the real crooks
Maybe it's the drugs....
...
Maybe It's the fertilizer, maybe it's the nose rings
Maybe it's the end, but I know one thing
If it were up to me, I'd Take away the guns.

A very effective song, that could convince some people (am I still too optimistic, at my
age?) and may save a few life. A must listen for every congressman, tired of
impeachments and other apples.

Sylvia Hotel is a great addition to a brilliant career, by one of the most significant
female singer-songwriters of American music.

Cheryl is very new to me, however, I have heard other, local Seattle performers, do her music, they didn't compare to the real thing. This is a great CD, with wonderful guitar sound, as well as a piece of Cheryl's humorous side. She sings touching and wonderful songs, as well as some funny, saterical (sp?) songs. An excellent buy, I find a new favorite on this CD every time I listen to it.

I live in Colorado and was just down the street from Columbine High School when the shootings occurred. It was an overwhelming time for many of us, in Colorado and elsewhere, and it was hard to find ways to deal with the confusion and anger and frustration. Shortly after the shootings several radio stations started to play a song called "If It Were Up To Me". I'd never heard it before, but I rushed out and bought a copy of Sylvia Hotel. It is a powerful song with an even more powerful message and for me, it was perfect for that whole horrible incident. It expressed my confusion and frustration. I don't know the answer to these horrible things happening in our world, but I have some thoughts on how we can at least try to fix it! (I won't ruin the power of the song by giving it away...)

While I bought the album for just one song, the rest of the album has hooked me and I can hardly pick out a favorite song over the rest. "But the Days and Night Are Long", "Sylvia Hotel", "Rainy Road Into Atlanta" and "Lighting Up the Mighty Mississippi" are some of my favorite ballads ever--and I LOVE ballads! Meanwhile, Cheryl shows some wonderful versatility with fun songs like "Potato" and "Unworthy". If you've ever attended a Lilith Fair, if you own an Indigo Girls, Natalie Merchant, or Joan Armatrading CD, or if you just want to hear some really great music by a really talented musician, buy this CD!

After happening across my first Cheryl album at a flea market for $2, and falling in love with it, I have bought all 5 others without hearing a song off them. Cheryl has never dissappointed me yet. Especially with her latest "SLYVIA HOTEL". I had never knew of Cheryl's hilarious comic side, except for "Estate Sale" or "Is it Peace Or is It Prozac?", but after hearing her live at the Thornebury CofeeHouse in Winston-Salem, NC, I have never laughed so much in my life. Not only was the show sold out , but she didn't even have any extra copies of "Sylvia Hotel"left to sell. Her show contained at least 8 of "Sylvia Hotel's" tracks. All were fantastic to hear live. I have listened to this album at least 100 times and it's gonna be hard to beat .The lyrics are sad and touching one minute("Sylvia Hotel" "But the Days and Nights are Long") happy and funny the next("Meow" "Unworthy" "Potato"). This album simply shows what an amazing talent and what a nice and charming person Cheryl Wheeler really is.Anyone who can write a song about a potato or a touching song about her pets and still be so entertaing at the same time is a trooper in my book! Way to go Cheryl. YOU GO GIRL!!! Can't wait for the next album!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the most insightful, eloquent, and fun songwriters working today, Cheryl Wheeler is a treasure to listen to on Sylvia Hotel, whether she's singing a thoughtful ballad like "If It Were Up to Me," a touching tribute like "His Hometown," or a fun bit of wordplay like "Potato." Her serious songs don't evoke sadness as much as consideration, and her more light-hearted tunes are always well-crafted reminders that we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. It's only life, after all.

I can't tell you if Sylvia Hotel is her best, worst, or what-have-you -- I like pretty much everything she writes and sings. What I CAN tell you is that if you enjoy singer/songwriters with a brain who can write smart lyrics that sound deceivingly simple and clear, you'll like this album. And, in fact, you'll probably end up buying more of her CDs once this one has infused itself into your brain.

Lastly, I will say that listening to the "Samples" on the product page may help you decide IF you already know you like Cheryl. If you're not really familiar with her style yet, though, those Samples don't really do her justice because a lot of her charm comes through in the storytelling, which takes a little longer than the Samples allow.

As with every one of Cheryl's CDs, the more you listen to this one, the more you like it. Her lyrics are "spot-on" and her melodies fit the lyrics beautifully. If you've recently gone through the end of any kind of relationship, there are a number of songs on this CD that will seem as if they're written for you. But there are also a number of comic numbers that hint at Cheryl's great sense of humor. I would recommend this CD to anyone!