Customer Reviews

Voila

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For those who think Belinda Carlisle's career peaked with "Heaven Is a Place on Earth," (her subsequent, brilliant albums woefully overlooked in the U.S.) with VOILA, they've got an earth-shattering surprise of the most delightful kind in store. Those of us who've heard Belinda Carlisle perform live know that she is the real deal -- a genuine talent with a fantastic range and charisma to spare -- and VOILA finds her attaining an entirely new level of achievement that's genuinely thrilling. You've got to admire an artist who challenges herself with a project like this...and hits it "out of the ballpark." While the material is classic, here it is never derivative and often very surprising, with adventurous instrumentation, arrangements, production and, of course, Carlisle's flawless singing.

VOILA is Belinda Carlisle's "tour de force." Don't miss it!

Belinda Carlisle takes an ooh la la stance on affairs of the heart with this highly-anticipated release. Heavenly and hook-laden in the 80's, Belinda sheds her polished Regan-era image for French street cred and the result is an eclectic array of songs dealing with such timeless themes heartache, lust, and of course, love.

Sharpening her teeth on the French language, Belinda places an erratic spin on such themes by feeding off a number of musical genres for this release including folk, dance, and electronic indie numbers. "Bonnie Et Clyde" sounds fitting for an obscure French spy movie, while "Ma Jeunesse Fout Le Camp" aches with Belinda's pitch-perfect wail in the background, fitting for a French-Middle Eastern fusion. Entering campy territory with "Contact", listeners will quickly note a Belinda left uncovered in the past: a woman on the verge of taking a risk.

I have been waiting a long time for a new Cd since Belinda's-A Woman And A Man, constantly checking on Amazon to see if she was coming out with anything new.

Well let me tell you I was like a kid on Christmas morning squealing with delight when I saw she was coming out with a new CD...and I nearly fell out of my chair when I found out it was entirely in French...sheer bliss!!

Could one of the most Beautiful voices on Earth be singing in one of the most beautiful languages...a dream come true for me!! I have always been a big fan of Belinda's and I'm a lover of French pop music such as Mylene Farmer,Mitsou,Alizee,Coralie Clement,Zazie and now Belinda, so needless to say this is a marriage made in Heaven!

Her vocals have always had such a sweet vibration so unique and glorious,listening to her sing gives me goosebumps.I'm sure other of her fans would agree.

Voila Takes a hold of you and doesn't let go, all of the songs are sung with such emotion that a couple of them even brought me to tears.

Merci Belinda for this precious gift you have given me and the world.

I must say that Belinda makes a definitive comeback with her new album, Voila. I was a little skeptical at first, about how this album may be (since it's sung entirely in french). I must say I was simply blown away when listening to, Voila. Belinda's voice sounds better than ever, and her french is simply hypnotic. I'm so excited for her and recommend this album to any Belinda Carlisle/Go-Go's fan.

Belinda Carlisle has returned to the music industry and to my ears...it's a welcomed return. Even though the cd is entirely sung in French, it's one of her best (and I don't even speak the language). The cd I bought also came with an extra cd of four of the songs sung in English and I actually prefer the french versions. Her vibrato wraps around these songs like they were made for each other. A MUST have for any Carlisle fan.

As so many have already mentioned, I too was disappointed when I heard that this new CD was sung entirely in French. It wasn't until I sampled some tracks on Belinda's myspace page that I began to grasp the scope of this project. I was fortunate enough to get the CD four days before it was released and was able to MEET Belinda at her CD signing in New York City...a day I will never forget!

I have been listening to this CD everyday since and cannot get over how truly amazing it is. Never before has Belinda's voice sounded so rich and so full of emmotion. She didn't just record an album; she created an experience. You can do nothing but surrender yourself to the journey Belinda takes you on with this collection. From the haunting Bonnie Et Clyde to the--blow the roof off the joint--Jezebel, Belinda delivers sheer perfection at every turn that will surprise even her most loyal of fans. Avec Le Temps is without a doubt the greatest vocal accomplishment of her career. The heart wrenching performance cuts straight to the soul. Her vocals so incredibly brilliant there is simply no language barrier.

This album will serve as Belinda Carlisle's greatest legacy...an artist taking a risky chance and succeeding beyond anyone's wildest imagination.

I have always been a huge Belinda Carlisle fan right from the Go Go's days. I own all her solo cds and don't dislike any songs of hers at all. When I heard that a new cd was finally done I was estatic. When I heard that it was all in French, I was a little disappointed. When I actually heard the cd for myself - I was nothing short of impressed.
This is a fantastic cd that you HAVE to listen to whether you are a fan or not. If you are a fan, don't be put off by the change of pace for Belinda - it's an amazing cd and she suits it very well. Her vocals are as classy as ever and the song choices are superb. I love all tracks almost equally, but to me, the absolute standout song is La Vie en Rose (you'll know it when you hear it). If you can get this cd with the bonus english tracks then all the better, but you'll love this cd regardless.
While it is a very different pace from her, it's terrific and fresh and I cannot stop playing it in my iPod. I truly enjoy it and while I can't wait for a new english cd, this doesn't disappoint at all. It's great.

I am sitting at work RIGHT NOW, with my ipod earphones discretely on, listening to Jezebel and La Vie En Rose...over..and over...and over...and over...and over....it is all I can do not to stand up and start singing or dancing to this great music. Belinda has outdone herself; she has never sounded better vocally, and the arrangements are spectacular. As another reviewer said, I didn't think I would like this that much either; but I LOVE IT.

I just wish this would get more promotion than it has; I truly think it could be a decent selling release with the right push. Anyhow, it's made me happy!

Belinda Carlisle's 7th studio album, "Voila!", makes it's stateside debut on 2/6/07. Get this... it's sung completely in French. This album is fanfreakingtastic. I can only guess at the accuracy of Belinda's pronunciation but it doesn't matter here. Whatever she is singing about is brimming with emotion and conviction. The album has an essentially pop feel to it but there is a nice diversity of music here. It has a very honest, earthy feel tinged with electronic modernity. Listening to this must certainly be the modern day equivalent of watching a Godard film during the French New Wave.

The team, which includes John Reynolds as Producer, and Brian Eno, Natacha Atlas, and Sharon Shannon as session artists, et al, has infused East Indian sounds into the western melodies creating a beautiful, trance-like quality; most evident on "Ma Jeunesse Fout Le Camp"

How do you credibly remake "La Vie En Rose"? Give it a beatnik inspired bongo beat, layer Belinda's stadium quality vocals on the chorus, revisit the transcendental East Indian warble and make what had better be marketed as the next big club hit! I dare you not to have visions of Grace Kelly in her convertible gliding through Monte Carlo as thousands of doves swarm the twilight skies when you listen to this.

I don't know exactly what's happening to the poor girl in "Ne Me Quitte Pas" but it's powerful. If her man doesn't have roses in his hand when he comes home- he'd better stay gone. Belinda has gone beyond singing pop music and entered musical storytelling. Forget tracing a "Circle in the Sand". Drive your Citroen off that "Emotional Highway". These are real feelings, raw and visceral resonations.

Don't let the soft opening fool you, "Des Ronds Dans L'eau" is catchy, funky, and beautiful. Of special note are the very French feeling accordion, the pulsing synth sound evoking a bubble machine and, of course, the interesting juxtaposition of Belinda's vocals snapping from a sense of resignation to dictator-like zeal. (The guitar strums in the opening sound remarkably like the opening to her last single, "All God's Children".)

Tilt my beret and butter my croissant! "Sous Le Ciel De Paris" couldn't be more French. Belinda's "mmm hmmms" have a certain je ne se quoi (did I spell that right?) that smacks of artsy fartsy, Foucault inspired, intellectual elitism. Kudos to whoever thought up the Les Miserable chorus- Vive La Revolution! The chanting legion is brilliantly place over a backdrop of a mysterious and uniquely French sounding "circus on the moon" style rhythms.

"Jezebel" sounds like a stagecoach robbery would feel. If you aren't sweating after hearing this, you aren't human. There are amazing Spanish guitars on this number. Do I hear that French accordion again? An inspired blend- seriously. The gunshot evoking "clap clap clap" adds drama and, of course, Belinda is storytelling again. There is massive energy coming from her voice. You can feel the frenzy in her last "Jez- ah- bel-l-l-l" which leaves her spent as the last breath leaves her throat.

"Merci Cherie" is beautiful, emotional and well executed. Of particular note is the snare drum. Dropped over that fabulous accordion it brings an emotional resolve to the song that serves it well.

Remember Audrey Hepburn contorting her body to the hip beatnik rhythms in "Funny Face"? Funk that up with a shiny, silver, skin-tight spacesuit and hang out with Carlos Castaneda to truly understand "Contact". What a cool song. No idea what the original was like but this spacey, echoy, dusty vinyl sound with click track is very catchy.

"Pourtant Tu M'aimes" is a sort of 'best of the rest'. All the great parts of the other songs come together here with a syncopated beat. It opens with a groovy, minimalist interpretation of contstructivist factory sounds and becomes a fully produced, rock styled pop song. This may offend some, but... This is the most Go-Go's friendly track. Not that there has to be one, but can't you just hear Jane in the background; Kathy grinding that bass. Charlotte gets to pull out the keyboard (can she play the accordion?) and Gina could drive the hell out of this number in place of the click track. Do it y'all!

"Avec Le Temps" is a dream. It's lilting and spiritual. The strings and xylophone provide an ethereal backdrop, which ebbs and swells creating a gentle passage of time hinting at eternity but ultimately hindered by mortality. The squishy echoes help deepen the space and, with the right sound system, would make a very cool planetarium experience. Belinda, were you crying when you sang this? **sniff** I bet you were.

"Bonnie Et Clyde"! What fresh Bel(inda) this is! This is another example of Belinda's obvious work paying off. I imagine there is a bit of credit due to John Reynolds here too, but listen to her opening script- She pulls the listener in as a unique blend of sex kitten and master of ceremonies. Don't quite understand the jungle sounds in the background but they work. Guess it's part of the East Indian thing- love it. Everyone say it with me- "Bah-knee and Cly-y-deh"
Very Belinda, that delivery.

Vive "Voila!" ;)

I've always adored Belinda Carlisle and have been quite disappointed that she hasn't released an album (sans the Go-Gos) since "A Woman and a Man" over 10 years ago. She definitely has matured and does a fantastic job with this album that's totally in French (plus a 4-single CD in English). If you'd like to hear what Madeleine Peyroux (Careless Love) would sound like with a beat of an upbeat tempo, this may be the CD for you. It's great for listening as music in the background or for driving in the car when you want a little pick-me-up. Congrats, Belinda!