Customer Reviews

Walk of Life

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The follow-up to her debut Honey to the B, Walk of Life (2000) is British actress Billie Piper's second and final CD. More slickly produced and featuring a bigger wall of sound than its predecessor, Walk of Life nevertheless hews closely to the formula set down on the first disk: highly processed synth-pop odes to love, sex, and independence. Sadly, this release marked the end of Piper's musical career: she would later crash and burn, then reinvent herself as an actress.

The big singles are all right up front: "Day and Night," "Something Deep Inside," and "Walk of Life." Of these three, the title track is clearly the standout, a wonderfully delivered love song whose sentiments are surprisingly sincere and free of cynicism. This might possibly be Piper's best vocal performance. Other highlights include a delightful cover of "The Tide is High," featuring a brief rap mid-song that pokes playful fun at Piper's celebrity, and "Run that by Me," the closest Piper gets to a straightforward rock number. But the real gem of this collection is the final track, "Misfocusing," whose lyrics are leagues more complex and mature than anything else Piper recorded, and her beautiful vocals are strongly reminiscent of a young Jewel. In hindsight, this song is like a sad coda to Piper's short-lived pop stardom.

Other strong numbers on the CD are "Safe with Me," "Ring My Bell," and "Promises." There's less filler than on Honey to the B: "Bring It On," "Because of You," and "What Game is This?" pad out the disk, but again, nothing cringe-inducing.

It's a shame that Piper turned so thoroughly away from music (though it's not surprising, given the difficulties she encountered). Nobody will ever mistake her for a great musician or a great vocalist, but she plainly had a knack for catchy pop, and her sheer bravado as a singer more than compensated for the weaknesses in her material. Her fans will probably always be left wondering what might have resulted had she ever teamed up with a more creative writing team and tackled more substantive material.

Meaning no whiny southern Britney, howling Christina or Jessicas or Wispy-voiced Mandy...by the way I'm fans of all of these stars but Billie stands out from the rest. IF you are looking for the true-pop sound without some annoying voice then this IS the album!

1. Billies star number is track 1, "Day and Night" a punching dance number with a great video and catchy lyrics!

2.Something Deep INside- The remix of this song is really really good with funky effects, a disco beat and just a great song!

3.Walk Of Life- The title track has a really nice video and the song is very easy going. the lyrics are meaningful and its just a different style of pop songs!

4.Safe With Me- One of my favorite songs, Billie adds a "Lucky" By Britney Spears style bass to a slow song with really nice lyrics, harmonies, guitar parts and other music.

5.Bring It On- Shame this wasn't out b4 the movie! Anyway Bring It ON is a catchy song to sing to with sort of a fast calypso beat in the background.

6.Ring My Bell- A really funky song, Billie drawls about her boyfriend coming over. A different sound to her voice and the song is actually really catchy!

7.The Tide Is High- This song is a cover of the Blondie hit way back when, but with a more upbeat feel and tempo. Billie really hits the notes in this fun song and the rap bit is cute.

8.Run That By Me- The lyrics to this are really sorta funny and its a great break-up song where vocals are the focus. A catchy chorus and a bit of a rock bit makes this a great track!

9.Promises- I can hear this song in the opening to Dawsons Creek. A mid-tempo track with a nice guitar bit and harmony, the lyrics speak of teenage drama.

10.Because Of You- This is actually a really interesting song because it mixes a bit of techno with disco and latin music. A good catchy filler for the album

11.What Game Is This- This song could easily be on any popstrels album and sound mediocre. ON this CD "What Game" is the break-up anthem with a catchy chorus and sound effects.

12.Misfocusing- A really sad song about how the media and fans of Billie tear her apart constantly. THe lyrics are really deep and I often listen to it if I feel a bit sad.

So check out Billie, even if you don't know her music I guarantee a pleasant poppy surprise!

It is very unfortunate that she quit singing in 2001 when she was whisked away by Chris Evans. its been 3 years and she's blossuming as an actress after rave reviews in The Canterbery Tales: Miller's Tale.
Anyway, on with her album:
Billie has changed since her first album. This album (Walk of Life) is much more mature than her first album Honey to the B. Honey to the B was more sugary, Walk of Life's a whole new world. All her tracks were great to listen to. Highlights of the album are: Day & Night, Something Deep Inside, Safe With Me, Tide is High, What Game is this, and Misfocusing.
Overall:

1. Day & Night - Very very catchy, the single CD's have awesome remixes. If she gave effort in promoting this one in the US, she could easily have crushed Britney's Oops I Did It Again (they were released approx. the same time) _#1 IN THE UK_

2. Something Deep Inside - I heard the original first (radio mix is in the album), once I heard the one on the album (with earphones, I went CRAZY. It really "tickles" your ears and makes you move. _#2 IN THE UK_

3. Walk of Life - This single flopped in the UK, I knew it was gonna flop, because I felt it wasn't single material. Something tells me that billie felt forced to release this song because it was also her album title. This was her last single. This song has an overall different feel to the rest of her songs.

4. Safe With Me - An AWESOME ballad about someone who's afraid to love. Beautiful lyrics, similar to Walk of Life, but is MUCH MUCH better. If it was released (maybe mixed) it should max at #1.

5. Bring it On - Slightly annoying, But the music is upbeat and very catchy. not too bad.

6. Ring My Bell - Catchy, great tune, funny song.
7. Tide is High - remake of the previous Tide Is High (blondie's i think, not sure). Very Very Upbeat, with a tune similar to Madonna's "Don't Tell Me".

8. Run That By Me - Girl power song. It has a rock music feel to it. It certainly adds diversity. Lyrics are beautifully done. very edgy.

9. Promises - I'd say this one's a tad bit like Safe With Me, except a different topic. just a tad bit like SWM. Another ballad with beautiful lyrics.

10. Because of You - This song is great, only if it was remixed it would be perfect. Catchy, upbeat, but lacks a little something.

11. What game is this - Powerful song about cheating. I can see Avril Lavigne singing this song at the moment. Sounds like rock. (not punk rock)

12. Misfocusing - this is, to me, a celebrity's anthem. About the downsides of being a celebrity, you're friends betray you, and when the tabloids talk crap about you. Billie has experienced it all. Kinda puts you in billie's shoes and makes you think. Music is mellow.

I'm a huge Billie fan & just loved her debut album, "Honey to the B," and think it's one of the best debut albums ever released!

Billie's sophomore effort features a whole new sound for her--harder, more punchy, more agressive & mature. She still has that same great set of "pipes" (pun intended) that she puts to great use on tracks like the #1 single "Day & Night" & her recent top 5 smash (in the UK) "Something Deep Inside." These songs are very infectious & danceable & don't sound so "poppy"; I have the enhanced cd's to these two and the videos are FANTASTIC, highly recommended.

Also of note on this album...the title track is very lush, beautiful, uplifting--though the background vocals sound identical to those on Paula Abdul's song, "Crazy Cool." Another great track on here is the soulful "Run That By Me"...a really catchy tune! The cover of Blondie's "The Tide is High" is okay, sounds a bit on the rushed side, and a bit too "poppy"...and while I like "Ring My Bell," the background vocals kind of get in the way.

However, the songs on this album succeed more often than not (the title track is my personal fave--and it'll be the 3rd single). I feel that this is a wonderful cd for all you Billie fans. If you were a fan of her music before, you'll have a bit of adjusting to do, as this album is a *LOT* more grown up! But then, I'm a grown-up adult, and I still think she's the most invigorating breath of fresh air that pop music has seen in a LONG while!

This is a great album, the songs are a lot different from Honey to the B, the songs are more mature. I am 19 now, and I loved the first album when it came out, and I just got this one. The songs are great, to really appriciate the CD you should listen to it a few times through completely before making any judgements. When I listened through the first time I didn't care for many of the songs, but after listening to the album a few times, I'm really starting to enjoy the CD, "Walk of Life" has matured with Billie as a singer, I won't go as far as to say the songs are better, they're just different, if you like Billie, give the cd a listen, you'll probably enjoy it... and if you don't like Billie, then listen to a few of the clips, you may like the CD as well.

Walk Of Life shows us a more mature Billie Piper. After Honey to the B she took more control and half of the songs (the better ones, I have to say) are co-written by her. Day & Night, the opening song and first single of the album is probably the best, too bad that it was overshadowed by Britney Spears hit "Oops I Did It Again" when released; it is definitely better than Oops. "Something Deep Inside", a slower, more r'n'b flavored song follows, this one seems to be targeted at the American audience more than Day & Night. The rest of the album has nice ballads like "Safe With Me" and "Promises", songs done in the style of the first album, but a little above of them, like "Because of You", and a cover of Blondie's hit "The Tide Is High".

Besides the singles my favorite songs are "Ring My Bell" (not the Anita Ward song, this is completely different and better), "Because of You" and "What Game Is This?". I almost always skip "Bring It On", "Run That By Me" and "Misfocusing" (they aren't bad, but neither really good).

Overall, this is a good pop album.

Hello, and welcome to review forum. Today's review question:
Does Walk Of Life make Billie Piper the UK's Britney Spears? That question answered after this review.

The first two singles are the first two songs on the album. "Day & Night" has a suspiciously BSB sound, what with the power pop chords pounded out like "Backstreet's Back" and "Larger Than Life". That makes me cringe, but the chorus and the reminder that it is a British popster doing it alleviates my gut. As for "Something Deep Inside", her voice is Britneyesque, as is the chorus and styling, comparable to Britney's songs.

Listening to the title track reminds me once more how British pop is superior to American pop, as I mentioned in my Kylie reviews.
This is the sort of music that could've saved the Spice Girls in the post-Geri era. I don't know if this dreamy, keyboard-oriented song is planned as a single, but if it is, good move!

"Ring My Bell" not the Gloria Gaynor disco hit, is a mid-paced number that has Billie dipping into the Spice Girls' filler cupboard from Spice and adding a Christmas tree worth of keyboards, while "Run That By Me" has her tearing a page from the book of All Saints.

Her cover of Blondie's "The Tide Is High" is done tastefully, with some male rap dialogue interspersed within and a Phil Spectorish wall of sound discernable. My favorite on this album, with "Walk Of Life" close at #2.

The over-reliance of the layered wall to wall backing chorus does not give Billie's vocal talents a chance to shine through as they did on her previous effort.

Answer: In some places, Miss Piper does sound Britneyesque, but overall, she has her stylings and personality.

Beautiful voice, great melodies, killer tracks! Many tracks are co-written by Ms. Piper, and the CD is a beautiful addition to any collection. Fast songs to dance to, slow songs to chill to. A great collection of music from the talented young British pop star!

grab this one! well, i wasn't a billie fan until her first single from her second album, "day & night", now, after listening toher second and first album, one word, great! her second album has great songs from track 1 to 7, at least! i like her style of music and her voice is very special, guess what? i'm her fan now, "walk on life" is definitely one of your collection series album!

1. Day And Night 10/10
2. Something Deep Inside (radio mix) 10/10
3. Walk Of Life 9/10
4. Safe With Me 9/10
5. Bring It On 7/10
6. Ring My Bell 10/10
7. The Tide Is High 9/10
8. Run That By Me (One More Time) 7/10
9. Promises 9/10
10. Because Of You 10/10
11. What Game Is This? 6/10
12. Misfocusing 5/10