Customer Reviews

When I Look Down That Road

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at this time in my life, this is the "soundtrack," if you will, for this period. I love Melissa and I absolutely LOVE THIS CD! When Melissa sings about "Bend," "Crazy Lovin' You," "Where the Truth Lies" and "After all This Time," it's as if she's peering into a window into my life and relationship with my husband. With "Angels Dancing" and "Still Myself," a window into my soul when I'm in self reflection and with "A Mother's Prayer," what I want for my daughters. I've always been a big fan of Melissa's music ("Home to Myself," anyone?)from the beginning and while she was away, I missed her much. Like she said, "I'll Know You by Your Heart" and I knew when I bought this CD, my soul would be nourished. A welcome return by an artist who was my "Norah Jones" when I was younger and whose work rings true at this point in my life...A CLASSIC!

Ever stumble upon something in nature - so fragile, so beautiful - you hold your breathe, absorbing as much as you can see or hear... knowing that what you've stumbled upon is truly unique and needs to be fully appreciated...

Probably makes no sense to you - unless you've heard this CD.

Right from the first track, my ears strained to absorb as much as I possibly could of what Melissa Manchester was offering . I was instantly surprised (& impressed) at the new smokiness in her voice, loving the accoustic accompaniments, the raw-emotion lyrics... When the first track ended, I played it again. After it played the second time, I laid down on the floor & played it yet again - lights out, eyes closed - and just absorbed every note I could.

Most of the album is like this. One track misses the mark, for me (track #9) - but other than that, the CD is flawless. It's one of those CDs that will stay in my CD player for a long, long time. (Much like Lorraine Feather's "Cafe Society" CD)

Manchester's new CD is truly haunting - musically & lyrically. Someimes, in the past, she's had a tendancy to "oversing" - not so, with this new effort. And, it pays off, too. She's produced an incredible musical jewel - you can feel the love she's poured into this project - and it's so worth every cent paid to own it.

As a matter of fact, I've bought 4 additional copies of this CD (as gifts for friends) - and know I'll be buying more. It's a very, very important CD. The fact that Melissa writes in her liner notes how, after 10 years, she's returning to what she loved doing, is inspirational to so many of us out there who might currently feel like they've been "running in place" for too long & have lost their sense of direction. This CD has even helped me to examine where I am in life - and my own wants/needs.

Quite an accomplishment, this CD - and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Haunting illumination open this superb collection of very personal songs and "I'll Know You By Your Heart" is so fine! "Angels Dancing" a soft rocker has great tempo changes and breaks in some inspired harmonica rifts mixed with hot guitar licks and a loose Manchester vocal. Classic piano open "Bend" that is unmistakably Melissa with a fine vocal that weaves a spell and pleads for openmindness a timely topic with a certain urgency today. Bongo and a soft guitar brilliantly surround a glorious "When Paris Was A Woman" which features a quitely passionate vocal by Melissa. "After All This Time" is a flowing power-passion soft rocker that features another inspired vocal mixed with great players! Playful and fun is "Lucky Break" and introspective examination of past to present is the theme of title song "When I Look Down That Road". A brilliant teaming with Rupert Holmes produces the haunting and mystical "Where The Truth Lies" weaving a spell of regret over unrequited love. "Thank You For Your Faith In Me" is a passionate song of thanks to another for believing while "Still Myself" is a deep inward look of self exmination. "Crazy Loving You" celebrates quirky blind love and "A Mother's Prayer" is classic Melissa at the keyboard and singing great on this beautiful closer in a winning collection of originals...don't miss this great work and hopefully Grammy won't miss this great set either...Bravo Melissa!

This CD is a return to the original Melissa Manchester some of us remember in the early '70's, before record companies molded, sculpted, and twisted her music to match the "trends" of the times. Through the 80's and 90's Melissa and her true musical talent got lost in the "over production" and "product marketing" aspect of mainstream music. She even tried techno in the 80's.

Now this. Her voice shines through. This is music that comes from her heart. And the lyrics...lyrics are back! This time she did it her way. It's fresh, clean, and honest.

She's a truly talented artist, performer, and songwriter. I believe she may finally get the credit she deserves, if the world will only take the time to listen.

Singer/songwriter Melissa Manchester proves she's still got what it takes to satisfy listeners on her latest album "When I Look Down That Road". It is her first release in close to a decade.

While fans will find material here that's classic Melissa ("Angels Dancing," "When Paris Was a Woman"), many cuts indicate a clear evolution for her, both sonically and lyrically. A biting example is the slinky "I'll Know You By Your Heart" which beckons repeated listens. "There will be something so familiar/As if we never have been strangers/I'll know your scent, your touch, the way we'll love/Though we've never touched before".

Indeed, the extensive wait for the record was worth it, as it contains what she felt was missing from her music ten years ago. "I left because I could no longer make records that sounded less and less like me," she explained. "I tried to please people instead of believing in my own strength, until the only thing I could do was walk away."

The simple, laid-back production throughout makes the record more intimate and slow burning than it would have been otherwise. Songs such as the upbeat "Lucky Break," which is driven by a pump organ, or the first single "After All This Time" featuring Keb' Mo', certainly sound more unique since they have not been subjected to noisy studio production. The overall sound of the album is one that finds its strength from its lyrics and music, not from predictable hooks or studio gloss.

The lyrics from the forlorn "Bend" ring true for so many. "Here I am talkin' to the walls again/So I wait so damn polite/Pride's a big waste of time/And don't you know, nobody wins?/If you could bend a little, I would try a little/Can't you see that it's the heart of love/That heals the pain a little?".

"Where The Truth Lies", which she conveys exceptionally, is wrenching all the more. "I should have seen it/But I was too blind to see/'Cause I was swept away by something close to rapture/But you can't recapture something that you never had."

In a fickle music industry where pop stars are dime a dozen and artistic integrity is as common as four leaf clovers, it is both refreshing and encouraging to see someone of Manchester's caliber return and do what she does best; creating fresh, honest musical rapture that people can truly can care about. Superb albums such as "When I Look Down That Road" are worth the wait.

Once again Ms Manchester regroups and changes with the times, only to reflect one of her truest most passions...singing and songwriting from the heart. She has come full circle and back to her roots in the days of Home To Myself and Bright Eyes. Back to accoustics and less drama, more in the contempoary vein of Norah Jones and Diana Krall. Those who are familiar with her will either love this CD or hate it, depending on which time period attracted them to her. But a good ear and smart heart can't ignore the likes of I'll Know You By Your Heart. It's sultry, Sade-ish sparce sound with the words and wisdom of Joni Mitchell. Manchester's vocals are raw and exciting as it embraces the lyric and releases it's strength and vulnerability.

The best cut on this CD is Angels Dancing, a story line about people in everyday life that touch you...if your hand is out. Her vocals sore to new heights and total confidence against a light rock backround. If AOR stations were intellegent, they would be playing this along side Shawn Colvin and many others like this genre. While the MOR stations would pick up Bend, perhaps one of the best ballads of the year. Lyrically and musically, this song is one that most will be able to relate. It may even remind you of Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me. I'm sure that this will be discovered by a country artist that will turn this into a huge coiuntry hit. Go for it Faith Hill!!
Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes or LeAnn Womack may try to grab it!

There are many new colaborators here with Manchester including Rupert Homes Where The Truth Lies and Paul Williams Crazy Loving You. Other highlights include the top 10 single After All This Time with Keb' Mo', When I Look Down That Road, the funky Lucky Break and the Japan bonus track It's The Light.
She also included as a bonus her solo live version of the Columbine inspired A Mother's Prayer. She plays it live with her piano in a Carole King like essence of her Midnight Blue days. Also check her duet version with Colin Raye.

Melissa Manchester has managed to remain contemporary while at the same time remember her musical roots on this fine recording. The result: vocal prowess not heard from her in years (and a vocal style that's new for her, and very effective), a pared-down production that lets the lyrics achieve their full impact, and real listenability.

I am a big fan of MELISSA MANCHESTER, but only the MELISSA MANCHESTER of the 1970's. Her albums of the 70's were some of the best music that I've ever heard. Her post-70's music were a big disappointment to me - too "Las Vegas" sounding.

From the insert of her CD "When I Look Down That Road," MELISSA wrote "I walked away from making records ten years ago. At a time when I felt that, musically, I had come to the end of a road . . . Music seemed to be getting louder. Technically more synthetic and computerized. A soul could easily get lost. And as the times became more troubled, I yearned for a quieter, more acoustic world."

With this CD, MELISSA has returned to her roots with songs that have great lyrics. She has a unique singing voice that is a pleasure to my ears and soul. I truly hope that MELISSA stays the course and continues to release CDs that are this good.

After ten years, Melissa's returned with a wonderful cd that echos her first few albums of the early 70's. Gone are the overblown arrangements, belters, and techno pop. This set includes new songs that are sultry, steamy, inspired, intimate, with beat lines and chords that not only keep your foot tapping, but your mind humming. She plays piano again, does most of her own backing vocals, and makes you feel she could be in your own living room with this excellent release. It's a great "driving" cd, too! Welcome back, Melissa!

This is real music; poetic, lyrical, imaginative, and strong. Melissa should be appearing on Leno, Letterman and every talk show performing her incredible style. This is Grammy material!