Customer Reviews

Who We Are

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Hope Partlow proved to me there is potential in that enormous mass of pop/ rock females though. She is one I just happened to hear on the radio and I really loved the song Who We Are. The lyrics mean a lot to a world we live in these days and her voice is actually pretty strong. Then I heard Sick Inside a few times and I grew to really love that song as well for it sounds like such a painful song. I knew then I had to check her c.d. out and hear what she holds. I eventually bought it after hearing such tracks as the amazngly powerful Don't Go, the fun Crazy Summer Nights, and the hearbreaking It's Too Late. Here a short review of the entire c.d. of Who We Are:

1) Who We Are- A- The first song I heard from Hope, and it is still as powerful as the first time I heard it. The Saturday Night Mix at the end isn't much different then the original version- but the original version is better- sounding.

2) Don't Go- A+- This song is probably the strongest on here to me, and just greatly passionate Hope uses her voice just right in this song and the background music fits into the mood right.

3) Crazy Summer Nights- B+- I really like the fun feel to this song after such a serious song as Don't Go, but it definitely pales in comparison as well. It's still a fun song to hear though.

4) Sick Inside- A+- The next most powerful song on here, and now one of my most favorites. The lyrics are very mature and as I said before painful.

5) Girlfriend- B - This song kind of steps Hope back into those old songs from so many other pop- rock females. I've heard this kind of song so many times from so many young women and it's kind of immature to me, but the guitar adds up for the weakness of the lyrics.

6) Like You Do- A- She saves herself in this song. It is a slow and sweet song that I really like hearing from her, it brings back the potential I hear in her.

7) I Believe In You- C- Probably the weakest song on here to me. There's just not a lot of power to this song, I would call it a filler track for there is nothing really to praise about it. Just an average- sounding song.

8) It's Too Late- A- Once more Hope saves herself and makes a heartfelt and beautiful song here. She uses her voice nicely and it blends in well with the background sound.

9) Cold- C+- Not that good of a track either. If you're a major fan of females in this genre it probably is a fav but it sounds just average to me- ntohing unique and Hope's voice is kind of bad to me in the chorus.

10) Through It All- A- I really like the catchiness in this song. You can just really sing along to this song I really enjoy hearing it.

11) Everywhere But Here- A- - Again this song is very similar to so many other female pop/ rock songs but Hope does this song really well I must say. I can't help but know it is a good song to sing to. Not the strongest, but definitely good.

12) Let Me Try- B- Very lovely kind of song, and I think the lyrics are very beautiful, but the way she sings the song makes it also kind of boring. I usually skip this song because it doesn't really interest me and it goes on a little too long. But I can understand why she wanted such a song to wrap up the entire c.d.

So yes there are a few weak spots on this c.d., but there are also plenty of strong spots as well that should be noticed. Hope's power is there and I think if she is truly honest about wanting to make music she can grow into something great. She already is on a good path to me. I recommend this c.d. for people who want smart rock/ pop.

Hope Partlow's Who We Are is a great debut album. I would recommend it for your teenagers and it'll make good Christmas gifts. The lyrics are good and are not "too grown up" that you have to sit and monitor every song before allowing your child to listen to it. There's an equal balance of songs where the listener won't get bored. In fact, I look at this CD as an empowerment CD for teenagers, especially young women. Listening to the lyrics might even make you understand what some of your teenaged daughters are going through.

Shelia M Goss
BellaOnline Women in Music

I have to admit it, Hope Partlow has talent. She isn't just your average wanna-be-Britney; she sings from her heart. The album starts off with her first single, "Who We Are" which catches you with its anti-material girl lyrics. Then comes "Don't Go" where she longs for a lost love. "Crazy Summer Nights" and "Girlfriend" are fun and bubbly with a little bit of country twang. "Sick Inside" is an emotional ballad where Hope bares all. "Like You Do" brings back memories of first love with its sweet melody. "I Believe in You" and "Through It All" are HOPEful songs, while "It's Too Late" is a slow, sad song. Hope then turns up the volume with her sassy, right-back-at-ya track "Everywhere But Here" and "Cold" which sings about falling out of love. "Let Me Try" is melodious and soft like a lullabye. The ending hit single remix spices it up. Overall, this record is fantastic. The lyrics are well-written without any references. To parents, Hope should be fresh face from all of the adult content found in most songs today. The CD is playful and sweet, without being too childish or immature and Hope is completely relatable. This is a great album for someone who wants to listen to someone with talent who isn't suggestive. In all, Hope Partlow is just plain great.

It seems like every week there's another, young, female, singer-songwriter hitting the album shelves. This week's entry into the "Bring back Lilith Fair" brigade is Hope Partlow. The Tennessee native's approach is a little different from those that have come before her in that she has infused the genre with a dash of country. There are no banjos, fiddles or yee-ha's, but you can definitely hear the southern charm in her voice most notably in the slower songs.

Partlow's debut album, Who We Are, starts off with the title track, a great song for today's climate that tells us not to take things for granted with lines like, "It doesn't really matter what care you drive, it's good to be alive." The album actually ends with the "Saturday Night Mix." Granted it sound exactly like the original with just an exaggerated bass line and doesn't bring anything new to the album like many "remixes" that are thrown in at the end. The only song that ever really sounded different is Babylon on David Gray's White Ladder.

Elsewhere on the album Don't Go is a last ditch effort to keep a loved one and when she sing "I believe this is killing me, don't go" it almost breaks my heart. Crazy Summer Night is a great party song to play when the title suggests. But unfortunately, its starting to dip into the 40's at night around here so hopefully this song will be brought out next May when it is more appropriate. Unlike many young girls today who like to brag about stealing other girls' boyfriends, Hope is actually apologetic as heard on Sick Inside explaining, "I'm so sorry about last night," and saying wish she had more self control. Partlow show a good vocal range on the slow love song Like You Do. And Hope goes in pure Avril mode (but without the pretentious punk thing) on Everywhere but Here where she sing against louder guitars that the rest of the album. Overall, Who We Are, is a solid debut from a girl that can only get better with age and more experience.

I most strongly concur with all of the very postive reviews!!! However, it truly is regrettable that this supurb and very promising emerging talent will be held back due to the fact that her record label crippled her by placing arcane copy protection on her freshman effort. At a time when they should be trying to maximize her exposure, they are hindering it instead. I will be first in line to buy the album WITHOUT copy protection, if that ever happens. It inexcusable that Hope is subjected to being penalized for the ignorance and backward thinking of Virgin Records. I wish the very best to Hope and look forward to her future releases without Copy Protection.

I agree with most opinions here, very good CD, as far as the music goes.

My problem with this CD is that I am forced to use their stupid music player rather than my own player to play this CD on a WinXP computer, at least that's what it seemed. I closed the player the first time it opened because I didn't want to use it. I tried to play it in Windows Media Player, which hung. Then when I tried to 'End Task' on that program, my PC rebooted! Good luck if your goal was to create MP3 to put on your ipod!

If I could return it, I would, solely to punish stupid Virgin Records. What a shame for this new artist to be hindered in such a way.

At first, when I heard "Who We Are" on the radio I was unimpressed. A few weeks later, her second release "Sick Inside" played on the radio and I couldn't believe it was the same girl who had sung "Who We Are". I was completely blown away by the song and I purchased the CD and immediately listened to all of the tracks. I can honestly say that the title track "Who We Are" is the weakest track on the entire CD! Whatever brilliant PR guy had her release this first should be dropped quick. "Don't Go" and "Cold" are two of the best tracks I've heard in a while, and the entire CD itself is wonderful. Seems as if Virgin Records has dropped her contract for weak sales, but they are the reason behind the weak sales themselves! A Wal-Mart exclusive tour? Give me a break! Hope is a rising star, extremely beautiful and talented, and with just a little nudge and correct promotion she could be huge. And btw, to all the record companies that release these CD's with protected content, GET A LIFE. If your pea-sized brains haven't already figured this out, we as consumers do not, under any circumstances, want these types of releases, and the hit to your wallets should be proof enough.

1. Who We Are-3:04-15/10: The first single and title track has alot of energy in it and you just want to get up and sing. It's about living life and just being who you are. "It dosn't really matter what you wear/Let the people stare...".

2. Don't Go-3:29-9/10:The lyrics are well written and the beat is good. The verses are soft, while the chorus is loud. Though one point off for repetitivness. "I believe this is killing me/Don't Go...".

3. Crazy Summer Nights-3:38-15/10: A great upbeat song where she talks about her hometown and her friends. It has a great guitar solo and the chorus is really good. An overall fun song. "I sure do love these crazy summer nights/When we all get together...".

4. Sick Inside-3:16-10/10: Her 2nd single. This is a great song where the subject matter isn't spoken of that often. She is talking about how she kissed a guy who has a girlfriend and she is saying she's sorry. The verses are sung soft and the chorus is loud. I really like the way she sings the 3rd verse. "Now i'm sick inside/Yeah, It makes me wanna cry...".

5. Girlfriend-3:07-15/10:A great begining and the guitar in this song is great. I like the way she sings the chorus. A really fun upbeat song that is one of those songs you have playing in your car. "So come and tell me when/I can be your girlfriend...".

6. Like You Do-3:26-9/10: The lyrics are well written and I like the way the verses flow. A great ballad to sing along to. "No one love me, love me, love me, like you do...".

7. I Believe In You-10/10-3:52: I like the opening to the song and the way she sings the verses. The song is about believing in somebody and being there for them when their world is down. A good upbeat song that Hope sings very well. "I Believe In You/When you're at your weakest/When you feel like your life's/Falling into pieces...".

8.It's Too Late-9/10-4:19: Hope does a great job singing the chrous in this song. She basically is saying that now that her boyfriend left her that it's too late for him if he wants to come back. I like the violins in this song. "It's too late to regret/Cause you already left...".

9. Cold-3:15-15/10: This is one of my favorite songs off the album. It has soft verses and a loud upbeat chorus. This song just screams for you to sing along. It's about a relationship that just lost all meaning and now the heat is gone and now "It's getting cold in here baby/I don't know what went wrong/But i think you're letting go...".

10. Through It All-3:47-10/10: A good upbeat song where she is talking to someone that has been there with her through it all. I like the opening beat in the song. "If I get lost in what i'm doing/Maybe I just forget to call/I know you love me, love me/Through it all...".

11. Everywhere But Here-2:51-15/10: Another great song where she is angry at her boyfriend because he is not hanging around with her anymore and he will be missing her when she leaves. I like the breakdown after the 3rd verse. "You don't know cause you won't listen/You're gonna be missing me dear/When i'm everywhere but here...".

12. Let Me Try-5:41-9/10: A good ballad about her talking to her parents to let her take risks and decide things on her own. It is a ballad that really touches you.Hope sounds really good in this song. "Cause it's hope that i'm hoping to find/Let me try/Let me try/Let me try..."

13 Who We Are (Saturday Night Mix)-3:14-15/10: This is a great mix of the original. It has really great added beats and the background vocals are heard louder in some places. The mix makes it more dancable and i like at the end of the song where she stops singing and it's just the beats and the guitars. "It dosn't really matter what car you drive/It's good to be alive/Cause we are who we are/Who we are/Who we are...".

I got this cd from wal-mart and it has an exclusive download track that you can download on your computer titled "Slow Down". It is a mid-tempo song with great lyrics and the verse and chorus flow well together. A really great bonus.

Overall: 10/10

This cd is a really great one to add to your collection and you won't be dissapointed. Matt Serletic, who also produced Rob Thomas's album "...Something To Be" produced this album. You can go to her official website to watch the video for "Who We Are" and more. You can also hear 3 full songs: "Who We Are" "Don't Go " and a special bonus "Sick Inside (Remix)". The remix is good and it should have been on the album.

This was an amazing debut album for Hope Partlow. I first heard her song Who We Are, and then saw the music video for Sick Inside when I heard Zac Efron was in it. I loved the song, and went on iTunes and bought the album. There is not one song that I don't like, and the most powerful to me is the #2 track, Don't Go. It's very powerful, and everyone can relate to it. Who We Are is a very good one as well, saying that we should just be who we are and learn to love life and not worry about who we're friends with, what clique we're in, and spending hours in front of the mirror doing your makeup every morning. I think everyone -- especially myself -- can learn a lot from this song.

I also like 'I Believe In You' and 'Everywere But Here' and 'Through It All.' 'Cold' is also another good one. I think it is a great album, and the lyrics are beautiful and can be a great inspiration.

What a great new artist ! Hope is awesome. I love her cd from the first song to the last one. Its all good ! Everybody should get it, trust me ! It's not a lost of money, it deserve it ! Support our artist !