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Rockferry

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
from: Polydor

May 13, 2008
You would think that Duffy is one of those artists spawned from Amy Winehouse's transatlantic success, however Duffy, now 23, grew up in remote north Wales, listening to her mother's modest record collection and building up a small following of fans when, at 19, she was discovered by "60Ft Dolls" Richard Parfitt, who brought her to the attention of Jeanette Lee (once of PiL) at Rough Trade, she in turn hooked her up with Bernard Butler (Suede), Steve Booker and Jimmy Hogarth, who 'helped' write this album, so, in a every sense her debut album, "Rockferry", has been more than three years in the making.
This debut by the 23-year-old Welsh singer Aimee Anne Duffy is not so much an album as a museum.
She's been hailed as the sound of ... Read More:

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Back To Black

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Amy Winehouse

December 12, 2006
Yes, the old-school sound is infectious. I was pleased to learn that the production was credited to two hip-hop DJs. It gives me faith that all is not lost in music. With Mowtown/Phil Spector aura coming to the fore, it brings a refreshing sound to the pop genre, dispite the fact that it is not a new idea. It seems like more of a production homage. If you like the sound of this record, credit Winehouse's producers. They crafted the sound.

Winehouse's songwriting is frank, which is always a winner. However, when breaking down the chord choices, I found that Winehouse still has a way to go. Her chord progressions sound arbitrary and without grounding. However, her lyrics/production supercede these things in a big way.

If ... Read More:

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Keep It Simple

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Van Morrison

April 01, 2008
The ever-enduring crooner returns with a collection of stripped-back, simple songs diverging how it feels to be reaching the twilight of life. Yet Van Morrison keeps all the controlled energy of someone who still has something to pass on to the world.
"Keep It Simple" is a mainly bluesy affair. He's returned to the usual mixture of autobiographical fare and the kind of mix of jazz, folk, blues, country and soul that may be chock-full of lyrical cliche but is always lifted by a voice that really hasn't deteriorated much in the last twenty years. Let's face it: the blues wouldn't be the blues without it's lyrical template. It's the way it's sung that matters, and Van is still peerless in this respect.
Husky, slurred, simple yet honest, the album ... Read More:

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19

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Adele

February 05, 2008
Be prepared to be captivated by the amazing vocal of ADELE.
The truly unique new artist releases her debut album, "19", citing influences that of Jill Scott, Etta James and Amy Winehouse.
The album "19" talks about love and being at the age of 18 and 19 and features 12 very frank tracks that spread the much-fancied songbird's calamitous love life bare.
It's a confident and striking collection, brutally honest and extravagantly revealing.
Pitched midway between the girl power of Natasha Bedingflield and the dark, destructive songcraft of Amy Winehouse, "19" is great, but at times a little exhausting.
It offers brilliant tracks like "Chasing Pavements", "Hometown Glory", "Daydreamer", "Make You Feel My Love", "Melt My Heart To ... Read More:

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Spirit

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Leona Lewis

April 08, 2008
I haven't purchased or owned this album. It sounds as if there's the same old R&B beat. All I can hear his her talented high pitched singing voice and there's no deep emotion in her singing. The producers and the whole team behind the creation of the record aren't very creative. The song lyrics aren't that bad.

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Sex And The City: Music From the Original Motion Picture [SOUNDTRACK]

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Original Soundtrack

May 27, 2008
I haven't purchased or owned this album. It sounds as if there's the same old R&B beat. All I can hear his her talented high pitched singing voice and there's no deep emotion in her singing. The producers and the whole team behind the creation of the record aren't very creative. The song lyrics aren't that bad.

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Last Days at the Lodge

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Amos Lee

October 10, 2008
I haven't purchased or owned this album. It sounds as if there's the same old R&B beat. All I can hear his her talented high pitched singing voice and there's no deep emotion in her singing. The producers and the whole team behind the creation of the record aren't very creative. The song lyrics aren't that bad.

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Frank

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Amy Winehouse

June 08, 2004
Despite all the negative media attention Amy Winehouse has, she is a relevant and important voice in music. She has got talent to spare and her debut is in many ways even better than her sophomore album Back to Black. I love both albums, but there is something about Frank that has me hitting the play button more often than with her follow-up.

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The Hard Way

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: James Hunter

June 10, 2008
Despite all the negative media attention Amy Winehouse has, she is a relevant and important voice in music. She has got talent to spare and her debut is in many ways even better than her sophomore album Back to Black. I love both albums, but there is something about Frank that has me hitting the play button more often than with her follow-up.

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Orchard

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > R
by: Lizz Wright

February 26, 2008
Lizz has never been shy of experimentation with her sound - seemingly exempt from any commercial pressure, she has been allowed a journey (perhaps by her label) that many of her contemporaries would truly envy.
"The Orchard" continues with evolution of her artistry off the beaten path and the result is an incredibly personal album.
Working again with producer Craig Street (a producer famous for his work with a broad palette of singers such as Cassandra Wilson, k.d. lang, Me'Shell 'Ndegeocello), she moves further away from the accessible jazz of her 2003 debut "Salt" and toward contemporary soul without sacrificing any of her music's sensuality or spare beauty.
Her debut album was a great success critically, but "Dreaming Wide Awake" was an attempt at ... Read More: