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when i bought this cd today,i knew it would be good for i had recognized track s1 2 and 4 as songs i had loved,and i had read the other reviews for it.but i had no clue....its amazing,simply amazing.i could listen to it over and over and over and not be tired of it.all of the songs are excellent and i highly recommend u to buy this cd.
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I thought I was so awesome when my canadian relatives sent me Chantal's "Colour Moving and Still" 5 or so years ago, cause not many people knew her. Colour Moving and Still had some great tracks, so I went out and bought Under These Rocks and Stones, which was even better.
So I was delighted when Chantal hit American 2 or 3 years ago with her third album What if it all Means Something.
Unfortunately, I didn't think it lived up to her first 2 previous releases...
"In This Life" "Time" "What if it all Means Something" and "Julia" were easily likable, but they seemed alot more maintstream than her hits of C, M & S and UTRaS.
I was able to find 2 that I really liked- "Brenda's Song" and "Waiting" but it was the others that really dissapointed me.
"Morning Light" "Ready for your love" and "Weight of the World" weren't just mediocre in tune but in subject matter. They lack the emotion that Chantal put into songs like "Hands" "Souls" "Little Things" ect.
Could be worse, but for gread Chantal pick up the other 2 CDs.
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Somewhere along the line, "pop" became a dirty word for a lot of people. It wasn't ever thus. There was a time, when, say, Paul McCartney's "poppy" tendencies complemented the edgier Lennon material beautifully. Or Marty Balin's pop-soul effectively counterbalanced Grace Slick's experimentalism and Paul Kantner's bombast. I'm new to Chantal Kreviazuk's music, but I already can see (in the reviews posted below) that there are different camps even among her fan base, with some embracing this most recent album's pop sheen and others yearning for the simpler production and songwriting of her two previous albums.
Well, I am eager to hear some of the earlier stuff myself, but it's hard to believe that the gorgeous pop of her third album is somehow lacking. I understand why people want to compare her to Sarah MacLachlan and other Lilith ladies, but I keep hearkening back to a much earlier time. WHAT IF IT ALL MEANS SOMETHING reminds me of nothing so much as the Beatles circa "The White Album," a time when they were exploring the sonic possibilities of the studio and beginning to tailor their songwriting to same.
The songs are richly evocative, but still fundamenatally hooky pop. Somewhat prosaic titles ("Waiting," "Time," "In This Life," etc.) belie the intelligent lyrics and imaginative arrangements. I always try to avoid the standard critical line about there not being a "bad track on the album" (are there supposed to be?), but WHAT IF IT ALL MEANS SOMETHING? is a particularly satisfying record. Each song is not just pretty good, but heartfelt, inventive and memorable. Who could ask for more (and hope to get it)?
Interesting that some of the Amazon reviewers on this page talk about her "crystal clear soprano," while others complain about (or alternately, praise) her vocal "distortions." Can both be right? Sort of reminds me of the kind of commentary Cyndi Lauper, Kate Bush and other singers of considerable vocal and stylistic range often get. Yeah, they can sing pretty--and they also experiment with various degrees of harshness and distortion when they feel the songs call for it. Some will find Chantal Kreviazuk's vocal at least occasionally too mannered, but her affectations are honest artistic choices (agree with them or not), reflective of a thoughtful and intelligent artist.
Like Bush and Lauper, in fact, Kreviazuk is likely to develop a substantial cult following--along with a fair number of fair-weather fans who will remain reluctant to follow her wherever she chooses to go. But like Bush, Lauper--and, yes, the Beatles--hers is a restless artistic temperament. She will continue to grow and develop--that much is clear.
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What if it All Means Something totally surprised me since It's not my style of music at all, but I really loved it. Each and every song was different. I never found myself skipping through songs because they dragged on, on the same level. There was change and interest as the tracks progressed. I had initially gotten the cd because I liked "The Weight of the World". However, I was happy to find the other songs to be just as good or better. Chantal has the ability to sing different types of songs that evoke different moods. My favorite songs were "In This Life," "Time," "What if it All Means Something," and "I'm ready." the whole cd is really good though. Sometimes the lyrics were a bit repetative, but I really didn't mind, because the music was still great. I would recommend this cd to all who want to give it a try because you won't be sorry you did.
Rating:  -
Released in 2002 in Canada, just 3 years after her COLOUR MOVING AND STILL album, Chantal Kreviazuk returned to the music scene. I've seen this wonderful talented lady live, just her and the piano, and it was so incredibly beautiful and touching. WHAT IF IT ALL MEANS SOMETHING is a great album indeed. The first single "In This Life" is a moving ballad you might find on a WB Drama about love and devotion. The second single "Time" is a touching song about accepting the past and moving into the future. The title track was the fourth and last single. "Julia" is a song Chantal wrote about Julia Roberts and how she is constantly scrutinized by the media, and how she deals with it.
"Flying Home (Brenda's Song)" is a moving ballad, although sad, about someone who has died. This song touched me since my dad died earlier this year. On this album, Chantal used the guitar more, so the piano is not as prevalent as on past albums, but it's still there. "Weight of the World" and "Ready For Your Love" show her expanding her sound and experimenting a bit. "Waiting" is another highlight, as is the closer "Turn The Page".
Overall a fairly strong album from Chantal. This is an artist worth checking out, her lyrics are meaningful, and music touching.
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