Disco de Dido: “No Angel [Import]”

This girl is sensational. I've read the other reviews comparing Dido to Sarah McLachlan, Fiona Apple, Sinead O'Connor, etc. But in my humble opinion: She stands alone as a unique artist with an incredible soul to share with the world. Her lyrics are poetry, and the music has beat. "Thank You" and "Here with Me" are just two great songs that we've heard around; but this entire album has the same bittersweet and heartfelt emotion. Clive Davis definitely had insight when he signed Dido up for Arista Records. I've listened to this album everyday since I ordered it from amazon.com (two months ago), and still haven't tired of it.

I read other people's reviews and appreciate them, but never thought I'd write a review myself - until now. So take my opinion for whatever it's worth, but Dido's "No Angel" is worth the money and the all the hours of play that you can get out of the CD.

If you like stuff like "Possession" by Sarah Mac, you'll like this album. You might recognize her voice from "Stan" by Eminem, where they sampled her song "Thank You", although it seems odd that she would get used for that song. This is not avant-garde music, but wonderful and emotional pop music from a great British singer. It has the slow ballads, but also some good energetic tunes that should eventually go #1. It's well produced without sounding too electronic, as well as being good "day in the life" poetry (and not sappy like Jewel, for example). She's very talented, and not just another pretty face. If you enjoy U2, Natalie Imbruglia, Poe, Sara Mac, Fiona Apple, or David Gray, you're probably in the right mind-set for Dido.

Like most, my first experience with Dido came as a result of the non-stop radio play "Here With Me" received. As with many overplayed radio hits, I chalked the song and artist up as being one-hit wonders and wondered myself when I would get a break from this record. Then fate intervened and I for some reason ended up buying No Angel. Fate can be a good friend at times! This is truly a masterful CD. Overall, the CD doesn't offer a lot of variety in musical disposition or attitude (it's a LOT of scorned lover music), but Dido plays her tune well.

Radio overplay aside, "Here With Me" really is an outstanding song. Other favorites on the CD include "Don't Think of Me," "All You Want," "Thank You," and "Take My Hand." A jammin' CD, in my eyes, in one that can pack at least five amazing tunes--Dido does this and more. The jewel in this CDs crown is "All You Want." The track spins a tale of a lover scorned by a cheatering man, but still trying to get him back. However, the true beauty of the song is found when the last chorus section is broken up a bit by a change in the refrain (from "All you want is right here in this room" to "All you want is right there in THAT room). Okay--so I'm a sucker for well crafted lyrics, but the actual music is more than easy on the ears too.

Musically, I think her greatest risk, which also proved to be her biggest pay-off, is found in her final bonus track: "Take My Hand." This song is a mix of Rave, House, Chick Music, and intense feeling. Be sure to hear this in the bars soon, and maybe even on the radio. Overall, her sound is an amalgam of Fiona, Portishead, Sara McClaughlin, and [I hate to go here, but...] Jewel. I cringe a bit in making comparisons, because their is something truly unique about her style. In summation, it's more than worth a listen. I have personally known NOBODY who has purchased this CD and been sorry about it. I know I wasn't.

This woman has one of the most beautiful voices I have heard! I was lucky enough to see her in concert this year, and I bought the cd immediately. It's well worth the money especially if you enjoy the Cranberries. She sings the theme song to Roswell, so check it out and buy the cd!

'No Angel' was more than a promising debut. Most of us felt like: "What was that?" without a sense of what had "hit" us when the first chords of "Thank You" began to air back in late 2000, almost two years after the album first came out in the UK, under the vigilante eye of her brother Rollo (Faithless).

Now, in perspective, after the release of her recent "Life For Rent", this album feels like a promising debut where she was finding her true sound, opening up like a powerful Beth Orton, but closing up sounding a bit more commercial, along the lines of Sarah McLachlan. Most of the tracks have an overall downbeat sound, leaving behind a mellow sense of longing. Though extremely popular (even more so, after Eminem sent it out the roof), "Thank You" is not close to being the best track in the album. That privilege is left to the ballads "My Lover's Gone" and "All You Want", and the opening "Here With Me" which breaks the ice of her until-then musical anonimity in great shape.

In short, far from a shortcoming, but not as well crafted as her sophomore album, "Life for Rent".