Vanessa Carlton Album: “Harmonium [Bonus Track]”

Ok so I admit I had high hopes for Vanessa Carlton's sophomore album. I'm sure everyone did.

I wasn't let down, not in the least.

I was worried when I heard her single "White Houses". Her website continually reported that she'd have a darker, more gothic sound which was definitely not present in this upbeat "happy" song. Well, the rest of the album definitely showcases a darker sound. "Papa" for instance. And "The Wreckage" where she very acutely describes the beginning and afterwards of a devastating automobile accident. I believe it's a personal metaphor, but I'll have to listen to it some more.

Some surprise tracks: "Private Radio". The minute it came on in my CD player I thought to myself that it would be her second single. It's got a very nice radio sound. I'm sure there's a deeper level here, I just haven't listened to the album much since my first listen (and Im still giving it five stars! WOW!) "C'est La Vie" gave me chills down my spine for some reason. I was VERY pleased with this track.

Plain and simple, anyone with a penchant for piano, anyone with an appreciation for good songwriting, anyone who listens out for a wonderful voice...pick this up. Will you be disappointed? I doubt it.

"Harmonium" is one of those albums that you'll probably find yourself pulling out of your collection years later. It already has that timeless feel to it, and the quality of recording is such that it immediately feels superior to the latest works of supposed geniuses Tori Amos and Norah Jones. I love some work of the artists just mentioned, but it must be said that with time, many artists just don't retain the 'it' factor. But Carlton, despite facing a baffling radio ban post her big hit 'A Thousand Miles', went into hibernation and emerges with the prize jewel - "Harmonium". Not in recent memory has an album been so immediately accessible and so, well, musical.

The reason why Vanessa won me over with this CD is because even though a LOT of reviewers compare her to Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Michelle Branch and Jewel, she is all of them and then some, yet retaining her own individuality. She is not as purposely weird as Tori Amos (one listen to her latest 'The Beekeeper', and I wonder if even she understands the 'deep, inner meanings' of her increasingly absurd and pointless lyrics), not as angry and upset as Fiona Apple, not as corporate label hungry as Michelle Branch (Maverick should be so lucky), and not as Alaskan-country as Jewel. She retains all of their elements, and then infuses it with her own stylized way of singing. Granted, her singing could be way better, but she lives within her range. She is not trying to be Celine Dion and nor should she.

Her 'White Houses' is a masterpiece from start to finish. Notice the piano, and the multilayered piano section that permeates the entire second half of the song. Someone who has been really trained in music has composed this song, and it shows. Sheer brilliance. This album starts off pretty poppy, and then ventures into darker territory. Someone mentioned that Vanessa was more of a goth on this CD than anywhere else in her discography. True, but this has more to do with the music than I think her intended personality for this record. Listen to the lyrics. Could a Michelle Branch or an Avril Lavigne even dare compare to the simplistic yet stunning beauty that are 'White Houses' and 'Annie'? I think not. Even Carltons' maligned cover of U2s' Where the Streets have no name is not as cruel as one would imagine (the song is available only on the import edition of 'Harmonium').

All in all, the CD has a light, summery feel to it that belies the somewhat dark subject matter. Vanessa discusses death, the meaning of life, growing pangs, relationships, spirituality, places and their memories, in such amazing detail, its as if a writer of prose suddenly decided to tell his story in musical form. Suprisingly, this works in this instance, and we should all be so grateful. I particularly enjoyed the depth of 'She Floats' and 'Papa'. Of course, the radio friendly hits 'Private Radio' and hummable 'San Fransisco' see to it that this album could be a hit on every station, but the other tracks are the ones that truly elevate this album to the exalted status I have given it.

I just noticed that the CD hasn't done well and is fast slipping down the charts. A pity because here it is. 2004s' best album by a long way, and no one knows about it. Well, at least you do, now, so do yourself a favor and get this. Guaranteed this is one CD thats bound to become your new best friend and you won't leave home without it. I know I don't!

Amazing. If only all music came this good. Five Stars.

A followup to her debut album Be Not Nobody, Vanessa Carlton's Harmonium is definantly one of the better CD's that have gone unrecognized. Although I am listen more to bands such as the Goo Goo Dolls, Audioslave, Unwritten Law, Cold, etc., this is one of my favorite pop albums.

Although her lyrics are simplistic, they have a deep, elegant feeling to them. Her style on this CD varies from the relaxing, Who's To Say, to Private Radio, a catchy pop song that is about the only mainstream song on here. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Vanessa isn't like other young female artists, who throw down lyrics about their boyfriends. No, she writes her own lyrics about life, her own experiances, and, well even things as odd as crashing her own car(THe Wreckage).

Breakdown of the CD

1. White Houses-Has an amazing video, was on the charts. This song attuned me to Vanessa, and has led me to get her CD. It is a catchy beat, and good lyrics.

2. Who's To Say-About a disapproved relationship. A slow song, but deep and great piano playing.

3. Annie-About a girl she met that had cancer. The piano playing is excellent, the lyrics move along, and the singing is perfectly fitting with the tune.

4 San Francisco-An upbeat song about her favorite city, and one of my personal favorites. Beautiful piano and singing, and the lyrics are on the lighter side. This song also showcases the great range Ms. Carlton's voice has.

5. Afterglow- This is a nice slow song. The piano and singing is soft, and has an almost calming effect. Lyrics are some of my favorites, especially the chorus "If you could see/What's come over me/Then you would know/Cuz' I'm walking free/Wind at my back/and bathe in afterglow". Almost sends chills up your spine.

6- Private Radio-One of the few marketable songs, on this album, it has a fast moving, pop feel. Writen about insomnia, it has light lyrics, but the singing is good all the same.

7. Half a Week Before the Winter-One of the stranger songs, it has a darker sound to it. The piano is good, and so is the singing.

8. C'est La Vie-A great song, with pretty good lyrics. Nothing much to say about to say about this one.

9. Papa-Although a great song, this isn't my favorite on the CD. The lyrics don't connect with me, altough the piano is great.

10. She Floats-A great song about a ghost, with delightfully odd lyrics. The piano and intro are great, along with the soft hushed singing.

11. (Bonus) The Wreckage-Another compelling odd song about crashing a car. The piano, lyrics, and vocals are memorably haunting, which seem to come to mind at night, driving alone on a lonely road.

Overall, Vanessa Carlton has greatly grown since Be Not Nobody. Sadly, due to poor marketing by her label, A&M, and her inability to gain a big head over her first albums success, such as marketball princesses Hilary Duff and Ashley Simpson.

Lastly, Vanessa is one of those quirky albums you can't put down. Pity some can't open their eyes to something besides, repetitive and pointless rap and hip-hop.

-Joe age 13

I truly believe that Vanessa Carlton is very easily the musical genius of my generation. She doesn't have to "shake it like a polaroid picture" or "drop it like it's hot" [I love those songs, so don't take that the wrong way] to get her music noticed. Just the fact that her music exists is enough. She knows how to make music that is completely unique from anything else playing on the radio waves. It's beautiful and complicated, but not too complicated that an eight-year-old can't find it enjoyable. Believe me, my younger brother runs around the house singing "Jenny screams out and it's no pose!". With Vanessa Carlton's newest release, "Harmonium", the listener finds that it was worth the wait. She is an artist in the truest form on her sophomore cd; you can hear her voice is stronger and purer and her lyrics are even more vivid and deeper. And don't even get me started on her piano work. Just listen to "Papa" or the hidden track, "The Wreckage". She doesn't need producers to make the songs-- just a mic and piano would be good enough for Vanessa Carlton. I honestly think that Vanessa Carlton is one of the few real musicians of our time.

SONG BY SONG REVIEW

*Track One: "White Houses". It's her new "A Thousand Miles"/"Ordinary Day" to say the very least. Vanessa's mastery of imagery and metaphors is simply amazing. And the song is catchy too. =)

*Track Two: "Who's To Say". By far, her most passionate song vocally. It's my personal favorite. Almost reminiscent of Jewel's "What's Simple Is True", but still unique on it's own.

*Track Three: "Annie". A very touching song and seems very personal to Vanessa. I personally don't think the verse piano matches the mood of the song and makes it a bit morbid sounding. The chorus parts are good though. I especially like the last line, "I keep fingers crossed always for you".

*Track Four: "San Francisco". It's very evident throughout this cd that Vanessa has finally understood and mastered structuring a song to make it "singable" without loosing the complexity of it. This song is one of the shining examples of that: catchy, yet still very artistic and beautiful.

*Track Five: "Afterglow". Not her strongest song lyrically, but it's still good. It sounds like a song I wrote when I was thirteen. It's still listenable and enjoyable.

*Track Six: "Private Radio". I LOVE THIS SONG! It doesn't make sense so much, but I could sing it all day long. She has learned the art of making a melody.

*Track Seven: "Half A Week Before The Winter". The drums really bother me and I personally do not like the song title. I would've picked something more childish but still gothic sounding. I thought that this song would be more wintery sounding by the title, so it's a little misleading. The piano is very good though.

*Track Eight: "C'est La Vie". This song is by far the most unique on "Harmonium". The production is so different and brilliant. It's so simply that it makes you wonder why you've never heard anything like it before.

*Track Nine: "Papa". The piano work here is excellent. The song sounds a bit like "Wanted" from "Be Not Nobody". I love the lyrics, especially "boy, you give good love, plastic love" from the chorus.

*Track Ten: "She Floats". Vanessa shows her handling on creating mood so well on this song. It's almost haunting, especially with the screams in the background. It's like watching "The Ring"-- you want to close your eyes but you want to watch the whole thing.

*Hidden Track: "The Wreckage". Very simple and pretty. Such a sad song though. It's proof that Vanessa is defientely going for darker music now.

*Extra Track: "Where The Streets Have No Name". I didn't like when U2 song this song much. But Vanessa somehow made it pretty without doing dishonor to U2. Good stuff.

If you weren't inundated with the constant radioplay of 2002's "A Thousand Miles" you perhaps, missed out on Vanessa Carlton--pegged then as an 'artist to watch' and then lost in the mess of singer/songwriters with pianos instead of guitars.

That said, her sophomore effort, "Harmonium" is definitely a deeper and decidedly darker version of 2002's "Be Not Nobody." Instead of fantasizing about romance, 2002's Carlton has grown into her fame. Her songs are more mature, more metaphorical but not too deep to enjoy.

The highlights are clear however: the first single, "White Houses" (featuring ingenious guitarist Lindsey Buckingham), "Who's to Say" (about a relationship under pressure from outsiders), and "Private Radio" ("and if this silence was a song, it's rhythm grooves and it's a private radio").

The Enhanced portion is really awesome for those fans who love to see the magic behind the production. For twenty or so minutes, we get a candid glance into the production process of "Harmonium" including Carlton's frustrations with songs, laying down of vocals, promoting the album, taking breaks, and working with boyfriend/producer (Third Eye Blind's) Stephan Jenkins.

Overall, I was very impressed with this CD. Sure, there are guest appearances by Buckingham, Pharrell Williams, not to mention the apparent dedication by Jenkins, but this is clearly Carlton's album with her own lyrics, and her own music--a singular talent that contemporary music tends to lack. Buy this.