Give This Album A Chance, You Won't Regret It! (Introduction - Alex Parks)

Member Name: zoe-e

Product:	Introduction - Alex Parks
Date:	06/04/09 (192 review reads)
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The Artist
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Alex Parks is a Cornish solo artist/song writer. She rose to fame following being crowned winner of Fame Academy but soon made a name for herself outside of the Fame Academy walls with her heartfelt lyrics and outstanding voice. She has been out of the music scene for a while now but a lot of people are eagerly awaiting her return (assuming that does actually happen!). She has a huge fan base of dedicated followers who love her music. I may be slightly biased as I'm a Cornish lass too but I think her music is fantastic!! So far she Alex has released two studio albums:
Introduction (2003)
Honesty (2005)

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Tracklist
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01. Maybe That's What It Takes
02. Cry
03. Dirty Pretty Words
04. Imagine
05. Not Your Average Kind Of Girl
06. Mad World
07. Everybody Hurts
08. Beautiful
09. Stones & Feathers
10. Here Comes The Rain Again
11. Yellow
12. Wandering Soul
13. Overconcious

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01. Maybe That's What It Takes
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This track was the first single released by Alex and probably the most well known. It is a heart felt ballad with very powerful, hard-hitting vocals filled with emotion. There seems to be a pattern with this album where the songs written and co-written by Alex are definitely the best and this song is no exception. It starts off with a slow piano backing and equally slow beats followed by an introduction to the amazing vocals from Alex. I like this song because you can tell from the way that she sings that she means it. "Looking back, how did I get here? Chasing circles, never thought so near, I'm shaded by the red and now I want you, I walk this way in my dreams softly, far away, your distant light's on me, I'm shaded by the red" 10/10.

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02. Cry
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The second single released from this album, another fantastic ballad co-penned by Alex. It's a very emotionally charged song with fantastic lyrics, it's so simple but so amazing at the same time. This track in particular really shows off Alex's outstanding vocal range with the explosive chorus. The way she delivers her vocals in the chorus actually reminds me quite a lot of Annie Lennox. "Never thought you knew me, never thought of you with me, always fighting in the dark before, never got to tell you, I don't know what I mean to you, no need to explain anymore, but I'd cry, I would die if I lost you". 10/10.

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03. Dirty Pretty Words
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This song is in a totally different style to the first two power ballads, it shows the rock-chick side of Alex that you don't see in the beginning. The song gives off a sense of independence almost, it's powerful but in a different way to the first two. It starts off with a heavy drum beat and an electric guitar, it sounds quite edgy and Alex's vocals have a different sound too. "But I wouldn't catch you, no I would be the one who, after all is laid inside out in the bed that you made, say the dirty pretty words you say, never gonna mean a thing, say the dirty pretty words, when you say what you say I'm not listening anyway". 9/10.

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04. Imagine
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This is a different take on the well known John Lennon ballad. Alex captures the emotion of the song perfectly but manages to put her own style into the song, something that most modern artists fail to do on such covers. I like the fact that this is a unique version and not just another cover, she took a risk covering this track but she definitely pulled it off. The only negative thing that I have to say about this track is that I think it would have sounded better with the original backing music but that's nothing to do with Alex's vocals! "Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can, no greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man, imagine all the people sharing all the world, you may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one, I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one". 9/10.

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05. Not Your Average Kind Of Girl
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It's hard to describe this track. It's not a ballad and it doesn't have the rock chick feel of 'Dirty Pretty Words'. Whatever the style, it sounds good! It's not the best track on the album but I definitely wouldn't call it bad at all. It's more of an easy listening track. I think that you have to listen to it a few times to really get into it but give it a chance and see what you think! It has a really nice chorus too that again shows off Alex's great vocal range and the flexibility of her voice. "Do you see where we're coming from, where I want to go, how much I think, how much I feel, something you need to see in me, do you know where tonight will go, if it could only go where I dreamt, that night was slow, it's what I need you to see in me, you know, I'm not your average kind of girl". 10/10.

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06. Mad World
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I couldn't stand the original version of this song so I was very put off knowing that this was a cover of it. Saying that, I was actually quite pleasantly surprised. Alex's version is a lot better than the original in my opinion. The original version seemed kind of flat to me whereas Alex brings her version to life with a lot of emotion and brilliant vocals. "All around me are familiar faces, worn out places, worn out faces, bright and early for the daily races, going nowhere, going nowhere, their tears are filling up their glasses, no expression, no expression, hide my head I wanna drown my sorrow, no tomorrow, no tomorrow". 9/10.

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07. Everybody Hurts
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This was a very brave move for Alex to cover this song because the original is amazing and pretty much impossible to top. I have to say, she didn't top the original but she came pretty close, I think that's an achievement in itself! This is definitely the best cover of 'Everybody Hurts' without a doubt. "Well the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone, when you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on, don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries, and everybody hurts sometimes". 10/10

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08. Beautiful
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Yet another cover but a fantastic one! I can't stand the original but I actually like Alex's version because there are no silly noises and unnecessary vocal fills that just sound rubbish. I love the way Alex makes this song her own, it sounds brilliant, a lot better than the original. It seems to mean more coming from this artist too! "Everyday is so wonderful, and suddenly it's hard to breathe, now and then I get insecure from all the pain, I'm so ashamed, I am beautiful no matter what they say, words can't bring me down" 9/10.

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09. Stones & Feathers
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This song is fantastic!! It has such a powerful, dramatic feel, I love it. It's not over the top or too dramatic, Alex gets the balance just right with another hard hitting ballad. This is one of my favourite tracks on the whole album because it sounds so good! "Is this the state of so-called pleasure? Or just the weight of stones and feathers? I'm not myself, maybe I'm never". 9/10

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10. Here Comes The Rain Again
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A fantastic cover of the Eurythmics hit, which is very fitting to her voice as it does sound like Annie Lennox at times! This isn't my favourite track on the album but it is a good cover, it doesn't sound too different from the original, I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing! "Here comes the rain again, falling on my head like a memory, falling on my head like a new emotion, I want to walk in the open wind, I want to talk like lovers do, want to dive into your ocean, is it raining? So baby, talk to me, like lovers do, walk with me like lovers do". 10/10.

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11. Yellow
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I'm still debating whether I like the original version of 'Yellow' or Alex's version better. I'm tempted to say Alex just because I'm not overly keen on Chris Martin but I guess that's not a valid reason! In all fairness to Alex it is actually a very good cover, the backing music is a bit different but in a good way and Alex's vocals are on top form as always! "I swam across, I jumped across for you, oh what a thing to do, 'cause you were all yellow, I drew a line, I drew a line for you, oh what a thing to do, and it was all yellow, your skin, oh yeah your skin and bones, turn into something beautiful, do you know? For you I'd bleed myself dry, for you I bleed myself dry" 10/10.

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12. Wandering Soul
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This is a brilliant track! It again shows the rock chick style of Alex with a nice guitar sound and a brilliant chorus that is guaranteed to hook you in from the first listen, it did to me! Alex delivers the vocals in her own style and will blow you away with this track. "The sharp edge of you cuts my voice when I say your name, I'm thinking' that, I'm just a wandering soul, waitin' for someone to take hold, and I'd choose not to love you, I've been here too many times before". 10/10.

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13. Overconcious
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A fantastic emotionally charged ballad to end Alex's debut album with. It's very slow and powerful yet not too dramatic or over complicated at all. I love this song and it's a great ending. "Lady of the eyes, your eyes are just melting me, so strong, smoulder into my mind, and I'll do everything I do, lady of my eye, your light's just too bright for me, so ground me, control me, don't fight me until I say". 10/10.

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My Overall Opinion
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This is a fantastic debut album from Alex Parks and it's a real shame that she didn't get the support that she deserved from everyone, mainly the media. I really hope she comes back fighting with a third album, I'd definitely buy it and I'm sure a lot of other people would too! Also, her second album is great! Before criticizing this artist and album, just put the whole Fame Academy thing out of your mind, that may have been what put Alex in the limelight but it doesn't define her whole career! Overall, 10/10.

Thanks For Reading!

Summary: A Very Talented Artist