Maybe not an angel, but the voice of one. (No Angel - Dido)

Member Name: angusreid

Product:	No Angel - Dido
Date:	07/11/03 (182 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: relaxing, moving, haunting

Disadvantages: slowgoing, some spacefillers

There are few records that live eternally, that never age, that can always be found in any music store. A few that spring to mind are Bat out of Hell, Lexicon of Love, Thriller, Rumours and Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. No doubt you could all add one to this list.

The record of the 2000?s so far, in my opinion, to join this list, is No Angel, by Dido.

Dido hit the music scene thanks to a sample used by Eminem on his track ?Stan?, a song about a twisted fan that demanded attention, and ended up killing himself and his family in the process. Gory, but the naturally inspiring voice of Dido between the somewhat coarse rap lyrics of Eminem made this a must listen to record, and demanded the answer to the question, ?Just who is that girl singing the Chorus??

When she came to the limelight, I for one was surprise to see she was a chirpy, yet attractive London girl, with little music experience other than her brother?s success with the group Faithless and his record label ?Cheeky? to her credit. So the image did not match the voice. Was it a fluke record, one asked oneself? Maybe she was dubbed etc?

I had to find out for myself just how good her voice really was, so I purchased No Angel, and here is my review.

NO ANGEL: DIDO

This record has been described as Folk, but I feel it has a more of a Soul feel to me, definitely a romantic or chilling out record, suitable for dinner parties and cosy nights by the fire. Not all the tracks follow the same persona as you would expect, but they sway from emotion to emotional, allowing your mind to experience a range of thoughts, your feet to tap, your fingers to drum, then taking you back to your first sweetheart and your last break up.
In a nutshell, Dido captures every emotion in both her voice and her lyrics.

Track Listing;


1. Here with me
2. Hunter
3. Don't think of me
4. My love's gone
5. All you want
6.

Thank you
7. Honestly OK
8. Slide
9. Isobel
10. I'm no angel
11. My life
12. Take my hand

1. Here with me
Oh I am what I am,
I'll do what I want, but I can't hide
I won't go, I won't sleep,
I can't breathe, until you're resting here with me
I won't leave, I can't hide,
I cannot be, until you're resting here with me

A haunting song, lyrically I have heard better, but when sung with the in-depth musical background, a sure fire winner. This was the first song Dido released and it became the theme tune to cult Sci-fi Show Roswell High, launching her on her way to a U.S. success story. A great intro to the album and sets the mood for the following tracks. Slow and sweeping, but slightly but shows a great love and desire.

2. Hunter

For this queen you think you own
Wants to be a hunter again,
Wants to see the world alone again
To take a chance on life again,
So let me go, let me leave

A song that again pleads for something that a girl yearns to have, freedom! I think the lyrics to this song are extremely thought provoking and strong. It makes me think about a past relationship, and how if someone is not happy with their life, they need to be honest and allowed to move on. This track has a jazzy feel to it, punchy in the chorus, yet slow and methodical with verse. A strong base meets the chorus and makes me feel I want to beat a drum in synch with her lyrics. This could easily be an ?Our song? for an abused or oppressed woman?s society, and give an uplift to women who are in a relationship they want to get out of.
One of the best tracks and a song you could leave on repeat in your CD player.

3. Don?t think of me.

So you're with her, and not with me,
I hope she's sweet, and so pretty
I hear she cooks delightfully, a little angel beside you.

Once again, th
e ref
erence to Angel is strong here. This track takes a totally different approach with a bitterer theme and a punchy beat that uplifts the mood of the Album. Kind of reminds me of ?That don?t impress me much!? Shania Twain. Not that it sounds the same, but has a similar basis in its format. More of a pop influence than most of the tracks here, and a one for the ?I told you so? girls brigade.


4. My love?s gone.

My lover's gone,
His boots no longer by my door,
He left at dawn,
And as I slept I felt him go
Returns no more,
I will not watch the ocean,
My lover's gone,
No earthly ships will ever bring him home again.

The lyrics on this song are as powerful and soulful as any you will ever hear. With an orchestra enchanting the mood with a symphonic background, and the powerful lyrics, this almost brings a tear to your eye. Definitely the more heart felt and heart reaching song of the collection, and not one to dwell over too long. Do not listen to this song alone!

5. All you want

I'd like to watch you sleep at night, to hear you breathe by my side
And although sleep leaves me behind, there's nowhere I'd rather be
And now our bed is oh so cold, my hands feel empty, no one to hold
I can sleep what side I want, it's not the same with you gone
Oh if you'd come home, I'll let you know that

This song has success tattooed all over it. I doubt there are many singers who could carry the complicated lyrics in the way Dido does, superb. It has to rate as one of my favourite tracks here, and has a strong musical accompaniment to make the chorus bold. More of a folk style that soulful, but has elements of a pop style that pushes it towards chart success.

6. Thank you.

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window and I can't see at all
And eve
n if I cou
ld it'd all be grey, but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad

At last we come to it, that famous sample from Eminem?s Stan.
The lyrical range of Dido is profound here, and as powerful as it is pure. I don?t know if Eminem made Dido famous, or this sample made Eminem?s song a big hit, an argument that will never be answered.
Without the tones of our Eminem here, the song is a sure fire million seller in anyone?s collection. Who can?t help but feel that she manages to portray a miserable morning when you get up, go to work, come home, routine?

It is a song that plays in your head long after you have heard it.

7. Honestly okay.


On a different day,
If I was safe in my own skin,
Then I wouldn't be lost and so frightened
But this is today and I'm lost in my own skin

Erm. I had to listen to the CD again to remember this one, so I guess that says a lot for it! I feel this is a space filler and really mirrors the other tracks without having any independent value that makes you say you enjoyed it. Very instrumental and typical Dido lyrics.

8. Slide

Staring at the same four walls, have you tried to help yourself
The rings around your eyes they don't hide, that you need to get some rest
It's all right to make mistakes you're only human
Inside everybody's hiding something
Take time to catch your breath and choose your moment

Lyrically intense and another thought provoking one.
Tells a story of a persons fear about accepting the fact they made a mistake and getting on with the rest of their life. The use of deep, orchestrated music makes this a thoughtful track and another one that you will remember.

9. Isobel.

I Thought It Was Funny,
When You Missed The Train
When I Rang You At Home
They Said You'd Left Yesterday
I Thought
It Was Strange

When Your Car Was Found
By The Tree In Ennis
Where We Used To Hang Around

Another track that sounds like it was made to fill a gap rather than sell any records. Relies mainly on the strength of her voice to carry it through, and again the music seems to be repetitive of other records and has no unique style. A track to skip I?m afraid.

10. I?m no angel.


If you tell me that I can't, I will, I will, I'll try all night
And if say I'm coming home, I'll probably be out all night
I know I can be afraid but I'm alive
And I hope that you trust this heart behind my tired eyes

A change of tempo produces a rather pleasant track.
Emblazing the use of a catchy chorus and repetitive lyrics, this song plays on you and you find you?re humming it later that day. Good beat and more of a soul tempo than folk, for sure.

11. My life.

Oh the world has sat in the palm
Of my hand not that you'd see
And I'm tired and bored of waiting for you
And all those things you never do

There are so few lyrics in this song, and another attempt to showcase her independence through singing. A rather tried attempt and does not merit its place so far along the track listing. The music repeats itself a lot and you find yourself starting to wane slightly. I think if it had been the second or third track, you would enjoy it more.

12. Take my Hand.


Touch my skin and tell me what you're thinking,
Take my hand and show me where we're going
Lie down next to me, look into my eyes
And tell me, oh tell me what you're seeing
So sit on top of the world and tell me how you're feeling,
What you feel now is what I feel for you

A bonus track we are led to believe, and a bonus it is indeed. This track picks you up after being mesmerised by the earlier lyrically haunting tracks, and chases awa
y any sings of sadne
ss you may have been feeling. A drum beat takes over here and almost challenges you to dance across the lounge with your after dinner Brandy. A great way to end an album, and a great album to end.

OVERALL

Re-listening and re-visiting this CD once again rekindled my thoughts of passion and meaning. Without doubt a classic that will stay on the shelf of my collection and rear its head whenever I feel the mood to think, love or even to find a lost emotion when starved of feeling by mundane daily tasks. Not something to play while driving to work in the morning, but more the one to enhance a perfect occasion.

Having sold some 12 million copies, I doubt there are many people who do not have this already, but if you have not, then I thoroughly recommend this as the next CD you buy.

Angus Reid

For more information about her life, try this link.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/life/story/0,69 03,493176,00.html

For full the complete lyrics to No Angel, try:

http://www.davemcnally.com/lyrics/Dido/NoAngel /


Thanks for the read.

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