It was a long time coming…not the release of this album…but my purchase of it! The only song I had heard from the album was Brave and I wasn’t convinced that it would be a strong enough album to survive in my critical CD player! How wrong I would turn out to be!
I ordered the album after watching Idina SMASH the part of Maureen in the Rent movie. I was so impressed with her performance that I was suddenly sure that someone who could bust such a great character on screen would create an album worthy of much play and credibility.
As soon as the CD arrived I was hooked. It is not in your typical jewel CD case, it’s a cardboard fold-out jobby featuring the stunning dress from her official video for the single Brave. I was hooked already and the CD hadn’t even entered my player.
As soon as it was in, though, power ballad after power balled, emotion after emotion these songs were drawing me in rapidly. I listen to the album on average once a day – I love it. It never gets boring and the songs sound new everytime I hear them.
My immediate favourite was I Stand. The chorus especially speaks for itself:
I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
I stand for the strange and lonely,
I believe there’s a better place.
I don’t know if the sky is heaven,
But I pray anyway.
Gorgeous is my second favourite – beautiful lyrics, tune and meaning. It is nice to listen to an album written by a woman in love. There are only so many times you can hear a break up song (Taylor Swift) or angry pop rock number (Kelly Clarkson).
Idina gave great interview while promoting this album over here in the UK. Her best interviews and performances were on This Morning and The Paul O’Grady Show with live performances of Brave and Gorgeous respectively.
Check out the YouTube links above but don’t judge the album until you’ve bought it and appreciated it a few times. Stupidly I judged this by the one song brave when really I should’ve defied all odds and judged it by its cover!
MiniHobo
xXx
Well, I watched the movie of Rent for the first time only a few months ago on Musical Day – the day when, before gospel choir, everyone came over and watched musicals! It wasn’t what I normally expect from a musical but every now and again it is refreshing to watch something that isn’t all flowers and pretty, happy songs! I LOVED the movie and haven’t yet seen it on stage.
