Joan Armatrading - Lovers Speak
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CD Details
Artist: Joan ArmatradingEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2003-03-25
Music Label: Savoy Jazz
Soundtracks:
- Lovers Speak
- Physical Pain
- In These Times
- Waiting
- Prove Yourself
- Fire and Ice
- Love Bug
- Let's Talk About Us
- Ocean
- Tender Trap
- Less Happy More Often
- Crazy For You
- You Made Your Bed
- Blessed
Music reviews of Lovers Speak
Music Review: We're "Blessed" By Joan Armatrading's Return
Rating: 5 Stars
Man, it's good to have Joan Armatrading back! After an absence of almost eight years, the woman who has influenced everyone from Tracy Chapman to Jewel has returned with LOVERS SPEAK, one of the strongest entries yet in an already sterling catalog. The disc opens with the piano-and-percussion driven title track. Said track brilliantly sets the mood for what is basically a concept album about love. With it's unadorned vocal and honest lyrics ("Lovers speak is so much different/Only they can understand/Let's all share this coded secret/Let us in let's all join hands/Lovers walk a different tight rope/Lovers always speak in tongues") Armatrading proves that, not only is she back, she's in top form, particularly on the soaring chorus ("I wanna learn the language of love/I wanna learn how to flirt/I wanna hear someone call out my name/And wipe away all the hurt"). "Physical Pain" is an edgy, mid-tempo rocker, while "In These Times" is a gorgeous piano-driven ballad. Next up is "Waiting", a sweet little song who's lightly toned arrangement masks a sad story about waiting up all night for a wandering lover, knowing full well that, while you pace and ponder (and are content to do so!), they're snug in someone else's arms. Then there's "Prove Yourself", an acoustic guitar-based rocker that plugs along at a hearty clip. With it's positive lyrics ("Some things are gonna come easy/Some things are gonna be hard/But don't let them put you off your stride/Cos you could make your own mark") and upbeat groove, "Prove Yourself" has you singing along by song's end. "Fire And Ice" is a lovely ballad that finds Armatrading dueting with herself. It's a unique idea, and one that works really well. "Love Bug" has to be my favorite track. With it's jazzy vibe and smirky vocal, it's LOVERS SPEAK's most upbeat cut. The percussion pops, the horns swing and Armatrading is charming throughout. A true gem! Things slow down a little with "Let's Talk About Us", but rebound nicely with "Ocean." Much of the song is sung in the upper register of Armatrading's smooth, deep alto, and it provides a lovely, ethereal counterpoint to the rest of the CD. "Tender Trap" is another high point. There's nothing unique about the arrangement - it's actually quite bare - or the lyrics ("We're lying peaceful in the tender trap"), but there's a certain.....calm.....about the song that anyone who has found that one true love can identify with. The exact opposite can be said about "Less Happy More Often"; this song is absolutely heart-breaking! With it's sparse arrangement and bare-boned lyrics ("Once in a little while/We share a thought/But most of all we drift apart/Haven't you noticed/We seem less happy more often"), this could well become one of the best break-up songs of all time! Things kind of come to a momentary halt with "Crazy For You", a whispery ballad who's overdone delicacy is it's eventual undoing. The song's attempt at tenderness ends up being snooze-inducing. Armatrading comes roaring back, however, with "You Made Your Bed." With it's sing-song vocal and staccato instrumentation, this soaring track could fit comfortably among many of Armatrading's best cuts from the 80's. The horns add a touch of sass, the lyrics are smart and sharp ("Not Lucifer/Not the Trinity/No one on earth can make you feel at ease/It serves me right/Cos I left you once/I broke my own rule/Because I wanted to please")and Armatrading really seems to be enjoying herself. LOVERS SPEAK closes with "Blessed." This musical prayer is touching in both it's simplicity and it's wisdom: "For all the things that I can do/How could I complain/I've got no broken wings/I've got a heart that sings/And I feel blessed." We the listeners are just as blessed - LOVERS SPEAK is a fine return to form for an artist who has been moving, challenging and thrilling listeners for over 30 years now. Welcome back, Joan!
Description of Lovers Speak
2003 album features the trademark soaring ballads & sparkling production that have been the hallmarks of Joan's work. 14 tracks. Denon.Lovers Speak marks not only Joan Armatrading's return to recording after an eight-year hiaturs, but to the stripped down, folk-rock sounds of her earlier years. Armatrading here plays most of the instruments herself, as well as the role of producer, and while she?s a fantastic talent,the collection has a few thin spots, both in terms of production and song quality. However, Lovers Speak is a solid enough collection for the true fan, and would serve the novice listener well as an introduction to her more current output. The numerous standouts include the guitar- and percussion-driven title track and "Let?s Talk About Us," the heartrending "Less Happy More Often," the beautiful and intimate "Crazy for You," and the introspective "Blessed." "In These Times" is a solemn piano ballad, surprisingly written before the events of 9/11, that makes you want to call your best friend. --Lorry Fleming
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