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". . . in a place where Billie Holiday meets Tom Waits . . . has moments that recall pieces of Nina Simone, early Rickie Lee Jones, and even the sophistication of Cole Porter. " - Business Week Although there are elements of jazz, blues and folk in her music, it is simultaneously all of those things and none of them. Her engaging songs and sultry controlled vocals possess a timeless quality that places them in the tradition of the great female vocalists on Verve, whose work have also not been confined to any one genre or style
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Melody Gardot
Same review for this one as for My One and Only Thrill. Saw her on David Letterman, and had to hear more. Would recomend this one as well
I cannot believe how good this CD is.
First of all, what an interesting story - a girl gets hit by a car, develops a sensitivity to light and sound, and finds music therapy as a way to deal with her injuries. What she finds is a voice that sounds like she is literally singing 6" from your ear and singing directly to you. Her voice is very fresh and different from what you hear on radio. It's smoky, delicate, pitch perfect, wobbly and beautiful.
There are 5 songs on this CD that stand up to anything I've ever ever heard. They are "Gone", "Sweet Memory", "Some Lessons", "One Day" and the oh-my-gosh I can't believe how incredible this song is "Love Me Like A River Does". That song will knock you out. Period. As one reviewer put it "It's the sexy song I've ever heard" - ditto.
Buy this CD. Do not download it. You might end up tucking it under your pillow at night or spooning it.
Smoky, soulful sensation
Melody Gardot's music is as haunting as her own story. Nearly killed in a hit-and-run accident at 19, she suffered aphasia, memory loss, hypersensitivity to light and sound and nerve damage. Her doctor encouraged her to try music therapy, and Melody penned her first songs, resulting in 2005's EP Some Lessons: The Bedroom Sessions, so named because they were recorded with Melody sitting in a wheelchair at the hospital. She played piano prior to her accident, but because of the nerve damage from her fractured pelvis, she couldn't sit at a piano, so she picked up a guitar.
The same DJ that promoted a young Norah Jones also picked up Melody Gardot, and she was signed to Verve, resulting in her first album Worrisome Heart (which features one song off the EP, Some Lessons, the first song that Melody wrote after her accident). The album opens with the smoky, noir-drenched Worrisome Heart, with its blusey piano intro and snare brushes. The brass section adds punch, while the Harmon-muted trumpet adds a striking counterpart.
All That I Need Is Love opens with guitar and clarinet, with whimsical lyrics and playful delivery that segues into some upbeat scat singing. Sweet Memories will draw the most comparisons to Norah Jones (Come Away with Me), with its soft blend of folksy acoustic guitar and Dobro guitar. Some Lessons tells Melody's difficult story; she said that she's refrained from performing it live because of the painful connotations. Quiet Fire has a dark, smoky vibe from the organ. One Day opens with the Harmon muted trumpet and the simple simplicity of guitar. Love Me Like a River Does may be the haunting showpiece that calls to mind Billie Holiday; the raw, wistful yearning with its undercurrent of piano. The playful, pouty bounce of Goodnight is addictive, with its scat and layered vocals. The album is short, though; it clocks in at less than 40 minutes, leaving you craving more (Melody's second album is My One and Only Thrill).
If Film Noir could be condensed into a single package, it would be Worrisome Heart. This music would be amazing on its own, but is even more powerful for Melody's experiences recovering from a near-fatal accident and turning it into powerful jazz-infused tunes that showcase her smoky, mature voice. This is a must for fans of Norah Jones and Madeleine Peyroux, and classic jazz chanteuses like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.
Great mixture of sorrowful blues and jazzy beats
I have listened to this cd over and over since I got it. I can't decide where my favorite place to listen to it, bathroom, car, or while cooking. The album's title song, Worrisome Heart(track 1) makes you want to slink around in a cocktail dress with a glass of wine because it's so sultry. My other favorite is "Love me like a Waterfall"(track 8)which is a slow plea, bordering on depression. Most of the other tracks are similar to Norah Jones in it's use of simple background and light lyrics. Overall, I love her sound and the album.
Amazing all the way through.
I have listened to Worrisome Heart over and over again in the past couple years. Every song is exceptional. I never have to skip a song. I recently saw Melody Gardot perform and she is amazing, a breath of fresh air. I just bought her second CD am listening to it now. Love her.
