Cross Over to Me - Catie Curtis, Chapman, Beth Niels
Life Goes On
Red Light
Doctor
Dark Weather
Curtis's fifth album is her most musically engaging and her most lyrically risky; despite the sunny, acoustic backdrops, these songs are fairly dark, frequently skeptical portraits of private and public doubt. She pits the... more » deep resilience of humans against life's equally deep violence, stares down love's deceptions, and questions the easy answers of faith, as well as the powers of her own imagination. The angels of "Deliver Me" are broken and covered in mud; the girl in "Red Light" watches a carnival town, as well as her innocence, burn. "I lost my one way ticket home, I'm at a busted telephone," Curtis sings on "Hold On," her finest breakup song, "And I got no way to show you you're not alone." In the end, Curtis's honesty and steadily maturing voice are the consolations that last. --Roy Kasten« less
Curtis's fifth album is her most musically engaging and her most lyrically risky; despite the sunny, acoustic backdrops, these songs are fairly dark, frequently skeptical portraits of private and public doubt. She pits the deep resilience of humans against life's equally deep violence, stares down love's deceptions, and questions the easy answers of faith, as well as the powers of her own imagination. The angels of "Deliver Me" are broken and covered in mud; the girl in "Red Light" watches a carnival town, as well as her innocence, burn. "I lost my one way ticket home, I'm at a busted telephone," Curtis sings on "Hold On," her finest breakup song, "And I got no way to show you you're not alone." In the end, Curtis's honesty and steadily maturing voice are the consolations that last. --Roy Kasten
Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 05/09/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Catie Curtis' "Dreaming in Romance Languages" is an excellent collection that juxtaposes her dark lyrical images with sweet optimistic melodies. This creative tension creates some of her most interesting and affecting work to date. On the closer "Dark Weather" the lyrics "Some days the ocean's cruel, the waves, they don't suffer fools" counters with the languid rolling melody. Stephanie Winters' cello embodies deep sadness on "Doctor," "Once upon a time there was a little baby bringing light to the world." "Red Light" is one of Catie's most lighthearted breezy melodies with Julie Wolf's accordion giving a holiday feel crosscut with the lyric, "Mister fire marshal suspects the landlord of the penny arcade while all his plastic prizes and Riley's Clam Shack fall burning in the waves." Beth Nielsen Chapman helps write "Cross Over to Me" with one of Catie's lovely melodies, "I've been out there alone, you've got something I need." Jimmy Ryan who worked with Catie on her 1991 "From Years to Hours" set is back again and co-writes one of my favorite tracks, "The Trouble You Bring." The only track Catie didn't pen is Mark Sandman's "The Night" which is a dreamy track, "I hope you're waiting for me across your carpet of stars." "Hold On" is classic Curtis, "I lost my one-way ticket home; I'm at a busted telephone and I got no way to show you you're not alone." "Deliver Me" is another delight, "All the angels that I love, they don't hang out above, they come down to deliver, they deliver me." This is a strong set filled with consistently excellent songs done as only Catie's can sing them. Enjoy!"
Catie keeps on getting better
Liz | Madison WI | 04/09/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All of Catie Curtis' CDs are terrific and this one is no exception. In "Dreaming's" most powerful songs the singer focuses on repairing a relationship gone wrong. As with "My Shirt Looks Good on You," several of the songs are real rock and roll--a fun departure from Catie's beautiful folk songs. The best of the best on "Dreaming in Romance Languages" is "Dark Weather"--a classic addition to the "We Can Work it Out" canon of music."
Great new songs
Sharon Rogers | Andover, MA USA | 03/26/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a Catie fan since I was in college, and I'm so psyched to hear this new album. This record is vintage Catie- warm, inviting, and really catchy. It just has a great sound- Hold On and It's The Way You Are are my favorites- upbeat, intense, real lyrics and gorgeous melodies. I've been listening to it in the kitchen non-stop since it arrived last week."
A triumph from Catie Curtis and her army of talent
NYC Dad | New York City | 01/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Catie blew me away with this one and producer Trina Shoemaker (known best for her work with Sheryl Crow) left her signature as well. DIRL is well written and the perfomances are a force of nature. This album really demonstrates Catie's range of talent, with equal success in both the folk and pop tracks on this album. I highly recommend it.
I also recommend that listeners find out about a documentary produced during the recording of this album. The film, "Tangled Stories", is due out later this year: www.tangledstories.com"