Search - Duncan Sheik :: Daylight

Nothing Like It in the World

Little Willow | USA | 10/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I admit it. I'm addicted to the music of Duncan Sheik. This fabulous singer-songwriter continually grows as an artist and never ceases to amaze me. His thought-provoking lyrics and smooth vocals are both soothing and inspiring.With "Daylight," Sheik has done it again. The mid-tempo "Genius," in which he declares, "I really blew it," kicks off the album with a tongue-in-cheek start. "Half-Life" is the tune from which the title was drawn; the beautiful violin arrangement engulfs you as the song builds. The heartbroken "Start Again" (Peace has lost / Its meaning) is a stark contrast from "On Her Mind," in which he wonders if he should have expressed his feelings to the girl he had his shy eye on. "Such Reveries," a lyrical piece that offers dreamscapes and escapism, is not alone among my favorite tracks on this album but one of my all time favorite songs by Duncan.Halfway through, we are offered the first single, the bouncy and instantly catchy "On a High" (You're the sea / And the sky / And the blue that runs through it). Anyone having a bad day cannot help but be cheered up by this delightful song. Anyone who worries about what (rather, who) is being promoted on newsstands will enjoy the story behind "Magazines." Somewhere, someone is playing "For You" at their wedding - what a beautiful testament to love. "Good Morning!" reminds us that you cannot soar with eagles when you work with turkeys. "Memento" is insightful; your heart goes out to the broken girl he details in this moody track. Keep the album playing after "Shine Inside," and you'll be happily surprised by a hidden track.I have forgotten what the "forward" button is for on my CD player. There is no track which should be skipped on this album. It plays like one lovely story from start to finish. It is emotional without being sappy, realistic without being pessimistic. What are you waiting for? Hurry now -- it's time to see the "Daylight.""

Sheik the chic

William Merrill | San Antonio, TX United States | 08/27/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"(3 & 1/2 stars) When Duncan Sheik burst on the scene with the ultra-catchy but over-played single "Barely Breathing" a few years ago, I made the mistake of dismissing him as yet another vapid teen idol with nothing new to say. I regained interest in his music after hearing that he was covering entire Nick Drake albums in concert, and was performing with the estimable Spooky Ghost. His CD last year, Phantom Moon, was a revelation -- quietly passionate, very tuneful, and great to listen to just about anywhere. The new Daylight comes close to being that good, but not quite.To me the difference between this new CD and the last one comes with a song like "Good Morning," a somewhat over-produced track that tries to obscure a fairly slight melody with a lot of instruments in a very active arrangement. (Duncan produced Moon himself; this one was produced by Madonna associate Patrick Leonard.) Still, there are many pleasures to be had with Daylight, among them Duncan's apt vocal phrasing and the velvety tones of his singing. A few of the songs rise above the pack, especially the opening track, "Genius," where Sheik actually rocks out on the chorus!"

It's the most beautiful album he's made...

Little Willow | 02/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll admit I hated this album the first time I listened to it. I bought it because I'm a huge fan of Duncan Sheik and I liked "On A High" enough to want the extended version. Like a good, devoted fan though, I ripped the CD and threw it in my playlist and waited for songs to appear out of the shuffle. Sure enough, the first one was "Shine Inside" which is just a beautiful balad that really got to me; the guitar! the chorus "Well I can see SHINE inside..." It sounds gorgeous. For the next few weeks, that's the song I couldn't get enough of.But a couple weeks later, I came back to the computer just as "For You" broke into the piano at ~1:50. That ten seconds of sheer gorgeousness had me hooked. The same happened with "Good Morning!" at the end where he starts with the "La la la la." I've noticed (with songs like "Wishful Thinking" and one on this album -- "Start Again") that Duncan Sheik is *incredible* at making those little ditties right in the middle or at the end of average songs that just make them unbelievable."Start Again" gew on me. "On Her Mind" I think is wonderful when it breaks into the chorus. "Genius" is beautiful at the beginning. "Half-Life" has a wonderful chorus.My point is that all the tracks have their moments. Just let the album breathe. Accept Duncan as someone who's not trying to write this super duper pop "everything's a single" album and enjoy his commitment to originality. Adjusting to that takes time."