Hackney-born 25-year-old singer Paloma Faith has been collecting critical acclaim throughout 2009, and it's easy to see why. Her songs shine with soulful pop perfection and the unmistakable stamp of her inimitable persona.... more » She draws on influences as diverse as Billie Holiday, Etta James, P J Harvey and Edith Piaf. Like her music, Paloma's story never fails to thrill. In the lead up to her becoming a singer, she has been a magician's assistant, trained contemporary dancer, St. Martin's alumni with an MA in theatre direction, a performer in burlesque shows, and an actress. Paloma wrote her debut album in the UK, Sweden and America and recorded it entirely in London. The album features writing collaborations with Ed Harcourt, Jodi Marr (Mika), Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie), Steve Robson (Take That) and Jorgen Elofsson. Epic. 2009.« less
Hackney-born 25-year-old singer Paloma Faith has been collecting critical acclaim throughout 2009, and it's easy to see why. Her songs shine with soulful pop perfection and the unmistakable stamp of her inimitable persona. She draws on influences as diverse as Billie Holiday, Etta James, P J Harvey and Edith Piaf. Like her music, Paloma's story never fails to thrill. In the lead up to her becoming a singer, she has been a magician's assistant, trained contemporary dancer, St. Martin's alumni with an MA in theatre direction, a performer in burlesque shows, and an actress. Paloma wrote her debut album in the UK, Sweden and America and recorded it entirely in London. The album features writing collaborations with Ed Harcourt, Jodi Marr (Mika), Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie), Steve Robson (Take That) and Jorgen Elofsson. Epic. 2009.
Karen S. Simpson | San Diego, CA United States | 10/07/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I discovered Paloma on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and have fallen head over heels for her ecclectic style, pixie chic looks, and amazing voice. I'd heard her song "New York" but didn't place the artist until I heard it again. I've now seen a number of her videos and on hearing the entire cd just can't seem to get enough. I love her style, it is so different and I could listen to Stone Cold Sober repeatedly. I hope she stays around for a long time as her look and talent is quite refreshing on the music scene today!"
At once sensually earthy and theatrically camp, she is with
bollywood | 11/24/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Some recents headlines described Paloma Faith as "the vamp who's not just another Amy wannabe".
Well maybe there is a lot more to the 24-year old Londoner than her stylistic resemblance to Amy Winehouse, but the Amy impression is what strikes you most forcibly about this album.
To speak in contemporary terms, throw in a dollop of Amy's soul into a pot, a dash of Duffy's melodies, boil in some of Lady Gaga's attitude and imagination with a sprinkling of Florence and The Machine's quirkiness and you may just create yourself Paloma.
Enough to make your mouth water...
The record is an echo of the half Spanish/half British singer's former life as a magicians assistant, former burlesque dancer and 'Agent Provocateur' employee.
All of these former jobs contribute to her sense of style, voice and presence.
It's there not just in the expansive reimaginings of classic soul themes, the boldness and brassiness of the arrangements, but even in the intonation, the exaggerated vocal inflections Paloma Faith lends to a song.
The overall sound of the album is a nod to the fifties with additional blues, a backing of r'n'b and a whole lot of soul.
Paloma name checks Etta James, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee amongst her idols along with more recent artists like PJ Harvey, The Noisettes but also the latest Regina Belle and Jill Scott may come to mind as her big influences.
Every song and the album as a whole can be visualised as a luxurious big band performance or circus feature. The big drums, trumpets and the loud backing vocals create this highlighted presence of the petite siren.
That said, she's an excellent singer and there is some very solid material here, songs such as "Stone Cold Sober" and "Smoke & Mirrors" shot through with 60s R&B. The ballads "Stargazer" and "Play On", the latter a surefire success, hark back to an even earlier era.
Listening to the the bouncy Bette Midler-like "Upside Down" and the soulful torch song and current single "New York", which is picking up big interest everywhere in Europe and now also in US, it's hard to believe that she's from Hackney, Greater London.
Give her a chance an listen to this soulful albumm.
"
Hits Hard and Never Lets Up
Kevin L. Nenstiel | Kearney, Nebraska | 06/09/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Paloma Faith's self-conscious retro sound, with lush arrangements conjuring Swing Era visions, doesn't make her music any less contemporary. She cites influences including Billie Holliday and Etta James, but her music could hold any modern dance floor and not be out of place. It's a shame she hasn't broken through in the U.S., because her sound has broad, insistent appeal.
This complex, multi-layered album has multiple producers and musicians, though Faith co-wrote every song. That means the whole thing is unified by her vision, which seems to be resurrecting the high ideals of an earlier time. This is explicit in songs like "Romance is Dead" and "Play On," but you can feel that urgent message through the entire album.
Acts like the Squirrel Nut Zippers would use this album to record something which sounds like it was recorded before World War II. But Faith takes a harder road, bringing her retro ethos into the present. Her music is no mere anachronism or festival-circuit curiosity; she hits hard, speaks to listeners here and now, and uses her distinctive sound to carry a meaningful message.
Heavily played singles like "Stone Cold Sober" and "New York" give an accurate account of Faith's sound. This means that, if you've heard the singles, you won't be surprised or rocked out of your socks, but it also means this album isn't stuffed with filler like too many pop CDs. She starts strong, hits hard, and never lets up.
I can't stop listening to this artistically bold, sonically aggressive album. I can't find one track I dislike or would perform differently. She doesn't sound like other carbon-copy pop divas coming off the assembly line, and she isn't another dream factory refugee. Just one listen, and this album will imprint itself on you like nothing you've heard before."
UTTERLY BEGUILING...what a talent!!
Larry Davis | NYC/Long Island, NY | 03/02/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"No seriously, what a talent...UK artist/actress Paloma Faith recently released what has GOT to be one of the most brilliant debut albums in music history...DYWTTOSB is completely flawless and in a league of one...yes, she comes from the same pool as other cool stylish Brit-soul girls like Amy Winehouse, Adele, Duffy, VV Brown, Noisettes singer Shingai Shoniwa (sorry for the spelling), and others, but Paloma stands out from the pack. How?? I'll tell ya how...she's more cinematic and uses her wild background into her unique way of telling little compelling stories in her songs...she draws you in her little world with her details, and the way her songs (she wrote/cowrote all 10) are arranged, they mirror the lyrics. Only somebody who was a magician's assistant, burlesque dancer and accomplished actress would be able to pull off songs like the beyond words "New York" like Paloma does. The closest I can say her record is is like Adele's great "Chasing Pavements" but brought to a whole new dimension and consistent over the course of her whole album and 37 minutes...I'm not saying I DON'T like Adele...I do...but I love "Chasing Pavements" and I love Paloma as an artist a lot more than Adele, that's all.
She NEEDS to come to the States...I need to see this girl live, to see if she can pull off those great songs on stage because her debut is a minor masterpiece...all killer, no filler, and the way the album is sequenced, you're taken on a colourful journey, as if you were just in a classic movie like "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" or "Absolute Beginners" with Paloma and she was your guide...it's a real adventure and classic children's storybook all wrapped up in one and once the jaw-on-the-floor finale "Play On" ends...you really want to hit repeat and live this record all over again...Paloma's record is the new crack...it's as addictive as the most harmful drug but with all positives and the possible side effect of colourful dreams at night.
All 10 songs are graded 10 in my book...no need for individual grades...and I wish I got this record when it was new as a UK release back in September, 2009, because it would have probably been my #1 or #2 record of last year...now it's too late. I wonder how it will come out in the US...if it does...it might be too good for America...it's not watered-down, commercial or stupid...it might be too musically RICH for American mainstream tastes...Paloma IS more of a niche artist, and being she's coming afterwards, people might be more apt to call her an Amy/Duffy ripoff, but she's as great as the former and blows the latter away, to be honest. I wonder if Epic/Sony will release the album in America, and if so, will it have her B-sides as bonus tracks and/or a DVD??? Or will they have refused and another label pick her up for America, and if so, which one???
Anyone with info would be helpful, thank you...I want to urge Amanda Ghost for answers..."
Amazing Debut From Paloma Faith
Christian | California | 02/06/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Not since first hearing Amy Winehouses "You Know I'm No Good" have I been completly enthralled by a new artist. And to anyone who knows about Paloma the comparison to Amy Winehouse isn't anything new. She was originally offered a background vocalist position for Winehouse. Yes, upon first listen she sounds like an Amy/Duffy rip off. But Once you actally take the time to listen to her lyrics and the beautiful arrangement of her tunes. You come to find that she is at best on the same par as the prior and vocally/lyrically superior to the former. Her album hawkins back to the sounds of the 50's/60's Jazz and R&B singers. It's evident that she has been heavily vocally infuenced by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald (Upside Down, Broken Doll, Romance Is Dead) and most noteable Etta James on the mesmerizing tittle track "Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful"(Broken Doll, Smoke & Mirrors & New York). Making her fit into the current influx of londoner females such as Amy Winehouse, Duffy, The Noisettes vocalist Shingai Shoniwa, Adele & V.V Brown evkoing the sounds of past female cruners. But Paloma manages to pull the sound off the best in my opinion, by paying tribute but still finding a bit of her own vibe in the process.
1.Stone Cold Sober 7/10 - You feel an R&B influence on this uptempo tune with the horns and the late 60's Stax soul vibe. Paloma's vocals are full and fiesty here.She declares to a lover "I could be wilder than the wind/ 190 miles an hour/ I'm in a whole other dimension/ dancing doubles on the floor/ You think I'm crazy/ a little bit hazzy/ but I'm stone cold sober." A nice kiss off track and intro into this album.
2.Smoke & Mirrors 8/10 - This tune starts off with Paloma's vocals in full force over a single strike of a guitar. Some might get a definite Winehouse "Love is A Losing Game" & "Wake Up Alone" vibe from this. But the uptempo funk groove kicking in 7 seconds into the song gives this tune it's own life. I particularly loved her backup harmonies on this tune during the chorus.
3.Broken Doll 9/10 - Like "Smoke & Mirrors" Paloma's vocals start this tune off. But over strings this time. This midtempo tune has a nice mellow R&B vibe to it. With the strings backing the beat, it combines both old and new styles in a pleasant way. Paloma's vocals are nearly perfect on this track. The arrangement is flawless, with the background vocalist coming in near the songs ending. Paloma shows vulnerability on this track, singing " I Don't claim to be perfect/ I know I'm damaged goods/ But I want to be let out of darkness/ just like every lady would."
This is just a beautiful tune all around.
4.Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful 8/10- If You haven't already, I highly recommend that you listen to lyrics in this song. Paloma tells an erie story on this tune during the verses. My favorite lines being "I am happy to decieve you" & "I can be who you want me to do be/ But do you want me". The instrument arrangement is superb here. With the Spectoresque orchestration it's an album highlight.
5.Upside Down 7/10 - An uptempo track, heavy on the swing vibe. Paloma's vocals are flirty here. With a male backing vocalist accompanying her.
6.Romance is Dead 8/10 - I loved this track, Paloma sings of a relationship that is losing it's ramance. How her lover has lost his chivalrous ways, like giving her plastic flowers and a greasy finger printed birthday card. She sings "I asked you for a letter/ So you e-mailed/ have we failed?".
7.New York 10/10 - This albums best track hands down. Paloma speaks of a lover who has left her for another lady. That lady being New York. I just can't get over the chorus "Her name was New York, New York/ And she took his heart away from mine/ Her name was New York, New York/ She has poisend his sweet mind." This is another track where you just have to listen to the lyrics. The way that Paloma delivers them is perfect. From the arrangement to the instrumentation to the backing chior to Paloma's beautiful voice, it's all just amazing.
8.Stargazer 10/10 - Another great tune from this album. Second best to "New York". The melody is superb and luminescent. Paloma tells a beautiful story of two star crossed lovers in this slow tune. You will find that her vocals get stronger as the album continues. Her roots are set in the 50's and 60's vibe. But I got an 80's R&B vibe from this tune. Think Klymaxx "I Miss You".
9.My Legs Are Weak 9/10 - I have to say I got a definite Winehouse "Back to Black" & "Love Is a Losing Game" vibe from the start of this tune. But that fades as the tune unfolds. This is another album highlight. Paloma's vocals are strong here. As the songs builds then fades throughout. The faint sound of a trumpet near the end of the track, made this song for me. It sent Paloma is a place where you very rarely see any singers her age these days go with their music. This song had a great climactic feel to it.
10.Play On 9/10 - Great album closer. Very cinematic. Paloma again shows that lyrically she is very much competent own on this tune.
All in all, this album is a must have of 2010. I hope as the year goes on she gains steam. If you enjoyed all the other women I have mentioned in this review then I highly recommend that you get this album.
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1
