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DIDO
LIFE FOR RENT |
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| | Reviews: 395 |
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| Average Rating: 8.47 |
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Good second effort
by Philip J. Tatoris Albuquerque, New Mexico United States
Reviewed on June 16th, 2004
This is a very solid album. The first nine songs maintain a consistent level of quality, and "White Flag" is one of the best songs of the year--a poignant reflection on lost love and the unwillingness to let go. The sinking ship is the perfect metaphor for so many reasons: it implies the singer's dedication to her love by evoking the image of the captain who won't leave his ship behind, but also implies that she was the one keeping the relationship running in the first place and probably couldn't--and can't--do anything to save it.Dido uses the setting sun to great effect in "Mary's in India," another standout song. Standing for the difference in time between Mary and her lover, Danny, back in Britain, and also for the emotional shifts that take place over the course of the song, the sun metaphor looks, in the lyric book, like it pushes the delicate boundary between cleverness and shlock--but Dido's delivery carries the day, and the song itself lands clearly on the safe (and sonically pleasing) side of the line. The last few songs drag a bit--particularly "This Land is Mine," a mistake in tempo at track 10 on what is otherwise a nearly flaw-free CD. "See the Sun" sets things to rights, and the bonus track is an acoustic--and very pretty--love song, perhaps the most sincere and heartfelt on the album besides "White Flag." Dido's songwriting remains strong on this album, and her classical training informs a musically interesting work that occasionally slips into sounding too much like itself by maintaining the same mid-tempo beat for much of the album. Nevertheless, that feel suits the songs, and as a result Life For Rent is just as strong as No Angel , if a bit more consistent and lacking an obvious second single. Here's hoping she releases "Stoned" to radio--it has the best danceability on the album, and people will love the title.
More "Life for Rent" reviews:
[2005-01-02] Dido has 'Life For Rent' but most would want to buy!! (10)
[2004-12-31] Not her best attempt. (6)
[2004-10-30] A poor sophomore effort (4)
[2004-09-28] Life For Rent ~ Dido (10)
[2004-09-16] A Very Pleasant Surprise! (10)
[2004-09-16] See You When You`re 40 ... Sure!! (10)
[2004-08-31] And a Half Stars (8)
[2004-08-25] excellent again (10)
[2004-08-19] Great CD! (8)
[2004-08-18] Great album!! (8)
[2004-08-16] not as good as "no angel" (6)
[2004-08-15] Life for Rent (10)
[2004-07-18] Bland?! No way! (10)
[2004-07-16] Life for Rent, Room to Grow (8)
[2004-07-13] Best CD of the 21st century! (10)
[2004-07-13] nice (8)
[2004-07-06] What a Good CD (10)
[2004-07-03] Heidi's Review (6)
[2004-07-02] Near perfection, for me, just a few rough spots... (8)
[2004-07-01] love this cd!!! (10)
[2004-07-01] fav album of 2003 (10)
[2004-06-27] A little too moody, but still good (6)
[2004-06-25] It's no "No Angel", but it's a work of art. (8)
[2004-06-24] They wonder why I'm sitting in my cube with tears in my eyes (10)
[2004-06-24] Moody Masterpiece (8)
[2004-06-23] Life for Rent is a Keeper (10)
[2004-06-17] Dido-Life For Rent(Awesome CD) (10)
[2004-06-17] EXCELLENT! (10)
[2004-06-16] Good second effort (8)
[2004-06-15] DARK BLUE WORLDS (10)
[2004-06-08] Solid Sophmore Outing (8)
[2004-06-07] Would it really matter if Dido died? (2)
[2004-06-05] Great from start to finish (10)
[2004-06-04] Beautiful ! Touches deep Your heart................ (10)
[2004-05-30] Life For Rent (8)
[2004-05-30] What I hope is balanced review of one of "Life For Rent" (8)
[2004-05-30] Amazing live performance (8)
[2004-05-28] best sophomore effort! (10)
[2004-05-28] Stepping Stones (10)
[2004-05-27] Equally as good as her first, if not better... (8)
[2004-05-25] Cuts both ways (8)
[2004-05-25] This cd makes my ears happy. (10)
[2004-05-25] Sweet angelic voice, but... (6)
[2004-05-21] Dido acoustic (8)
[2004-05-20] The grey cover is a glimpse of whats to come... (2)
[2004-05-19] WHITE FLAG BY DIDO (LIFE FOR RENT CD) (4)
[2004-05-19] stinging lyrics beneath the veneer of warm dulcet tones (10)
[2004-05-18] Life For Rent (10)
[2004-05-13] Dido (10)
[2004-05-10] Is This Life For Rent? (6)
[2004-05-07] Not as good as "No Angel" but worth a buy (8)
[2004-05-07] GREAT (10)
[2004-05-04] What's the point? (2)
[2004-05-04] It's Addictive (10)
[2004-05-02] I'm speechless... (10)
[2004-04-29] '1st Album Was SO Much Betta - This album isnt worth a rent! (2)
[2004-04-25] Just Awesome (10)
[2004-04-23] Alot of people could empathize her music! (8)
[2004-04-23] Is this for single women in their 30's? (8)
[2004-04-22] ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ (4)
[2004-04-18] Wonderful album!! (10)
[2004-04-13] my fault (4)
[2004-04-06] Excellent! (10)
[2004-04-05] A lackluster sophomore effort. (4)
[2004-04-04] A hit for the British babe (10)
[2004-04-03] So many good songs (10)
[2004-04-03] The real thing (8)
[2004-04-02] The Best CD Released in 2003 (10)
[2004-03-21] A beautiful, haunting, brilliant album - MUST BUY (10)
[2004-03-16] Dido's symphony... (6)
[2004-03-16] What a surprise! (10)
[2004-03-15] An album WORTH buying (10)
[2004-03-14] Addicted (10)
[2004-03-11] Excellent (10)
[2004-03-11] Maybe better than the first cd! (10)
[2004-03-05] Dido = Very Nice! (8)
[2004-03-04] There's more than White Flag! (10)
[2004-03-01] A truly amazing CD....Can't wait for her next one! (8)
[2004-02-29] 3 Stars: Dido's Life For Rent Album Is A Nice Effort (6)
[2004-02-29] How Am I the First? (10)
[2004-02-29] Excellent CD!! A Must have for any collection. (10)
[2004-02-28] Music for living with. (10)
[2004-02-26] Life for rent (8)
[2004-02-26] Beautiful and Inspiring (10)
[2004-02-24] Rhythmic, bluesy electric whisperer (10)
[2004-02-23] A nice surprise. (8)
[2004-02-21] Best CD she's getting better, Maddy (10)
[2004-02-17] Mellow and manufactured (2)
[2004-02-12] Not bad! (8)
[2004-02-11] Introspective songs of loss, longing and hope (10)
[2004-02-09] The lyrics are good, and she really has a voice (8)
[2004-02-09] Reflective, not sombre (10)
[2004-02-08] So Sad (2)
[2004-02-04] Better than the Last...Can't Wait to See What's Next (10)
[2004-02-03] Just good fun. (10)
[2004-02-03] Not awful, but Dido is capable of better (6)
[2004-01-31] Melancholic Perfection (10)
[2004-01-25] Dido (10)
[2004-01-25] It is more than a 5 stars album.....1000000000000stars (10)
[2004-01-23] A great sophomore album (10)
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