Article summary

Those who were irked last time around by Katie Melua’s unsubstantiated claims that there are, and I quote, "nine million bicycles in Beijing" and that indeed "that’s a fact, it’s a thing we can’t deny"--when at best it can be no more than an exaggerated guesstimate and at worst just plain made up--will be pleased to learn that there are no comparable aspersions on new album Pictures. There may still be instances when things just don’t seem to make much sense at all, and metaphors can tire in her company, though set alongside a trademark melting lullaby such moments don’t really tend to linger. Pictures is an album that, while essentially doing only what it should and little more, also begins to signal that her potential could yet be realised. Where she has always had the silk-lined voice of a fairy admiring her beauty in a dew-drop, and her albums of modern mainstream jazz have become naturally affiliated with bubble baths by candlelight, or large glasses of red wine sipped slowly, or both, this is where she starts exhibiting signs of maturity. On "What I Miss About You", "Spellbound" and "Perfect Circle" she sounds older, more contemplative, almost commanding, and genuinely soulful. Rising above the generic parapet she makes small steps towards an identity of her own. Perhaps more than just a pretty voice after all. --James Berry

Customer's review

Contractual Obligation Album

Monty Python released an album with this title in the early 80s and this is what this album from Katie feels like. The songs are pleasant and pass an enjoyable 45 minutes but there are no standout tracks as there were on the excellent first two albums. The highlights are 'If I were a sailboat' and 'Ghost Town', both of which received much radio play. 'What it says on the tin' just grates on me as it's one of those annoying 'in' sayings that no-one had heard of until a few years ago (a bit like 'rocket science') and 'If the lights go out' is just plain depressing lyrically. What I don't understand is why the gorgeous 'When you taught me how to dance'; Katies song from the film 'Miss Potter' is not included here as that really would provide a standout track for this collection. I'll be listening to 'Call off the Search' and 'Piece by Piece' for a long time yet but I fear this album will just gather dust.

Outstanding Pictures

Pictures is a CD that seems to collect very diverse opinions and I am baffled by this. Yes, the songs are 'easy' to the ear and simple lyrics - but so what? Surely the point of music is to enjoy the performance and not to look beyond. Katie Melua has here an excellent collection of songs and is supported by equally excellent musicians. For me the whole collection is a joy to listen to.

I'm not sure why a fellow reviewer found it a problem when Melua thought a song was well written - in her opinion. What has it to do with the joy of listening to this CD?

Katie Melua I like this CD and will derive much pleasure from it, please continue with more of the same.

"nine million bicycles in Beijing"

"Katie Melua's unsubstantiated claims that there are, and I quote, "nine million bicycles in Beijing" and that indeed "that's a fact, it's a thing we can't deny"--when at best it can be no more than an exaggerated guesstimate and at worst just plain made up",
Very interesting.
About 16 000 000 people live in Beijing. According to Wikipedia the ratio of bicycles to people is estimated at 1 to 2. One may assume that in a big city it is slightly higher? On that basis 9 million seems a reasonable estimate (if it is only that!)

Just a bit of fun!

Okay, so the lyrics aren't so sophisticated. So what? The music is still pretty damn good. I got into the album instantly, as i found the music to be very accesible, easy listening; instantly likeable. I have been a Melua fan from the start and I am pleased to see her going in a different route, her music now being alot more entertaining and uplifting. Some of the lyrics may be called childish, i personally find them charming. For example, 'if the lights go out' has beautiful lyrics of love until the end of time, whereas i don't understand why some people are taking such issue with the lyrics of 'if you were a sailboat' among others. The concept of the album shows that she is not expecting us to take the lyrics too seriously and that she is trying to have a bit of fun, with her previous albums having quite a downbeat feel. Lets just be thankful that there arent any obscene claims about the number of bicycles in Beijing!

Instantly catchy, a beautiful 3rd album

I don't normally write reviews but I was shocked to notice the bad reviews this album was getting! I understand that a lot of people, for some reason unbeknown to me, were really disappointed with "Piece by Piece" - I can vaguely empathise in that I rate the 2nd album a 4/5 compared to a 5/5 for the first - but as I always listened to the first two albums together I've never had much conviction for saying that piece by piece wasn't quite as good - some of my favourite songs are on that 2nd album (her version of "on the road again", "halfway up the hindu kush" and "shy boy", and perhaps her most beautiful song to date, "I cried for you").

Moving on to this 3rd album then, I would like to point out that unlike the first two albums this album (discounting the itunes bonus cover track "under the cherry moon" by Prince) has no cover tracks (I think it's going to rain today, lilac wine, on the road again, just like heaven) and although I love and prefer all her covers (perhaps with the exception of "just like heaven"), I do think that for some listeners the lack of such tracks might stupidly make them feel less comfortable than when listening to the first two albums - that's a guess, I'm just having trouble understanding why self-declared Melua fans could give this album only 1 star.
I completely disagree with one reviewer's comment that this album sounds like "the worst tracks of the first albums repeated over and over". Whereas Melua has not undergone a drastic change of style (and why on Earth would you want that?? If you like Melua's voice and her previous songs I don't see how you can't be in love with this CD, and if you know you don't like her then chances are, no, you won't like this album), Pictures does present completely new sounds and is perhaps more distinguishable from her other records than Piece by Piece was from Call Off the Search.
I have personally found this album the easiest to listen to constantly on repeat; it's an album full of catchy, relaxing, mellow songs, mainly in an upbeat way but with a few tracks suggesting despair (for good measure). If you like rainy days you will most probably like this album too - it is a great accompaniment to such weather and also a glass of red wine :)

I don't think that anyone could really dislike Pictures - all the one star comments appear to be melodramatic criticisms. If you're hesitant why not try listening to some of the tracks on youtube or her website or ilike? Scary Films has become one of my favourite songs, and I recommend Dirty Dice, Perfect Circle and What It Says on the Tin.

Pictures

Article summary

Customer's review

Contractual Obligation Album

Outstanding Pictures

"nine million bicycles in Beijing"

Just a bit of fun!

Instantly catchy, a beautiful 3rd album

Related article

Call Off the Search

Piece By Piece

Katie Melua - Concert Under The Sea [2007]

Songs Of Mass Destruction

Call Off the Search [Special Bonus Edition] [CD + DVD]

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