February 24, 2006

Imogen Heap - Speak For Yourself

Most artists go solo after getting noticed while working with a band. Imogen Heap did just the opposite. Her solo career is what prompted Guy Sigsworth to start up the project band Frou Frou with Imogen. Speak for Yourself is Imogen Heap’s second solo album, and it is magical. Simply put, Speak for yourself is Imogen Heap’s fiery poetry thrown against a tidal wave of electronics. A talented pianist to say the least, she finds just the right sounds for her poetry with her keyboards. While the whole album is enjoyable, the single is by far the most astonishing song on the whole album. Using just her vocals and a vocoder, she does an amazing sort of electronic a cappella in the immediate hit single “Hide and Seek”. It is one track that can be listened to over and over and over again. In this day of age where computers and keyboards can do just about anything musically, it’s nice to hear someone use those instruments to their full effect and add passion into the mix as well. The songs on this cd take new turns every time you listen to them which make it one of the most enjoyable listens in recent music. I was considering putting it on the Best of 2005 list just because of “Hide and Seek” but decided not to. If I had heard the whole thing before hand it definitely would have nailed a high spot on my list. The album as a whole is insightful and at times, rocks. This album has instantly put Imogen with such company as Joni Mitchell and Bjork, has already surpassed female musicians like Alanis Morrisette and Tori Amos, and has set the bar enormously high for future female vocalists. If Money Mark and Fiona Apple had a baby together, her name would be Imogen Heap (which by the way is an insanely cool name). From the almost alternative “Daylight Robbery” and to the cute romantic “Goodnight and Go”, Speak for Yourself is one album that NEEDS to be heard by anyone that gets pleasure from listening to music with an edge.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

dave,
have you listened to the song save me by Jem? It is a little teen pop I know but there is something seriously catchy about it. It is from the grey's anatomy soundtrack (Love!) and I just wondered what you thought

-J