Jann Arden - Jann Arden

The difference can be heard right away: ten seconds of strum-my, hammering guitar. It could be the Strokes, the Vines, or Jet, but then, in comes Jann Arden's familiar vocals, albeit amidst a very uptempo backing band. As Jann herself describes it, the disc is "teeming with a really joyful spirit and full of bliss and optimism," quite a statement from the woman who wrote "Insensitive" and "Sorry for Myself." Indeed, Arden has a great gift of capturing aching beauty and a heart's deep hurt, but it is also refreshing to hear the new CD’s first single, "Where No One Knows Me" and feel the riding-with-the-top-down positive vibe: There are also some sonic departures as well; Arden's whispered, reigned in vocals on "Life Is Sweet," with all it’s hushed-ness, could, given a slightly different melody, be a contemporary, downtempo number straight off the U.K. charts. Equally delicate and also a treat is the CD's final cut, a new version of her previous hit "I Would Die For You", this time as a duet with fellow Canadian singing legend Sarah McLachlan. There is no question that this record is a bit of a departure for Jann and her band; that said, it is just different enough to keep it fresh and interesting both for the singer and her fans. Thankfully, the trademark goodness remains intact, and this will likely be a loved disc by her longtime fans, and possibly a new introduction to the unconverted. --Denise Sheppard From Amazon.ca

 An Amazing Songwriter
This CD would still be worth buying even if it only had 3 tracks on it...1, 5 & 8. October 5, 2007

 A great return to form.......
thought Jann could never top "Living under June", wouldn't really want her to repeat the same style but this new collection finds the Canadian song stylist dishing out some
uptempo grooves along side her trademark melancholy heartaches,
but what makes this set stand out is her willingness to explore
some new sounds without chasing away fans who expect to hear
familiar. It nice to hear favorite artists expand there sound and come up with a gem like this, much like the new Bonnie
Raitt "Souls Alike" the heart and soul is still left to the
music but some fresh air is thrown into the mix to challange
listeners who come to expect the same old, same old, Jann Arden
continues to stand out with her one of a kind style.
November 26, 2005

 5-star disc, one star demerit for frustrating, unreadable album packaging
Truth be told, I was so indifferent to Jann Arden's last couple of discs that I nearly sat this one out. Which would have been a pity because as many armchair Amazon reviewers have pointed out here, Jann's latest is one of her most consistently satisfying since Living Under June. But the CD booklet is about the most user UNfriendly design for listeners such as myself who like to scan the lines of verse while the disc is playing. Lines of text in all different directions, running this way and that. Printed in colors that bleed into the colors of the page. (In other words, not enough contrast in colors.) I mean, why even BOTHER to reprint the lyrics if they're going to be unreadable? Why even BOTHER to reprint the lyrics if they're going to appear in a microscopic point size? (And I'm in my thirties with perfect vision!) The front cover is beautiful, but whose idea was it to list the song titles (the so-called "stacking order") in a circle on the back cover? Easy reference? Nope.

Here's a tip for anyone still reading this: I bought this from Canada's Amazon (Amazon.ca) because it's a whole lot cheaper. When you convert the Canadian dollar to the greenback, it came out to a little less than 10 bucks, versus 28 here. Even with shipping, it was cheaper at Amazon.ca than buying it as an import. So I guess Canada's good for more than just cheap prescription drugs!

July 11, 2005

 Jann Arden...artist supreme.
If you want to reflect on life and all of its roller coster rides it puts us through then Jann Arden is to the rescue. Her music not only entertains but makes you think about your life. I just love this woman's sense of humour and honesty. Most of all I love how she opens her life to us. I catch her in concert when she visits Windsor Ontario. A few years back I yelled at her to perform her lovely remake of the Ray Charles "You don't know me." I think it was him who performed it. She did it happily. I cried like a slobbering baby. Everytime she sings it, it brings me to tears.

While "Happy?" Is still my favorite Jann Arden disk, I do not think I have ever heard a bad recording from her.

A true artist in every form.
June 21, 2005

 After all this time....
It's remarkable Jann Arden has come up with such a fresh album. Her writing, singing and performing skills have not staled as the years have passed but rather she keeps ascending to new heights. This album is like a splash of sparkling water--refreshing, clean and cooling. The songs are instantly infectious, the lyrics deep and meaningful, the melodies insinuating and hypnotic. And of course the singing is flavorful and
singular. Jann's major attribute is intelligence, enhanced by high standards, courageous honesty and unending originality. This is an album for listening over and over and over. Don't miss it! June 15, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...