Search - Paula Cole :: Amen

Amen
Paula Cole
Amen
Genres: Folk, Pop, Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (9) - Disc #1

Paula Cole's third release is a lesson in sticking to what you know. A trained jazz vocalist, Cole uses this studied vocal styling with great affect. Never overusing her vibrato, she breathes a unique and emotional charact...  more »

     
   

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CD Details

All Artists: Paula Cole
Title: Amen
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 4
Label: Warner Bros / Wea
Original Release Date: 9/28/1999
Release Date: 9/28/1999
Genres: Folk, Pop, Rock
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Singer-Songwriters, Adult Alternative
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 093624749028, 603497174263

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Paula Cole's third release is a lesson in sticking to what you know. A trained jazz vocalist, Cole uses this studied vocal styling with great affect. Never overusing her vibrato, she breathes a unique and emotional character into each song with a well-placed whisper, unexpectedly powerful crescendo, or a desperate, aching wail. One moment she portrays a freestyling beat-poet rapper ("Rhythm of Life"), the next a tragically downtrodden blues mamma ("La Tonya"). She also knows how to produce a song. On "Free," sitar uncoils behind a scrim of dark ethereal notions. The title track has bright acoustic-guitar melodies dancing on shimmering synths that resonate like the rim of a crystal water glass caressed by a wet fingertip. Throughout, she builds a foundation of sprawling, blooming musicality adapted from her preceptor Peter Gabriel. But lyrically, Cole slips into her bad habit of harping on the obvious. On "Amen" a DJ's scratch flips a switch in the middle of the song where Cole begins spouting a list of notorious characters in need of repentance, citing Saddam Hussein, Jack Kevorkian, O.J. Simpson, and all Reagan-era republicans. Exhibiting a Jewel-esque naiveté on "Be Somebody," she advises, "In the face of totality, show the other cheek." The lyrics are trite, but after a few listens, they're a minor distraction from the mighty-fine body of music contained in this release. Amen to that. --Beth Massa

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Member CD Reviews

Mark P.
Reviewed on 6/19/2011...
Paula Cole is a great vocalist and I enjoyed her work with Peter Gabriel quite a lot. I thought that I would try this album but there was nothing in her song topics that gripped me in particular so I thought I would put it up for swap here. I also had a girlfriend in the 80s who dressed just like she did, whose name was Paula too! Memories, Alas!!!

CD Reviews

Feel My Wrath
S. Schell | Mason, OH United States | 01/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, guys. I am about to totally bash one of the reviewers on this page. If you would like a reference, please look at "Paula ---What Happened To You?, A Music Fan From Chicago", submitted on September 29th, 1999. For those of you that are TRULY loyal fans, you will most definitely cheer me on when I say: First of all, Paula Cole, like any other musician, did not get in this business to write for you. She got into the music industry for HERSELF. Her lyrics are an expression of how SHE feels. If someone understands how she feels or is remotely able to relate to her, that's great. But music is all about SELF-expression, and I do stress the world self. Of course her lyrics are going to sound self-absorbed. They're about her. She's so filled with energy from her newly discovered peace of mind, that she's bursting with emotion. Some people shout out loud, they jump up and down, or they go tell someone how they feel. Turning it into a song and singing it to the world is her own personal way of expressing it. Now, would you bash everyone else for doing this? The reason why it's become the Paula Cole band is because she's giving her musicians the credit they deserve. Without her back-up, she's merely a voice. She's a great voice, but she can't survive in the music industry on her voice alone. Then she'd really be a folkie! And hey, after all, she's got a great band! She's trying to tell everyone, "Give us ALL a hand! They're a large part of this too!" (ex. Dave Matthews, where the hell would that guy be without his band? ) Lastly, there is nothing wrong with her. She's experimenting, as does every artist. Yeah, sure we all grow to like a specific sound, but we're not the ones who have to sing it. And how are they supposed to grow and try to appeal to others if they're always doing the same thing? They're losing money, and they're losing valuable and potential listeners. That's what the music industry is all about. So, before you change your mind about being a die-hard fan, why don't you think about all the reasons why they started in the first place and why they're still there?"
Surprising but inspiring shift in musical direction
Rashida | Pittsburg, Ca United States | 10/27/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a reflection of Paula Cole's true transformation. I think her second album "This Fire" is about a woman coming to terms with her own fears, anger, desperation, and lost of faith. "Amen" is about a woman deciding to take a more spiritual path. I think the album is beautiful in its own right. Her vocals are breathtaking and the best songs on the album are "Pearl, Be Somebody, I believe in Love, and Rythym of life. I think she will recieve a lot of criticism for her move towards a more spiritual approach to life but I think that is part of being a true artist. I loved her rage and cynicism on "This Fire" but I must admit, I am really pleased to listen to songs filled with hope and vision. I could see her shifting into soulful music on tracks from "This Fire". One that comes to mind is "Feeling love". It shouldn't be such a surprise to everyone. Paula Cole has said in many interviews that her biggest influence is Aretha Franklin. It will take an open heart to understand Paula's message. It doesn't take a genuis to be angry and filled with rage but it truly takes a humble person to find the courage to sing about faith and love in a time of faithlessness. Cheers to Paula Cole!!!!"