New Diana Krall

Rob Babcock · « **on:** 7 Oct 2006, 02:13 am »

Well, what do you guys think of the new DK album? I mean, the guys who like her music to start with.

I'd have to say the recording is good, the performance immaculate, as you'd expect from Krall, BUT- I don't really like any of the songs. She's got a lot of songs I probably wouldn't like by anyone else, so I'm not saying it's her interpretation. It just seems to me she picked mostly clinkers. And I say that with the full realization I could get flamed from here til Tuesday by guys saying those songs are classics.

To put it in perspective, I absolutely loved "The Look Of Love," so I have no problem with The Standards. Just the ones she picked for this disc.

fajimr · « **Reply #1 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 02:40 am »

I'll be waiting for JoshK's review before I go out and buy it

MaxCast · « **Reply #2 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 02:44 am »

I'll be waiting for nathenm's review before I go out and buy it.

kfr01 · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 02:51 am »

I'll have to buy and see, I guess.

I normally love standards....

but I know what you mean about Krall. Sometimes I need to force listen. :/

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 03:01 am »

This is the only Diana Krall CD that I really enjoy:

Followed by:

Live in Paris was Ok, but the others don't get played that often

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 03:21 am »

Don't misunderstand me- I love DK! I have all her albums and pretty much like them all. Days go by where I don't listen to her, but it's rare that a week goes by without some DK.

Martyn · « **Reply #6 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 04:46 am »

Hi, Guys. As an occasional visitor to Audiocircle and part-time DK fan, I thought I'd parachute in here.

I say "part-time" because I find that I can't stand some of her stuff while I can't hear some of it enough. I wondering whether I'm alone in this or whether others feel the same way.

Here's where I stand:

Don't like: many of her own songs that seem to lack melody (it's hard to beat a good tune).
OK: many of her interpretations of old standards.
Really like: her interpretation of "Temptation" (first choice) and "Love me like a Man" (second choice).

Anyone go along with this?

saphoto · « **Reply #7 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 06:42 am »

yea I like this CD, but it does not grab me like some others. It's recorded & played very well etc. The tempo seems a little slow. Of course tempos are slow on look of love for example, but I love that CD. Can't quite put my finger on it. I'm still listening to it, and will give it more time. Others will probably love these arrangements.

MaxCast · « **Reply #8 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 10:51 am »

I like her best when she is singing a fun, whimsicle song vs. slow and serious.
I'm not a foot person but I like popsicle toes

and most of that album.
I think Barber does the serious thought provoking stuff better.

Hey Martyn, that is why they have the next track button on the remote. Nothing wrong with that my friend. I look froward to the day I have my music on a server...so I can axe those tired songs off the hard drive.

hifitommy · « **Reply #9 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 03:23 pm »

it doesnt grab me like 'girl in the other room' but i find that i have different opinions after a while. like the charnett moffett cd, at first i thought it to be too contemporary and then many weeks later i found it to be pretty good.

i'll postpone judgement until later. it helped to get it for 10 bucks at CC when it first came out.

csc · « **Reply #10 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 04:10 pm »

I listened to some of DK's new disc at Barnes and Noble....was not that impressed. Then I got into a discussion with the salesperson about it. He suggested that maybe something has happenned to her "judgement" since recently giving birth to twins......or maybe Elvis Costello is bringing her down.

John Casler · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 04:44 pm »

Quote from: csc on 7 Oct 2006, 04:10 pm

I listened to some of DK's new disc at Barnes and Noble....was not that impressed. Then I got into a discussion with the salesperson about it. He suggested that maybe something has happenned to her "judgement" since recently giving birth to twins......or maybe Elvis Costello is bringing her down.

Don't have the CD, but do like much of her stuff, BUT.......

Saw her on Letterman a few weeks ago and she "looked"

horrible.

I was stunned. on her album covers she is one sexy female.

On Letterman, she was fat and below pedestrian. As well the perfromance was "VERY" uninspired.

Maybe she is pregnant again or something, but she looked like a seated whale, wit a fat face.

Really blew my image

Martyn · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 05:37 pm »

Max, I agree with your comment about Patricia Barber. Once I discovered her I went out and bought everything she'd done, although some of her stuff is right on the edge of my tolerance for "cool". She's very talented, and I love her voice. Top quality recordings as well; can't ask for much more than that (except lower prices for SACDs).

PhilNYC · « **Reply #13 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 05:44 pm »

Quote from: John Casler on 7 Oct 2006, 04:44 pm

Saw her on Letterman a few weeks ago and she "looked" horrible.

I've seen her a couple of times in Leno, and each time she always looked like she was about to fall asleep while performing (eyes closed, not moving at all)...

And I agree; her album cover photos make her look far more glamorous than she appears in "real life"...

Captain Humble · « **Reply #14 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 06:21 pm »

Quote

Maybe she is pregnant again or something, but she looked like a seated whale, wit a fat face.

Really blew my image

Sometimes that's what happens once you mary them.

I've seen her twice.
Once at the Morton Meyerson. We sat in the Chorus section so I was actually on stage with a side view no more than 10 to 15 yards away. She looked great. Better than she does on the album covers.

The last time we saw her she looked great as well.
My bet, either fat and happy or pregnant or both.

John Casler · « **Reply #15 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 06:26 pm »

Yeah, now I'll have to keep the lights on and the CD album cover close, cause if I close my eyes, it'll ruin the show

mjosef · « **Reply #16 on:** 7 Oct 2006, 11:14 pm »

Quote from: John Casler on 7 Oct 2006, 06:26 pm

Yeah, now I'll have to keep the lights on and the CD album cover close, cause if I close my eyes, it'll ruin the show

JC, I too saw her on Letterman a couple weeks ago, in HDef too, man was that a shocker...I mean she kinda looked like the DK of the many CD covers... and I have seen her once live a few years ago and she looked sexy and pretty, but seeing her now...damn.
Well, I do enjoy her music, most of it anyways. I do like P. Barber, Cassandra Wilson and Joni Mitchell much more.

Levi · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Oct 2006, 03:43 am »

I just bought her new CD and it is of good quality recording. I am not a fan. Just my .02.

steve k · « **Reply #18 on:** 8 Oct 2006, 04:06 am »

I agree with Rob. As much as I like DK, her song choices on the new one suck. Willow Weep for Me is the only one I can get into. There are tons of other good tunes out there, like the Gershwin songbook, Cole Porter, etc. I'm not sure why she selected these but they're stinkers.
s.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #19 on:** 8 Oct 2006, 05:04 am »

I loved "The Girl in the Other Room," too. When I saw that the bulk of it was written by/with her hubby, I'll admit I got worried; my worst fear was that he'd change her too much, move her away from the jazz sound to something else. Luckily their collaboration is inspired, brilliant even. "The Girl..." is one of her finest efforts, IMOHO.

There's one other thing that bugs me about this album, and I'm reluctant to even mention it in a way... DK has a lot going for her. She has a nuanced & sublty expressive voice, very tasteful arrangements & is a tremendous pianist- who also just happens to be a very very attractive woman. Given that she has proven that she possesses serious chops, why does she allow herself to be sold as a sex symbol in such a tawdry manner? Now I realize it sounds absurd to hear me of all people complain about cheesecake liner photos of such a stunning woman, but it seems really demeaning to me. This album takes it to another level of absurdity- did anyone notice that right inside the cover is a photo of only her breasts?

It doesn't even show her face!

Just her (clothed, barely) lowcut cleavage & her hands. More the type of thing you'd see on the DVD case of a teen exploitation movie.

Maybe she's simply pragmatic enough to realize sex sells, and therefore has decided "if you got it, flaunt it." Still, if she wants to be respected as a musician instead of an empty head playing elevator music, she should focus the marketing on her considerable talents as a musician, not her lesser stature as a hottie.

Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now.