I am reviewing Harmonium for my college newspaper, and after a very feeble attempt at a first draft and lots of editing, here's what I have so far. Please give CONSTRUCTIVE feedback! Thanks!
After 2 years out of the spotlight, "Harmonium" is Vanessa Carlton's follow up to her multiplatinum debut "Be not Nobody" which had the number 1 single "A Thousand Miles" and top 10 hit "Ordinary Day." The first single off "Harmonium," "White Houses," is currently climbing the Hot 100 and Billboard Charts at a rapid pace. With this reemergence, some say that Vanessa is back and better than ever, while die hard fans claim she never left.
Like the songs on "Be not Nobody," the piano is the main instrument and key element to the music on "Harmonium." Backed up by a full orchestra, electric and acoustic guitar, brass, and sometimes a 40 voice choir, the myriad of piano arpeggios and infectious hooks result in a sound that is at times hypnotic, chilling, and haunting. The most stand out aspect on "Harmonium" is Vanessa's obvious growth as a writer and lyricist. Teaming with boyfriend/producer Stephen Jenkins (from the band Third Eye Blind) each piece of music is written as a personal narrative or vingette.
The first track on the album, "White Houses," tells the story of one girl's coming of age experiencs that all happens in white houses over the summer. "White Houses" addresses the changes girls go through between the ages of 16 and 20, like feelings of jealousy toward a friend and losing her virginity.
"Annie" is a bittersweet reflection on a visit Vanessa had with a real life fan named Victoria. Touched by the bravery of the little girl dying of Lukemia, Carlton expresses her admiration through the lyrics "you're so fine the way you stand up to your fears...I'd give my bones for you to get a few more years..."
Infectious hooks in other songs like "Private Radio" and "San Francisco" that address topics of insomnia and a love affair in the city make these tunes not only catchy, but relatable.
"Harmonium" has a very raw and dressed down feel with more personal and dark lyrics than her previous album. The hidden track, "The Wreckage" is exemplory of this darker style. Strictly piano/vocal, the diminished chords match the sentiment of the lyrics about autocide. The song "Half a Week Before the Winter" shows Vanessa's dabblings in the existential and esoteric writing style, allowing the listerner to attribute his or her own meanings to the symbols of unicorns and vampires in the lyric.
Aside from Jenkins, Vanessa worked with an array of guest artists on this record. Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks from the band Fleetwood Mac, Pharrell, and Kayne West lended their talents to Harmonium in a number of ways. By playing and singing backup or co-producing a track, these collaborations add another facet to the originality of Harmonium.
It is apparent that "Harmonium" is an expression of Vanessa's personal growth in the two years since the success of "A Thousand Miles" and "Be not Nobody." Fans of Vanessa, or "NESSAholics," have been waiting over 2 years for new material, dealing with months of release date pushbacks by her label, Interscope. Yet, it is true that good things come to those who wait. "Harmonium" comes with a making of documentary called "Pleased to Meet You," and a 30 minute intimate concert/Q&A session with a select group of fans filmed last December.
Vanessa is bringing the songs of "Harmonium" on the road, headlining a month long US tour, and continuing in Europe and Asia early next year. Harmonium drops Nov. 9, and the single "White Houses" can be heard on a radio near you.
