Search - Maren Ord :: Not Today

Disappointed

Pete | Toronto | 04/25/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I absolutely loved Maren's first album, Waiting - almost every song of it. The combination of gentle acoustics and the occasional energetic semi-rocker (e.g. "Perfect"), with meaningful and creative lyrics all through, made it one of my favorites, and it still is. So for the longest time I was waiting for her second release really expectantly, and was really excited when it was here.Unfortunately, it doesn't at all match her first album. For one thing, there are only 6 tracks! I know she's been busy getting married and all since her first CD, but you'd think this one would at least be a full LP. However, the music itself doesn't match the first by a long shot, either. It's not so much the style or the tunes or instrumentals, they're great. It does have a more rock-like sound, and it's one that I like. I do miss the softer songs from the first one - like Waiting, All I Want is You, Beautiful, and others. And that gets into my main point - the lyrics and the content. Especially songs like "Not Today" and "Say Goodbye" - they're the kind of "Miss Independent" stuff that there wasn't any of on the first album, and that I don't particularly enjoy. Her first album was full of youthful hope and excitement and romance and personal trials, and the lyrics were so easy to relate to. But the ones on here sound more like a lot of the other artists and songs out there in the mainstream - a lot more like regular pop music. The best song is probably "Where Are You Now" - it definitely comes the closest to the material on her first CD, in terms of the raw emotion and the struggle at making sense of people, relationships and the world, and trying to find meaning. Very non-superficial, and something I wish there was a lot more of here.I still gave this 3 stars, because it certainly still is better than most CDs out there, it's very well-produced, and Maren is one talented singer and songwriter. But I hope we don't have to wait very long for the next full album from her, and I think it'll be fine if she keeps the production but tries to get the feel of it back in some ways to "Waiting.""

This girl has it all - definitely can take the mike

Dave | Golden | 06/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Isn't anybody listening? Maren's voice is one that any band would die for. She has moved on from the soft, gentle teen driven lyrics on songs like "Beautiful" & "Tonight" (two of my favorites from her debut "Waiting"), to multi-layered guitar riffs, bass, & drum rhythms, that she weaves her vocals in and out of with ease, leaving it all out there. To put it simply, Maren makes the music in two albums many artists can't attain in one lifetime. She's done the work. Oh, and Randy Bachman is anything but mainstraim, like when he played slide with the drummers stick, the summer of '74 in the Miami Orange Bowl. Just buy both CD's as this new fan of hers plans to, and you will have everything! ... except tickets to her show!!! "Thank You for the Memories" Maren!"