Search - Melanie :: Photograph (Double Exposure)

Her Best, Finally Re-issued!

Mike S. Smutny | Brooklyn Park, MN United States | 12/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was my first and still my favorite Melanie Album. I've been waiting years for its re-release. This is by far her best produced album and still holds up very well. Too many of her albums suffer from having some very Kitchy arrangements added that spoil otherwise great songs. Many of her best songs are here: "If I needed you", "groundhog day", "I'm so Blue", "Secret of the Darkness" and "Save Me". There's not a bad song on the original Disc 1. Disc 2 is mostly unnecessary, however, although will be good for hardcore fans and completists. The alternate version of "Groundhog day" is worthwhile, as are both versions of "unfinished business" which is one of her funkiest songs, and "Remeber me good" which has a more traditional country arrangement. The others are either better in the original ablum version or songs that were omitted justly.



For those who are true Melanie fans this is a must have. It is also packaged beautifully with additional photos and liner notes added to the original. For those new to Melanie, this doesn't have her signiture "hits" (except for a re-working of "Nickle Song") but you won't find her in better voice or with better production and these songs are not trite and dated as much of her catalog has become. Melanie has one of the most interesting and soulful voices of her generation and this is her high water mark album. If only Joe Henry would produce her comeback she could get the respect she's due."

Save $$$ And Get At Melanie's Site!

daBrat | San Francisco, Ca USA | 03/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of Melanie's best for sure, but...why this price for half an album? The album has actually been reissued by Rhino as a 2-CD package, entitled, "Photograph-Double Exposure," and is flawless! CD 2 includes alternate versions, as well as music previously not released. Why buy this one? Get it from Melanie's site, or somewhere that sells the actual "limited edition!""

At long last

Phil | Australia | 04/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although the album is 29 years old, it's brilliance has not faded. A reviewer referred to it as his favourite album ever. I understand why. There's a couple of tracks though which I don't like much, but the rest are a soothing to the soul. This original version of Groundhog Day is the best.



Other top albums by Melanie, some of which may rival this one or even be better to some listeners are Gather Me, Sunset and other Beginnings, Phonogenic, Ballroom Streets, Arabesque, Seventh Wave, & Am I Real or What (1985)- after which I feel music died in general, though regaining a certain revival for a short while around the end of that decade, and into the early 90s. This century has seen spasmodic bursts of good music, mainly from the older artists.



Melanie is still trying, but unless she does what she does best and returns to study her own work from 1974-85, I don't feel she will gain acceptance from the newer generations. She shouldn't fear this, as really, anything goes now. Really I wouldn't bother too much about being commercial and lose sight of herself and the music which gained her legions of adoring fans. The last two albums I mentioned had commercial value, yet would have had widespread appeal to any fortunate enough to have obtained either or both.



Despite the fact that her voice apparently isn't what it used to be, understandably, if she continues to respect herself and her music, she ought to succeed. If only the compilations would stop, and the albums with only two new songs, the rest being covers of her own and other's work. Also if she stopped rehashing the Nickel song for every album ...

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