I don't actually have the album, I found it on YouTube because I was afraid of how bad it would be. Now let's review what Emilie has said about the album.
1.It will be very violent and passionate
2. It will be the fiction part of the book's soundtrack
I have read the book and I might post spoilers, so watch out if the price hasn't hit rock-bottom yet. I also haven't seen the live shows for this album and I have heard it is meant to be performed live. I'm doing son-by-song review, then rate the album overall.
1. Fight Like a Girl- I like the song. I think it's catchy (does that word apply to Goth-friendly music? Let's pretend I meant catchy as in catching bats), but I'm confused about what part of the book this is narrating. Perhaps it's a song meant to encompass the whole book? It could fit that. It's very empowering(?) and I usually feel like a warlord when I listen to it as I chase cats with scalpels and amputation swords.
2. Time for Tea- I can definitely tell which part of the book she's singing about. She's talking about the Tea Party Massacre in the book. That awkward part where she asks for hatchets and scalpels and what not is preparing for the massacre itself. And, if I remember correctly, she stabs "a filthy metal spike right in the middle of your forehead" is how she gets her revenge on Dr. Lymer. The song itself is a bit awkward, I think, but I have no idea why and still like the song.
3. 4 O 'Clock Reprise- I believe this is the first song played in the shows, as an introduction, yes? It's a lovely song on whatever various instruments she uses that I can't identify.
However,
the song is most certainly not the hardcore song expected on the album. I also can't tell where in the book it is, unless it would be the song played in the opening credits of a movie. I award it 3 stars, because it is a good song, but has nothing to do with the album's concept.
4. What Will I Remember- I cannot lie. This song sounds like it should be on Beauty and the Beast. The Disney version. This is not at all hardcore. I can't hear the lyrics because she's mumbling, but I hear her speaking about what she's deciding and does it matter if she was born. This might be played when the buildig is burning down at the end of the book or when Emily finds herself wandering the streets of London.
6. Girls!Girls!Girls!- Part of the lyrics are directly taken from the Ophelia Gallery illustration in the books, so it's easy to see how this fits in. I have watched the live versions of this song and Contessa and Maggots are usually the ones to add their voices throughout the song, instead of Emilie's falsetto. I prefer their voices. The song sounds a bit too upbeat, even if it was normal in the book. It's definitely not hardcore, in fact, it's downright chipper. The song itself is okay.
7. I Don't Understand- Emilie what is your deal with using tunes and tones and music that sound like Disney movies. Not any movie, but Beauty and the Beast. About halfway through this song, it gets faster and crazier for 20 seconds, then goes back to the Belle and Adam sound. No matter how much I hate saying it, this song could be played at any optimistic part of the book, when she's just thinking about how glad she is to be there. Oh wait. That doesn't happen. But it could be played in the book, somewhere.
8. We Want Them Young- The beginning sounds like Tarzan. Then it goes into some symphony-type ordeal. The title has nothing to do with the book at all, and half the lyrics don't connect with anything. The song is suitably hxc. The song could be played in the book, except for the first minute or so. Because it sounds like a Disney movie. Odlly enough, after the first minute it reminds me of the play Cats, because I can see the Crumpets all coming out and dancing poorly to it.
9. If I Burn- I feel this is more classic Emilie. It has her usual style, more so than the rest of the album. It's borderline hardcore, so it passes. It sounds like it could be played in the book, but I don't know which part. Maybe sometime around when she's having her pictures taken? I just think it belongs there. I really like it. Edit- I have seen a story of an interview that Emilie created this song when she was hanging around with Courtney Love. The original is about witch burnings, apparently. I'm sure she edited it a bit to refer more to the book and whatnot.
10. Scavenger- For some obvious reason, I could see this being played when Basil is spying on Mournington or any scene with the rats. I just heard the phrase 'human traffic' so maybe it's meant to be played when she's getting her picture taken? It's a pretty gloomy, stifled anger song. I quite like it and it fits the book to me.
11. Gaslight- I have heard this song was pretty good live. The small piece she released on her Twitter didn't seem all that great to me, but I didn't dismiss it entirely. This sounds like a psychotic break down song. Like she's huddled in a corner, rocking back and forth, waiting...it's a bit hxc, but it doesn't pass the test. Of course it could be played when Emily is transferred to the other ward. It describes the other characters in the ward with her, I think. Especially the Captain ("they're cutting off her curls/and she's screaming" even though they shaved her head and her hair wasn't curly) and Veronica ("no one's coming to take me home").
12. The Key- It's definitely hxc. It is a direct reference to the book as well, when Madame Mournington gives her the key and the aftermath up till the Tea Party Massacre. In fact, it sounds almost like a direct reference to the book's text on the scene. I can't describe all of the references because there are SO MANY. She literally re-wrote this passage of the book.I'm not saying it's bad; I like how she did it. But, it isn't much of a song, more of her talking....musically.
13. Hell is Empty- It has a very Madam-Leona (from the Haunted Mansion movie) vibe to me. I can't quite tell what it describes in the book, but she went to a bit of trouble in the editing process to make it sound like a scene in the books. It is definitely not much of a song. Now that I think about it, the Madam Leona vibe could be an alliteration to the ghosts in the wallpaper in the book.
14. Gaslight Reprise- It sounds like a lonely Disney VHS crying out from your shelf to be put in the VCR you broke watching baby videos. Oh wait, that's me. It's not hardcore at all and would be played at the same time as the original Gaslight.
15. Goodnight Sweet Ladies- It seems like it could be a scene where the workers were 'tucking in' the inmates. But, now that I listen to the lyrics again, this is definitely meant to be the end of the book, where everyone dies. Could this be in order of the scenes they're supposed to be? No, because Time for Tea is the second song. It's not hxc, but is very relevant to the book.
16. Start Another Story- It's classic Emilie. I'm not at all sure what part of the book it's supposed to be (maybe an epilogue?) and it's sure as hell not hardcore in the slightest. Maybe it could have something to do with the pre-asylum days, with Sachiko, or perhaps Anne.
17. One Foot in Front of the Other Foot- I think this another empowerment song, where the girl's try to make everything better. Perhaps post-asylum and pre-death? "How do we change our prison to our sanctuary". Yep, that's it. It sounds like they're just trying to get by and need to keep going. It's very much so, according to the lyrics. It's more hopeful than hxc, but it describes the book well.
Over all, the album is slightly hxc and describes the book moderately. I'd appreciate it if Emilie told her fans what song went to which scene, so I could better tell how well she did at the soundtrack bit. I personally wouldn't buy the whole album, but the separate songs. It gets...*drumroll*
Note- You might notice that I'm a bit bitter about Emilie. I like her music more than I like her. She's just ridiculous sometimes.
With winklepickers and hair feather,
Definitely agree with you on some points...such as some parts sounding like they should be in a Disney movie :/ yeeah, I've thought that a few times about some of her songs. I saw the show though...the word amazing doesn't do it justice in my opinion (and yes, Gaslight is great live)
ReplyDeleteI liked it.
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