David from London
05-19-2006, 10:39 AM
Folk is the New Black by Janis Ian
Joyce Siu
American singer-songwriter Janis Ian knows how to tug on her
audience's heartstrings. After a dazzling musical career spanning 40 years, her new album Folk is the New Black is proof that she still towers above most female singer-songwriters.
Ian wrote her first song at the age of 12, and became an overnight
sensation at 15 with the release of Society's Child. Her music still influences
today's young people, and her great song about teen angst, At Seventeen, has even been adopted by local female duo, At 17.
Folk is the New Black features 16 well-crafted songs and, as the title
suggests, the album has a folksy vibe but there are also tinges of jazz, blues
and country music.
Opening track Danger Danger, a commentary on the social problems affecting
the United States, features lively acoustic guitars and Ian's sultry vocals,
while Life is Never Wrong, an optimistic number about people's lives, has a
country vibe.
Ian reflects on a wide range of issues in Folk is the New Black, offering
everything from insights into politics (The Last Train) to observations on
relationships (Crocodile Song, Standing in the Shadow of Love).
In All Those Promises, she shows her deep understanding of what it means to
love someone, with vocals that are gentle and laid back.
Don't miss the bonus DVD as it features a performance by the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter at a club cafe in 2004.
With her new album, Ian shows that folk songs are a music staple that can
stand the test of time, just as the colour black comes back into fashion time
and time again.
Joyce Siu
American singer-songwriter Janis Ian knows how to tug on her
audience's heartstrings. After a dazzling musical career spanning 40 years, her new album Folk is the New Black is proof that she still towers above most female singer-songwriters.
Ian wrote her first song at the age of 12, and became an overnight
sensation at 15 with the release of Society's Child. Her music still influences
today's young people, and her great song about teen angst, At Seventeen, has even been adopted by local female duo, At 17.
Folk is the New Black features 16 well-crafted songs and, as the title
suggests, the album has a folksy vibe but there are also tinges of jazz, blues
and country music.
Opening track Danger Danger, a commentary on the social problems affecting
the United States, features lively acoustic guitars and Ian's sultry vocals,
while Life is Never Wrong, an optimistic number about people's lives, has a
country vibe.
Ian reflects on a wide range of issues in Folk is the New Black, offering
everything from insights into politics (The Last Train) to observations on
relationships (Crocodile Song, Standing in the Shadow of Love).
In All Those Promises, she shows her deep understanding of what it means to
love someone, with vocals that are gentle and laid back.
Don't miss the bonus DVD as it features a performance by the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter at a club cafe in 2004.
With her new album, Ian shows that folk songs are a music staple that can
stand the test of time, just as the colour black comes back into fashion time
and time again.