"Listen Up!" - Reviews Thread

[Miguel]

FM 101.9
Victoria’s Favorite Finds

Take a leap with me here and let's pretend a thing called American Idol never existed. Eliminate every good or terrible thing in your mind about the show. We good?

Ok, now that the Summer has started I'm building some playlists that will not only add to the ambiance of our beach house but will also keep my enthusiasm up and road rage down as I sit in endless hours of beach traffic. I recently stumbled upon a new album from a midwestern girl named Haley Reinhart.

I went on to iTunes to preview each song on her debut album called "Listen Up!" and after getting through the first few I decided she is going to be a staple on my Summer Playlist. Her raspy voice is like Dusty Springfield meets British artist Duffy meets the retro feel of Adele. Her songs are much more uptempo than any of those lovely ladies that I just named making her a perfect choice for Summer fun.

Haley Reinhart's debut album "Listen Up!" is so good you'll forget she was EVER on a singing competition TV show.

I thought Victoria might be a DJ. I was wrong:

"CFUV-FM is a campus/community radio station broadcasting on 101.9 FM in British Columbia, Canada. It serves the University of Victoria, Greater Victoria and, via cable, Vancouver Island and many areas in the Lower Mainland. It is owned and run by the University of Victoria Student Radio Society."

Victoria looks like a pretty city and it has mild weather:
http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimato...h/CAXX0523

[Miguel]

[makefigure8s]

I thought Victoria might be a DJ. I was wrong:

"CFUV-FM is a campus/community radio station broadcasting on 101.9 FM in British Columbia,

No, she's not a DJ nor is she with CFUV-FM. She's hosts a style show and publishes a style blog (including some reviews of music) for FM News 101.9 NY and FM News 101.1 Chicago. Formerly with Cosmo radio on SirusXM.
http://www.peekyou.com/victoria_keelan/34487166
https://plus.google.com/103662881189423865500/about
101.9 Info: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/we...more-41102

[Flask Man]

That's a good one to get. Hope it gives our girl a much-needed boosty-poo.

[Ronzoni]

Don't know if this was posted already, but it's a review of "Listen Up" on the Musiqtone site under album reviews by Hailey Sager:

4.6 out of 5 stars

http://musiqtone.com/reviews/albums/hale...052212.php

[Miguel]

Don't know if this was posted already...

2 pages back: http://haleyfans.com/showthread.php?tid=...34#pid8334

[LovinDaHaley]

Don't know if this was posted already, but it's a review of "Listen Up" on the Musiqtone site under album reviews by Hailey Sager:

4.6 out of 5 stars

http://musiqtone.com/reviews/albums/hale...052212.php

Thanks Ronzoni. The author presents a pleasant take on what the album is about and she also has a very optimistic view for Haley's future. I enjoyed reading it

[greglw3]

I somewhat agree with the review, though not with the score of 3.5 out of 5. There are many diverse elements on the album, but there are 3 heavily disco infused songs (Now That You're Here, Walking On Heaven and What You Don't Know), and pointing that out is not being derogatory. I like the disco tracks, myself.

The 4 Motown infused tracks (Hit The Ground Running, Wasted Tears, Oh My and Wonderland) also are dance driven. To say she made an album that has a set of catchy, dance-oriented, hip, sexy, playful cuts is not off base. He also gave reference to her sultry, Amy Winehouse sound on Free and Liar, and to Mariah Carey for the sex-kitten pinup influence. Not such terrible company for cherubic li'l Haley.

Only thing I'd question is why so low on the score? For as glowing as the review was, the number should have been at least a 4 star. Prolly trying to save face with his/her Idol-hating friends/colleagues.

---

I'm a little older having started with top 40 pop music in 1969 and having lived through and really loved the 1970's classic rock scene, the 1980's funk scene and also having lived through and enjoyed disco, I would call Now That You're Here and What You Don't Know, funk influenced rather than disco. The golden era of funk, from 1980 through 1990 was characterized by hand claps or a sharp drum on the downbeat....see the Gap Band, Midnight Star, Zapp and Roger, Funkadelic (one nation under a groove)...that's what I hear in those two songs, much to my delight!!! I think that's what Haley has been talking about when she lists funk as one of the elements in the album :-)))

[buzzenator]

Aural Interaction

Written by Nikki Allison (@aligningstars) 2121 followers

http://auralinteraction.com/post/2421421...-listen-up

"...In the past few years, the contestants have had much more control over their sound coming out of the show, and I think it shows clearly in Listen Up! She consistently showed what kind of music she wanted to put out while on the show, and she stuck to it, having co-written most of the tracks on the fun and bubbly album. The result is a bright, stunning, and original soundtrack for the summer that showcases the honest love Haley has for her craft."

[Mr. Bill]

Aural Interaction

Written by Nikki Allison (@aligningstars) 2121 followers

http://auralinteraction.com/post/2421421...-listen-up

"...In the past few years, the contestants have had much more control over their sound coming out of the show, and I think it shows clearly in Listen Up! She consistently showed what kind of music she wanted to put out while on the show, and she stuck to it, having co-written most of the tracks on the fun and bubbly album. The result is a bright, stunning, and original soundtrack for the summer that showcases the honest love Haley has for her craft."

Very nice and sweet review, up to the part where the reviewer says, "sincere admiration of and tribute to 1940s music."

I'm not even sure what 1940s music is! Bing Crosby and Glen Miller, maybe?

Oh well. Nice review but that part made me laugh. I guess to people 25 and under, there's not much of a difference between the 40s and 60s-70s, eh?