Customer Reviews

Tug Of War

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I can only add to what springzhu had to say. I'm listening to the CD as I write this.

I didn't even know what Carly had been up to since Canadian Idol--I just remember that she was my favourite that season and I was so disappointed when she didn't win. When I heard her new single "Call Me Maybe" on the radio in a store one day recently, I was thrilled and then I bought her EP disc. So I had to get my hands on this, but sorry Amazon, I could not wait two to six months and I ordered it from her website. The shipping cost me plenty, but I had it in less than a week.

Yes, she is quite the songwriter and some of these songs are very catchy. I checked out some of her videos online before the CD arrived so thank goodness it came fast because some of the tunes got stuck in my head like "Tug of War" and "Money and the Ego."

Surprisingly, in spite of being older and a bit of a purest when it comes to John Denver (and never a fan of reggae), I don't mind the mild reggae beat added to Carly's version of "Sunshine On My Shoulders." I think even John Denver himself would approve. I keep thinking that it would have been nice if Carly had performed a more polished version of "Sweet Talker" on Canadian Idol, but oh well, you can't go back.

What I do credit Carly with most is restoring my love of music. As I've gotten older, something about my hearing seemed to make it less enjoyable and I'd stopped listening music altogether. My mother said it was age and I thought it was due to a loss of frequency hearing, which happens as we get older (it also doesn't help that I was born deaf in one ear). But Carly's music has proven to me that, until I heard her music, I just hadn't found anything I really enjoyed listening to for a long time, much less that would actually make me feel like getting up and moving to it.

So if anything, my experience is proof that she can appeal to a wide demographic. In fact, I just can't get enough of her music and the good feeling I get from it.

Keep those tunes coming Carly!

This Canadian Idol graduate shines on a bare-bones album showcasing her lilting voice, a faithful acoustic guitar and the requisite drumbeat. Carly Rae Jepsen's sweet style of pop makes for a wonderfully refreshing change from the synths the currently nebulous pop genre; her music is the kind that creates permanent fans.

Stand-out tracks:

'Money and the Ego', third in the listing, is an interesting track lyrically. It combines optimistic, slightly lovey-dovey verses with cynical yet cheerfully pitched choruses: 'Make your arms a willow tree / And you can bend with me' is contrasted with 'Sometimes it's hard to see anything lovely / All the people around me going for / Money and the money and the ego'. Atypical cymbals lift up the chorus and underline the arching of Jepsen's voice that reaches straight through the listener's ear.

The next song, 'Tell Me', uses only acoustic guitar. The lack of drums would make another song flat, but Jepsen keeps her voice low without sounding too plaintive and whiny. A metaphor opens the serious chorus, but the bridge's lyrics stay simple and true''Tell me that you want me / Tell you that you love me''and segues neatly into a heartfelt ending. The result is a truly touching track.

'Sweet Talker', the album's centrepiece, has a history: it garnered Carly Rae Jepsen her gold ticket into Canadian Idol. In its fully recorded state, Jepsen's vocals drawl the syncopated verses out, while a cleverly wielded guitar and the occasional drumbeat add extra oomph. The song escalates as it heads into the bridge, and Jepsen hits the dramatic climax with an unprecedented burst of volume, backed by vibrating cymbal crashes that lend an orchestral touch. 'Sweet Talker' is a unique, not-to-be-missed listening experience.

If there ever was a song with story behind it, 'Hotel Shampoos', ninth on the list, would be it. A steady, we're-marching-on kind of beat is behind this song's quiet start that belies the lively rhythms to come. Combine an overall road trip feel with ambiguous lyrics (chorus: 'He's gonna prove me right until I'm wrong'; bridge: 'And we work hard / We work until we're sleeping / And we sleep but we're not dreaming') and you have a quirky, original track that won't be leaving your head anytime soon.

'Sour Candy' finishes off the whole shebang, a song co-written and backed by Josh Ramsay of Marianas Trench, whose songwriting and vocal skills are just as phenomenal. Carly Rae Jepsen's trademark soft touch to the verses is contrasted by the high chorus and bridge, and both singers reach pitch heights that give the two repeated words 'so sad' true sorrow. A version featuring Josh Ramsay singing the second verse is just as pleasing to the ear.