Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Really, no words can describe the unique beauty of Brooke Fraser's music. It's melodic, poetic, socially/spiritually aware, some of the best songwriting out there right now. Once you have heard the CD "Albertine," you will never forget it. If you can't sample the songs here, you can listen to the songs on MySpace (.../brookefraser).
The New Zealand singer-songwriter has a multi-dimensional voice. Her voice is lilting, a confident soprano, marked with an emotional, sometimes desperate, alto. Her voice is rich and resonating, makes your heart stop a bit. It's pure, raw talent. Brooke's therefore at her best in the spiritually-themed tracks like "Faithful" and "Hymn" where it's just her and a piano.
The rest of the CD -- a mixture of pop/rock/folk/alternative (it's hard to label it all really) -- goes way beyond what you'd expect from a 25-year-old artist. She addresses the theme of generations in "Seeds":
"Child, what will you live to do? What have I left for you? What will we leave behind?"
The CD's title track, "Albertine" is a tribute to lives lost in the Rwandan genocide and a call to arms to look beyond ourselves, to help those in need.
"C.S. Lewis Song" starts off simple with vocals and a piano then gradually builds in complexity to a driving, rock alternative track that then fades into song #7, an unnamed rock music interlude with guitarist Michael Chaves. (Chaves, one of the most sought-after guitarists by recording artists, played/toured with John Mayer.)
There are of course, the songs about love, but the ones here go far beyond the average FM radio ditty: There's the universally appealing "Shadowfeet" and "Deciphering Me," and the almost tribal, certainly unique, "Love, Where is Your Fire?" (You just have to hear it to see what I mean -- sample her songs on MySpace!).
Already a platinum-selling artist in her native New Zealand, the "Albertine" CD was released in the U.S. in May. The CD is produced by Marshall Altman, the famed Los Angeles producer behind Kate Voegele's hit CD. Brooke is currently touring with the Hotel Cafe Tour with Anya Marina, Meiko, and Priscilla Ahn. Brooke has previously written/recorded songs for Hillsong United, a Christian organization.
Though there is religious influence in some of "Albertine"'s songs, the CD is far from being preachy. If you're looking for Christian music specifically, check out Brooke in Hillsong's CDs like "All of the Above" and the "I Heart One Revolution" also available on Amazon.
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24 year old Brooke Fraser is a pop phenomenon in New Zealand and Australia, where sales of her new album Albertine and debut What To Do With Daylight have together sold over 225,000 units. Brooke recorded Albertine in Hollywood with renowned producer Marshall Altman (Train, Marc Broussard & Matt Nathanson) andis now ready to conquer the rest of the world. Brooke is a member of the Hillsong United Church for which she has written two wildly popular and best selling hymns. Her performance of one of those hymns, Hosanna has had over 1,400,000 views on Youtube.Her solo album songs appeal just as much to fans of mainstream artists like Sarah McLachlan, Ingrid Michaelson and KT Tunstall. To date she has over 3 million plays on her Youtube channel, over 730,000 plays and 30,000 friends on her Myspace page. A national club tour and major festivals will start on the album release at the end of May.
