Dido – No Angel

A Review By Jessi

 

First stop, the CD changer in my stereo, just to see what my mindset is:

 

Rammstein – Live Aus Berlin  (I just can’t take it out!)

Bush – The Science of Things

Limp Bizkit – Significant Other

 

OK, on with the review.

 

Many people know me as “Immediate Girl” or “Tangent Girl” because if I get hooked on something or someone, I must know all about them and dedicate a minimum of a week to non stop obsession.  I bought Dido’s album No Angel mainly because she sings the theme song for Roswell and it’s the first song on the album. So the Dido album fell into my hands as a result of a senseless obsession, and boy am I glad it did.

 

Once again, like so many Non-Rammstein CDs, this album isn’t perfect…but it features a strong, unbeatable triad of songs right at the beginning which is enough to keep you owning the CD.  The trio of Here With Me, Hunter and Don’t Think of Me illustrates Dido’s diversity well, showing that she’s a three way cross of Sarah McLaughlin, Garbage and Enya.  Here With Me is the theme song from Roswell, and is best listened to while sitting in the living room with just the aquarium light on, sipping at a Seagram’s 7 and Orange Juice.  Try it…IF YOU’RE OVER TWENTY ONE.  Hunter is pure genius, the perfect song to play for the boyfriend you’re considering dumping, because it tricks him into thinking that by “letting you go” he’ll be a wise and wonderful king…hahaha…we all know the truth, don’t we girls?  And then, of course, the snotty and clever Don’t Think Of Me which proves Heaven hath no musical inspiration like a song writer scorned.

 

However, on the down side, there’s no doubt about it, Dido’s been royally screwed over by someone at some point, and she’s not going to let anyone forget it.  A lot of her songs deal with someone who’s not there, someone’s who has actively left, and someone who doesn’t know what they’re missing by fucking the homecoming queen instead of Dido.  It’s a recurring theme that can easily grow tiresome.  BUT…BUT…The difference between Dido’s scorn and, say, Trent Reznor’s scorn, is that Dido expresses it with a light tone and a peppy beat.  She’s not trying to bring all of us down with her.  It’s heartbreak you can bop your head to. 

 

In short, No Angel is a pleasant surprise to bring home, and it was quite a chance I took, considering I bought the whole thing for one song.

 

Dido – No Angel – Final Grade:  B+

 

 

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