Songs from a Blackbird

A very different, but welcome, approach from Marion on this album, this is the softer, subtler side of Marion. Gone is the hard rocker that was trying to prove a point on her last album, gone are the overtly sexual lyrics, gone is the oversexed image. Instead what we have here is a return to form for her in my opinion, a return to her heritage, a return to her roots with a very distinct sound that I can only describe as bard music meets Joni Mitchell. This is the album I wanted to hear from her after she left M2M, and although all the tracks are not standouts, the writing is superb, and Marion's voice is very controlled and not forced in any way. She truly could hold her own vocally with the best in the business.In a world of computer generated music, I can truly appreciate when an artist writes their own music and plays their own instruments. Over here in the states it is a sad scene, there is so much success from artists that are merely a creation of the record companies for the sole purpose of generating hordes of cash, they don't write their own music, they don't play instruments, they are merely an image to create profits. Sure there is nothing wrong with making money, but monetary gain has taken a front row seat to true artistry, where the dust will settle no one knows, but this delivery of Marions' renews my hope that, at least somewhere in the world, true artistry is still around.Of course this is purely subjective, but the album standouts for me are as follows:Don't You - one of the best song she has ever done in my opinionStart OverDrivingThe MinuteThis album is very difficult to find in the states, but if you can track it down, it would be a nice addition to any collection of 'real' music.

Great album, laid back,