Track Listing

1. Headlock
2. Goodnight and Go
3. Have You Got It in You?
4. Loose Ends
5. Hide and Seek
6. Clear The Area
7. Daylight Robbery
8. The Walk
9. Just For Now
10. I Am In Love With You
11. Closing In
12. The Moment I Said It

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #192415 in Music
• Released on: 2005-09-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Enhanced, Import

Album Description
Whether partnered with Guy Sigsworth as Frou Frou, or on her own, Imogen Heap is an enormously gifted singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist, and programmer. She does it all here on her second solo CD which showcases her remarkable talents. The stunning track 'Hide and Seek' offers the electronic equivalent of a cappella, with only Imogen's expressive voice heard via vocoder -- an early favorite that shot right to #1 on iTunes Electronic Chart in June 2005. The song was also featured on the season finale of THE O.C., and earlier in the season, THE O.C. previewed another track from this album called 'Goodnight and Go', a bittersweet ballad about the secret admiring of a neighbor. Comparison's have been made to Bjork, Alanis Morrisette, Joni Mitchell and Annie Lennox, among others, but no one can hold a candle to Imogen Heap. Her electronic programming and keyboarding are so textured and layered, you will hear something new with each and every listening. Her canvas is cinematic, operatic, visionary, and always surprising with twists, turns, tangents and breaks that keep the listener on a journey of the unexpected. Whether evoking a hundred piece orchestra, an electric slide guitar, or a simple vocoder, Heap weaves her magic spell. As a lyricist, Heap has a wicked sense of humor, yet can drive a knife right through your heart when you least expect it. Don't miss out on one of the very best albums of the year. No domestic release date scheduled. Megaphonic. 2005.

Amazon.com
If the voice sounds familiar, that may be because a couple of tracks have been featured on The O.C., while Frou Frou's "Let Go" appeared in Garden State. (Frou Frou is a collaboration between Heap and producer Guy Sigsworth.) Her sophomore release, after a UK-only debut, is a fine showcase for the singer/songwriter's swooping vocals. Her style, which incorporates layers of multi-tracking, lies somewhere between Sinead O'Connor's banshee howl and Jem's more delicate musings. There's more of a groove to her ouvre, however. At times, she almost sounds like Norway's Annie--by way of Kate Bush. The overall effect is plush and luxurious, if occasionally generic (a more stripped-down approach would really allow that instrument to shine). The one song that doesn't quite fit the electro-pop pattern is the vocoder-saturated "Hide and Seek," in which Heap enters Laurie Anderson territory (specifically 1982's "O Superman"). It's a risk that pays off, although its placement midway through the recording threatens to throw the balance off. (It would have made more sense at the end.) Aside from writing and singing, the multi-talented musician also recorded and produced Speak for Yourself. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews

Beautiful and inspiring!
Recently, I put my iTunes on shuffle (not sumthin I normally do), and Imogen's "Hide and Seek" started to play. My whole body started to tingle cuz I just love this song, and I hadn't heard in quite a while. After the song had finished, I immediately took my iTunes off shuffle mode, and started "Speak For Yourself!" from track one. "Ahh....!!" I thought to myself, "...such an inspiring album!"...I bathed my hearing senses with every nuance I could soak in. Into my 2nd-listen-in-a-row through the album, I had a disturbing thought! - I had never written a review of one of my all time favorite albums, ever!

First of all, as anyone would agree, Imogen has a beautifully trained voice. She can transition from a soft whisper to a scream like nobody's business! (ok, she really doesn't scream). But in other words, I guess the point I'm trying to get out, is that she doesn't sing they same way, in every song....she's a very dynamic vocalist! And from what I understand, she writes, sings, composes and produces most everything herself (wow).

Her music, second of all, is very impressive. It's vibrant, rich, intelligent and full of subleties that paints a very unique and wonderful soundscape she can call all her own. Song structures are generally comprised of electronics as the backbone, such as percussion and bass lines, while the more melodic instrumentation may be a combination of piano, strings, xylophone, or some other exotic sounding instrument, mixed with other synthetic tembres. As an analogy, the music is very synchronous and acrobatic, much like watching a complicated peice of machinery at work. A friend recently sent me a link to one of her video blogs where she just aquired an instrument called "De Hang", it's like a hand-held steel drum, but much better sounding (in my opinion). I hope to hear this thing in her upcoming release this Fall! :)

And speaking of her blogs, I've been catching up on them and have formed somewhat of a sisterly liking to her worldly persona. As a musician myself, her passion for her music is very inspiring and motivating. As a person, her passion about life and little things is apparently something she enjoys, and is inspiring as well. I feel even more connected to her and her music, thanks to her video blogs (which are on YouTube and accessible from her website here: http://www.imogenheap.co.uk/).

Anyhooo....regardless of what your musical preference is, you should take a listen to "Speak For Yourself". It's a "must have" in my book!

Fun album with repeatablity
Imogen Heap has a beautiful voice. This album is filled with songs that highlight that voice without seeming to overwhelm you with it. The album is enjoyable listening to as a whole or focusing on a couple of songs. It stands up to repeated listening, which is more than can be said for much of the popular radio fare.

Great CD from start to finish...
I bought this CD because one of the songs was play on 'So You Think You Can Dance' to one of the lyrical numbers. Truly beautiful. It's one of those CDs that you can listen to from start to finish without disappointment. Great unique arrangements. Beautiful voice. Soothing yet strong. Love it!