That song, my friends, is featured in Jason Mraz's new album called We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.
I finally got to listen, and these are my thoughts on each track: Make It Mine. I like the first version I heard better (as heard in my flash player a few posts back). This seems subdued. Like the 1st one is brash and exuberant, but this one sounds like uh, I don't know, like it's been castrated. Hate the tinkly instrument at about the 2nd minute mark.
I'm Yours. Eh, this one sounds blander also compared to the first versions I've heard.
Lucky w/ Colbie Caillat. Nice and laid back. Lovely to listen to on a lazy day on the beach with a cold drink in your hand. Or in bed on a rainy day. Kinda snoozy, not entirely in a bad way.
Butterfly. If it wasn't obvious by how I began this entry, then let me spell it out: I just love everything about this song. I shouldn't say anymore lest I embarrass myself. *cough*
Live High. Message-y but not so preachy as to turn you off. Clever lines: The call of the wild is still an ordination/In the order of primates/All the politics are too late/Oh my, the congregation in my mind/Is an assembly selling gratitude/And practicing the loving of you
Love for A Child. Not my favorite melody, but the story the song tells is poignant, and quite moving.
Details in the Fabric, the much-vaunted collaboration with James Morrison. Now this is poetry. Seriously. A quiet contemplation of the fabric of one's existence. It's one of those things which one can either find very sad, even verging on depressing, or hopeful. To me it's the latter. The chorus is beautiful in its simplicity: Hold your own/Know your name/And go your own way
Coyotes. I was too distracted by the previous track to listen to this more carefully, but I gotta say, I didn't love it the first time. I don't get it.
Only Human. Again one of the tracks that sounds castrated compared to the live versions.
The Dynamo of Volition. Ah, I know what it is about these studio tracks that throws me off. They sound too clean, too smooth. Dynamo is one of the songs I've come to enjoy a lot, I don't dig this version as much as the live ones. And I miss the guitar intro, I loved that! Harrumph.
If It Kills Me. One of the tracks I'm liking more and more. And of course a lot of people can relate to the story on this - it's very movie soundtrack-ish. And I just realized, I miss Toca! (Toca does Jason's back-up vocals for his live performances.) There isn't enough Toca in this album (is he even there? I have to check.).
A Beautiful Mess. I love love this track - this right here is lovely, especially the harmony near the end, but imo, the one from the We Sing EP version is the loveliest one yet. In fact, every single one of the songs that appear in all the EPs is a better version than the tracks in this studio recording. I lurve the EPs.
I'm Yours. Eh, this one sounds blander also compared to the first versions I've heard.
Lucky w/ Colbie Caillat. Nice and laid back. Lovely to listen to on a lazy day on the beach with a cold drink in your hand. Or in bed on a rainy day. Kinda snoozy, not entirely in a bad way.
Butterfly. If it wasn't obvious by how I began this entry, then let me spell it out: I just love everything about this song. I shouldn't say anymore lest I embarrass myself. *cough*
Live High. Message-y but not so preachy as to turn you off. Clever lines: The call of the wild is still an ordination/In the order of primates/All the politics are too late/Oh my, the congregation in my mind/Is an assembly selling gratitude/And practicing the loving of you
Love for A Child. Not my favorite melody, but the story the song tells is poignant, and quite moving.
Details in the Fabric, the much-vaunted collaboration with James Morrison. Now this is poetry. Seriously. A quiet contemplation of the fabric of one's existence. It's one of those things which one can either find very sad, even verging on depressing, or hopeful. To me it's the latter. The chorus is beautiful in its simplicity: Hold your own/Know your name/And go your own way
Coyotes. I was too distracted by the previous track to listen to this more carefully, but I gotta say, I didn't love it the first time. I don't get it.
Only Human. Again one of the tracks that sounds castrated compared to the live versions.
The Dynamo of Volition. Ah, I know what it is about these studio tracks that throws me off. They sound too clean, too smooth. Dynamo is one of the songs I've come to enjoy a lot, I don't dig this version as much as the live ones. And I miss the guitar intro, I loved that! Harrumph.
If It Kills Me. One of the tracks I'm liking more and more. And of course a lot of people can relate to the story on this - it's very movie soundtrack-ish. And I just realized, I miss Toca! (Toca does Jason's back-up vocals for his live performances.) There isn't enough Toca in this album (is he even there? I have to check.).
A Beautiful Mess. I love love this track - this right here is lovely, especially the harmony near the end, but imo, the one from the We Sing EP version is the loveliest one yet. In fact, every single one of the songs that appear in all the EPs is a better version than the tracks in this studio recording. I lurve the EPs.
I would still recommend that people buy this album - my "disappointment" with some of the tracks is largely because I've already heard live versions long before the album release. That doesn't necessarily mean the studio versions are bad. With Jason Mraz, it isn't at all surprising to slightly feel let down by his studio albums. And because I'm starting to sound like I'm pulling your leg, I offer proof. Here's some more Mraz - a recording of a webcast concert at the AT&T Blueroom last May. I have this on my Zen, and I tell you, the entire concert, it's earworm!
(Note: If all you see in front of you is a rectangular colored block instead of a player, that means either or both of two things: you will have to use Firefox or Netscape - you should be using Firefox already anyhow (coz it rules!) - and/or you need to have Flash Player 9 installed. Go download it, it's free.)
(Note: If all you see in front of you is a rectangular colored block instead of a player, that means either or both of two things: you will have to use Firefox or Netscape - you should be using Firefox already anyhow (coz it rules!) - and/or you need to have Flash Player 9 installed. Go download it, it's free.)
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