Pictures (Audio CD)

Instantly catchy, a beautiful 3rd album I don't normally write reviews but I was shocked to notice the bad reviews this album was getting! I understand that a lot of people, for some reason unbeknown to me, were really disappointed with "Piece by Piece" - I can vaguely empathise in that I rate the 2nd album a 4/5 compared to a 5/5 for the first - but as I always listened to the first two albums together I've never had much conviction for saying that piece by piece wasn't quite as good - some of my favourite songs are on that 2nd album (her version of "on the road again", "halfway up the hindu kush" and "shy boy", and perhaps her most beautiful song to date, "I cried for you"). Moving on to this 3rd album then, I would like to point out that unlike the first two albums this album (discounting the itunes bonus cover track "under the cherry moon" by Prince) has no cover tracks (I think it's going to rain today, lilac wine, on the road again, just like heaven) and although I love and prefer all her covers (perhaps with the exception of "just like heaven"), I do think that for some listeners the lack of such tracks might stupidly make them feel less comfortable than when listening to the first two albums - that's a guess, I'm just having trouble understanding why self-declared Melua fans could give this album only 1 star. I completely disagree with one reviewer's comment that this album sounds like "the worst tracks of the first albums repeated over and over". Whereas Melua has not undergone a drastic change of style (and why on Earth would you want that?? If you like Melua's voice and her previous songs I don't see how you can't be in love with this CD, and if you know you don't like her then chances are, no, you won't like this album), Pictures does present completely new sounds and is perhaps more distinguishable from her other records than Piece by Piece was from Call Off the Search. I have personally found this album the easiest to listen to constantly on repeat; it's an album full of catchy, relaxing, mellow songs, mainly in an upbeat way but with a few tracks suggesting despair (for good measure). If you like rainy days you will most probably like this album too - it is a great accompaniment to such weather and also a glass of red wine :) I don't think that anyone could really dislike Pictures - all the one star comments appear to be melodramatic criticisms. If you're hesitant why not try listening to some of the tracks on youtube or her website or ilike? Scary Films has become one of my favourite songs, and I recommend Dirty Dice, Perfect Circle and What It Says on the Tin.

All I want is you, and your guitar. ...and that's all I have to say really. When are we going to have a whole album of just you singing solo, along with your guitar, and nothing more? So long as the recording quality is as good as on your other albums, that's all. Time to move on Katie. Your thank you in the sleeve of pictures, to the band and to Mike, should also be your farewell to them. Your voice needs no band or producer or any one writing songs for it. I know what I'd like to hear from you, I've heard it, I've seen it, and that's just you singing alone with your guitar, thats when you are at your best. This album...good, but nothing new, and nothing here for you to sing with real feeling or emotion.

We only listened to it once We have the first three albums that the artist has produced. We attended one of her concerts after the second album came out. We have listened to this album only once; we find it boring. The artist's vocal ability is rather limited, with too much breathiness and 'accidental' chromatic notes. The lyrics continue to err on pretention, condescension and self-righteous opinion. At the concert we attended, for example, the artist said of a cover something to the effect of 'I like this song because it is well written' and I thought 'well, that's your opinion - but let us experience and evaluate it for ourselves; please don't patronise us'.

Superb talent and vocal range. Listening to Pictures made me grateful that I had discovered an outstanding artist who is note perfect and can sing power ballads and blues harmonies. Quickly she personalises Mike Batts words and is a more than capable songwriters.

not one star Katie Melua was never gonna rock the world. She does what she does with some style. However, she does need to toughen up and lose the genteel image. Amy MacDonald is catching up. Neither does she need to go and do a Joss Stone. Radio 2 will still play your songs, but go electric. Mike Batt is not Rasputin, just stuck in a certain style. I agree that for Katie to progress she needs to be let loose. Love her or hate her, she's here to stay. This album neither improves nor detracts her reputation as a provider of radio friendly catchy tunes. There are no suprises here. Next album needs to be a move forward however. Katie doesn't need to be a female Chris de Burgh.