Editorial Review:

Album Description:
Piece By Piece, the 2nd album by Katie Melua, comes nearly 2 years after the release of her multi-platinum selling debut album Call Off The Search, and contains a larger percentage of self-penned songs than the previous album which demonstrates significant developments of Katie as a singer and writer. Features 12 total tracks including the first single 'Nine Million Bicycles'. ''Although people talk about the 'difficult second album', we have enjoyed the pressure and the pleasure of trying to get this album right for ourselves initially, rather than specifically worrying about what the audience will think'' said Katie. Dramatico. 2005.

From Amazon.co.uk:
Piece by Piece--the second album from Georgia-born-chanteuse-cum-naturalised-Brit Katie Melua, and the successor to her multimillion-selling Call Off the Search--begins teasingly with the soft-pedaled 'come hither' jazz flirtations of 'Shy Boy' and concludes with the whispering philosophical torch-song resignation of 'I Do Believe in Love.' The two songs represent opposite ends of the emotional spectrum--sultry and kittenish on the one hand, solitary and ruminative on the other--but they also offer clues that the cutesy, crazy, easy listening Melua of Mike Batt's mentorship may be gradually acceding to the full bloom of self-determined musical adulthood. Melua's songs are often the more fretful and organic--the ghostly title track and the lovely 'I Cried for You' are especially recommended, while the bluesier numbers (particularly the cover of the classic 'Blues in the Night') seem shoehorned in gratuitously to match an anticipated demographic. Batt's contributions are melodic, memorably buoyant, and childlike. The Chinese-flavored 'Nine Million Bicycles' and the naggingly catchy 'Halfway up the Hindu Kush' are both charming despite their naïve pseudo-ethnicity and currently offer, particularly when compared to something as ponderously wooly as 'Spider's Web,' a necessary fun counterbalance to Melua's burgeoning compositional skills. At this stage, Piece by Piece fits together nicely like a little jigsaw puzzle. And even if it didn't, Melua would still sound simply ambrosial singing from a washing machine repair manual. --Kevin Maidment









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• Call off the Search
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• Not Too Late
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• The Closest Thing to Crazy
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Disc 1:

1. Shy Boy - Katie Melua, Batt, Mike
2. Nine Million Bicycles - Katie Melua, Batt, Mike
3. Piece by Piece - Katie Melua, Melua, Katie
4. Halfway Up the Hindu Kush - Katie Melua, Melua, Katie
5. Blues in the Night - Katie Melua, Arlen
6. Spider's Web - Katie Melua, Melua, Katie
7. Blue Shoes - Katie Melua, Batt, Mike
8. On the Road Again - Katie Melua, Jones, Floyd
9. Thankyou, Stars - Katie Melua, Batt, Mike
10. Just Like Heaven - Katie Melua, Gallup
11. I Cried for You (Mary's Song) - Katie Melua, Melua, Katie
12. I Do Believe in Love - Katie Melua, Melua, Katie

Rating: - * Diverse. ... When you're born with the ability to sing like Katie Melua, they could set a shopping list in front of you and you'll break people's hearts singing it. Katie has a timeless voice and on her latest album she has chosen a set of blues-based songs that set it off perfectly. Huge natural talent was always going to secure Katie Melua's future, the excellence of "Piece By Piece" will simply reinforce her arrival as major force. Nonetheless, this offering does not surpass in beauty and success her debut album (which became Britain's biggest seller and has so far attracted three million copies world-wide). The album does occasionally reach out to a potentially wider fanbase thanks to its ability to draw on a number of influences and remain fascinatingly diverse. There are some self-penned tracks as well as some covers but, for the most part, it's an accomplished affair that feels as though Melua has taken her time over it. It's also distinctly blues-based, occasionally feeling ponderous depending on the mood it catches you in at the time. Highlights include the single, "Nine Million Bicycles", which is genuinely sweet. The track was inspired by Melua's own visit to China and some of the things she heard on the trip, thereby equating the fact that there are nine million bicycles in Beijing with the certainty she is in love. The meandering blasts of flute that weave their way throughout lend the song a Chinese feel and make it quite enticing. Further evidence of the album's diverse instrumention is evident on the upbeat and melodic "Thank You, Stars", which provides more heartfelt lyrics and a really nice blend of strings and mandolin. While the kooky "Halfway Up The Hindu Kush" is another that demonstrates Melua's vocals at their most happy go lucky - it's no coincidence that all three tracks were written by the conductor, Mike Batt. Elsewhere, Katie demonstrates a more melancholy and mature style on self-penned tracks such as "Piece By Piece" and "I Cried For You" - although such moodswings can sometimes catch you off-guard if you're not in the right mood for them. More straightforward blues fare comes in the form of "Blues In The Night" and "Blue Shoes", both of which find Melua at her moodiest, while a slightly more rousing cover version of "On The Road Again" feels like the sound of an artists having fun with one of her favourite tunes. It lacks the edge of the original but should still delight fans, while bringing the album out of one of its brooding passages. Another cover version drew a more mixed response from both these listeners, however. The artist has re-recorded The Cure's seminal "Just Like Heaven" for the soundtrack of the movie of the same name. The hardcore Cure fan among us may find it risible and sickly sweet, while the Melua fan enjoy the acoustic guitar and female makeover given to Robert Smith's classic. That said, given that we represent both a Melua fan and sceptic it's satisfying to be able to report that "Piece By Piece" does achieve what Melua set out to - that is to say, fans will get what they're seeking, while the album does indeed appeal in small doses to those who may not have been touched by the artist's work so far. Pictures Rating: - * Pastiche by pastiche ... I saw that she was compared to Norah Jones and hoped that she would be better than that over-rated singer. Unfortunately, she is worse. The songs lyrics are trite and pretentious. The backing music is so bland and dispirited it hurts. I had to turn the cd off after about track 8. It won't get another listen. Rating: - * Wish I could've heard a little bit of this one first ... My brother recommended this chick. He lives in Germany and he and his girlfriend think she's just awesome. I went to amazon assuming I could hear a few tracks before I bought. No such luck. Not sure why they do that for some, but not others. SO I took my brother at his word and gave this one a try. I guess maybe I am just too old for baby-voiced singers, but I just do not see the fascination. I kept wanting her to clear her throat and BELT out a little something. Her song choices are very *young* as well, the lyrics are not very sophistocated. Rating: - * An awesome little lady with a wonderful voice ... I love Katie's music as much as Eva Cassidy's. I love the songs she sings and her lovely voice. What a cutie !!! This CD has many of my favorites. Rating: - * Piece by Piece Like a Piece of Dove Chocolate ... I first heard Katie Melua perform on the Graham Norton show on BBC America, and was immediately curious to hear more. Piece by Piece is a lovely album. Katie Melua has a voice like the smoothest, silkiest dark chocolate: sweet, fluid, without being cloying. The first two songs, Shy Boy and 9 Million Bicycles are catchy and easy to listen to over and over. On Piece by Piece, she uses her voice like an elegant instrument. Halfway up the Hindukush is so tuneful, my teenage daughter and I were singing the chorus together in line at Publix last night while we waited on our deli sandwiches. To find an album that we BOTH enjoy together is a special treat, since she typically leans towards something completely different. She tells me it's got drug references in it, but if it does, it's something akin to Puff the Magic dragon- great tune, regrettable content. Blues in the Night....well, I am a drum corps fan from way back, and that's a classic, so no complaints there. Katie does a clear, crisp, pleasing job of it. She's created her own style with it. The backup musicians are on Piece by Piece are excellent, and I would like to hear more of them. I understand it's a solo album, but's a waste of good horns not to use them, especially for an album that has such a jazzy flavor. The harmonica player was notably good. Blue Shoes is relaxing to the point of, well, boring. But it's the only cut that strikes me that way. Thank You, Stars is a nice tune, and for some reason, reminds me of Petula Clark, which makes me think, I would LOVE to hear Katie Melua sing the upbeat classic Downtown. In fact, I would like her to record an album with more upbeat songs, less minor key, bluesy stuff. Not to throw down on this album, it's great, but I would sincerely like to hear her effortless voice in a wider range of genres. There's a reason Katie Melua is the #1 selling artist in Europe. Piece by Piece is well on it's way to being on our "most played" list on both my daughter's and my Ipods. We will be buying all her other releases to add to our CD collection, as well as looking forward to her new releases.