SILKY, masterful, intimate, beautiful and haunting, Melody Gardot’s 2009 release, My One and Only Thrill, fulfils the promise of her unforgettable 2008 debut Worrisome Heart. Her confidence, however, overflows on this one. It’s musical sophistication for jazz and blues buff and those ready to convert (it’s never too late). And to think we were almost robbed of this gorgeous music (a vehicular accident almost killed Gardot a couple years back). Evidently, the horrific episode has only served to fuel her art, and listeners are more than pleased and grateful for the elegant results.
The album opens with the seductive “Baby I’m A Fool” and flows coherently, consistently highlighting Gardot’s rich, sultry vocals as they lovingly caress each word and smoothly ride each catchy melody. Throughout the CD, the 23-year-old Philadelphia native offers something captivating and diverse. Her songwriting is highly polished and skilful (check out “Your Heart Is Black As Night” or the witty “Lover Undercover”). You will marvel at her ability to articulate her most sensual thoughts into awe-inspiring lyrics.
From the opening track to the final cut, My One and Only Thrill evolves into something enticing and intoxicating. Like Katie Melua, you sense Gardot’s longing for warm romance and feel her passion and pain. Her tastefully erotic sensibilities add extra zing to her fresh and original lyrics, especially on cuts like the sublime title track and the magnificent “Our Love Is Easy”. Anyone who enjoyed Norah Jones’ debut Come Away With Me or Katie Melua’s Call Off The Search know what I’m talking about. The music is just as astonishing and soul-stirring.
Serene and gentle, My One and Only Thrill showcases a superb vocalist in her element, while giving nods to such legends as Billie Holliday and Madeleine Peyroux. Among the other standout tracks are the brisk “Les Etoiles” and the theatrically stellar “The Rain”. Gardot also offers a breezy treatment of “Over The Rainbow” that would make Miss Garland beam with pride and joy. Packing twelve amazing songs, My One and Only Thrill is pure musical sweetness; magical and heavenly. It’s an instant favourite of mine.
DOWLOAD: “Our Love Is Easy”, “The Rain”, “Lover Undercover” and “My One and Only Thrill”
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