Keedie

[roger]

Hi Nic,

Thanks for the info. I think you're right in that Keedie's name hasn't really taken off yet even though she has taken part in some fairly high profile events. Let's hope she does so soon

Roger

[nicola]

Keedie has signed our guest book again and said that she is making a new album and that we are to expect it early next year Great news!

[roger]

Thanks for that, Nicola. That's great news and I will definitely be buying it.

Roger

[nicola]

Hi ya,

Some more Keedie news. A lot has happened today

Keedie is releasing a charity single for Christmas with the England cricket team on the 12th December singing 'Jeruselem' (I may have spelt that wrong). That is quite exciting, it will get her name out there (since our cricket team won the Ashes this year).

The best thing? They are putting our website on the record sleeve

Her manager has sent us a press package with some lovely photos of Keedie I'm really excited for her.

[roger]

nicola said:

The best thing? They are putting our website on the record sleeve

Hey, Congratulations Nic! Fame at last, eh?

I will look out for that single and hope it does well.

Roger

[nicola]

Keedie and the cricket teams single is now up for pre-order on amazon.co.uk

Check it out here

I can't wait to hear it! It will be the only single I have bought this year, I don't normally buy them (very overpriced). But a) this single is Keedies and b) it's for charity. Can't go wrong here

Also this single is a hot contender for the christmas number one. I've seen the odds from 9/1 - 33/1. Charity singles do really well at Christmas. Shame about the competition being so tight. I think The X Factor winner will get it for sure

[Susan]

I heard Keedie for the very first time in my life, a few days ago. Wow!!! I was just totally amazed by the gorgeous quality of her voice.

The way in which I heard Keedie was in itself rather unexpected: my husband and I went to a local video store, looking for a DVD to rent. We often prefer to watch new releases at home, on TV, rather than to go to a movie theatre.

Well... we rented the film "Modigliani" starring Andy Garcia. And, guess what? KEEDIE's voice is singing in the background, on the movie soundtrack!

As the film opens, Keedie is heard singing Caccini's version of Ave Maria. At first, I almost thought that it might be Hayley, as the melody was so familiar. Then, I realised that it was not Hayley, but someone else. Keedie also sings a special song written just for the film, near the end of the movie.

I think that Keedie is awesome!

[nicola]

That song you are referring to is called 'My Reason'. It's the most emotional and powerful song on her album (in my humble opinion). I'm glad you like her! She is obviously my favourite You should buy her album - it's amazing. It's a bit of a mixed bag though in regards to song choice.

She is releasing a charity single for christmas with our cricket team so expect to see more of her

Her manager emailed me today and he said Keedie wasn't with EMI anymore (that wasn't what the e-mail was about, it was about her website). But I took that to mean that she was dropped I think that is outrageous. After all the things the EMI director said about her to the press they go and drop her. I don't think she will have any problems picking up a new one. I think 'The Really Useful Group' would pick her up without hesitation anyway. We shall see.

[nicola]

Hi all,

I found a site showing the music video! She sounds stunning! I am buying both of the single editions! Because I'm mad!

www.video-c.co.uk/radarwatch.asp?vidref=keed001&text=expanded&playback=S&player=QT

x x

[Susan]

nicola said:

You should buy her album - it's amazing.

As I type this message, I am listening to the most recent addition to my CD collection, playing in the background. It is the debut album which was released last year by KEEDIE! And, it just arrived by international Air Mail from amazon.co.uk -- yesterday! I just couldn't resist the sound of her voice, which I had heard for the first time a few weeks ago, in the background of the film "Modigliani."

I loooooooove this album! Maybe her voice is not as "pure" as Hayley's (KEEDIE has a very noticeable vibrato), but it sure is impressive to listen to. She has many different "colours" to her voice, and it can sound very pop (like Celine Dion), or very operatic (like Sarah Brightman). My most favourite tracks on the album are "Vedi Maria" (in which Keedie duets with herself), "Only Time" (a cover of a piece by Enya), and "My Reason" (a very emotional piece which served as the theme song to the film "Modigliani"). She also does a great interpretation of "Ave Maria" (by Bach/Gounod), "Time to Say Good-bye" (the Bocelli signature song), and "Vissi d'arte" (from Puccini's Tosca). I'm not overly impressed by the track from which the title of this album is taken, however -- "I Believe My Heart." The reason that I don't care much for it is not because of Keedie's voice, though. Her voice is fine. I just think that this isn't one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's better songs.

At first, I thought that the album might be too costly to import from "across the pond," but that turned out not to be the case. In fact, it is rather surprising that Amazon in the UK is charging only £5.07 (WITHOUT the VAT) for this album. We Yankees don't have to pay any VAT, but even if you were to add-on the VAT amount, this album would still be an unbelievable bargain!

I mean, it is more than £2.50 BELOW the cost of Katherine Jenkins' latest album (Living A Dream), for example, and more than £2.00 BELOW the cost of Il Divo's latest (Ancora).

I'm not sure how EMI manages to distribute this for such a cheap price! Aside from the price, there is NOTHING "cheap" about this album. First of all, the album liner says that it contains 17 tracks. Accordingly, the liner notes list the titles of only 17 songs. Wrong! It actually has 20 songs! Well... technically speaking, there are only 17 track delineations, but... it so happens that the entire track #17 is over 20 minutes in length! What happens on track #17 is that it (secretly) contains a grand total of 4 songs.

Here's how: After the song which is listed for track #17 finishes playing, you might expect the CD to stop rotating on your CD player. But, it doesn't stop. It continues spinning, although you don't hear any sound. You are treated to over 4 minutes of dead silence, as you begin to wonder what in-the-devil is going on??? Ultimately, the silence is finally broken, as you hear some new-age sounding instrumental music. Then, at approximately 8:35 on the track's time-counter, Keedie begins to sing again. You suddenly hear Keedie singing (Lascia Ch'io Pianga), followed by the Flower Duet from Lakme, which is then followed by "Un Bel Di" from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly."

Essentially, EMI has added these three "bonus" songs at the end of the album, without listing them anywhere. My only two complaints are: EMI could have delineated them into separate tracks, which they didn't do -- perhaps to keep you from accessing them separately. The only way to get at them is to listen to all of track #17. My other complaint is that you have to wait (wade?) through more than 4 minutes of dead silence in order to hear the first of the bonus songs! Could they not have given you 45 seconds or even 60 seconds of silence, and then introduced the bonus area of that track? It's like... what? Did they want you to "give up" and turn off your CD player without ever discovering the "surprise"? How exceptionally weird!!!

My question is... is this a common practice in the record industry...? And, I don't just mean the practice of having "hidden" tracks -- I know that a lot of albums feature "hidden" tracks. But, I mean, the practice of inserting over four minutes of DEAD SILENCE prior to the "hidden" material. Isn't the silent period normally much shorter?

[roger]

Hi Susan,

I too am mystified by the 4 minutes of silence. I have occasionally known "hidden" bonus tracks but never such a long wait following the final listed track before hearing them. The first time I played Keedie's CD, I obviously wans't expecting to hear any more and thought the player had kicked into standby mode. There is still a mark on my ceiling where my head hit it as I suddenly heard music when I least expected it! LOL

Great album though, isn't it?

Roger

[nicola]

It's actually very common for hidden tracks to come this way. There are other weirder ways. One CD I own (I have forgotten which one) has 12 dead tracks before you get to a hidden one on track 32. Or you get a load of interludes before a song comes on or someone talking for a bit, or people messing around in the studio. It's always a treat I guess.

Hidden tracks are there to prompt good reviews I think. If a reviewer as found the hidden tracks they tend to go away from the album thinking 'What a bargain, I got more than I expected' and have a positive feeling about the CD. The fact of the matter is they make it out to be a secret 'bonus' when it was never a bonus in the first place. It's just a trick to have the listener think they have been given some extra free.

I do like the nice surprises, but there is no credit written in the album to these songs.

It's not EMI that determines the price. They have dropped her anyway (as far as I can tell) so it's like a 'clear out' price, I guess

[nicola]

Another update aboput Keedie:

Keedie is in dispute with her management and has been for about 5-6 months. They are on their third solicitor! I hope it works out soon so Keedie can concentrate on her career again. She has also landed new management which have been said to be very good.

[roger]

Thanks for the update Nic. Does that explain why there has been no second album? It must be approaching two years now since the first one was released. Tell her I have allocated a space in my CD rack so I'm ready when she is!

Roger

[nicola]

Well, I spoke to Keedie the other day. Still no record deal, still no management team, but something exciting is on the way! (I have to keep it a secret, unfortunately). I got two new songs posted through my door and one of them is Nessun Dorma!

The new album is looking to be released sometime at Spring next year.

There is a lot to say, but I can't. Things are happening, I guess I can say that, lol.