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Post by jons on Feb 26, 2007 14:23:33 GMT
Treasure Review
How do you explain something that can’t be explained by science? Well, I just slap the label ‘magic’ onto it. That is the only way I can describe Hayley. She’s a sorceress, one that’s already put a spell on us all. Each album she releases, her magic becomes more potent, she conjures up new spells every time.
There are some of Hayley’s older spells on her new album though. Abide With Me is the ‘Pure’ voice: her voice has changed a lot as each album goes gets released, but here we hear Hayley as she was when ‘Pure’ was released. There is something else in her voice on that song, much like the other spiritual songs on the album, like for instance ‘The Heart Worships’, again, something I can’t really explain; celestial, mystical maybe? Hayley’s voice is full of little spells, subtleties, not just the heavenly pitch; ‘Summer Fly’ is a folk-ish voice and on some of the other folk songs you can hear a bit of an Irish accent on some of the notes. ‘Sonny’s almost whispered lyrics have a texture that seems unique to me and is mind-boggling. Songs like ‘Let Me Lie’ and ‘Summer Rain’ (with its ‘Orinoco Flow’ style backing) have lyrics that mean something. Hayley’s song writing skills here are special too. The irony of it all is the possibility of being disappointed by the song choice but actually finding out that it wouldn’t even matter - ‘Santa Lucia’ isn’t really a song I like, but in this case what Hayley’s does with some of the notes are so amazing I can’t help but listen to it. ‘Bist Du Bei Mir’ you feel you’re listening to Sissel - WOW and double WOW, Hayley can do the most amazing impressions!. ‘Jekyll’ is certainly going to be a TV drama remembered for its theme tune, because Hayley’s voice is so haunting on the track.
Hayley sings about ‘lying on grasses green’. If your like me and see Hayley as a peaceful field that you can lie in, then after hearing ‘Treasure’ maybe you too can see flowers of all types blooming all around you.
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Post by meagan on Feb 26, 2007 14:38:42 GMT
Thanks for the review Jon. I was beginning to wonder if anyone else was going to post one after Roger's  , but yours was very enjoyable. I completely agree about Hayley's voice being like magic, because it is! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif Good luck with the album Hayley! Hopefully it will go to number one!  |
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Post by roger on Feb 26, 2007 17:57:54 GMT
Yes, come on folks, let's have some more reviews. Mine merely expresses my personal views and I am looking forward to reading other people's. Thanks for yours, Jon. I'm glad you are enjoying the album! Roger |
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Post by Mark on Feb 26, 2007 19:18:44 GMT
Hi everyone Thanks for your prompt Roger. It does seem appropriate to submit a review of Treasure on the day of its official release. Like Jon, other than my absolute favourites, I won't attempt to review each track but more give my overall thoughts and feelings. Firstly, for me, it is without doubt the best overall album of the three Hayley has produced so far. Of course, like all of us, I have my favourite tracks on Treasure, just like I do on the others, the difference being that I don't feel the need to skip any songs on Treasure i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif. MY favourites, in no particular order are - Shenandoah, this is a truly dramatic song which, to me shows off just how pure Hayley's voice is. I just love the way she sings it, as well as the musical arrangement. E-Pari Ra - I just love this track, this song portrays what Hayley is all about to me, combine Hayleys faultless voice with a fantastic & magical musical arrangement including those wonderful haunting Irish flutes - I cant wait to see her perform this live Sonny - Just Hayley and the piano, she doesn't need a large orchestra ! OK, so perhaps this song doesn't show off her voice but she sings it with so much passion and feeling and of course she performs it perfectly. This is what makes it special for me. Finally, Summer Fly- The Irish/Celtic feel of this track just makes the song, it is something really different from Hayley and for me it works 100%. I can just imagine walking into an Irish bar and hearing this song playing. Its also got something of a country music feel to it. Again, maybe it doesn't show off her voice that well but it sure does show how versatile she is. The songs I have mentioned are particularly special to me but, as mentioned, I love every track. Yes, there are some songs that have been "done to death" like Danny Boy and Abide With Me but, Hayleys versions are different and refreshing, making these tracks almost like new songs that I have not heard before. In summary, Hayley is best known as a crossover artist and for me, this album is the ultimate, as in my opinion, the majority of the tracks are truly crossover. Perhaps that is why I love the whole album so much Thats all for now, I will perhaps post again in the coming weeks with some more thoughts, no doubt after listening to Treasure dozens more times i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifMark |
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Theta
New Member 
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Post by Theta on Feb 26, 2007 20:31:09 GMT
yep, i brought my copy at exactly 1.46pm and started listening to it at 2.23pm but only had time to preview 'let me lie' before going back to afternoon lessons...the advantages and disadvantages of being in sixth form (we can leave at lunchtime,  biut we have to go to lessons  ) and yes it was no1 in the local WH Smiths classical charts. let me lie...wow, was just amazing, basically kept going back to it during my lessons...then got home and ripped the CD...being on a continous loop ever since. personally, one fine day and e pari ra are the highlights...so well sung. loved the madolin in santa lucia (there's a mandola in my jazz trio...who plays bass, but now and then, he brings out the mandola and love the instrument) but then, with hayley's voice, the piece is simply awesome. as to be expected, hayley exceeds expectations with all the other pieces, summer rain, summer fly, danny boy, what a rendition of danny boy that is, best ive heard. shenandoah, sonny and whispering hope, what is there to say...just fabulous. i think this is her best album so far, by the end of the first day anyway, but there is one song which i was slightly disappointed by, abide with me, i have to say, i don't think she lived up to her standards with that one, but, the rest of the album, her best so far!! |
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Post by Jeff on Feb 27, 2007 10:14:54 GMT
"Treasure" is Hayley's best album yet. It's official - her dad said so ! My thanks to Roger for conveying that message both to us and Hayley on Saturday night.
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Post by grant on Feb 27, 2007 15:39:48 GMT
I don’t have a technical understanding of music and song, so my review will be an emotional one. For me, this is an album in a million where Hayley’s heart and sole brings every track to life. So they should; these are Hayley’s “special” songs and, in the ones she wrote her “special” words. For me, this album has stirred feelings and emotions that I have never felt before – the power of Hayley’s gift never before more effective than it is on Treasure.
In just about every track, Hayley appears to use her vocal talents to different effect; from the happy Santa Lucia to the colossal One Fine Day and Bist Du Bei Mir and every track in between. Hayley has set herself a difficult task to ensure that her next album will be better, but I have no doubt that she will succeed when the time comes.
Like Odyssey, Treasure begins with plenty of WOW! Commanding the listener to immediately pay attention to what they are hearing. Let Me Lie, to me, is a happy song, particularly after reading Hayley’s notes about it and about how the song came about. Now, when I listen to it, I think of a happy, relaxed Hayley and feel the calmness of lying in the grass on a summers day and letting all my cares and worries drift away.
I don’t intend to mention every track on the album, suffice it to say I love every one and I have tried to find a favourite without success. Danny Boy was perhaps the biggest surprise to me and I’ve posted elsewhere about it. This is a song I have always disliked. It’s overdone and often sung by people I don’t care for. NOW I hear it differently. On this album Hayley makes it her own and I love it. E Para Ra doesn’t have the impact that Hiné does (but then it was Hiné that took my heart and gave it to Hayley!) it is none the less a beautiful song – anything Hayley sings in the Maori tongue will always be special.
Then there’s Sonny. This is one of three tracks on the album which really move me. Hayley is the mother in this song and the pain she is feeling is conveyed beautifully by the tone in her voice as she sings these heart wrenching words. The lone piano only adds to the pain and emotion the words convey. I wept the first time I heard this track.
Melancholy Interlude is another very moving piece. Especially as the words are Hayley’s. At 1 minute 36 seconds, this track is over very quickly and leaves the listener wanting more. However, for me, the beauty of this song is in it’s simplicity and, once again, Hayley has conveyed the mood perfectly.
Abide With Me is often sung to sound very sombre. Still, it has been a favourite of mine for many years. Hayley sings it with a real understanding of the words making this the most stunningly beautiful rendition of this hymn that I have ever heard, and it’s another one that will always bring tears to my eyes (as writing this is now).
Hayley; her voice and this album – a truly precious gift to be “Treasured” always.
Thank you Hayley. You have excelled!
Grant
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Post by george on Feb 28, 2007 9:54:56 GMT
Hi All
I have been playing my "Treasure" over and over since Monday. I absolutely love it! On the first listen there were some tracks I was unsure of, but that is quite often the case with high quality music. It takes a few listens to really appreciate.
I can't even begin to think of favourite tracks, they are all so magical in their different ways. I love Let Me Lie & Le Notte Del Silencio - what a start to the album! Summer Fly is so different, can't wait to see Hayley perform this live. All the standards - Danny Boy, Shenandoah, Abide With Me - I love too!
Two songs that I know well and mean a lot to me are One Fine Day, because of my absolute love of the version that Izzy sings and E Pari Ra, which is my all time favourite from Yulia on Into The West. Yulia has such a powerful voice and it is good to hear another version in a completely different way. I love it!
Basically, I love it all!
I am really looking forward to the new set at this summers concerts. There is so much to look forward too. I think this selection has the potential to be the basis of a new live DVD.
That's started something!
Best wishes,
George
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Post by drew on Feb 28, 2007 10:44:29 GMT
Congratulations George - now a Full Member.
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Post by Richard on Feb 28, 2007 11:01:35 GMT
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Post by george on Feb 28, 2007 11:22:19 GMT
Congratulations George - now a Full Member. Thank you, Drew and Richard. It's took a long time to get there! I have calculated I will probably be 90 when I reach Richards number of posts but by then we will all be celebrating Richard reaching 100,000. George |
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Post by roger on Feb 28, 2007 11:32:20 GMT
Hi Richard, Thanks for the review from the Manchester Evening News. I'm not sure if the reviewer likes it or not and I'm not sure he knows! "A young prodigy"? She may have been that at the time of the Pure release but I think she has advanced somewhat since then. They say a review should be balanced. It is that, alright!  Roger |
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Post by jlocky85 on Feb 28, 2007 16:44:57 GMT
Hey George
Thanks for the report on the CD. I can barely wait for the cd to get into my cd player. I am checking the mail everyday. I am sure I will have the same feelings of you that it is going to be hard to have a "fav" song on the cd.
Cheers,
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Post by Richard on Mar 1, 2007 15:04:13 GMT
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Dave
Administrator
HWI Admin
Posts: 7,700
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Post by Dave on Mar 1, 2007 16:23:17 GMT
Thanks Richard! Equally important in my view is that Treasure is the only album out of ten reviewed on that page that gets 5/5 - full marks!  Well done Hayley! Cheers, Dave |
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, but yours was very enjoyable. I completely agree about Hayley's voice being like magic, because it is! 
biut we have to go to lessons 
) and yes it was no1 in the local WH Smiths classical charts. 
