I did say yesterday that I'd review Ana Johnsson's second album "Little Angel", sometime this month. What I didn't expect was that I'd be reviewing it the day after I reviewed "The Way I Am". Either way here's my track by track review
1) Little Angel: The title track. It's a very haunting piano ballad. The lyrics tell a sad story about a little angel who's wings and heart are broken. It's only downside is that is short. 10/10
2) Break Through Time: The album's fourth and final single. The song is about looking back on the past and wishing you could change all the bad things that have happened. I can relate to this one a little too well. 10/10
3) Exception: The album's second single. To some it's seen as the first single since it had a video. The video features Ana as a spy as well as scenes from the film "Exit". I love the lyric "if i could be your angel flying through a desert storm, a soothing calm oasis, you will always be my one" as well as "a backstabbing illusion, no smoke without a fire". 10/10
4) Catch Me If You Can: The third single from the album. The song was the official theme song for the "2007 Alpine World Ski Championships". Skiing was also shown throughout the video while Ana performed with her band as herself and as an alter-ego with a pink wig. 10/10
5) What If: A ballad asking the question what if. What if I did this different, what if I could be this, what if I could change this? We all have days like this. I can relate to this one. 10/10
6) Playing God: For some reason I used to ignore this song. Then one day I decided to listen to it and i was shocked. Not only is it a song I can relate to, but it's also my favorite song on the whole album. It talks about a how a person is so consumed by having control they feel like they're the leader or the boss because a little power gives them a big ego. I wish it was a single. 10/10
7) Burn: "Let's see how fast you, let's watch you twist and turn". That's opening line and when I first heard it I loved it because at the time there a person that I hated so much and this song helped me through the bad days. It's also an amazing acoustic song. 10/10
8) Days of Summer: The first single from the album. It's about remembering the good times of summer when you were younger. The song was also featured on the "Jade Warrior soundtrack" in 2006. I love it! 10/10
9) The Harder We Fall: I ignored this song as well and I don't know why. I love this song and I think it would've been perfect for an action movie. 10/10
10) Still: An amazing ballad but after the last nine songs it kinda fails to be memorable. 7/10
11) Spit It Out: I used to listen to this song a lot because I could relate to this song, but these days not as much. I love the line "with friends like you, I need no enemies". It also feels like a song Avril Lavigne wrote. 8/10
12) Coming Out Strong: An amazing pop/rock empowerment song. I wish it was a single because it's a song everyone can relate to when they're at the lowest point and I know I can relate to it. It is just an amazing song. One of the best! 10/10
13) Falling To Pieces: This is a bonus track on the Japanese CD/DVD release. It was also a b-side on the "Days of Summer" single. I don't really listen to the song much, but it's still pretty good. 9/10
14) If I'm Not Dreaming: This is also on the Japanese CD/DVD release. It was rumored at one point to be a b-side from the "Break Through Time" single but for unknown reasons that plan was scrapped. It's a very dark and I was scared to listen to it at first but now I love it. 10/10
Hopefully Ana will release some new stuff soon because "Little Angel" is so far the last album she's done and it was released almost 8 years ago. I love all the songs on this album. Out of 140 points I give it 134 which is 95% an A. Not surprising since she's a great singer and songwriter!
Showing posts with label Ana Johnsson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ana Johnsson. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Ana Johnsson: The Way I Am (Japanese Special Edition) Album Review
Ana Johnsson is a pop/rock singer from Sweden. Some have labeled her "The Avril Lavigne of Sweden" because of their similar music styles. Before Ana became a solo artist, she was on the Swedish version of "Popstars" where she made to the finals and became a part of a pop band, "Excellence". The band scored five top ten hits in Sweden with their first single "Need to Know (Eenie Meenie Miny Moe)" being a number 1 hit. However she later left the band and became a solo artist. She released her first album, "Cuz I Can" in Sweden and it was later released worldwide as "The Way I Am" with a different cover and track listing. I'll be reviewing the Japanese Special Edition of "The Way I Am", which has more tracks than the original. Here's my track by track review.
1) We Are: The first single from the album, fourth overall. The song was used for the movie "Spider-Man 2". It's her biggest hit single to date. I always get the lyric in the third verse wrong which is "breaking the will and raping the soul", I keep thinking that it's "breaking the will and breaking the soul." Still an amazing song. 10/10
2) Don't Cry for Pain: The second single from the album, fifth overall. The song is a rock ballad that talk about a woman who lives with her abusive husband and then gets the strength to leave him. Interesting subject to talk about but it's good to hear a song about how enough is enough. 10/10
3) The Way I Am: Her first official single from "Cuz I Can" that was added on the album. The song is about who Ana is and how she's proud to be herself. I love this song and I think it was a perfect first single. 10/10
4) I'm Stupid: When I first heard the song, I had no idea that she covered it. The song was originally recorded and released as a single by the band "Prime STH". The differences between both versions is that Prime STH's has a pop/rock sound to it while Ana's version leans a little more towards a grunge sound. There have been rumors that this was a single. 10/10
5) Life: Her second single from "Cuz I Can". The song was originally supposed to be on the "Spider-Man 2" soundtrack but Ana was given the song "We Are" so "Life" wasn't put on the soundtrack. It became a hit in Sweden and is a very uplifting song. 10/10
6) 6 Feet Under: This was the first song I ever heard from Ana. I went on youtube and this song was recommended for me since I had had been listening to Marion Raven's song, also titled "Six Feet Under" a few days prior. I figured why not listen to the song? I did and I'm so glad I did. It made me become a fan of hers and it's my favorite song on the album. 10/10
7) Coz I Can: The third and final single the album as well as the sixth overall single. The original version of the song, "Cuz I Can", was the third single from "Cuz I Can". The song talks about how you can be sweet, kind, and everything someone wants you to be but you won't and will but the complete opposite just because you can. I love listening to this song! 10/10
8) Crest of the Wave: Boring song. 4/10
9) L.A.: "All the roads lead to L.A.". That's the opening lyric to the song. The lyrics are good but the isn't very memorable. 6/10
10) Now It's Gone: A beautiful ballad. A song talking about ending a relationship because you're giving your all in the relationship and aren't getting much in return. 10/10
11) Here I Go Again: this song is my guilty pleasure. Even though the verses are so so, the guitar line in the beginning and the chorus are fun to listen to. Plus the lyrics are pretty fun. 9/10
12) Black Hole: Like "I'm Stupid", "Black Hole" was rumored to be a single as well. The differences are that "Black Hole" is a digital single on iTunes. The song is okay but for some reason I don't like it much and I don't know why. 8/10
13) Tame Me: Now we begin with the bonus tracks. It feels like a lighter, poppier version of Miley Cyrus' song "Can't Be Tamed" despite being released six years before that song. The song is pretty funny in a good way. 8/10
14) Bring It On: I love this song. It's only downside is that it's too short. It was also released as a b-side for "We Are". 10/10
15) What Is a Girl to Do: The song has a haunting sound to it and at first I ignored it but then I listened to the whole song and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. The verses start slow until the chorus comes in being little more up-tempo. 10/10
16) Anything Goes: An acoustic song! I love acoustic music but this song isn't as exciting as the other songs on the album are. The lyrics are very relatable though. 8/10
17) Just A Girl: The final track on the album. I love the honesty of this song and how she feels like there's something wrong with her when she's not interested in the stuff the girls are into, when nothing's wrong with her at all. If only there were more songs like this. 10/10
Since the release of this album, Ana released another album "Little Angel" (which I'll review sometime this month) and was supposed to record an album in 2012 but nothing been heard from her since. My favorite songs on the album are: "6 Feet Under", "Coz I Can", "The Way I Am", "We Are", "Don't Cry for Pain", "Just A Girl", "Now It's Gone", "What Is a Girl to Do", "Life", "Bring It On", "Here I Go Again", and "I'm Stupid". Out of 170 points I give the album 153 which is 90%, an A. Awesome job Ana!
1) We Are: The first single from the album, fourth overall. The song was used for the movie "Spider-Man 2". It's her biggest hit single to date. I always get the lyric in the third verse wrong which is "breaking the will and raping the soul", I keep thinking that it's "breaking the will and breaking the soul." Still an amazing song. 10/10
2) Don't Cry for Pain: The second single from the album, fifth overall. The song is a rock ballad that talk about a woman who lives with her abusive husband and then gets the strength to leave him. Interesting subject to talk about but it's good to hear a song about how enough is enough. 10/10
3) The Way I Am: Her first official single from "Cuz I Can" that was added on the album. The song is about who Ana is and how she's proud to be herself. I love this song and I think it was a perfect first single. 10/10
4) I'm Stupid: When I first heard the song, I had no idea that she covered it. The song was originally recorded and released as a single by the band "Prime STH". The differences between both versions is that Prime STH's has a pop/rock sound to it while Ana's version leans a little more towards a grunge sound. There have been rumors that this was a single. 10/10
5) Life: Her second single from "Cuz I Can". The song was originally supposed to be on the "Spider-Man 2" soundtrack but Ana was given the song "We Are" so "Life" wasn't put on the soundtrack. It became a hit in Sweden and is a very uplifting song. 10/10
6) 6 Feet Under: This was the first song I ever heard from Ana. I went on youtube and this song was recommended for me since I had had been listening to Marion Raven's song, also titled "Six Feet Under" a few days prior. I figured why not listen to the song? I did and I'm so glad I did. It made me become a fan of hers and it's my favorite song on the album. 10/10
7) Coz I Can: The third and final single the album as well as the sixth overall single. The original version of the song, "Cuz I Can", was the third single from "Cuz I Can". The song talks about how you can be sweet, kind, and everything someone wants you to be but you won't and will but the complete opposite just because you can. I love listening to this song! 10/10
8) Crest of the Wave: Boring song. 4/10
9) L.A.: "All the roads lead to L.A.". That's the opening lyric to the song. The lyrics are good but the isn't very memorable. 6/10
10) Now It's Gone: A beautiful ballad. A song talking about ending a relationship because you're giving your all in the relationship and aren't getting much in return. 10/10
11) Here I Go Again: this song is my guilty pleasure. Even though the verses are so so, the guitar line in the beginning and the chorus are fun to listen to. Plus the lyrics are pretty fun. 9/10
12) Black Hole: Like "I'm Stupid", "Black Hole" was rumored to be a single as well. The differences are that "Black Hole" is a digital single on iTunes. The song is okay but for some reason I don't like it much and I don't know why. 8/10
13) Tame Me: Now we begin with the bonus tracks. It feels like a lighter, poppier version of Miley Cyrus' song "Can't Be Tamed" despite being released six years before that song. The song is pretty funny in a good way. 8/10
14) Bring It On: I love this song. It's only downside is that it's too short. It was also released as a b-side for "We Are". 10/10
15) What Is a Girl to Do: The song has a haunting sound to it and at first I ignored it but then I listened to the whole song and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. The verses start slow until the chorus comes in being little more up-tempo. 10/10
16) Anything Goes: An acoustic song! I love acoustic music but this song isn't as exciting as the other songs on the album are. The lyrics are very relatable though. 8/10
17) Just A Girl: The final track on the album. I love the honesty of this song and how she feels like there's something wrong with her when she's not interested in the stuff the girls are into, when nothing's wrong with her at all. If only there were more songs like this. 10/10
Since the release of this album, Ana released another album "Little Angel" (which I'll review sometime this month) and was supposed to record an album in 2012 but nothing been heard from her since. My favorite songs on the album are: "6 Feet Under", "Coz I Can", "The Way I Am", "We Are", "Don't Cry for Pain", "Just A Girl", "Now It's Gone", "What Is a Girl to Do", "Life", "Bring It On", "Here I Go Again", and "I'm Stupid". Out of 170 points I give the album 153 which is 90%, an A. Awesome job Ana!
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