Dido returns after a 5 year long hiatus

The story of singer Dido is similar to those of the other pop performers and different from them at the same time. On the one hand, as many of her colleagues, she got fond of music quite early, left school and learned to play musical instruments. On the other hand, the main popularity came to her when rapper Eminem made a sample out of the first verse of her single Thank You and they remain friends until now, a fact that far from everyone on the pop scene could boast. The singer’s debut album No Angel of 1999 and the sophomore effort Life For Rent of 2003 have turned to be among the best selling albums in her native Great Britain and there is nothing surprising in that. Her soft vocals, not the most powerful, but very pleasant and able to render rather strong emotions have become Dido’s calling card. After a five year hiatus it is finally time for her third album called Safe Trip Home. In 2006 Dido’s father died and that was probably the reason for numerous release delays. The theme of her father’s death runs through the whole record which on the whole proves to be as beautiful, melancholic and full of reflections as Dido’s both previous works.

Classic love songs and personal compositions Safe Trip Home

Album Safe Trip Home was recorded in London and Los-Angeles in Jon Brion’s small studio, and with the participation of Brian Eno, Questlove, the singer’s brother Rollo Armstrong and other musicians. It contains the classic sad love songs that Dido is always inclined to write and perform and some very personal compositions devoted to her deceased father. The opener Don't Believe In Love is the first single off the album and a beautiful vulnerable song about how hard it is to build a relationship. Quiet Times is refined with soft guitars and drums that underline the singer’s vocals and composition Never Want To Say It's Love surprises with a great arrangement. The song on which the main album theme is concentrated is a most beautiful Grafton Street, a collaboration with Brian Eno on which Dido’s vocals combines with stunning Irish flutes and a contagious beat provided by drummer Mick Fleetwood. A quiet, tranquil love confession Look No Further sounds so fragile that one realizes at once that the heroine’s newly found happiness is very important for her. A mid-tempo track Us 2 Little Gods is an example of interesting lyrics telling a story of two lovers while a slow The Day Before The Day and Let's Do The Things We Normally Do refined with wonderful fiddles are again devoted to the singer’s father. A duet with Citizen Cope Burnin Love pleases with the combination of two most beautiful voices and the album closer is one of the best compositions here, Northern Skies, a nine minute long, mysterious traveling to the North accompanied by a mesmerizing beat and fantastic audio effects.

Telling a lot by means of little

When a child Dido seriously suffered from complexes she had because of her unusual name. The singer’s full name is Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong, in fact, a hard one to get used to but as time passed the artist got along with the state of things of the kind although it was not soon she felt offended by her parents no more. Today she is famous and the name has not played a leading part in her career, her attitude to many things changed which can be distinctly traced in all of her three works. Her brother Rollo, a well-known producer in Great Britain, has always supported her in her creative search, for example, the last track on Safe Trip Home is co-written by the sister and the brother and has proved really rewarding. In general all Dido’s music is not too appreciated by those who like extreme senses as it offers quite little of that drive that is normally expected from pop creations. Strange as it may seem, it is the same thing that her fans value her. This unique singer is able to tell a lot by means of little, there are only hints at emotions in her singing and they are quite enough to sympathize with her. A much more mature creation Safe Trip Home is simply the best in this respect.

Alexandra Zachernovskaya

12.11.2008

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