Dark Hope |
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by: Renee Fleming  
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Binding: Audio CDEAN: 0602527362052 Item Dimensions: Label: Decca Manufacturer: Decca Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Decca Release Date: June 08, 2010 Studio: Decca More Information about Dark HopeDisc 1:
Editorial Review: Product Description: One of the World's Great Voices Puts Her Indelible Signature On Songs By Arcade Fire, Band of Horses, Death Cab For Cutie, The Mars Volta, Muse, and of course, Leonard Cohen. Renée Fleming s new album 'Dark Hope', which the opera star describes as a visit to a new universe for her, will be released by Decca this spring. The album was recorded in close collaboration with producer David Kahne (Regina Spektor, The Strokes, The Bangles, Sublime, and countless others) in New York City, and features a diverse and adventurous track listing of songs as interpreted by one of the world s great voices. Fleming, the superstar soprano known as "the people's diva," says of the songs on 'Dark Hope': "One of the ways that you keep people interested is by taking risks and what could be a greater risk than this?" Producer Kahne was a true collaborator during the recording process, driving most of the arrangements and pushing Fleming to learn how to sing all over again. Also joining Fleming on the album are her two daughters and sister, who sing backup on several songs. The album features a voice that's been called "superlative" (Denver Post) and "radiant" (Chicago Tribune). But Fleming says that for the recording of this album, "Singing in a small, acoustic booth, with a microphone that s very close, in this very intimate style, is the complete opposite of what I [usually] do." There were similarities to how she prepares for an opera role, however. Fleming points out that for each track on 'Dark Hope' "we found an interpretation that enabled the point of view to sound authentic coming from me. Every song has a story like that, so this whole idea of enacting or playing a role is doubly true for this music." Renée Fleming, a Fulbright Scholar and three-time Grammy award winner, is one of the world's most famous and accomplished vocalists. A New Yorker who made her professional opera debut in 1986 and her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1991, she has had star roles at great halls worldwide and last year was a featured performer at President Obama's Inaugural Celebration. Fleming has also had an interest in jazz since her college years at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and has recorded jazz repertoire throughout her career including 'Haunted Heart', the lauded collaboration with pianist Fred Hersch and guitarist Bill Frisell. Album Description: 2010 album from the Opera star. Ren,e Fleming describes Dark Hope as a "visit to a new, parallel universe." The album was produced by David Kahne (Regina Spektor, Shawn Colvin, Paul McCartney, Bangles, Sublime, and countless others) in New York City, and features a diverse and adventurous track listing. Universal. 2010. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - strange alblumOn first listen, I thought she went mad, I didn't like anything on the CD at all, thought she's reading words with music. But I found myself listening to this CD more than 20 times last week, non-stop! Her voice is still in my head... Still, I can't say I love the album, I can tell you I still not sure about her version of 'In your eyes'... but somehow, I keep playing the CD over and over again. I really want to listen to it! It is not perfect, but she is very different than any body else... May be I'll keep listening to it for a few weeks and see how I feel... She does have some magic in it...I can't tell you exactly why I keep listening to it either... Rating: - Light in the darknessI love this CD...enough to use it as my motivational CD every morning as I'm treading upon the treadmill. And that's a huge compliment in my book. First of all, I'm a classically trained singer, I'm a soprano, and I'm picky. There's enough variety in the tempos for a good workout and enough depth and mystery in the music and lyrics to keep me interested -- over and over again. I didn't care for Renee's "Haunted Heart" jazz CD. Too precious, too classical, not earthy and gritty enough. "Dark Hope" is an entirely different story. You can tell she had some really good advice in the choice of songs and the keys in which they were sung. They sit in her voice in a way that feels organic and easy. Based on things I've heard her say in interviews in the past few years, I think this CD is part of a midlife reassessment, a search for meaning and answers, even a search for more of who she really is, outside of her image as one of the century's greatest sopranos. She's an inspiration to women who are working (and playing) at rediscovering themselves as they approach 50, and I admire her courage in following her heart with this project. The themes of the songs are heavy, sober, even dark, but there's light in the darkness, at least for me. It has to do with a willingness to be honest, to look at the realities of this life, call a spade a spade, find the strength to deal with the hard stuff and come out the other side a better person. Renee has done that in her own life, and she brings this pain and metamorphosis to every song in a way that speaks to the heart. I would not call this a crossover. They call the style "Indie" but she has a style that's all her own on this CD. The only hints of crossover I hear are impeccable intonation and the amazing attentiveness to the text (lyrics, as they say in pop music). The poetry in these songs is rich and deep, and she sings it the way she sings her song recitals, with an intelligence and sensitivity that tell you she has thought long and hard about what the words mean, at least to her. Each morning on my treadmill, I find something new in these songs. Yes, there is a sameness about the instrumentals, but it's not boring. Truthfully, I expected to hate this CD, but I love it and I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates great "art songs" of any genre sung by an intelligent, creative, sincere, gifted songstress. Rating:  - When ROBOTS can sing........they will sound just like Renee. Her singing is totally devoid of emotion and feeling. I bought this CD after seeing a piece on TV about her and this album, and how she had to turn down her perfect diction to make a 'rock' album. After hearing her attempt, I'd say she needed to concentrate a whole lot more on WHAT she was singing, and less on HOW she was singing it. This CD is just terrible, I've tried repeatedly to get into it, but even mixing it with other music, I'm forced to hit the next track button when one of these songs come on. Rating:  - Love it!As someone who is familiar with Renee Fleming's opera work, but not a huge opera fan, I suspect I'm more open to the idea of this CD than many long-time Fleming fans. I'm amazed but not surprised at some of the reviews criticizing the CD seemingly only because it's a break from what Fleming is "supposed" to do as an "opera diva." I love this CD. The song selection is perfectly designed to showcase the deep, sultry tone Fleming uses on this CD. It's incredible how she can produce a sound so much lower and deeper than her soprano. This is NOT a crossover work. It's not an opera singer trying to sing pop. It's a singer singing pop/alternative music - and doing it extremely well. You won't find "classical" affectation here. My favorite songs are "Suddenly," "Intervention," and "Twilight... ." The only slight misstep - "In Your Eyes," which doesn't really fit in. But the rest of the CD easily dwarfs that issue. Highly, highly recommended. Rating:  - W E L L,.....S H E.....T R I E S....H A R D,...A N Y W A YThere is a first time for everything in anyone's life -- and believe it or not, I have not heard of RENEE FLEMING, ever, before seeing her on Amazon, today! I believed, (at first), what I eventually found out to be an album title, (DARK HOPE), to be a memoire of a life that had triumphed over some type of adversity -- cancer, or perhaps homelessnes, etc. But, upon closer examination, I discover that Ms. Fleming is a rock-singer, and that she sings soft, dark rock music. Her voice, if she had been an opera singer, would be that of a medium contralto. (Has she ever had any connection with the opera? At this point, I don't know.....) Upon listening to a sample of her singing, (thanks, Amazon, for providing it!), I have discovered that there is an earthiness in her singing that brings to mind the acting of the late Anna Magnani. Rock music, of whatever type, (except perhaps the songs of "The Partridge Family"), and dark earthiness in voice or acting, are NOT to my own personal taste. I will say, however, that Ms. Fleming looks to be one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. She resembles the enchanting LARA PARKER, ("Angelique", on the original DARK SHADOWS), truly one of the most beautiful women ever born. I genuinely hope that Ms. Fleming can keep her beauty as long as Ms. Parker has, (she is STILL a very great beauty -- and a novelist, besides!) It's too bad that Ms. Fleming's style of music, and her vocal talents are not to my own taste. She is still, however, a very beautiful woman. 
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