Hotel New York

Review by Andrew Ellington for Hotel New York
Rating:
The first song I had ever heard from Anouk was `Lost’. I remember it very well. I was watching `So You Think You Can Dance’. I adore the show, not only for the stunning routines but for the wide range of musical selections, and I find myself making notes during every contemporary piece so that I can run and find the songs used, since most are so emotional and moving. So, `Lost’ was used in one of the routines and I was instantly moved to tears. The song is pure perfection and may be my favorite song by this Dutch marvel. So, `Hotel New York’ is the album `Lost’ is on, so this is definitely an album to own for any Anouk fan, and even for those interested in her talent. `Lost’ is by far the best thing here, but the album itself is a solid triumph for this marvelous artist.

Starting with the best…

Just listen to `Lost’, I mean really, really listen to it. It’s simplicity I think is what makes it so endearing. It’s a very honest love song, something that isn’t so tied down by over thinking but comes across straight forward and earnest. I can listen to this song on repeat for hours and never get tired of it; and her emotional vocal delivery towards the end is just stunning. `Our Own Love’ is another soft ballad that almost has a country vibe to it. Anouk effortlessly makes her way through this song, creating a soothing and endearing love song. The flutes and almost Oriental musical arrangements surrounding the closing track `Fading’ are a beautiful accompaniment to Anouk’s stunning vocal control. It’s a splendid way to close the album, ending on an emotionally resonant track that draws you in and makes you want more; much more.

`Alright’ has such a funky air about it, it just makes me want to get down on the dance floor. It’s the perfect smoky barroom dance music. `Heaven Knows’ picks up that island vibe she’s perfected and would fit beautifully on the sandy shores of any beach town. Put Anouk under a palm tree and sip your margarita; that’s what this song makes me want to do. Complete contrast is the next track, `More than You Deserve’, which capitalizes on Anouk’s rocker edge.

This is what is so amazing about this girl, she can do and does do everything; and she does it all very, very well. You never know what is coming next, all you know is that you’re going to love it.

`Girl’ opens the album on a very good note. It’s hip, fresh and exciting. It makes you want to move and sing along. I love the twang in Anouk’s voice, and she uses that to perfection on this track, bouncing along with the music and allowing her voice to melodically move in and out with each beat. I love the fresh funk she delivers in `Jerusalem’. She has such attitude here, coming close to musical seething and I just LOVE it. The way she breaks down the work `Jerusalem’ is one of the best things on the entire album; seriously.

`Falling Sun’, `Help’ and `One Word’ are all very good `filler’ tracks. They aren’t `filler’ in the usual sense of being merely decent space takers. They are above average songs that just fail to `pop’ the way that the rest of the album does. Anouk’s soft spoken chorus in `Falling Sun’ is simply gorgeous though, I want to mention that. I know that `One Word’ is big with her fans, and I really like it, but it is not one of her standout tracks. She has so many brilliant songs that it baffles me this is one her rabid fans cling to.

The only song I’m not a fan of is `I Spy’. I actually love the musical arrangement. It kind of reminds me of something KoRn toyed with on their `Issues’ album, but I’m not a fan of the song as a whole. I don’t like the chorus at all, and so even if I enjoy the direction she was going with the verse’s I just cannot really get into the track as a whole.

That minor criticism doesn’t take away from the strength of this album though, and so I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to embrace this fantastic musical artist. Anouk is just that, an artist. She is not merely a singer or a songwriter or a musician; she is an artist with a point of view, her own style and she continues to astound me with her range and commitment.