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Little Dreamer | 
 enlarge | Artist: Beth Rowley
Label: Universal
Category: Music
List Price: £11.99
Buy New: £6.49
You Save: £5.50 (46%)
New (38) Used (2) from £6.49
Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 47
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Running Time: 40 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 602517547131
EAN: 0602517547131
ASIN: B0011V97G0
Release Date: May 19, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW - 100% ORIGINAL - POSTED WITHIN 48 HOURS
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| Tracks:
| • | Nobody's Fault But Mine | | • | Sweet Hours | | • | So Sublime | | • | I Shall Be Released | | • | Only One Cloud | | • | When The Rains Came | | • | Oh My Life | | • | Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground | | • | Almost Persuaded | | • | You Never Called Me Tonight | | • | Beautiful Tomorrow |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Cute, curly-headed diva Beth Rowley won many hearts with her charming Violets EP. Born in Peru and raised in the English West Country, Rowley has been mentored by Carleen Anderson and now follows up on the success of that EP with Little Dreamer, an album that continues her sweetly old fashioned, Motown-esque blend of blues, gospel, soul and jazz--all peppered with a classic mainstream sheen. Produced by Steve Power (Blur) and Kevin Bacon & Jonathan Quarmby (Richard Hawley, Finlay Quaye), the album discloses a voice as jaw-droppingly flawless and hopelessly compelling as a Norah Jones or Amy Winehouse, but with atmospheric traces of Karen Carpenter, Aretha Franklin and Eva Cassidy too. Tracks like the stunning gospel blues of "Almost Persuaded" and soulful single "Oh My Life" are good examples of what to expect from this cozy, feelgood album. The reggae pulse of "I Shall Be Released" tends to undermine the power and beauty of the original, but slow, heartfelt blues numbers like "One Cloud" more than make up for these blips. Rowley plays it safe on Little Dreamer, but it's a stunning collection nonetheless. --Danny McKenna
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 Great new talent July 1, 2008
JR Latham (Merseyside United Kingdom)
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!
Great voice, bigger potential June 23, 2008
Gloucestershire Echo (UK)
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.
Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.
Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.
A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.
Quite simply, superb! June 20, 2008
Mr. David A. Cooper (Barnet, United Kingdom)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Although I have owned this CD for some time, I wanted to defer my review until I saw Beth live which I did on 19th June at The Stables. Quite simply, Beth Rowley is the best blues singer I've heard since the wonderful Eva Cassidy.This girl has everything, looks, personality, and most of all,a sensational voice. The CD is just a starting point as you really must see her live to appreciate just how good she is. She also has a superb band, and her co-writer and tenor sax player, Ben Castle, also happens to be the great Roy Castle's son. Given the breaks in a tough industry, Beth Rowley will become a legend.
 An album of two halves June 15, 2008
IWFIcon
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Beth Rowley has been knocking about for a good few years; is it any surprise that her big breakthrough (this album debuted at number 6 in the UK charts) has come hot on the heels of the 2nd tranche of "Amy Winehouse followers" (Duffy, Adele et.al.)? Perhaps not, but it's no reason to hate her, or be dismissive of what is a decent album.
It's at its best on the more, dare I say it, old fashioned entries. Almost Persuaded with its simple piano backing is a winner, as is her version of Willie Nelson's "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" (featuring Peter Wilson of Duke Special fame).
When she, or her producers, try to take things in a more contemporary "pop" route, the gloss adds nothing to the proceedings. A case in point is So Sublime. It's pleasant, but doesn't make enough of the undoubted talent Rowley has.
 Lovely- can't wait for the next one! June 5, 2008
A Music Lover
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
If you're thinking that Beth Rowley is just another Winehouse clone foisted upon us by record companies, think again. If you really need a comparison then a lazy one would be Eva Cassidy. Rowley's voice is clear, bluesy, sweet but strong and very natural, unlike said clones. Musically the album draws from folk, blues, gospel and country, with a dash of Motown and soul thrown in for good measure. It has a lovely warm, upbeat, feelgood vibe and doesn't suffer from an excess of pop gloss like so many other highly-anticipated debuts(Gabriella Cilmi comes to mind here). The fact that quite a few of the songs are covers doesn't matter, as Rowley, like Jeff Buckley, Ella Fitzgerald and Chrissie Hynde (to name but a few)has one of those gorgeous voices that could make singing the phone book sound spellbinding. I do, however, take issue with the treatment of Dylan's I Shall Be Released; okay, it's nice, but in my view, anyone who has the sheer audacity to think they can better Dylan should be locked in a room and forced to listen to Blood on The Tracks until they realize their mistake. Anyway, although I wouldn't say any of the tracks are downright bad (again Rowley's voice saves them), So Sublime veers a little too close to radio-friendly pop territory for me, and whoever suggested a duet with Duke Special (whoever he is) ought to be shot- next to Rowley, his wimpy warbling near-ruins what could have been another great number. My only other gripe would be -and I think someone else has remarked upon this- is that Rowley just can't seem to summon the gusto for You Never Called Me- her voice is so sweet, she just doesn't sound angry or convincing enough for this song. Still, these are minor flaws, and as a whole the album is hugely enjoyable and I'm sure I will return to it again- unlike many works by hyped-up 'next best things'. Beth Rowley definitely deserves wider recognition and big success if this impressive debut (and apparently even more impressive live shows) are anything to go by. Looking forward to the next one!
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