tue 15/10/2024

CD: Dido - Girl Who Got Away | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Dido - Girl Who Got Away

CD: Dido - Girl Who Got Away

Multi-million-selling modern M.O.R. queen's fourth is business as usual

Dido getting away, possibly from predictable music journalists

Dido Armstrong’s first two albums are at numbers 19 and 29 in the UK’s all time best-sellers. The 41-year-old singer became an emblem of post-millennial dinner parties, of Bridget Jones-era singleton moping, and of post-electronica easy listening. Her success was massive but with it she became an easy target, mainly because she emanates Mogadon melancholy without emotional depth.

OK I admit I loathe everything she put her hand to although I confess a soft spot for the chorus of “White Flag” – “I will go down with this ship/I won’t put my hands up and surrender/There will be no white flag upon my door”. If only someone else had written the rest of the song, as happened when Eminem nicked the chorus of “Thank You” to create his and her mega-breakthrough, “Stan”.

I find sparse critical objectivity running to the hills as my ears are confronted by Dido’s fourth. It’s business as usual, which means her brother Rollo from Faithless is on production duties as her airy white-bread voice breathes condensation onto wet, careful balladeering, the whole attached to electronic backing that’s 50 percent trancey chill-out, 30 percent trip hop and 20 percent Enya-alike. In truth, if some of this had appeared on a low-key French label back in the late Nineties, the cleverly smooth “Blackbird”, might now be regarded as lost late-Balearic classic. But it didn’t and isn't. And Greg Kurstin, co-writer of Lily Allen’s superb It’s Not Me, It’s You album, deserves a mention for “End of the Night” which recalls William Orbit & Madonna. Incongruously, Brian Eno also assists on the final "Day Before We Went to War" (he was also on her last album) although it’s still only the usual Dido schtick with a slightly Tubular Bells vibe thrown in. So. There we go. It's all very, very… pleasant. And soporific. Can I turn it off now?

Watch the video for "No Freedom"

I find my sparse critical objectivity running to the hills

rating

Editor Rating: 
2
Average: 2 (1 vote)

Explore topics

Share this article

Comments

This just in: Music Reviewer Dismissive of Dido! The world was shocked today as yet another lazy music reviewer recycled the same old phrases that every other lazy music reviewer on the planet seems to find via Google when writing a review of a Dido album. Highlights include phrases like "MOR queen," "dinner parties" and "Bridget Jones." Much mirth was had when said reviewer rather adorably still tried to utilize the term "post-millennial." Unfortunately, the reviewer missed the word-count-filling trope of trotting out Dido's full name, drawing snickers from his peers for such an easy oversight. Said reviewer was diligent in admitting to pretty much hating everything she's ever done for fear of being ostracized by his peers. Some lapses in judgement were present, however, when said reviewer actually said a few complimentary things about a few tracks. The reviewer saved himself some embarrassment by making sure such compliments were as backhanded as possible and followed by a healthy dose of tired and haphazard derision.

Here i was hoping for a review of the new Dido album instead we get a boring summary of why some nobody doesn't like her music because shes too "nice". What a waste of text...

i agree , where is the objective critic ?

"Dido getting away, possibly from predictable music journalists" jhaha that was fun!!!

Add comment

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters