Chantal Kreviazuk Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Canadian pop chanteuse Chantal Kreviazuk spent the better part of the time since the release of her superb 2002 album What If It All Means Something writing and producing songs for artists like Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, and Cheyenne Kimball. Essentially, she was "ghost writing" with her considerable talents as a writer, seasoned performer, and mature adult lending weight and substance to younger artists struggling to deliver the pop goods and retain the public's attention. Perhaps for Kreviazuk it offered a way to develop her own muse and shrug off such market-driven concerns. If that is the case, then it should come as no surprise that the aptly titled Ghost Stories, her 2006 return to solo work, is a vibrant and compelling pop masterpiece that in every way builds upon her time writing for others. This is a soulful, enigmatic, and lush album featuring superb production that mixes organic guitars and keyboards with deftly executed orchestral moments. While the piano is still her main instrument of choice, it's been layered into the mix, making room for fully formed arrangements that easily draw favorable comparisons to work by such similarly minded artists as Kate Bush and Björk. Recorded at her home with her husband, Our Lady Peace lead singer Raine Maida, the album showcases Kreviazuk's knack for artful singer/songwriter pop featuring concrete imagery and universally relatable themes like grief, love, and self-doubt. With lines like "I'm alone in this life and these old jeans are too tight and now I can't pick my feet off the floor," it's clear Kreviazuk knows it's the little details of our lives that make a song poignant. A somewhat idiosyncratic and overly precious vocalist early on in her career, Kreviazuk has developed into a compelling, intelligent, and sexy presence on record. Her voice is sanguinely emotive and though she has pristine chops, she reveals now a blues singer's throaty grit that rubs pleasantly at peak moments in her songs. While her work in the shadows of other artists gave her an outlet to grow creatively, ultimately it's the flesh and blood of her talent that truly shines on Ghost Stories. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide
'What If It All Means Something'
Release Date 1/1/2003
Tracks 11
Label Columbia
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What The Critics Say
When Chantal Kreviazuk began her career in the late '90s, comparisons to fellow Canuck Sarah McLachlan were inevitable and irresistible. With 2003's What if It All Means Something, however, Kreviazuk is for the most part far removed from that ethereal piano-driven style. Smartly delayed until the obsession with underdressed teen pop tartlets had run its course, the album shows a new side of Kreviazuk: less self-absorbed, more at ease with her place in the grand scheme. There is a general theme to be gleaned from her rather lofty title: that of a woman looking with wonder at the sheer largeness of the world and carving personal space within it. For the most part the results are solid, limited only by some unimaginative arrangements and an unfortunate tendency toward repetitive refrains. The undeniably McLachlan-like "In This Life" was a smart choice for the lead single; with its bright lyrics and brisk arrangement, it's easily the best track of the lot. "Time" follows in that tune's sweeping, orchestrated style and is a solid cut in its own right, as is "Waiting," which benefits from a beautifully chosen electric piano melody and some effective yet unimposing backing vocals from Michelle Branch. There are a few dreadful filler tracks -- "Weight of the World" and "Ready for Your Love" being particularly insipid entries -- but on the whole, What if It All Means Something is an enjoyable album, neither arty nor obtuse, yet not a breakthrough on any level. ~ Joseph McCombs, All Music Guide
'Colour Moving and Still'
Release Date 10/5/1999
Tracks 10
Label Columbia
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What The Critics Say
On the follow-up to her smash debut Under These Rocks and Stones, Chantal Kreviazuk does an about-face from the Alanis-like alt-rock sound that made her single "God Made Me" so popular. Instead, simpler, more restrained ballads like "Blue" and "Until We Die" show off her classical piano training, as well as her earnest singing and lyrics. "Souls," "Far Away," and "Little Things" have a searching, yearning quality that the often dreamy and trip-hop inspired sound of the album magnifies: even poppier numbers like "Dear Life" and "Before You" have a slightly reflective, ethereal cast that gives them an extra depth. Colour Moving and Still reveals Kreviazuk's ambition to be more than a Lillith Fair-era flash in the pan; the results achieve an impressive balance between thoughtful, maturing songcraft and sweetly earnest pop. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
'Under These Rocks and Stones'
Release Date 6/3/1997
Tracks 12
Label Sony
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What The Critics Say
Chantal Kreviazuk's Under These Rocks and Stones is an impressive debut that suggests she could become a singer-songwriter of some power. Although portions of the album sound as if her producers (or label) were pushing her toward Alanis territory, Kreviazuk is at her best when the music is stripped back and simple. Occasionally, the whole thing is a little too precious for its own good, but the moments that work illustrate that Kreviazuk is a promising songwriter and musician. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
