Diana Krall's new album on SACD

In Sweden we were fortunate enough to get the new Diana Krall album "The Girl in the other Room" released on April 8. Since the SACD version was released the same day as the ordinary CD I decided to take a chance and buy it without having heard a single note from it.

I always thought that Diana Krall was nice to listen to, but with nothing extra that made me buy any records of her. That was until I saw and heard her Live in Paris DVD, where the Canadian singer stepped out from the former slick and almost icy approach and delivered that extra. Suddenly you could feel the warmth in her voice, her ultra sensual charisma came through with full force – I was hooked. Still felt though that her albums were too polished for my taste, I stuck with the fantastic live DVD.

Now Mrs Krall has made a studio album that connects to the feeling on the Live DVD. The musical setting is much more intimate than on her previous albums. Basically you have one tight band, where the two most impressive musicians to my ears are Anthony Wilson on guitar and Christian McBride on bass. Diana Krall herself sings like a goddess and plays a very good piano. The songs are a mix of jazz, blues and pop, with a more rootsy feeling than her usual repertoire. There are also a mixture of covers and original songs. The originals are all written by Diana Krall and Elvis Costello, though Costello has only contributed to the music on the majestic title track, otherwise he has stuck to the words. There is a natural flow to the song sequence on the album and the originals stand up very good to the covers.

There are in my opinion no weak songs on the album, and my favourites (today) are the title track (Krall/Costello) and Temptation (Tom Waits).

Audiowise the album is very good recorded and produced. The SACD layer adds that extra HiFi dimension with crispy treble and a deep and tight bass. But the real winner here is clearly the multichannel mix. Diana’s vocal is placed in the front channels and center and all instruments are spread in all channels in a rather aggressive but still very tasteful way. In my opinion a perfect 5.1 mix, compared to i.e. Norah Jones Come away with Me which has a very wimpy 5.1 mix. The only negative to say about the sound quality is that from time to time you can hear some harschness to the s-sounds.

Highly recommendable!

 

Hybrid SACD/CD release date is April 27. Good to know Universal hasn't completely abandoned high-res yet.

 

I haven't been this excited about a new release in a long time. Big fan here to say the least. Definitely not going to miss the August show in Detroit, although it may be a tough ticket. Her Live DVD gets quite a workout from me; the companion live CD is actually her best album so far. And I don't think I am ever going to change my avatar....




And uffe, thank you for the very thorough and thoughtful review...a very good read - please keep posting here!

 

Please don't! Much better looking than my old salt. I'm looking foward to this one too. And thanks, uffe. Nice review.

 

Looks like I'll be buying my first DK disc! Thanks for the review!

 

Did it go on sale yet? Where's it at?? Do tell! Depends on the price though. If it's too crazy, I might pass on it.

 

It does not come out until the 27th, unless you buy a promo, like I did, last Tuesday. I really really like this album. Edgier than Costello's "North". Also, the tunes are all credited to Krall but there are musical phrases that sound exactly like Costello inventions.

 

Not on sale yet! Don't know the prices either. Fox Theatre, though. Should be wonderful... http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0...artistid=773409&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=4

She is on my short list of artists for which I haven't caught a show but I really need to. I have catalogued every flip of the hair and every over-the-shoulder-look in the Live in Paris DVD. It is now time to experience them live.

At work, I would say everyone in my department is pretty sick of coming into my office and being forced to leave with promotional material for the new album that is sitting on my desk. Let's just say that I am doing my fair share to spread the word as a fan.

 

I didn't find out about the last concert until it was just a few days before she arrived, and there were only nosebleed tickets left.

I will probably preorder the SACD online somewhere. I could use something new to listen to.

 

Good review for the new disc:
http://jam.canoe.ca/JamAlbumsK/krall_diana_otherroom-sun.html

 

I have all of DK's albums including the Live DVD. Last summer we saw her
in concert at the Mann Music Center, but I was disappointed that John Clayton, John Piasano and Jeff Hamilton weren't with her and the sound quality wasn't great.

It's good to hear that she is expanding out a bit. Many folks feel that in the past
she was a little too much for the Borders Books crowd, but if you've heard her debut album from back in the early 1990's her roots are really swingin' jazz.

can't wait to check out the new release.

 

Definitely a new favorite Diana pic, from a recent GQ spread. More photos at the link below. (And Diana fans, if you have not been to the "Jazz Princess" forum, you should check it out.)

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/remi.rivrie/photoother.html

 

Bookmarked that site!!! I really like the armchair shot from the GQ "spread". The term seatcovers takes on a whole new meaning.

I'd like to ask my wife if I could take her home sometime... to sing of course!

chris

 

I doubt Pisano would tour--he's been staying quite busy in L.A., hosting a weekly Guitar Night at Spazio, appearing with his wife Jeanne as part of the Flying Pisanos, and still doing the occasional guitar workshops and recording sessions. If he DID tour with Diana, though, it would be a clincher to see the show.

 

I've really fallen in love with this disc (I don't have the SACD, only redbook). It is interesting to see how fast it has turned into a love it or hate it type of album - reaction has really been split. It is a huge departure for her....it is not a sultry or sexy album, it is not lush, and for the most part it really does not swing. However, after listening to it repeatedly all week, I am really connecting with it on an emotional level. It feels very honest. Once the melodies sink in (and they are not of the hit you over the head variety), this set can really grab you. I have a feeling, though, that there are going to be some turned off on the initial listen and that are not going to make the effort.

Favorites so far are (1) the cover of "Black Crow", the one track that does truly swing - it just lifts off and soars, (2) I'm Coming Through, and (3) the closing Departure Bay. In fact, the heart of the album is really the run of four Costello/Krall songs that end the album - all very sturdy, adult, and challenging, which is probably a good way to summarize the whole set.

Besides appreciating the shift to weighter material, I am really impressed by guitarist Anthony Wilson. He contributes a lot of tasty leads without really drawing attention to himself. The rest of the players and performances are fine, but the story of the album is really the Krall/Costello connection and Wilson.

Sound quality is absolutely first rate - like most of Krall's discs, it is well-recorded/engineered and mastered. Audiophile material to say the least.

Interested to see other reactions now - I am guessing there are going to be some to line up on the opposite side of the fence from Uffe and I.

On a Krall tangent, the ticketing gods smiled heavily on me today. I got row one seats - front and center - in the orchestra pit for the August 21st Fox Theater show. I am still reeling from the shock when those babies popped up on my monitor exactly at 10 am this morning.

 

Take binoculars. Good catch on the seats!

I haven't picked up the disc yet, but it sounds interesting. It does sound more low key than the last one or two, which I may like. Just haven't gotten around to ordering it yet.

 

I was in Florida on business last week and picked up the CD on Tuesday at Best Buy for $9.99. It stayed in the CD player of the rental car for the rest of the week and it's really grown on me. I think she's showing us another side to her fabulous talent, one that, to me, was most unexpected. These are rich, creative songs, carrying an emotional depth that is really wonderful. I'm very happy with this album.

I picked up the SACD today at Media Play (along with the Big Star disc), but haven't tried it as yet. I left Orlando very early this morning and arrived in LA at around 10am, expecting to catch the 11 o'clock flight to San Jose, but it was cancelled. I ended up coming in to San Francisco at around 2 and got a shuttle bus to San Jose, so I'm just a bit too tired to appreciate Diana. I'll give the SACD a spin tomorrow.

 

I listened to the surround mix of this SACD tonight. Very nice. A wonderful recording.

 

I just saw an ad for Fry's Electronics. The DK hybrid SACD is on sale for $9.99. That and Deep Purple SACD "Live in Japan" and another Bob Dylan SACD (forget which title.)

 

Damn. Maybe I'll buy another copy to be able to give as a Christmas present.

 

I ended up paying 14.99 for the SACD at Best Buy - really pissed me off. What should / could have been a single inventory disc was packaged as an SACD w/CD layer in the rounded corner SACD case, and as a standard CD. Now, at BB, they specially priced the CD at 9.99 for release week (regular 13.99), but did not discount the SACD.

I talked to the store manager, and asked if I could just pay the one dollar difference on the sale price, but he said "two different products, no can do." I don't know if I'm more pissed off at BB for not being flexible, or at the label, for using the dual inventory approach to soak the SACD enthusiast. (I'm sure the label would argue that they're really doing the enthusiast a service by allowing portability for their SACD, but I would prefer a better priced single inventory disk.)

I would think, at some point, they would determine whether they are looking at short-term profit maximization or at establishing the format.