User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
  • Record Label:
  • Release Date:
Get Away From Me Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 25 Ratings

  • Summary: London-born, 19-year-old jazz vocalist Nellie McKay makes her debut with this 2-disc set produced by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick. Unlike contemporaries such as Norah Jones, McKay brings a darker edge and a sense of humor (and even a hint of hip hop) to her songs, all of which she wrote herself.

Top Track

The Dog Song
I'm just a walkin' my dog singin' my song strollin' along It's just me and my dog catchin' some sun we can't go wrong My life was lonely and... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Sophisticated stuff even for a music vet; truly stunning considering McKay is only 19.
  2. Not counting Stephin Merritt, no other under-40 approaches McKay's gift for cabaret.
  3. So ignore the Doris-Day-meets-Eminem descriptions you’re seeing; this is more like Kate Bush meets Phil Ochs.
  4. McKay mixes pathos and goofiness with egghead glee.
  5. Uncut
    70
    Think Randy Newman crooned in a voice like Peggy Lee and delivered with the panache of Rufus Wainwright. [Sep 2004, p.96]
  6. Get Away From Me is an exciting debut that could become a cult favorite among pissed-off girl-women of McKay's age; if she can focus her creative energy without sacrificing any of the bite of her debut, she'll become an even more impressive talent.
  7. It's sometimes hard to tell who's running the show, the major label or the major talent.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. DanF
    Feb 9, 2007
    10
    Totally unpredictable and funny and smart. What else could you ask for?
  2. Skagitguy
    Apr 30, 2005
    10
    I'm a 48 year old middle class republican male (please don't throw things at the monitor). That being said I am very critiacal of I'm a 48 year old middle class republican male (please don't throw things at the monitor). That being said I am very critiacal of music and enjoy Dorisa Day as well as Eminem (yes, really) And while many of Nellie's lyrics often drip with that sardonic liberal wit I've come to loathe... her songwriting and performance is pure genius and soars high above the mind-numbing pop stuff that tries to pass itself off as music. I sat entranced as I listened to her pound out "Sari" on Letterman. It was that same kind of chill as when I heard Coltrane's "Giant Steps" or Tom Wait's "Closing Time" for the first time. Gwen, Jessica, Britney.... please step aside and let a blonde who actually HAS talent step up to the mike. Thank you. Expand
  3. CatB
    Mar 23, 2004
    10
    Britany, Justin, please! No comparison. I saw her on Dave Letterman and was hooked. She's been in my CD player for 2 weeks straight, so far.
  4. JoshW
    Mar 5, 2006
    10
    Her album is so innovative and fresh. Who knew that vocal jazz and rap went together like two peas in a pod?
  5. kevinf
    Apr 1, 2005
    9
    not sure why the critics are so cynical. compared to the trash we hear everyday, numbing us like thorazine, it's nice to hear something not sure why the critics are so cynical. compared to the trash we hear everyday, numbing us like thorazine, it's nice to hear something that's at least genuine. Expand
  6. ChrisH
    Jan 12, 2007
    9
    If the Bloodhound Gang went to Berekley, this would be the kind of music they would make. Hillariously brilliant album!
  7. ScottA
    Apr 28, 2005
    0
    Annoying, that's all i can think to say, Annoying.

See all 17 User Reviews