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Manzanita is an uneven album that nonetheless reveals a great talent and a terrific voice.
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Manzanita may be too diverse to be cohesive, but it is filled with interesting songs and the continued potential for great things.
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MojoA lesson in ageless folk rock opulence. [Apr 2005, p.97]
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Todd... smartly allows her soaring, angelic voice to take the lead, leaving the sparse arrangement of strings and keys to take a delicate backseat. This also means her lyricism, poignant and wry, stands out.
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The high points of the album are the tracks that feature Todd by herself either on guitar or piano, filling the song with the trembling strength of her singing.
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SpinImagine Joni Mitchell if she'd made Miles after Mingus. [Feb 2005, p.92]
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Brings in a smoky mysticism and freeform beauty that recalls Nick Drake, Tim Buckley, and Joni Mitchell.
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The New York TimesThere is nothing but earnestness and obsession in her songs, which risk both clichés and awkwardness as they reach for honesty. [31 Jan 2005]
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UncutA peculiar take on neo-baroque folk with an utterly contemporary twist. [Apr 2005, p.100]
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Under The RadarTodd is one of the few writers who can be heavy without being suffocating, self-conscious without being self-obsessed, and fragile without being frail. [#9]
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UrbIt's nice that a singer/songwriter can fit comfortably on a label known for abstract techno and heady hip-hop. It's not so great when she sounds like Dido. [Apr 2005, p.109]
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One problem though: Mia peaks too soon. That opener is by far the strongest song. The rest is by turns meditative, breezy, intimate, and snoozy.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 2 out of 2
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Mixed: 0 out of 2
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Negative: 0 out of 2
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Jun 15, 2011
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BBlattMar 24, 2005Brilliant work. Lyrically subtle, musically satisifying.Cohen, Mitchell and Janch.