[.ca] Get Away From Me

From Amazon.com:
Like Rufus Wainwright, Nellie McKay was born about thirty years too late. She may look like a winsome teenager on the cover of "Get Away From Me," but she's got the soul and grit of Ethel Merman, mincing her way through drawing room dramas and musical conflagrations with more subtlety, wit, and better personal politics than Eminen, but with similar results--most stunningly on "Sari," where she perfectly melds the ire of Missy Elliot with the goofiness of Moon Unit Zappa on this edgy rap song. McKay quickly changes personas becoming a torchy siren on her paean to domesticity "I Wanna Get Married," wearing her irony as lightly--and as transparently--as a see-through negligee. At nineteen, McKay has only scratched the surface of what she's capable of, veering from witty jazz, to edgy cabaret, to brash confessionals, and taking the listener on what certainly will prove to be a long, eccentric ride. --Jaan Uhelszki

Intelligent, Eclectic, Amazing!:
This CD has not left my CD player since I bought it a week ago. I don't tire of the songs, and I love the way she shifts from one genre to another. Although I was surprised to find this was a 2-CD set, I now feel it's not long enough. Come out with another CD soon, Nellie! :)

This (19 year-old!) lady is...:
a genius. Without question. There's no way to say anything here that's really useful, except that this reviewer feels she's already put herself into a category of musician that few will ever achieve. Ok, maybe I can say something useful: listen to several tracks. This is a very diversely populated recording. AND, realize she's playing most of the instruments you're hearing. AND, realize she wrote all of her songs. Then, just enjoy. There won't be another like her for a long time.

Shoot Me:
She is one of the worst artists I have ever heard sing, if you want to call it singing, it's more like heart wrenching wailing. It is not that I don't enjoy her type of music, I love any type of music. However, every song she sings makes me feel like I'm spining out of control and will throw up. She is even worse in concert. I recently saw her live and lauged so hard as did the security guards and other members of the audience. The loudest applause of the night was when she left the stage. I would not reccomend buying this CD unless you want to give it to your worst enemy, and even that would be cruel and unusual punishment.

Nellie McKay has something good right here...:
Let me just start off by saying this album is fantastic. Nellie, at only 19, will go far if she keeps this up. But let me get to the review. It was first the cover that caught me- I was walking through Borders and the cover caught my eye. You have to say it's a funny cover (ha ha funny, not weird funny). Nellie stands with her arms up over her head - as if to greet the day with a happy and optimistic attitude, but right above her head in capital letters, there is the album title. I pretty much forgot about it after that, but one day I was on my iTunes music store, and there it is. I decided to take a listen...and I'm glad I did. The album starts off with "David". "David" is a song that you just can't get enough of. No matter how many times you listen to it, it never gets old (sort of like RJD2's "Clean Living"). It is followed by "Manhattan Avenue"- which makes you feel you're at a jazz club. Next is "Sari"- Nellie's clever rap track. One of my favorites. After "Sari"'s ending lines of "I'm sorry...aw, s***" the song "Ding Dong" comes on, where Nellie happily sings (in a rather convincing British accent) about chopping your head off. Next is "Baby Watch Your Back", a fast-paced song I don't really care for. But you can just skip it and go straight to "The Dog Song"- the best song on Get Away From Me. Nellie pays tribute to her beloved puppy on this jazzy song. Next is "Waiter"...a fast-paced song I care for more than "Baby Watch Your Back". Skip the following song, "I Wanna Get Married"- it's trying to be another "Manhattan Avenue" and fails badly. This disc ends with "Change The World"- a good song you might want to listen to once or twice in a while. You pop the next disc in and it starts off with the just plain bad country song "It's A Pose". But what this disc loses in "It's A Pose" it makes up for in "Toto Dies". "Toto Dies" is a fantastic track- remember to listen to it. Up next is "Won't U Please B Nice"- kind of funny, but you might want to skip it. Take a listen to the next song, "Inner Peace"- it's kind of unappreciated by some of Nellie's other listeners but still is a good rap song. Next up is the "Suitcase Song" which starts off making you think it will be another "Toto Dies"... but isn't(Does have a cool chorus, though). Skip the "Work Song". "Clonie" is a fun little track with lyrics such as "our DNA says the Olsen twins got nothin' on us!". Take a listen. Next are the ending songs "Respectable" and "Really"... both just okay songs. Wel, that's all for my review. I hope it helped.

Elephants are not lifesavers, so do not try to float on one:
This is cool and funny, i am in a hurry, see you, and remember, don't tickle any platypus.

• David
• Manhattan Avenue
• Sari
• Ding Dong
• Baby Watch Your Back
• Dog Song
• Waiter
• I Wanna Get Married
• Change the World
• It's a Pose
• Toto Dies
• Won't U Please B Nice
• Inner Peace
• Suitcase Song
• Work Song
• Clonie
• Respectable
• Really