P. Heath 2008-11-21
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Worrisome Heart is the first full length studio CD from Melody Gardot. It is a smoky and mellow mix of jazz and folk that one should enjoy slowly as repetition leads to depth of appreciation and understanding. Melancholy runs deeply through this short collection of songs. While one might expect this from a young artist who survived being hit by a car while riding her bicycle, her torment on Worrisome Heart comes from another, but common, source. Even the song titles themselves suggest that the primary source of her pain is from love gone wrong in one way or another. Whether she pines for someone to take things slowly as in "Love Me Like A River Does" ("Baby don't rush/You're no waterfall") or the love from which she is separated on "Sweet Memories" ("Pretty soon I'll want the real thing instead/But for now I've got this sweet memory"). Gardot lyrically wears her heart(aches) on her sleeve.
Yet these don't come of as a simple collection of poor me drivel. Gardot has a vocal delivery somewhere between Diana Krall and Norah Jones, and she even mixes in scat singing on a few tracks. Her producer, Glenn Barratt, did a wonderful job of setting Worrisome Heart against a rich and varied instrumental backdrop. "Worrisome Heart" and "Love Me Like A River Does" both feature muted trumpet while the slightly upbeat "All That I Need Is Love" is set against a flowing clarinet line. Other songs such as "Gone" and " Sweet Memory" feature strings and/or guitar.
When you add it all up, you have a very musically mature sounding CD from a new artist. While you won't likely find yourself dancing to or uplifted by Worrisome Heart, it is still a very fulfilling musical experience. It is perfect for unwinding and relaxing after a stressful day. As you see the beauty that Gardot makes of her own troubles, you will find your own to be somewhat lighter as well.
