Crayons - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
The Queen is Back! Legendary singer songwriter Donna Summer is back with her first studio album in 17 years. In the thirty plus years that Donna Summer has been making music she has never confined her artistry to just one genre. Although Donna is, and will always be, "The Queen Of Disco" to many fans, her hits have spanned multiple musical genres from Rock to R&B to Inspirational and of course, Dance.

Summer helped to define the 70's pop music generation and Crayons has all the characteristics that made Donna an icon. Containing a potent mix of the up-tempo tunes and ballads, the new album showcases incredible new material that is written by Donna (who wrote or co-wrote the majority of her hits of the 70's and 80's). Working with Donna were renowned writers and producers including: Greg Kurstin (Lilly Allen, Pink), Danielle Brisebois (Natasha Bedingfield, New Radicals), JR Rotem (Sean Kingston, Rihanna), Evan Bogart (co-writer of Rihanna's smash "SOS" and the son of legendary record executive, Casablanca Records founder and Donna's mentor, Neil Bogart), and Lester Mendez (Shakira, Santana).

Album Description
Japanese pressing of the 2008 album from the Disco diva includes two bonus tracks: 'It's Only Love' and I'm A Fire (Rod Carrillo Leave It On The Floor Mix). Legendary singer/songwriter Donna Summer releases her first studio album of all new material in 17 years! Her album Crayons contains a potent mix of up-tempo tunes and ballads while showcasing her incredible new material that is co-written by Donna herself. The song 'Crayons' features Ziggy Marley. 13 tracks. Sony/BMG.

Customer Reviews: Read 154 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Donna Summer's Returned to Reign May 20, 2008
44 out of 47 found this review helpful

I must say that I was surprised and not expecting this great album from Donna Summer. "Crayons" is not an attempt to recapture the sound and music she's perhaps best known as. This album is meant to stand against big artists of today and to capture the pop/hip-hop/r&b vibe that's popular today. Not only that but after being known as conquering disco, Donna Summer reaches ahead and goes for the club-crowd. Does it work? In all, yes. "Crayons" is fresh, exciting, has funny lyrics, introspective lyrics and outright unapologetic and fun.

You'll like how upbeat the sound and tone of this album is. This is really a club record, testing out different styles (or perhaps crayons). The songs that work the best for me were the title track 'Crayons' that has a Caribbean/island sound and features Ziggy Marley. 'Stamp Your Feet' is a pop/inspirational song where Summers urges her audience to take a stand and to make their voices be heard. 'The Queen is Back' is by far the most fun, with Donna Summer obviously speaking of her return to the scene and not holding back on the 'diva' attitude we'd expect from her. The last track, 'Bring Down the Reign' features a choir of children and Donna Summer putting aside the club-vibe for something epic in sound and pulls off a quite moving song.

What you may not like is the at times over-processed vocals that render her unrecognizable on some tracks. This is the only area of the album that bothers me because so many artists, including Cher, Mariah and Madonna (mentioned in other reviews) have gone this same route as if it's the only way to compete with others in the business. It took away from some songs when I wished we'd hear more of her voice which we know is great and strong enough not to be picked apart by a computer.

In all, a great effort from Donna Summer. I'm sure it'll be one of the albums that'll break out this year to everyone's surprise. Give it a listen, you will not regret it nor will you be wasting any money on purchasing it.

5 out of 5 stars

Donna's Best Since 1984 May 30, 2008
37 out of 40 found this review helpful

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R7U6F6XWA8ETY I am a recording artist/music journalist. Here's my video review of Donna Summer's new Crayons album. Crayons

5 out of 5 stars

Summer's Queen June 3, 2008
33 out of 41 found this review helpful

For those of us who were alive and partying when Donna Summer was the queen of disco, this album marks a welcome return after an absence of nearly twenty years. (Actually seventeen, but who's counting?)

Looking fit and fresh for her guest appearance on American Idol, where she sang the first single from this album "Stamp Your Feet", she proved that not even time can stop a Summer in full flow.

"Last Dance", one of my favorite songs from the past, was featured in the Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz movie "What Happens in Vegas", as further proof that some performers are destined never to fade away into the woodwork.

Anyway, back to this album, my favorite song is the title track, featuring Ziggy Marley, providing a bouncy reggae vibe that's guaranteed to have you shaking a leg, even when you're sitting down.

All twelve tracks were co-written by the Queen, and regardless of tempo, they're all winners. If I had to pick my top five, I'd choose the two I've mentioned before, plus "Sand on My Feet", which reminds me of "Breakfast at Tiffanys" by Deep Blue Something; the jazzy Latin "Driving Down Brazil" and the disco track "I'm a Fire".

As she herself states proudly on track four, the Queen is back!

Amanda Richards, June 2, 2008

5 out of 5 stars

Donna's Colorful Comeback Rocks! May 20, 2008
26 out of 29 found this review helpful

After 17 years since her last studio album, Donna has returned to the spotlight with her smash CD "Crayons". It's a mixed bag, Donna-Style. Her flawless, strong vocals are back once again. The Queen is back indeed! Having grown up in the mid 70's, I've always liked Donna's singing and her songs. Crayons is right up there with the best music of 2008.

"I'm a Fire" is flaming and stands out among the tracks, with its mix of Disco and modern-day "light" club-sound. No wonder it's turned out to be Donna's first remix single! "Stamp Your Feet" is a perfect opener and totally rocks. I've both these CD singles here at home. Crayons is quite laid-back and not entirely dancy or club-floor sounding as I thought, which isn't bad. There's also a rock-edge mixed with Pop, Reggae and electronica. All these styles intertwined with Donna's full, in-your-face, throaty voice, makes this CD a true winner. Track 6 (Sand on My Feet) is so floating and rich with beautiful vocals and lyrics. I'd say it's an "Easy Listening" type of song and very summery through and through. You'll notice they put Donna's voice through the synthesizer quite a bit through the CD, but it works pretty darned well.

Lots of thought, heart and soul went into this recording. Track 9 (Slide Over Backwards) is very entertaining with its country style and very amusing vocal style. Chorus line is fun and the whole song could've worked very well in Tina Turner's repertoire. I think this is Donna's most electic album to date, and definitely worth playing for family & friends.

The CD is housed in a lovely black digi-pak with a fully illustrated booklet (16 pages). The digi-pak is a tri-fold layout. The interior middle section features the same closeup eye shot as on Donna's "I'm a Fire" cd single cover. Right flap holds the CD and the left flap holds the booklet. All photos of Donna are beautiful and she's looking ageless. the outside of the left flap features another photo of Donna.

Crayons is a definite winner for your summer listening & beyond. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to discover a true legend. I'm glad Donna is back because there are too many commercially fake & obnoxious Divas out there, if they even deserve the title "Diva". Crayons is perfect for putting on your Ipod, for there isn't a song you won't like. So go and get yourself this CD and let Donna heat up your summer.

5 out of 5 stars

A perfect SUMMER for the season and the year! June 16, 2008
26 out of 27 found this review helpful

Even though we're at the halfway point of the year, 2008 may go down as "The Year of the Boomer," what with major releases from "seniors" like Madonna, Sergio Mendes, Al Green, Dolly Parton and septuagenarian Dame Shirley Bassey, all being well-received by critics and fans alike.

To the fray we can now add Donna Summer with "Crayons," a welcome addition to the singer's discography of hits and an ear-friendly hodgepodge for those of us that have loved the singer since "Love to Love You Baby" hit the airwaves three decades ago.

The new release, featuring twelve songs co-written by Summer and a variety of songwriters, allows the singer to poke fun at herself and celebrity ("The Queen is Back" and "Fame-the Game"), as well as hurl herself headlong into contemporary dance grooves with tunes like the tile cut and "Mr. Music." Summer gets a little nostalgic with the retro-disco sound on "I'm a Fire," waxes country with "Slide Over Backwards," and plays with a South American sound with "Drivin' Down Brazil."

The slower, mid-tempo numbers are just as good. "Sand on My Feet," "Science of Love," "Be Myself Again," and "Bring Down the Reign" allow Summer to show her softer yet highly effective vocals, something that she occasionally did on such classics as her concept "Bad Girls" and "Once Upon a Time" albums from the 70's.

Though some may call "Crayons" a comeback, I prefer to think of it as a "rebirth" to her minions of fans worldwide, as well as an "introduction" to the younger listeners that weren't fortunate to have experienced the "Queen of Disco" in her heyday.

Either way, both audiophiles will be pleased with this FIVE-STAR recording.

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