Afterglow - Dark Publications

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Similar Items:

•	Surfacing
•	Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
•	Mirrorball
•	Wintersong
•	Solace

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Is Sarah McLachlan a secret punk rocker? To be sure, her rebellion is hushed. On Afterglow, her first studio album since 1997's Surfacing, McLachlan's music is as tempered as ever; at times even the piano chords at the heart of the sound are tucked neatly beneath layer upon layer of strings and overdubbed voices. Listen to what's being sung within this soothing aural bed, though, and hear the just-before-sleep murmurings of the quietest riot grrl: "I'm a train wreck waiting to happen.... a wildfire born of frustration," "How stupid could I be.... you're no good for me, but you're the only one I see," "I have to push just to see how far you'll go." The latter song ("Push") resolves itself with the assurance, "You complete me." Ultimately, McLachlan fans will be comforted again by what turns out to be her reliably untroubled aesthetic. --Rickey Wright

Album Description
"Afterglow" features all new songs including: "Fallen", "Stupid", "World on Fire", "Drifting", "Answer", "Trainwreck", "Perfect Girl", "Time", and "Push".

Album Description
Limited edition reissue of the singer/songwriter's hot 2003 album includes a bonus live EP with four tracks, 'Fallen', 'Answer', 'Dirty Little Secret', & 'Building A Mystery'. Arista. 2004.

Album Details
Limited Edition Asian Version featuring a Bonus CD with Four Live Tracks: "Fallen", "Answer", "Dirty Little Secret", and "Building a Mystery".

Customer Reviews: Read 572 more reviews...

3 out of 5 stars

sarah less potent; buy FTE instead! November 13, 2003
152 out of 207 found this review helpful

i do not know what i expected after a 5 year hiatus from sarah, but i am not overly thrilled with her latest. "afterglow" has both its merits and its detractors...i do think the latter are sadly more prominent. why not begin with the positives: the production is great- her voice sounds beautiful, as always, but even more so wrapped in the 'whisper' effect on certain songs. there is nothing here to complain about, vocally. i think "fallen" is a well-written song, and "train wreck" is a favorite as well. i think i genuinely like 4 tracks off the album: "fallen," "world on fire," "stupid," and "train wreck." the rest, though...i am most disappointed in the trite, tautological lyrics. also...for the first time sarah has released an album that contains songs i am embarrassed to listen to because they are so saccharine. "push" is a prime example. i had hoped that her becoming a wife & mother would not influence her writing in such ways, but alas. my favorite sarah album is Fumbling Towards Ecstasy; it may be an accomplishment she'll never top now, but it is worth every listen. all the fans who arrived during Lilith Fair should reach into her back catalogue for FTE & Solace as well, and hear what sarah sounds like at her very best: a lush siren & rich writer with powerful emotional insight.

5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful November 10, 2003
131 out of 142 found this review helpful

I have to admit,,When I first listen to this cd, I felt a bit dissapointed...the songs all seemed soft and slow. Nothing seemed to be easily accessible, with the Fallen being an exception.. But after listening, I discovered more to this whole album. Yes, this is different than her previous, but that is good! Change is good, and these songs show a maturity that some artist never aquire. I hate buying a new cd from an artist I enjoy and it sounds the same. These songs are all beautiful and now I love this album. The title Afterglow is apt, for these songs leave a warm, quiet feeling in your soul. Don't give up on this one just because it takes some time to enjoy. Best songs, in my opinion, World on Fire, Stupid and Time. Though I could find something to love on each song

2 out of 5 stars

Even lower rating... November 13, 2003
110 out of 185 found this review helpful

After listening some more to this album, I realize that "Fallen" is the only song that sort-of measures up to the previous standards, but even so, the chorus is filled with trite lyrics that frankly sound embarassing! I'm shocked that Sarah allowed Marchand to bury her voice underneath all that Wall-of-Sound effects, since her voice is as good as ever. The biggest problem of course is no edge in the songs, trite lyrics. Fumbling was devastating album, Surfacing a bit less so but still had punch.

Afterglow is simply product, nothing else.

2 out of 5 stars Buy Fumbling Instead! November 6, 2003
62 out of 96 found this review helpful

Sarah McLachlan is gorgeous. For anyone who is new to her music, I encourage you to start from the beginning.

At the very least, you should explore the intoxicating world of her third album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, which showcases the range and scope of her musical ability like none of her other albums. The lyricism and vocal prowess displayed on Fumbling are still worth exploring ten years later.

McLachlan has always been folk-pop, but, first with Surfacing, and now Afterglow, she has crossed over entirely into pop. Perhaps the only stand-out songs on Afterglow are Fallen, and Answer.

On Afterglow, McLachlan's voice is still both haunting and comforting- and incredible combination -but she is somehow subdued. The album just lacks the fire and perceptiveness of her previous work. And, as another reviewer also pointed out, the album lacks variety, both musically and in its storytelling. The lyrics are forgettable, and the melodies redundant.

McLachlan's earlier work (Fumbling, Solace, Touch) has earned her a place alongside the great storytellers who write with a ripe and raw heart, and a fierce wisdom beyond their years: Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, Dar Williams, Natalie Merchant, Jonatha Brooke, Indigo Girls, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Tori Amos, among others.

If, however, you have more of a pop sensibility, along the lines of Dido, The Corrs, Norah Jones, Jewel, Leona Naess, Everything But the Girl, and other artists whose heartbreak comes across more like rain-streaked-window blues than Holly Golightly's Mean Reds, then you might like the lightweight feel of Surfacing or Afterglow.

Either way, you should definitely discover the ethereal Sarah McLachlan.

4 out of 5 stars Haunting and Beautiful November 6, 2003
35 out of 45 found this review helpful

I am rather new to Sarah, having become a fan over the summer after hearing the AMAZING song "Fear," and I am very pleased with this album. It's haunting and beautiful. Sarah is a wonderful songwriter whose music will bring tears to your eyes. Too bad the album has only ten songs! "Fallen" and "Perfect Girl" are my favorites; buy "Afterglow" for those songs alone. A nice addition to any music collection.

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