No Angel

Finally! After 15 years of waiting, this record has made its way onto my shelf. I love Dido. Not only that we share the same birthday (December 25), but her voice is so ethereal and angelic that's just way too impossible for me to not love it. What's more, the music fits her voice perfectly. All songs are personal favorite but if ever I were forced at gunpoint to pick some, 'My Lover's Gone', 'Honestly OK', 'Slide', 'Isobel' and the ever mesmerising and iconic 'Here with Me'. Damn, listening to this record makes me realise just how fast time flies.. I was a young boy when this album first came out and believe me, even after all these years, No Angel still sounds relevant and fresh. Why, why can't we have modern singers like Dido? She doesn't need any controversy to prove herself because she is truly talented. She doesn't need to show her tits or ass to gain fame. She just uses her voice and lyrics to captivate the very core of your existence, which is your heart. And that's how I fell in love with her music and so should you!

I first heard Dido in a movie theater, of all places, tucked in among the dull pre-movie elevator music. I'm a devotee of most "chick singers," including Sarah and Indigo Girls, and Dido immediately stuck out as someone I would enjoy. So when I left the theater I ordered "No Angel" right away, and when it came I...put it on my shelf and forgot about it. This was in late 1999 or early 2000. Then, in June 2000, a friend recommended it to me, and I've been hooked ever since. I've always compared her voice to Sarah's, but when you hear them back to back you realize that there's more of an edge to Dido, a distinction that is very clear in her lyrics. Her songs are a little angrier and lean a little more toward empowerment and strength than Sarah's typical go-gently-into-the-night sorrow songs. They deal with real-world issues like love, breaking up, cheating, and even abortion rather than Sarah's angels and mysteries. Someone else here compared No Angel to Sarah's song "Possession," and I would agree; I would say it's much more like that entire album---Fumbling Toward Ecstasy. But Dido puts a spin on it that is all her own. I'm looking forward to her next album.Oh, and I try to ignore her connection with Eminem. It makes me feel better.

I started listening the her when I heard White Flag - from her second CD. I picked this up and I heard Here With Me - I had heard it on the radio and in a movie prior to buying the CD. I really like that song; maybe even better than White Flag.The other songs on this CD are great! What a wonderful first album!

I just love Dido! I got addicted to her through the opening theme song to the Roswell tv series. (I miss that show) I love every single song on this cd. I remember seeing her at Enron in Houston and was blown away, usually a singers voice sounds better on the cd, she was the first singer I'd heard live that sounded WAY better in real life.

After hearing and immediately falling in love with Dido's second album, "Life for Rent", I decided to give her debut album a shot. (Over 1,000 reviews giving it high ratings didn't hurt either.)The cd opens out with the smashing "Here with Me" that shows the power and strength that I love in Dido's "White Flag". The lyrics are simple, but it's so stirring, you won't be unmoved.Dido then slides into dark and troubled waters with "Honestly OK", "My Lover's Gone", and "My Life", which are mainly just a few lines and lots of electronic instrumentals: not neccesarily a bad thing, but the songs turned out a little shallow and unfulfilling. Dido redeems herself with the title track ( not a dirty, flirty song as you might be expecting, but simply expounding on the "strive for excellece, not perfection" idea); and the smash hit, "Thank You". "All You Want" and "Isabel" aren't bad, but they seem to be lacking something - I wasn't hooked.The whole album carries a dark and depressing undertone of heartache and loss, which gently pulls you in under into it's sweeping undertow and you feel it softly bearing you away to somewhere solitary and shadow-covered. But dear Dido, give us a chance to breath!So the bottom line is, there are a few good songs on here and I don't regret buying it(After all, I got it for $1 used), but I enjoyed "Life For Rent" more. Her voice, songwriting skills, and mixing is more developed and mature than in "No Angel". I'd advise you to get both.

Great rhythms with a cool relaxed feel. Nice to play when going to bed. Every song is good. And that's a great accomplishment for an entire CD! Because most artists usually have a few fillers that nobody really likes. Music and singing are balanced nicely and the sound is clean and clear. I am so impressed that I am watching out for her future albums. "Girls who Got Away" was good but "No Angel" is better

I liked it better than 'Life For Rent' which I liked a lot.

EXCELLENT album. Some songs from the original ROSWELL series.