Subject To Change review

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SUBJECT TO CHANGE

VANESSA-MAE ON THE CROSSROADS OF LIFE

- an autobiographical statement? -

SUBJECT TO CHANGE - track listing

Yantra - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
White Bird - (David Laflamme)
Picante - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Destiny - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Night Flight - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Clear Like Ice - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Laughing Buddha - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Pasha - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Solace - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Love Is Only A Game - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Deep South - (Vanessa-Mae & Youth)
Jamais
(Tourmaline) (hidden track)

(Data about the recording studio is not provided in the booklet)

Overall impression

'Subject To Change' can, at least in some aspects, be considered as a biographical album and as Vanessa-Mae's own statement to life - her own life? - as she sees it. The album shows how versatile and diverse Vanessa-Mae is as musician and as creative artist. Some critics described 'Subject To Change' as a reservoir of styles that make it to a tasteless meaningless album that is best be forgotten. Others praises Vanessa-Mae for her daring to make an interesting album with biographical aspects that shows how diverse she is as an artist and as a musician. I definitely agree with this. Vanessa-Mae herself mentioned in an interview that she considered the album as 'a bit schizophrenic.'

On 'Subject To Change,' Vanessa-Mae worked with Youth as co-writer and as producer of the album. All tracks were composed by Youth and Vanessa-Mae, except 'White Bird' (David Laflamme) and the last two tracks that remain without credits for unknown reasons.

This is the first album of Vanessa-Mae without her mother Pamela Nicholson as companion next to her, as an independent young women so to speak; it is Vanessa-Mae's first step in the music scene as 'grown-up' women, and it is her first step as 'women in love!' The collaboration of Vanessa-Mae with Youth ensures an album full of music that is multi interpretable and suggestive. Listening to the tracks in general and to tracks in particular, I feel emotions that vary depending on my mood. When I listen with my eyes closed, I get imaginations and see images to convey stories unfolding in front of me. I will tell about these stories that I see below when I describe the various tracks of the album.

Vanessa-Mae dedicates the album to her dog Gaston who passed away at the final day of the recording when he escaped from the studios and was hit the traffic.

The tracks on the album represent many styles of music. There several tracks with dance beats where others are melodic and touchy. Also, Vanessa-Mae sings the vocals on 'White Bird,' 'Jamais' and 'Love Is Just A Game.' 'Jamais' is, at least in part' inspired by 'Je t'aime mois non plus' by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. 'White bird' and 'Jamais' can be seen as autobiographical songs for Vanessa-Mae's life. 'White Bird' describes the golden cage she has been living for meeting the high expectations and obligations of her talents, and 'Jamais' is a statement of Vanessa-Mae to express her first real love that she found with Lionel Catalan.

The art work

The booklet of 'Subject To change' consists of little text but a fabulous set of photos of Vanessa-Mae mostly dressed in fine T-shirts with jeans or a few times in beautiful dresses, but always nicely made up in a way to grant her a very natural looks. The first page only holds the text in small characters 'To Gaston' to express Vanessa-Mae's commemoration to her deceased dog. A black page holds in white characters Vanessa-Mae's credits to various persons who collaborated with her to make the album, and who supported her like 'my mummy and daddy - for being there - especially she thanks 'Lionel for your 'I'' and finally Vanessa-Mae thanks her dogs 'Gaston and Gaspard for being my babies.' Remarkable in the acknowledgement for the various tracks is the fact that track 11 and the hidden bonus track 12 have no credit to the composer.

Scans of the booklet (click thumbnails to view larger images)

Description of the tracks

1 Yantra
Yantra is a fine and mysterious opening track for this versatile album. It opens with vocals by 'Le Mistere des Voix Bulgares' that continues throughout the song. Vanessa-Mae on violin accompanied by piano and drums. The whole song brings about a mysterious atmosphere by the moody vocals, soaring of the violin and programming of additional piano and drums.

2 White Bird
'White Bird' is Vanessa-Mae's rendition of David Laflamme's famous original. Vanessa-Mae sings the vocal part with a monotonous voice that clearly underlines that she is not a skilled singer, but that certainly adds to the song that is meant to be a kind of autobiographical statement. The words of the song 'white bird, in a golden cage, all alone,' gains momentum and meaning because Vanessa-Mae sings it the way she does with her limited voice. The violin parts of the song are powerful in the support in the 'cry out loud' for freedom, to end her imprisonment in a 'golden cage' and gain independency and control over her life and career.

3 Picante
Strong melody that expresses joy, dance and optimism in a kind of party scene for a gathering of a large crowd of people. The basic melody is a strong rhythm of drums that support the violin part. The motive of the violin is nicely repeated and varied over the basic rhythm.

4 Destiny
'Destiny' is a brilliant song with a message that is folded in the vocal part. The words are as follows:

If it is written in the stars, then it can be read
For this is prophecy
The future
A thousand million possibilities
Is it my destiny?

Destiny
I'll find you
In my dreams

Destiny
I'll find you
In my dreams
Eternity awaits
I'll find you
In my dreams

Remarkable, these important lyrics are not shown in the booklet, whereas the text for all vocals sung by Vanessa-Mae are! The rhythm of the song is very strong, as is Vanessa-Mae's violin part. The song was used to promote the album on radio. A video clip was made that appeared quite popular on MTV type television stations. the clip will be reviewed on this site soon.

5 Night flight
Quiet and touching piece that starts with a nice intro. The violin part is wonderfully accompanied by drums. I picture myself in a car driving on the road at night where there is nothing remarkable around you. All you can do is concentrate and listen to the music and slip away in your own memories and thoughts. The music is moving and compelling. A fine and relaxing piece in the middle of the album immediately after the dynamics of 'Destiny' and 'Picante.'

6 Clear Like Ice
Some comments as for 'Night Flight' are appropriate for 'Clear Like Ice.' The staccato play of Vanessa-Mae on this piece sounds great. Another wonderful piece to slip away with in your own thoughts and shot out all what is around you.

7 Laughing Buddha
After a quiet intro that stems from "the offerings for general protectors" by monks of the dip tse ling monastry of dharmsala, the song really takes off by a beat like sounds and fast violin motives. The sound of the violin is nice and soaring. It is a great piece of music that is well equipped for wild dancing and allows hallucinations and fantasies. Vanessa-Mae uses special programming to create special effects for the electric violin. 'Laughing Buddha' is one of the most mysterious pieces on this album together with the hidden track 'Tourmaline.' Even after 5 years, I still have no final explanation of the song.

8 Pasha
'Pasha' starts with a short solo violin intro that ends in along high pitched note. Then, the violin is accompanied with drums, beats and guitar in an expression full of emotions in which the intro is part of the motives again. A wonderful touching song of brilliant expressive power of Vanessa-Mae on her acoustic violin. The song has some flamenco Spanish character.

9 Solace
'Solace' is a brilliant and emotional dialogue between Vanessa-Mae on acoustic violin with an acoustic guitar. The song is full of expression, feelings and emotions. Personally for me, 'Solace' offered me great comfort since 'Subject To change' was released is a period where I lost my mother shortly before and during serious illness of my father. I know for sure that my mother would have loved this song very much. For me, 'Solace' is the highlight of the entire album. I have seen Vanessa-Mae play it live in concert twice in 2001, and even today the song moves me to my nerves for the reasons mentioned above.

10 Love Is Just a Game
'Love Is Just A Game' is a very funny song. Vanessa-Mae nicely takes care of the vocals in her own way characterised by her monotonous voice. The violin part is so sweet and nice. It is love song: Vanessa-Mae must be so sweet and lovely privately and as lover.

11 Deep South
'Deep South' really shows me a story. A man is searching on his radio to find a special channel with nice music. Once he finds it, the song takes off expressing a scene where friends on the street or on a beach look at nice girls to make a party of wild dancing with. they find these girls and all is joy and fun in wild dancing movements. There is kissing, laughter and pleasure!! After a while everyone is tired and the party slows down. Suddenly this relaxing intermezzo comes to an end and the party prospers again once more. Then, everything comes to an end as suddenly as it started shortly before.

12 Jamais
'Jamais' is Vanessa-Mae's version of 'Je t'aime mois non plus' complete with suggestive and tempting sounds of a women practicing the love deed. The song must be seen as Vanessa-Mae's statement of her love for Lionel Catalan that is believed to be her first real love of her life. Vanessa-Mae herself sing the vocals and takes care of the sounds of love. In an interview once, Vanessa-Mae explained that she could not have made this album had she not split from her mother as manager and without having met Lionel. Vanessa-Mae has never performed 'Jamais' during live concerts. Apparently, she considers it as private.

13 Tourmaline (hidden track)
'Tourmaline' is the final and hidden track of the album - it is not in the track listing! The song consists of quiet sounds by flutes added to a violin part on one string of variable intensity. Appropriate a closing piece of a mysterious and suggestive album that leaves open many possibilities for personal interpretations of the listener.

Additional note of 'The Art Of War' as skipped track form the final album
Besides the regular European and Asian releases of 'Subject To Change,' I too possess a demo version of the album. The demo version has a different track order - some pieces even have different tittles with respect to the final version of the album. Moreover, Vanessa-Mae decided to skip one track that is on the demo. 'Art Of War' was used in a commercial for the new Mercedes C model with the title 'Power Of C.' The song was part of a present box as cd single. Besides the cd single, the box contained 3 small model cars. The title chart of the demo version is shown below (click to view a larger image). Vanessa-Mae started all her concerts for the 'Tour Of Change' with 'The Art Of War.' Vanessa-Mae composed 'The Art Of War' together with Youth and it is based on Prokofiev famous 'Dance Of The Knights' that is part of his ballet 'Romeo And Juliet.' The song is a powerful rhythm around the central motive of Prokofiev's composition. The intro is orchestral in nature base don Prokofiev's original. Then, Vanessa-Mae starts her violin part in up tempo with repeating the motive several times. In the middle of the song, the violin part slows down and is accompanied by the original orchestral motive again. The song is an exciting and powerful composition.