Juwita Suwito's new album - For Real!

Juwita Suwito's new album is now out. For Real is the follow-up to the award-winning Brand New World, and I have literally been waiting years for it. I thought the debut album was pretty good - actually, very good - and I just didn't quite understand why she didn't get more recognition. So now, her new album For Real is out, and of course, I've bought it and listened to it, and listened to it again. And (unsurprisingly), I like it. It's good.

Whether y'all will like it too depends on a few things, of course. Her music can be described as Happy Listening (TM). It's not really Easy Listening (edgier than Norah Jones), nor is it pure pop (more mature than, oh... shall we say, most of the stuff on Hitz.fm?). It's actually fun to listen to, and it definitely grows on you. If you want to, you can hear excerpts on her website.

I do have to be honest and say that not every track is enjoyable. The cover of Desperado is shrug-shoulder worthy, and there is this song called Mayday! which I just don't like. But everything else kinda rocks.

The rockier style also means that we don't get those heart-wrenching tunes. You know, the ones you listen to while you lie back on the sofa and stare at the ceiling. My favourite song on the first album was Why Oh Why, and we ain't got none of that kind of sappiness now. On the other hand, Beautiful Lies is now a track on the album, having originally appeared in the film Gol & Gincu.

The only Malay track on the album (Teman Sejati) is making its rounds on the airwaves at the moment. A Siti Nurhalizesque number, it's pretty okay, but it isn't really indicative of what's on the album. The other stuff has more guitars and drums on. More fun.

But you know what? It still doesn't beat what she can belt out in person. I've heard her sing two of the songs on stage, and I reckon it's even better than the album version. So, here's to a live recording of her best stuff the next time around.

Labels: malaysia, music