Album Review: Tatiana – Spider Web
4 min read
Polish superstar Tatiana is gradually gearing up for the release of her UK debut album. With its title track gaining momentous airplay over the past weeks, Spider Web is the singers first record to see the light of day on UK shores however is not a first for the singer in her native Poland.
Having already enjoyed a healthy career in the spotlight in her homeland with solo efforts as well as acclaimed work with her band Blue Cafe, Tatiana is no stranger to the limelight that success garnishes talented musicians. The singer even participated in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest coming 17th in the competition and although the result isn’t that impressive, her status has risen considerably over the years following her appearance in the contest.
With her debut UK single allowing Tatiana to dip her toes in the pool of solo success, the parent record proves to be at times a meaty slab of orchestral soul pop though also a slight disappointment in terms of long standing appeal.
Tatiana knows where the money lies and with that she has driven the album on a course through pop while picking at her Soul influences. More than capable of belting out a booming diva number as well as delivering caressing power pop ballads Tatiana has a versatile and worldly voice that seems to take any style on with flawless and impeccable artistry.
Her first single is the album opener and is the clear selling point of the record. The tracks winning formula of big band instrumentation mixed with orchestra peaks and the singers strong, Anastacia-esque vocals separate Spider Web from the abundance of reality show hopefuls that we are thrown left, right and centre. The sound has become Tatiana’s signature and is a style utilized throughout the entire record.
With Been A Fool we are given a number that could have sat comfortably within Amy Winehouse’s iconic Back To Black record. The deep textures of Tatiana’s voice sit melancholic within the groaning tones of her bands trumpet and bass heavy backing.
So Long mixes modern electro-pop melodies and a subtle electronic backbone with some fairly cheesy lyrics. The track holds up as the most pop orientated number on the record with a heavy disco feel. Not the greatest number on the record but also not a disappointing addition.
Further down the record we are given a dose of funk with Supersize Love showing off the fact that Tatiana has such a flexible approach to different styles and can pull it off with ease.
Though the first half of the record seems the most productive in terms of showcasing the talent that the singer carries, what does lack on the record is a toned down number. The record is somewhat over-produced and instrument heavy. From time to time it’s nice to be given a little bit of a gentle and that’s what is missing from Spider Web. Even with Bottom Line, the only number on the record that sounds even close to being that missing link we are given what could easily be a sweet ballad that has been traded in for a number that has far too much going on around it including some irritating synth wailings in the chorus that are so eccentric that they mask the singers obvious vocal talents.
If I Was To Tell You is also a pretty disastrous inclusion nearing the end of the record. Its over the top summery vibe, though fitting given the season, feels slightly awkward and very unfitting amongst the rest of the records track-listing. The string arrangement that forms the foundation of the song is less than flattering and the track ends as more of a write-off than a fundamental asset to the release.
With images of the Loveboat stuck firmly in my mind and a lounge singer playing to a room full of aging cruise ship pensioners, Tranquility also proves to one of the casualties on Spider Web and the ‘next’ button is quickly pressed to escape the once again over produced nature of the track.
Spider Web is a bit of a hit and miss. With the title track and lead single of the record promising so much the rest of the record seems to dip steadily after the 5th track and heads for a quick decline as we approach the end. The singer has an incredible voice but unfortunately the choice to have the record so overly produced will be the death of the singers debut. And that’s a real shame. We hope we hear more from Tatiana however we hope that what we do hear has a little more of the ‘less is more’ approach applied so that her future work doesn’t end up on the bottom of the bargain bins like the near future of this record.
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.
