JUNKMALE'S (W)INNA? REVIEW.

Disclaimer - Please note that this review represents MY opinion only.  It does not necessarily speak for the rest of the admin staff on EFUK.


This review is one of the hardest things i've ever had to write.  I've thought long and hard about actually writing it but in the end i believe that it is best to be honest and i fully realise that many who read it will disagree strongly on my views of the album.

I'm a firm believer in the old adage of 'Why try to fix something that isn't actually broken'?  To say that i'm not happy with the album would be a bit of an understatement.  I'm really confused about just what Ewa is trying to say with it?  I've read quite a few reviews already who's writers have praised Ewa for trying to do something different with it and i respect those opinions.  But i don't agree with them.  There are some great songs on it but there are others with just illicit my response of WTF!

Please also be aware that i can't comment on the lyrics for the obvious reason that i don't understand them.

The cover and inserts are fantastic and quite lavish. It's a full Digipak fold out sleeve and the lyric booklet has some really great pictures in it.  Good job all around. Very impressive.

First time that a Polish language version has been released prior to the Czech language version.

Anyway i'll do a track by track review -

1. ZNAK - The fist track we got to hear a few months ago and the first 'single' release.  It's a reasonably up tempo track which for me is ruined somewhat by the introduction of a brass section and the pointless 'scratching' part at the start of the song.  I wasn't all that keen on it when i first heard it but i have gotten used to it now.  It's never going to be one of my favourite tracks but it's ok.

2.  TAJNA MISJA - Love it.  My favourite track on the album.  Ewa doing what Ewa does best.  A pop song.  Nothing more nothing less and a good one at that.  It has 'HIT' written all over it.

3.  ULUBIONA RZECZ - The second single and a track that Ewa and the guys have played live now and again.  First heard at the fan meet i believe.  Not for me at all unfortunately.  It has a sort of 'funk' sound to it?  Lot's of slap bass and a bit of a 'jazzy' type undertone.  For me a bizarre choice as a 'single' but it seems to popular so it appears that others do like it.  Not me i'm afraid.  I'm skipping it on the CD already.

4.  PRZEPRASZAM - Nice piano and strings led ballad.  I think this one will be popular live and could take over from Dest as a possible show closer in the future?

5.  NIE W PORE - Awful track.  It starts reasonably well and is soft and acoustic but quickly descends into Jazz.  Ends with a over long Jazz instrumental.  No 'Rock Chick' Ewa here at all.

6.  KTOS Z NAMI KRECI - Don't quite know what to make of this track?  It's like 2 different songs in one.  Difficult one to categorise.  Starts off with more horrible 'funk' sounds that lead into a heavy guitar based chorus.  A curious fusion of styles that doesn't really work that well.

7.  DAJ MI ZYC - Another great pop/rock song.  Up there with Tajna Misja as my favourite from the album.  Typical Ewa as we know and love her.

8. Z NAPISAMI - Things are looking up!  Another good one.  Not as strong as (7) but pretty good nonetheless.  Uptempo pop/rock.

9. MAMO - Breathtakingly lovely piano and strings led ballad.  Lovely stuff with a really strong vocal.  A gem.  She'll be playing this one for years to come.

10.  RUTYNA -  One of the album's WTF moments for me?  This one seems to very popular on some of the reviews i've read.  I've no idea why.  It's awful.  I can't say what genre it is because i don't know but it's not for me at all.  The chances of me ever listening to it again are pretty slim.

11.  PORADNIK DLA POCZATKUJACYCH -  The one with the most unpronounceable word in the title and another one that's difficult to describe?  It's a bit like (6).  Bizarre spoken parts and a heavy guitar chorus.  Another one that's a curious mix up of styles that doesn't really work.

12.  TU BI KONTINIUT -  I can translate this one.  It's easy!  It's in English!  Unfortunately that's all that i can say about that's even remotely positive.  It's another Jazz song.  I don't like Jazz.  I don't like this...sorry.

So there you have it.  My review for what it's worth.
My main feelings are that of disappointment.  There are some great songs here but others just leave me cold i'm afraid.  It's no Chico or Ewakuacja that's for sure.  The weakest of her studio albums without a doubt.
Now, don't get me wrong.  I love Ewa.  She has changed my life is so many ways that i couldn't even begin to describe them but i just don't get some of this at all.

So should we be concerned?  I think, yes, but just a little.  Ewa found her popularity by being a pop/rock star NOT a Jazz singer.  She has stated in the past that she would like to release a Jazz album at some point in the future.  That's fine but do it and keep it away from her mainstream work.

It can maybe gain some respect for trying something a little bit different but i (and i expect many others) don't want something different?
As i said at the start of this review - 'WHY TRY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT ISN'T ACTUALLY BROKEN'?

(W)INNA? UPDATES

My copy has yet to arrive but until then most up to date news will be found at the EFUK Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ewa-Farna-UK/504625126243654

Hopefully we will have something from Paulina before my copy reaches Northern Ireland.

'TO JA' FULL SONG UPDATE

Yesterday we heard the news that a 2nd single is on it's way from the new album.
Today we bring you the full version of it.  You can listen to it here -

http://www.eska.pl/news/ewa_farna_-_ulubiona_rzecz_drugi_singiel_z_plyty_w_inna_tylko_na_eska_pl_audio/89205

So far, for me, it's a bit to 'funky' sounding?  I hoping that it will grow on me with more plays.  I wasn't all that keen on 'Znak' when i first heard it and i really like it now....so all's good.

Opinion's anyone??

UPDATE - As ever please excuse my poor translation skills.  New song's actual title is 'Ulubiona rcecz' (and no i'm not even going to try to pronounce it!).  It translates as 'Favourite Thing'.

(W)INNA? 2ND SINGLE ANNOUNCED.

With only a few days to go before the release of Ewa's new Polish language album it's been announced that a second track from it is to be released as a 'single'.  The track in question is called 'To Ja'  and you can hear a short snippet of it here -

http://www.eska.pl/news/ewa_farna_-_ulubiona_rzecz_tylko_na_eska_pl_piosenka_z_plyty_w_inna_premiera_w_piatek_w_radiu_eska_audio/89150

As far as i know there won't be a physical release and it will more than likely be a download only. Fingers crossed that there will be a video to accompany it.

Full review of the new album will be here as soon as possible.  It will be a few days after the release date before i receive my copy from Poland.

The countdown begins!!

AN ULSTERMAN IN BRZEG (PART 3)

Or 'THE WORST TOILET IN POLAND'.

Right then...where was i...oh yes the train journey from Krakow to Brzeg.

Please note that the following is not a general comment on the normal state of the Polish train service or on the state of Polish bathrooms in general.  

You might be wondering what that horrible clip from the movie 'Trainspotting' (see what i did there?) possibly has to do with my train trip to Brzeg?  To explain i have to provide a little personal information and then the relevance will, hopefully, begin to make a bit of sense.

Anyone who knows me personally will already be aware of most of this so apologies to them.

Back when i was about 20 (a long time ago now) years old i became very ill.  I started to lose an incredible ammout of weight, was exhausted most of time and started passing a  lot of blood when i used the bathroom. After several humiliating examinations at the Hospital i was finally diagnosed with having Crohn's Disease. Google is your friend if you want to learn more about it but it's basically a chronic bowel disorder that is incurable.  About 5 years later i had major surgery to remove a portion of my bowel.  It's something i've gotten used to over the years but the heavy medication i have to take daily has some fairly unpleasant side effects.  My eyesight (amongst other things)  is now failing rapidly.

There are many daily symptoms to Crohn's Disease but the most important one (for this post) is that i can (and frequently do) require urgent bathroom facilities.  And when i say urgent, i mean URGENT.  

It places a lot of restrictions on my social life.  A lot.  I rarely leave home now and even when i do it's something that's always in the back of my mind.  When i do i have to carry a 'just-in-case' backpack containing a few essential items that are a necessary part of living with the disease.

What i normally do when i know i have a trip planned is not to eat or drink anything the day before setting out in an attempt to decrease the risk.  On the train to Brzeg i did precisely that.

I got to Krakow train station pretty early on the day of the show just in case i couldn't figure out the platforms and the like.  I didn't want to miss the train and then have to try to figure out an alternative route to Brzeg.  

In the end it was all pretty straightforward.  The train when it arrived looked like a relic from World War 1. I kid you not.  The carriage i got onto was pretty empty to begin with and comfortable enough.  Read my book for awhile and spent some time looking at a lot of countryside and some fairly decrepit, run down Polish train stations.  I have never, ever known a vehicle to travel so slowly.  It seemed to churn along at about 2 miles per hour and had the annoying habit of frequently stopping in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere and just sitting there for what seemed like ages just doing nothing?  I still haven't figured out if that is normal for Polish trains or not.

(to be continued)

(W)INNA? PRE ORDERS NOW AVAILABLE

Pre order copies of Ewa's new Polish language album are now available from the following two retailers in Poland.

http://www.empik.com/w-inna-farna-ewa,p1081786986,muzyka-p

http://www.fan.pl/catalogue/e92389954_ewa_farna_winna.html


Both are happy to ship overseas.  If anyone knows of any others please add a link to this post as a comment.

NEW ALBUM TITLE AND RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCED.

Ewa's new Polish language album (W)inna? will be released on 22/10/2013 by Magic Records in Poland.
The title and cover have been confirmed (but are probably still subject to change even at this late stage).

Title means something like 'Different' which suggests a new direction but if 'Znak' is an early indication then nothing radical is expected.  Which isn't a bad thing.  Why fix something that isn't broken?

I don't know the formats at the moment but expect that it will be CD only and download if that's your sort of thing.

Nothing yet on it's Czech counterpart.
Any changes will be notified as soon as possible.