Play It as It Lays

by Patti Scialfa

Media Type: Audio CD

Release Date: September 04. 2007

Label: Sony

Amazon.com Sales Rank: 9336

Average Customer Rating:

UPC: 886971129328

List price: ~~$12.98~~

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Reviews

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Tales from the dark side; stories for women, July 9, 2008

I had to repost the reviews and response to another reviewer on glide (dot) com on 9.18.07. I'm finally listening to this CD and it's got so many fine tracks, and the lyrics are really astounding when I listen closely. She's quite a poet, really. I will agree that as Scialfa comes into her own, no longer a backup singer, she will really blow our minds. Most admirable effort, especially on Play It As It Lays, Play Around, Bad for You and Black Ladder. These two reviewers say everything I would have said, if I knew how to say it better! Here goes:

"Posted by anne on 09/30/2007 at 10:05 AM ET
Patti Scialfa is a storyteller.In a world where "todays singer" lip synch their way to stardoom.Patti is a breath of fresh air. She tells a womans journey. She strikes a cord . Jersey100, You are right on.Bob no disrepect meant ,perhaps a woman should review this CD.

. Posted by jersey100 on 09/18/2007 at 12:56 PM ET
Contrived??? Scialfa is a confessional singer/songwriter whose lyrics are always heartfelt and based on personal experience. This album is like a short story about the ups and downs of a long-term relationship, told with incredible guts and honesty considering her day job and high-profile personal life. I think you missed the point of the album--she deliberately bows to many conventions of rock and its roots (blues). But she twists them to serve a different purpose. In "Like any Woman Would," she has a girl-group singing like a Greek Chorus behind her, deliberately tapping into "He's So Fine" territory. But they aren't singing about how fine he is, now are they? (!!!) She may be singing in character or about Mr. Scialfa, but her complaint is fairly universal among women--and hardly contrived! In one song a woman lays down the law for her faithless man. In another a woman agonizes over her own temptations. In the end the character concludes that her love is deep enough to stay in the relationship and "Play It as It Lays" This is an extremely brave album. You might not like it, you might not relate to it. But that doesn't mean it's contrived or that the artist phoned it in. There's a lot of blood on these tracks. Consider giving this one another spin. Scialfa's songs reflect the lives and concerns of women who've lived enough to gain some wisdom--and thats an under-served constituency on the airwaves. She deserves better than this dismissive review."

4-1/2 stars -- GOOD for me, June 26, 2008

For those that don't know it yet, Patti Scialfa is Bruce Springsteen's partner not only in marriage, but in music as well as a member of the E Street Band. And while her own albums have been critically acclaimed, she took her time releasing them (her solo debut Rumble Doll was released in 1993 but her sophomore set 23rd Street Lullaby didn't come out until 2004). But her latest album, Play It As It Lays, might be her best album yet.

Actually, three years off isn't a REAL long time, but it doesn't matter because there are highlights upon highlights to be found on here, like "Rainy Day Man", "Bad for You" and the title track. And if "Like Any Woman Would" makes some females take offense, all I can say is: lighten up; it's just a song. Also good are metaphors like "Looking for Elvis" and "Town Called Heartbreak".

Speaking of that song though, the only reason I knocked off half a star is because the radio edit of it at the end of the album is unnecessary. Still, despite being only ten tracks in length, Play It As It Lays is a smooth album that will make you want to do just that.

Anthony Rupert

Good Shot, March 18, 2008

This album goes good w/ her husbands release on the same label, Magic. Both conjure up images of an America gone retro.

Not My Cup of Tea, February 18, 2008

I am a big Patti Scialfa fan, and her first album Rumble Doll is among my favorite CDs of all time. I found Play it As it Lays to be disappointing. All the music is heavily rooted in soul, and some people may like that, but I don't. I prefer the straightforward rock of Rumble Doll. None of the songs in my opinion have a memorable hook--they all kind of blend together.

50-Years of Perspective!, February 4, 2008

The influence of small town america in the 50s and 60s is resonant throughout the recording and relates to the prefeminist era. It may easily carry succssive generations of women to the girl, child, that was. Storytelling and song, pertaining to the subject of love; liberation, overcoming the "institutional face" from the blues of that subjection through the revolution of rock, country and folk; rhythms and poetics. Repetitive refrains, other than filling the space between, can bring an alternate awareness to the listener via the symbolisms portrayed in the body of the song. For example, consider symbolism of carnival prizes, a jack knife and a rabbits foot, the tokens of a first love in adolesence, a working class experience of the winds of wild fortune. Is it fun, submission, dependency, neediness? Only the grown woman can say what it was in Cry.

The interjection of pieces of early 1960s radio hits encourages a sense of that era while the beautifully integrated musical composition indicates the presence of a maturity that is reflected by the woman standing before you with the stories.

Dark Ladder comes to us as a prayer for others who suffer stereotypical judgement, those of us who live without self-realization and growth and thus are confined in an unexplainable darkness.

Patti's voice and the accompanying vocals give this work the emotional strength it requires!
Play It As It Lays - Beautiful!


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							January 8, 2009


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