Shawn Colvin - Polaroids - Video Collection

Rating:
Summary: Well worth the cost...
Review: For the cost of the CD "Greatest Hits," you can spend well over an hour hearing AND seeing this notable performer. The videos are all interesting in their own way. Watch them first without Shawn's commentary, then with the her wry and mildly self-effacing narration. I wouldn't say her comments add much in the way of "behind the scenes" insight but what you do get is the most natural feel of Shawn being Shawn that the DVD offers. She admits on one TV appearance "OK we're kinda sucking here..." The DVD will totally satisfy the Shawn fan as after the videos there are two healthy chunks of live performances. Four songs from Sessions at 54th Street and another four from Austin City Limits. Plus there's her "Tonight Show" version of "Love Came Down At Christmas" with the entire band dressed in pajamas. It was a little corny but precious still.

The bonus sit-down interview lasts almost half an hour and does a good job of tracking Shawn's career posts. She seems a little guarded at times. I didn't care so much for the interviewer's manner. It never seemed too relaxed. Still worth the view though.

Overall, this DVD is a good reminder, or first time look, at a gifted and important writer and singer of the last 15 years whom I understand is recording new material now which undoubtedly will help effectively chart the journey of a smart woman into middle age.

Rating:
Summary: Great Value, Great Music
Review: Shawn Colvin has a compelling voice, writes meaningful lyrics, has a way with a melody, and is well worth listening to. But you know all that, else you'd not be reading about one of her releases. This review is about why "Polaroids: A Video Collection" is a must-buy for her fans.

I continue to be amazed by how much more value is often delivered by video collections on DVD, compared to audio CDs. This is an excellent example.

Comparing this DVD, which actually sells for less than the concurrently-released Greatest Hits CD, you'll find that the CD includes 5 songs that aren't represented (in some form) on the DVD. They are:

Polaroids
This Must Be the Place
Whole New You
Matter of Minutes
I'll Be Back

However, the DVD includes seven songs that aren't on the CD:

One Cool Remove (Duet with Roseanne Cash))
Lost Soul (Duet with Bruce Hornsby)
Kill the Messenger (Live)
Anywhere You Go (Live)
Bonefields (Live)
Bound To You (Live)
Love Came Down at Christmas (Live on the Tonight Show)

There are four performances (three-piece acoustic)and an interview from a Sessions at West 54th episode, and four performances (full band) from Audtin City Limits. One of those is a gorgeous duet, with Allison Krause on violin and vocal, on "Shotgun Down the Avalanche."

All this music runs about 90 minutes.

But that's not all:

--The audio on the music videos has been remixed in 5.1 surround.

--There's a commentary track by Colvin throughout the disc.

--There's a half-hour interview with Colvin.

Add to this (forgive me) that Shawn Colvin, beyond her obvious songrwriting and performing talent, looks really great in most of these videos, and one wonders what the point of buying the audio CD is.

If you own most or all of her original CDs already, there's little reason to buy the new CD collection, but *every* reason to buy this DVD, which makes an excellent complement to her existing body of work.

RichC


Rating:
Summary: Outstanding DVD Collection
Review: Shawn Colvin is a master at her craft. Lumping her into the 'Female Folk' category is far too general. Her musicianship is incredible, her lyrics are exquisite, and its high time that a DVD like this was released. Great stuff too. Her material would be prime pickin's for VH1 if they ever showed music videos. Seeing her live is really the way to go, but this DVD does her justice and was taken from several sources so its not your typical generic compilation. Well done. I highly recommend the 'Bora Bora' DVD as well as you can see her accompanied with only her acoustic guitar, outdoors, no audience, and she is still captivating and alluring. I hope this DVD and the promotion of it brings her back to a larger audience, as she is far more talented and deserves more recognition than most if not all of her contemporaries, and especially the contrived pap that passes for music these days.