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| The Awakening | 
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| Artist: Melissa Etheridge
Label: Island
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy New: $3.50
You Save: $10.48 (75%)
New (47) Used (24) from $2.62
Avg. Customer Rating:  80 reviews
Sales Rank: 3175
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 5.2 x 4.7 x 0.2
MPN: 000946302
UPC: 602517394148
EAN: 0602517394148
ASIN: B000TKCNQA
Release Date: September 25, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New and Factory sealed - 100% satisfaction guaranteed!
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| Tracks:
| • | All There Is | | • | California | | • | An Unexpected Rain | | • | Message To Myself | | • | God Is In The People | | • | Map Of The Stars | | • | Threesome | | • | All We Can Really Do | | • | I've Loved You Before | | • | A Simple Love | | • | Heroes And Friends | | • | The Kingdom Of Heaven | | • | Open Your Mind | | • | The Universe Listened | | • | Imagine That | | • | What Happens Tomorrow |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
On September 25th, 2007, Melissa will release her 9th studio album, THE AWAKENING. It has been described as a collection of powerful and playful yet confessional and engaging songs that are personal as well as universal. THE AWAKENING was co-produced with David Cole and recorded with her band: bassist Mark Browne, drummer Mauricio `Fritz' Lewak, and guitarist Philip Sayce. Etheridge acknowledges that her 2004 breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment brought new perspective to her life and achievements and freed her to be so open on this album.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 75 more reviews...
 Biography in song November 3, 2007
18 out of 19 found this review helpful
These past few months have created a glut of gorgeous music much to the dismay of my credit card. I've vowed--due to space and ecological considerations--to start buying singles instead of whole CDs, but "Awakening" is very much worth having in its entirety. Besides, in this case, the samples are way not enough to get the feel of the entire song.
This isn't easy music to listen to. Melissa Etheridge has learned some hard lessons in her life and
"The Kingdom of Heaven" is probably the hardest to listen to. It's Etheridge's cut-to-the-bone take on the war. So, is "What Happens Tomorrow." There's no 'us' in them.
But what Melissa Etheridge is doing best on "Awakening" is sharing much of the deepest parts of herself--both good advice and hard-fought lessons learned. It takes a lot of guts to do this, but the lady's one of the bravest and strongest in the business.
"An Unexpected Rain" apologizes for her regrets--the lover who tried suicide because of their breakup, the meaningless encounters. It takes a strong person to make those kinds of admissions public in the hopes to make others stronger.
"Heroes and Friends" is the message that you need to continue to dream and try despite pain and failure:
You can't take a trip if you don't first say goodbye
You can't find a star if you don't look in the sky
You can't find the light if you don't know where the dark is
"The Universe Listened" is probably the strongest song (we don't start living til we've almost died). This haunting story song will stay with you for a while.
I could go on writing about this CD for pages, but what it all comes down to is what you feel when you hear the music. Listen, but be prepared to be swept into the songs and possibly shed tears.
 Melissa is a great songwriter, but this is a yawner September 25, 2007
13 out of 20 found this review helpful
With each new record Melissa puts out I long for her earlier work - I remember being a fan when everyone was saying Melissa who - and as soon as they heard songs like "Bring Me Some Water", "Similar Features", "Like The Way I Do", "No Souvenirs" etc. they, like me, were hooked. - On some of the latest music it just feels like she is just going through the motions. I do think Melisssa has been under appreciated for the music on SKIN and LUCKY - while they were not as great as the earlier works they were both good records. - With all she has seen and done in the past few years I had hoped for more on these new songs.
Where the Dark Ends November 17, 2007
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
This is a good outing for Melissa Etheridge. The CD doesn't have the hook-filled avalanche of "Skin," but is very satisfying. "California" has her moving chorus, "I am almost free." The remarkable thing about "An Unexpected Rain" for me is that stunning lead guitar that almost weeps with feeling as it bleeds from the speakers. "All We Can Really Do" with it's one-line lyric plays like a companion piece to John Lennon's happy sing-along "All We Are Saying Is Give Peace a Chance." I tend to repeat the catchy Etheridge tune "Message to Myself" with its hook-drenched chorus, "I'm sending out a message to myself so that when I hear it on the radio, I will know that I am fine. I will know that I am loved." "Heroes & Friends" is another very sweet track with a soft beginning & a classic Etheridge build, "You can't find a star if you don't look up in the sky; You can't find the light if you don't know where the dark ends." "The Kingdom of Heaven" is perhaps one of Melissa's most thematically heavy songs as she addresses religious martyrs, "He strapped all his desperate pain & his faith to his body then blew them away." It probably won't wind up in the Hot 100, but it may be one of her greatest songs. The last three songs appear to be a trilogy repeating the album title before the song subtitle. "The Universe Listened" reflects the deep appreciation for life that a brush with death brings to a human perspective. "Imagine That" brings a strong political perspective, "I will not fight your war for profit; No sir I will not go." The guitars and Fritz Lewak's blazing drums heighten the magic. The timing of "What Happens Tomorrow" envisions the breaking of the highest glass ceiling, "I believe a woman can work hard & succeed; And we could be content to believe that she could be in charge of the free and be the president." "The Awakening" is an excellent set because it is about important issues that are sung with great appeal. This is a new direction for Melissa. While I like much of her work, I appreciate the spiritual and intellectual depth she demonstrates in her newest songs. Enjoy!
 Best album since "SKIN" --- great improvement over "LUCKY" October 8, 2007
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
Melissa has always thrived on the pain and pains of life, and THE AWAKENING gives her much to deal with.
After the disappointing sales and songs on LUCKY, she's made a real effort to step up the pace and we're rewarded with a few gems:
CALIFORNIA with the great/honest refrain "I am ALMOST free..."
AN UNEXPECTED RAIN which deals on the regrets of her early,"sleep around" life
MAP OF THE STARS which is sort of her version of the Eagle's NEW KID IN TOWN
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN and IMAGINE THAT are her responses to the war in Iraq and the current political climate
The most "pop friendly/memorable" songs are MESSAGE TO MYSELF and THREESOME, sure to be concert favorites.
She still struggles with writing hooks and/or memorable melodies so WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW, THE UNIVERSE LISTENED, OPEN YOUR MIND, HEROES AND FRIENDS, and I'VE LOVED YOU BEFORE all sound about the same.
She has four short tracks GOD IS IN THE PEOPLE, ALL THERE IS, ALL WE CAN REALLY DO and A SIMPLE LOVE which are only a couple minutes each. Nice, but not really "songs."
So you're left with a CD of 16 tracks. Cut the four short songs and you have 12, cut the five "sound alike" songs and you're down to seven tracks and of those seven, you have a couple pop gems and five more low-key songs that hearken back to her early albums.
SKIN remains her "best" and most accessible album with most of the songs having strong hooks and memorable melodies.
Special mention must be made to the guitar playing of Philip Sayce--he really contributes some "stinging" guitar tabs and I wish he was heard more on the album.
Finally, Melissa continues to seek out a spiritual reality in her life, one that began with SKIN. So this CD contains much about her regret over previous "bad behavior" and it's nice to see an artist address where she was and where she wants to be.
She's "not free yet" but at least she's looking.
Welcome Back Mellissa - ROCK ON! September 25, 2007
10 out of 15 found this review helpful
There are many thing sthat cna be said for Melissa - and i refuse to go into that here - because whatever is said - she is above all, al brilliant songwriter, and this is just another fine example of how women in rock music should sound and perform - from fstart to finish, this is pure Melissa...and I love it...there is nothing missing from her performance or that distinct voice - it's all here - the modern Janis shows her very mature side with this release - just buy it...I dare you to not want to sing along with California...or What About Today...ROCK ON MELISSA - cheers to you m'Lady~!
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