Album Review : Daniel Powter

I hadn't know much about this singer/songwriter/pianist from Vernon, British Columbia until I saw clips of last year's Live 8 performances. Powter played in Berlin, Germany, a country where his album has sold very well, infact all over Europe. Then more recntly, if you watch American Idol, you would not have failed to notice that the series plays Powter's huge feel good hit single Bad Day everytime a contestant is voted out of the show. In the early episodes as well, they played this song many times. It is a great song, which basically tells the listeners that having things go wrong is nothing more than having an off or a bad day - we shake it off and bounce back. So take a cup of coffee and smile. This could become an anthemn for generations of yuppies to sing along with when things aren't going they way.

No matter how good Bad Day is, the 10 track album has other stand out tracks like the album opener Song 6, which really sets the mood with the keyboard opening. The second track (and second single) is Free Loop, whose video I just saw last night. It is my favourite song on the album. Suspect doesn't sound anything like the rest of the songs at all, it has more of a rock feel to it, with a falsetto singing style and a groovy lick over which the song is built upon. Lost On a Stoop & Jimmy Gets High are my other favs and the others are not bad at all. I think we should realy give a hand to Powter for making a good album that is part funk, part soul, part pop & part rock (ain't no good music without some rock leanings, rite?) and minus the hype. I'm sure this one will be in my player for years to come.


Lyrics to Bad Day
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Where is the moment we need at the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to grey
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee to go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces everytime
And I don't need no carryin' on

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

Well you need a blue sky holiday
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don't need no carryin' on

You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day

(Oh.. Holiday..)

Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know
That you could be well oh that strong
And I'm not wrong

(yeah...)

So where is the passion when you need it the most
Oh you and I
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You've seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more time
You had a bad day
You had a bad day


Song for the day - "Bad Day" - DANIEL POWTER