Music Review: Hundred More Years by Francesca Battistelli

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: "This is the Stuff"

Cons: The rest of the CD is very bland.

The Bottom Line:
One song is worth it

The rest all blend together

And are bland at best




Francesca Battistelli's Sophomore CD Will Not be Listened to for a Hundred More Years

A couple years back, I found myself with the new CD from a Christian artists.  While I didn't warm to it right away, it grew on me.  So when Francesca Battistelli released her second disc, Hundred More Years, I made a point of getting it.  I was looking forward to it; I want to love it.  But the more I listen to it, the more I notice the flaws.

Actually, the disc starts out with what will easily stay one of my favorite songs.  "This is the Stuff" is about those days.  You know, the days when everything go horribly wrong.  But it's a reminder that God uses that stuff to make us more like Him.  It's got a nice, upbeat rhythm, and for something different, the main instrument is an ukulele.  Yeah, that's one you don't hear very often.

If only the rest of the disc were this good.

My problems with the rest of the disc are twofold.  The biggest is the music.  The songs are mid tempo numbers big on guitar.  And all of them sound the same.  You can argue that some of them are ballads or feature keyboard, and you'd be right.  But it still feels like too small a difference to me.  When I'm listening to this CD, all the songs blend together for me.

When I reviewed her first disc, I commented that several of the songs there had weak lyrics.  Unfortunately, that seems to be the case again here.  I feel like all the themes touched on here have been done better before.

There are several songs on here about God's grace, mercy, and love.  "Constant" deals with the changes that come in life, but reminds us that God will never leave us.  "You Never Are" is directed at someone who has wandered away from God and says, "You think that you're too far/But you never are/You never are/You never are."  In a mirror to that song, "Good to Know" is written from the point of view of that person repenting and coming back to God.

There are a couple of songs on here that I could see easily being huge crossover hits for Francesca.  "Angel by your Side" is a slower piano ballad from one friend to another promising help during the hard times.  Dave Barnes joins her for "Emily (It's Love)."  We're back in upbeat pop/rock territory here for a song that encourages someone to keep striving in life because "seasons change."

Between releases, Francesca has gotten married, and that is obviously the inspiration behind the title track.  This slow guitar ballad closes out the track.  Maybe it's the placement on the disc, but it's a bit too sappy for my tastes.

Then again, maybe I'm just not the audience Francesca is trying to reach.  I've been playing this disc in my car off and on for the last couple of months while I've been driving my roommate around.  He loves it and doesn't see any of the problems I do with it.  He's closer to Francesca's 23 years.  Maybe I'm just 12 years too old to enjoy the music here.

One great song and ten mediocre ones leave me feeling very disappointed with Hundred More Years.  I will probably pass on future releases from Francesca Battistelli unless I've had a chance to really listen to them first.

CD Length: 37:09

Tracks:

1. This is the Stuff

2. Constant

3. You Never Are

4. Angel by your Side

5. Motion of Mercy

6. Emily (It's Love)

7. Good to Know

8. So Long

9. Don't Miss It

10. Worth It

11. Hundred More Years