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List Price: $16.98 | | Label: Virgin Records Us
Salesrank: 239107
Released: November 2, 1999 |
| Our Price: $2.45 |
| Used Price: $0.01 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Northern Star Track Listing:
1. Go!
2. Northern Star
3. Goin' Down
4. I Turn to You
5. If That Were Me
6. Never Be the Same Again
7. Why
8. Suddenly Monday
9. Ga Ga
10. Be the One
11. Closer
12. Feel the Sun
Editorial Review:
The second single from Sporty Spice's 1999 debut album of the same name. Contains two versions of 'Northern Star' ( Single Version & Full Version), plus the previously unreleased non-album track 'Follow Me'. Slimline jewel case. 1999 release.
Description of Northern Star:
The once and future Sporty Spice has apparently spent a lot of time listening to Garbage over the past few years; that band's techno-guitar meld and sassy female vocals cast a long shadow over Northern Star, Melanie C's first solo album. Complete with cropped hair, a nose ring, and tattoos (real? temporary?), the C-girl leaps fearlessly into alt-rock, admirably ignoring the potential for incongruity. Her vocals are perhaps surprisingly strong, her songs (written in collaboration with TLC's Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes, Ray of Light coproducer William Orbit, and a raft of other pros) less so. Why, indeed, does the rain fall from the sky, as she inquires of a lost lover on "Why"? C takes time out from the slavish Shirley Manson worship to indulge in widescreen balladry ("Closer") and Small Faces-esque Britpop ("Suddenly Monday"). What all this adds up to is hardly an embarrassment, but not a totally convincing style change either. --Rickey Wright
Northern Star Reviews:
this was good 
2009-03-04 - I would like the person i ordered this cd from even though the cd was used it played perectly and it arrived at a timely matter. Thanks again
One In A Million
2007-03-21 - There are very few records in the world of which all of the songs are just so great, you can hardly pick a favourite.
It's so weird I was never that much into the Spice Girls but when they broke up, I liked them a whole lot better as individual musicians. Their uniqueness sure proves disbanding was one of the best creative decisions ever made in music history.
I am writing this review many years after I have owned it but Mel C's debut solo album is wonderful. One of the best Brit-pop chart albums ever. Of course, while she was a Spice Girl, her voice was undoubtedly the best but I didnt realize just how gifted she was vocally till this cd especially on the socially conscious, pseudo-satiric 'If That Were Me'. That song is just wow!
Her collaboration with Left Eye on 'Never Be The Same Again' is a certain radio hit but one still enjoyable years after and I just love her duet with Bryan Adams on 'Baby, when you're gone'. It is a low key rocked song about a lost love.
The strange thing I notice about her collaborations with the other guest singers is that they sound more like duets than featuring guest singers. Infact on 'Baby When You're Gone', Mel C sounds more like a strong back-up singer. Either way both songs are really great.
'I Turn To You' has been remixed and re-remixed into so many versions and was/is a strong club hit. The remixes have been really good but I like the song for the lyrics which I attribute to my relationship to God. Go figure!
The bottom line is that Mel C proves she is an artiste in her own right and this cd is winning evidence
Melanie C, Queen of Pop
2006-06-20 -
in october 1999, former spice girl melanie jayne chisholm released her debut solo album, northern star, to much acclaim and anticipation. through innovative videos, remixes and touring, the album stayed on top of the charts internationally for almost 2 years, reaching the top 208 in every country and #1 in sweden. years later, this album is still a joy to listen to, and im sure all 3 million fans of this album agrees wit me.
1. GO! - melanie c's musical acheivements start off with some drums, which i cant tell whether they are steel, asian, rock or aboriginal. it turns into this really fun and very cool rock song thats great to sing along 2 on the radio or in ur car. so fun and energetic, just like melanie! i love how she so effortlesly switches from fast talking verses to the amazingly melodic chorus. 4/5
2. NORTHERN STAR - this was the 2nd single from this album and reached a stunning #2 on the british airplay charts. hannah loves this song and so do i, its really beautiful and festive, so nice! omg i am singing along frustration.gif but who cares its a great song, its not even aboriginal, only the 1st verse is. there is some sort of breakbeat, an orchestral and melanie c, the voice of an angel! as a bonus, the single includes acoustic and extended versions of this masterpiece!! too bad the video was awful, soo leather dyke. 5/5
3. GOIN' DOWN - this song basically invented 90s rock music, it is amazing!! the crunchy mash pit noise, the guitar, the backward sound effect, the effect that makes mel c sound like shes singing through those DIY tin can telephones. i love the "im singin it loud and i dont care, everywhere" part, its very good! this song makes me forget about how sad n beautiful the last song was and makes me want to ROCK ON. i also adore the video, it was truly trendsetting. before that no rock chick had spikey hair, skboarded or wore plaid skirts. then came bif naked, avril, and courtney love. 5/5
4. I TURN 2 U - wow..this song is almost 6 minutes long, but i guess people need to dance to this for at least half an hour! omg this song is soo hot, this isnt the remixed hit so its a lot darker/ray of light sounding, its like a trance song..like a lesbian mirage took place at the club. this is definaetly one of the best and most innovative dance songs EVER, and the remix just took it to another level. i love how there is a dramtic orchestra in the middle of the song! my video concept 4 this was melanie singing at a wedding and it becomes a really hot wedding with cake flying everywhere. 5/5
5. IF THAT WERE ME - omg the song i stole for mr v's class rotfl.gif honestly this song isnt even that bad, it has a nice AC/folk vibe, also it is about homelessness which i think is a good topic to sing about, other than love inc no one else sings about homeless ppl! this is a very sweet song but i think it flopped at #19 or something. also everyone says "i couldnt live without my phone/but u dont even have a home" is the worst line ever, not true! its actualy pretty honest. 3/5
6. NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN - ahah the song i sang in grade 7, wow this album was such an inspiration to me manson.gif this song was soo hot and MAB totally loved it, he even made humzalah like it. we have already covered rock, aboriginal ballad, grunge/punk, trance, acoustic/folk and now urban music! clap.gif so effortlessly diverse. this song isnt as hot as it used to be, kinda slow n gay, but i love left eyes rap, and the tai chi dance they did in the video! rotfl.gif omg the rap is so hot it automatically makes the song a 5/5
7. WHY? - this song is so amazing, its like a goth/movie soundtrack/epic grunge song. "why does the rain fall from the sky?" the lyrics obviously are not her strong point but who cares, its all about the desert vibe of this masterpiece. this song is extremely slow and long, but it just keeps on building, like great sex. and soon there are electronic effects, just like on the ray of light cd but more talented of course. near the very end, there is a hilarious/very cool chorus that just sings WHYYYY? and it definately keeps the momentum goin. and then we have a HUUUGE rock mash pit guitar solo and mel c screaming, its amaaaazing!! soo smells like teen spirit. 5/5
8. SUDDENLY MONDAY - i have never heard a beatles song before i dont think but i think this song is very beatles. this song is the perfect anecdote to the lsat dramatic song and is very cute, very fun, very mel c when she was in the spice girls, this song is better than the lsat time i heard it! which was quite a while ago...but anyways mel c is actually a good singer, she hits all the right notes @ the right times. anyways there appears 2 b a wonderful trumpet solo, and then a piano solo, so talented! 4/5
9. GA GA - THIs song is very garbage/sheryl crow rock chick, but is still very fun and grunge like the chorus. anyways this song sounds like a rockier version of the last song and is similar to GO! the first song, so that takes it a little away from the specialness of this song. but still this is a great song and ashlee, lindsay, hilary etc would totally kill to sing this song! 4/5
10. BE THE ONE - at melanie c's first solo concert, victoria and david beckham did a slow dance to this song! this song is so pretty and sweet, its like an acoustic alanis/john mayer song, but it somehow sounds too good to be played @ AE. its a very pretty song and shows how strong mel c's voice is w/ only guitar. a truely timeless song. also near the end there appears to be some sort of twinky jazz piano and bongo drums, the same instruments that appear on every ivana santilli song. wonderful song! 5/5
11. CLOSER - definaetly my fav song on this cd!! omg its soo good, its like a slow sexy song, but it sounds very middle east/desert mysterious, but its also very spanish/flamenco, and theres elements of island opera, trance and riverdance in this song too. however melanie c knows how to work subtley, and her voice is just very simple and sweet, very soft and never overpowering or underpowering the beautiful music. this song is sooo beautiful!! now theres a beautiful mysterious flute solo. and now she is whispering various verses/phrases on top of one another on top of the beautiful music, and theres some beautiful operatic singing, and the flamenco guitar and bongo drums work together to create a mezmerizing, hypnotic rhythm that is so fast it has elements of garage music, and that apostle of hustle dream of dancing to. now there appears to be a full indian orchestra and several backing singers, and some bird sounds. 5/5
12. FEEL THE SUN - this song is just as mysterus, its very slow and theres some sort of ambient and a shuffling sound..there is an orchestra but it is so subtle so you don't even notice it, so u pay full attention to melanie c's angelic voice. now in the chorus, u can totally picture yourself feeling the sun, its so beautiful, emotinoal and atmospheric, and amongst the world class production, melanie cs amazing voice shines above and beyond it. the end is extremely beautiful, its like her swan song and you can totally feel what she's singing about. i just don't know waht that is...anyways this is an extremely beautiful ending to a gorgeous album. 5/5
ARTWORK - the cover itself is an extremely iconic cover and is so beautiful, so is the entire photoshoot. yes u can see her nipples but it doesnt matter, it was tastefully done. the artwork is very simple but beautiful and for that i give it 4/5.
overall: wow...i didnt think i would enjoy it that much but i guess i did. this album is absolutely superb and a modern classic. it is so innovative, unique, trendsetting, fun, sexy, angry, depressing, emotionally, funny, boring, energetic, ambient, and above all beautiful. god bless melanie c.
A Solid Debut
2005-01-28 - There is much to be said about Melanie C's debut. The former Sporty Spice outdid herself stylistically, jumping into musical territory that has a very strong rock edge. I have heard Mel C, Emma, and Geri's solo debuts, and though they're all enjoyable, "Northern Star" is undoubtedly the strongest of the three. In the past, Mel's voice wasn't particularly impressive, and it was obvious she sometimes stood out in the bunch. After hearing this album, one quickly realizes that not only does Mel have plenty of writing talent; as a solo singer, she really shines.
Collaborating with admired producers like Rick Nowels and Craig Armstrong, Mel C succeeded in creating an album that is both innovative and emotionally moving. While her voice still lacks in strength, she has a kind of sweet and appealing quality similar to artists like Dido or Jewel. She has a knack for writing and comes across as a very strong woman in emotion and spirit when she sings. "Northern Star's" flow is a bit rugged: Mel jumps from hard thumping tracks to soft and twinkling ballads. However, this diversity is rather impressive and showcases her talent very well.
Go: This track will hook you instantly. Opening with a demanding drumbeat and echoing electric guitars, it sounds like something you could crank up in your car on the freeway. The music and the lyrics compliment one another well; Mel sings of getting away and starting over. It's a traveling song, with it's edgy pan flute loops and warm bells, and it really does make you want to just pick up and go. In the second chorus, the intensity builds as Mel begins singing `la la' arpeggios. Throughout the track, gentle choral `ohhs' add a whole new dimension of depth to the already incredible song. This is a fantastic opener! I just love it! 6/5
Northern Star: Switching gears, this song is slower and subdued, with a Latin style and sparkling chimes. I've always enjoyed the light and airy percussion; it sounds almost delightfully hollow. Much of the emotion comes from the longing string arrangement and the persistence of Mel C's vocals. This is a very inspiring tune with a few synthesizer loops thrown in here and there. It's just beautiful! 5/5
Goin' Down: I love this song; it's so angry and aggressive! It's a great stress reducer, really. This is easily the hardest rocking song on the whole album, with tons of distortion, harsh drumbeats and deep electric guitars. Again, the lyrics and the music compliment each other perfectly. Mel simply vents and screams through the whole song: but it's absolutely fantastic. As the chorus begins, strong choral voices and synthesizers sounding like underwater bells join in. In the verses, Mel sings `you're goin' down' and a distorted electronic beep slowly moves down the scale. I went nuts when I heard that; it just makes the whole song! 6/5
I Turn To You: Easily the most popular song from "Northern Star", it's easy to hear why once the song begins. It's simplicity in lyric and emotion allows the music to take center stage. A very stylized dance and electronica number, the chords are simply brilliant. Echoing twinkles and intense strings carry throughout the entire song. Personally, I find the dance remixes of this song to be more satisfying, but this original version has an innocence that's stunning. For the first time, the piano makes an appearance, occasionally adding sensitivity to this otherwise very deep and musically rich tune. The bridge portion may be the best part, as the strings build and electrical distortion layers over every other instrument. 5/5
If That Were Me: Taking another turn in musical style, Mel sings honest lyrics accompanied by a sweetly played acoustic guitar and simple but effective lower strings. This song lacks in musical intensity, but it has a raw quality that I really enjoy. The message delivered in this song is heart wrenching and very realistic. Vocally, Mel really shines here. Without all the crash and bang of harsh drums or loud electronic blips, you can really hear the purity in her voice. A very sad song, it's beautiful nonetheless, and a very nice tune to sing along to. 5/5
Never Be The Same Again: Collaboration between Mel C and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes resulted in this innovative and exciting track, which I have always loved. It's the only song on "Northern Star" with a more laid back and R&B feel to it, and while I normally don't care for songs possessing that style, I found this fantastic. The repetitive chord arrangement is surprisingly welcome to the ears, and creates this awesome feeling of falling into bliss. Lisa's rap in the bridge portion of the song is very catchy and it fits wonderfully with Mel C's light vocals. Entirely warm and seductive, the song includes acoustic guitars and syncopated drum loops. While the lyrics themselves aren't exactly groundbreaking, they compliment the general tone of the music well. 5/5
Why: Very dark piano arrangements and spacey sounds help make this song the most disturbing on the album. Musically, I'm reminded of the second track when I hear this. Long dreary notes are played on electric guitars as Mel's backing vocals croon. The beauty in this song lies in the ever-building intensity. From verse to chorus and so on, the emotion continues to work toward its climax. By the time the song reaches its end, Mel has reached an emotional peak full of hurt and guilt. She sings with so much dark enthusiasm in the last chorus; it's a real tearjerker. 5/5
Suddenly Monday: The shortest track, it's completely adorable and cute. A playful piano carries the song along with brightness, and is ultimately the backbone of the tune. Musically, the track is a bit more stripped compared to previous tracks. Although toward the end of the song, a very enthusiastic trumpet appears. The arpeggios on the piano are a shining moment. Mel is obviously having a great time singing this, and that makes the song that much more enjoyable. 5/5
Ga Ga: I find this song to be the least appealing on the album. Though I have to say that Mel's vocals are really good here, and her lyrics are a little more fun. This is another rocking guitar driven tune; in fact, I can't hear any other instruments except guitars. Maybe that's why I find it a little less exciting. However, the arrangement of the song is great and it's perfectly depressing (which somehow works well). It's a nice emotional ride. 4/5
Be The One: A soft acoustic guitar opens this track, which is a nice surprise. It's similar to track 5 in musical style, with gentle drums and sensitive vocals. This would be a great song to slow dance to; it just has a nice romantic tone. I imagine plenty of adult contemporary fans would enjoy this. 4/5
Closer: Somehow, I've always thought of this as the companion song to track 2. It's very much the same musically, with the familiar Latin groove and occasional wispy sound effects. However, this is a love song, not an inspirational anthem. It's extremely sensual and lush with beautiful chords. A Spanish guitar accompanies Mel C throughout the tune, complimenting the gentle vibe well. During the bridge, a flute soloist carries the melody. Everything about this is divine. 5/5
Feel The Sun: Stripped of nearly all percussion, except gentle clicks and occasional thumps, this sounds like a song from Bjork's album "Vespertine", or maybe the closing track from K.D. Lang's album "Invincible Summer". Mel's vocals are extremely heartfelt and gorgeous here, as is the string arrangement. Not quite as intense as previous tracks musically, somehow I'm just as moved. The gentle electronic pulses make this a very sparkly song. What a wonderful note to end the album on! 6/5
Though Melanie C's follow up album "Reason" has a more consistent style, I would recommend this release over her second effort. It has a much broader range of music and is much more electronic and contemporary. However, her vocals are stronger on "Reason" and her lyrics are a little more complex, so if you adore her singing you might want to check it out.
Very underrated album
2004-06-18 - I'm not sure of the popularity and sales figures of this cd but, "Northern Star" is a very underrated album. Melanie Chisholm (Mel C) presents with a very beautiful and original voice. The cuts which I especially like are, in no particular order of preference, (1) Northern star, (2) I turn to you, (3) Closer, (4) Feel the sun. Well done indeed!
