Vanessa Carlton - Heroes and Thieves

Genre pop Publisher The Inc./Universal External Links Official Vanessa Carlton Website Universal

Vanessa Carlton burst onto the music scene back in April 2002 with her album Be Not Nobody. Most of us remember the breakout single "A Thousand Miles", with DJs playing it every five seconds how could you forget it? Since then Vanessa has gotten back behind a piano to complete her third studio album, Heroes and Thieves.

With three Grammy nominations under her belt, Carlton has opted to mix things up for this album. A cross between her first pop success and her second, more intimate album (which flopped), Vanessa has created a hip exterior to draw fans in. Only half way through do you realize that you've been baited and switched. Carlton does this with ease by combining the pop upbeat tempo and accompanies it with reflective lyrics. Only 26, Vanessa Carlton learned to play the piano the way most of us learn mathematics, by trial and error. She learned the positive side with her first album but was almost defeated when her sophomore album didn't release to raving reviews. What comes next is only a union of those talents.

Heroes and Thieves pays homage to the city which inspires most of her work, New York City. The way she writes/sings about it makes it sound like the happiest place on earth when in reality it is a romanticized attitude. The breakout single "Nolita Fairytale" is a merging of accessible lyrics and melody. "The song is really about finding joy in expected environments. How sometimes losing things make you realize what you have, which is like a quasi fairytale," states Carlton. A sort of modern day Alice in Wonderland but instead of falling down the rabbit hole you are plunged into a lush enchanted and mythical story. Every track on Heroes and Thieves is like another chapter.

One track to check out is the single "The One" featuring Stevie Nicks on background vocals. Both vocals harmonize and breathe to life the words. There is something for everyone on this album; the soaring songs for when you need to rejoice. There are the meditative songs, the breakup songs and charming ballads. The album is best listened to in its entirety even though we are growing up in the cookie cutter iPod ages.