Track Listing

1. Bodyguard
2. I Don't Need No Man
3. Tired Of This Life
4. Twilight
5. Private Little Hell
6. Picture Show
7. Kids In A Play
8. Toy Piano
9. Dig Me A Hole
10. I'm In Love With The Night
11. Goodnight Lover
12. You Alone

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23746 in Music
• Released on: 2008-01-21
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Another talented female singer/songwriter breezes onto the scene
Having recently become acquainted with Sarabeth Tuceks debut album it's hard not to come to the conclusion that her album and Fireproof By Dawn Landes have a lot in common. Both are mature and complex works that take some considerable time to become comfortable and familiar with. Certainly familiar enough to write a review. On first listening both seem to be lacking in any range , dynamism or have any decent tunes but on further occasions they slowly reveal themselves to be quietly compelling works with subtle delights and songs that while they most likely won't rocket to the top of your favourite songs ever list will with songs like "I,m In Love With The Night" off this album will have you purring with pleasure.
Fireproof is an easier album to pin down as it's very much grounded in Americana. Organs , harmonica, pedal steel mandolin ,and banjo's infuse the songs with the dusty ambience of all great country records. However anyone thinking this is an album steeped in good, ole traditional folksiness will think again listening to the sparse burbling electronic "Goodnight Lover" .It's definitely about a place but time doesn't come into it. It's as much about now as about some erstwhile time.
Dawn Landes voice has a keening higher range but is strong enough to carry the songs that require vocal muscle and she can add sauce to the tone when required like on the carousing lithe opener "Bodyguard". Her song writing eschews palpable hooks and hook in your ears rhythms .These are subtle creations and while the odd one doesn't quite engage- the re-arrangement of the traditional "I Don't Need No Man" shambles forgetably by and the skittish frisky "Picture Show" is actually annoying( Though the guitar riff is great) - other tracks like the ghostly "Twilight" and the stirring and tense "Kids In A Play" are terrific. Her cover version of "Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" - a hidden track- is beautifully done , achieving what cover versions should- a completely diverse take on someone else's song .
If someone pushed I'd have to say I prefer Sarabeth Tucek,s album because it's more diverse and has more consistently memorable songs. But Fireproof is well worth tracking down and more importantly taking the time to become familiar with. Really though there is no choice between the two to make other than the fact I've mentioned them together .Buy both and decide for your self.

Americ[an]a's New Sweetheart?
With this album Dawn Landes builds nicely on her two earlier, limited availability, releases: "Dawn's Music"(2005)and the excellent mini-album "Two Three Four"(2006). Indeed you'll find a track from the former and two from the latter on "Fireproof".

What we have here is a fine album planted firmly in the Americana landscape. With songs ranging from the folksy 'I Don't Need No Man', to a tough, but not entirely successful, rock-out like 'Picture Show' there is still plenty of time for some bitter-sweet country tinged musings along the way, 'Tired Of This Life' and 'You Alone' being obvious standouts. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the 'hidden track' version of Tom Petty's 'Won't Back Down',which, in its original form, while having a certain catchy 'anthem of defiance' quality, has always been an eminently throw-away-pop ditty. Dawn Landes takes this song and imbues it with a wistful sadness that you would not have thought possible, such that the song becomes genuinely moving, achieving what all good cover versions should aim for, casting the song in a totally new light. Incidentally I nearly forgot to mention, her voice is excellent throughout.

Overall I would suggest that this is a good album but not a great one, some of the songs just don't quite do it, but there is enough quality here to ensure that you are unlikely to regret the purchase if you decide to make it.