'78

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Highschoolish, 2008-09-01
I am thoroughly disappointed with the quality of this cd. I am a huge fan of Pink Martini and was looking forward to China Forbes solo album. The recording sounds horrible. Her use of drum machines and other prerecorded instruments makes this sound more like a rehearsal session than a finished product. The recording sounds like it comes from an at home basement studio not a professional recording studio. I'm also not too keen on the simple lyrics that have no depth nor catch to them.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Not Pink Martini, 2008-06-13
Some songs have a decent sound. Definitely lacks the artisanship and differentiation of Pink Martini.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

missed opportunity, 2008-04-29
I saw Forbes perform this album live in Boston before buying the album, and the differences between the two are staggering. Even though this pop/soft rock genre is a departure from the tried-and-true work of Pink Martini, she was still distinctively China Forbes up on stage ... that voice came through strong and clear and confident. Not so on the album. I kept thinking, this sounds like Sheryl Crow ... Forbes is a much better singer than Sheryl Crow. What's going on here? Then I learned that the drummer/producer used to work with Crow, and it all started making sense. So ... '78 is getting 3 stars instead of two because I actually like a few (3 or 4) of the songs, and I'm prepared to give Forbes the benefit of the doubt, that she listened too much to her producer and held back her powerful voice in an attempt to sound more "rock," or something ... thinner and tinny. China, we know you can do better ... looking forward to your next solo venture.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

The Voice of Pink Martini Has Her Own Voice, 2008-04-19
And what a voice it is. Don't expect this to be a fourth Pink Martini CD, but don't let that stop you. Listen for China, not PM, and you will be pleasantly surprised. She has a hauntingly beautiful voice. I have listened to the CD a dozen times or more now and just got back from her solo concert and am listening to it again. She has exceptional presence, a disarming charm, and refreshinginly unusual style.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

China Syndrome .., 2008-04-09
We've followed Pink Martini almost from their inception and see them every time they tour New England, often in multiple states. China Forbes has a beautiful rich voice with an expansive range. Listening to her sing is always a pleasure, a wonder ... until we listened to her on her new "78" album. Like ... Bombs-ville!! Formulaeic. Boring. Flat. Toneless. Unimaginative. Repetitious. Exceptionally dull, to the point that one panics and smites the STOP button on the CD player to kill the droning. Oh God, what was was China thinking? Or - flushed with PM successes, did she stop thinking? On this CD, she certainly stopped singing. No rating is low enough so for my wife and I, China's "78" CD should remain in the dark nether world of "unrated". Unfortunately, Amazon's system forces a minmal rating. The "78" CD is not worth even this! Stay with the Pink Martini professional CDs ...