Once again Strand and Johnny made good points. Of course I have to come back and correct a mistake I made:
Quote:
Originally posted by face of glass
Billie Holiday’s “April In Paris”.
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It’s actually “
Autumn In New York” that Branford Marsalis was talking about and I can’t for the life of me understand how my brain could have made such a mistake. It’s sometimes not too good in the name department.
Quote:
Originally posted by strandinthewind
Finally, I agree Illume is moving as sung and I totally get, understand, appreciate, and like her moving trance-like message. I just wish she would have written a third stanza because I do not care for the repetition. Same for the song SYW. But and again, I like the songs as recorded. I just want more, everyone's a critic, etc. 
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For me, I think, the repetition and the “monotonous” vocal (which I know you’re not criticizing) is necessary for the song itself. The vocal on “Illume” shows great self-restraint; it’s a vocal that she wouldn’t have been able to do 12-13 years ago. It demands this mature approach that she has now. If it was “her voice dancing with the lyrics” (as you stated earlier when discussing “Thrown Down”), it wouldn’t have the same impact. I appreciate it how she doesn’t try to make the vocal “prettier” or more varying. Her vocal goes well with this groove-like, static arrangement. The whole “intentionally restrained monotony” (that the repetitive lyrics support) builds up to Lindsey’s goofy voice and then climaxes when Stevie’s voice returns. That’s the moment that makes everything before it rewarding; her vocals at the end feel even more intense than usual because of the self-control she has during most of the track. It’s just as devastating as the dramatic shift from the verses of “Come” to the chorus.
That’s just my take on it. For me it's a song that only goes to prove the age-old cliché: “sometimes less is more”.