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  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Full Frame
  • Dual Layer (RSDL 66:00)
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  • English: Linear PCM Stereo
  Subtitles
  • None
  Extras
    Lauryn Hill - MTV Unplugged No. 2.0
    Sony Music Video/Sony BMG . R4 . COLOR . 108 mins . E . PAL

      Feature
    Contract

    Although she began singing at a very early age and achieved international success with the band The Fugees, Lauryn Hill only took the world by storm with the release of her critically acclaimed The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998. This album topped the charts the world over for the self proclaimed hip-hop folk singer and landed her 11 Grammy nominations at the 1999 awards, sending her home with five trophies. The biggest magazines in the world vied to put her on their covers and there was doubt about the future of The Fugees as their infighting was well known. The main point, however, is that Lauryn Hill attracts a much wider audience as a solo performer and this release showcases her talent as just that.

    This is a very intimate performance indeed. It was filmed at the MTV studios in New York City on July 21, 2001 in front of an adoring audience who are literally at her feet. The show features the songstress performing new songs, sitting on a stool with nothing more than her trusty guitar. Her lyrics are deep and personal and convey her feelings well. These songs are from the heart and she puts everything into them, showing the pain and pleasure she has endured in the process of their creation.

    As well as being an accomplished singer, Lauryn Hill likes to talk and boy can she talk! Her stories are generally interesting and amusing, but she does tend to go on quite a lot. The problem with this is that she explains much of the meaning of her songs, where in a lot of cases she should perhaps let them speak for themselves. There is the feeling that some better editing could have been done to shorten these dialogue segments, not drastically but just enough to remove dialogue that isn't relevant. Let’s face it, who really wants to hear her asking her sound engineers if they are ready?

    Track listing:

    Mr International
    Adam Live in Theory
    Oh Jerusalem
    War in the Mind
    I Find it Hard to Say (Rebel)
    Water
    Just Want You Around
    I Gotta Find Peace of Mind
    Mystery of Iniquity
    I Get Out
    I Remember
    So Much Things to Say
    The Conquering Lion

    Fully demonstrating how emotionally charged this performance is, during Piece of Mind Lauren is so distraught that she is in tears for most of the song. Rather than ask for a break she seems to actually use this to go on longer and show just how much the song means to her. This is always a good way for artists to sell songs and some use it simply for that purpose, but this seems very genuine and heartfelt from Ms Hill. There is also an amusing section where she talks about her husband, a son of Bob Marley, while he is looking for her notes. This is very amusing and rather than be embarrassed he seems genuinely amused.

    With a running time of 107:43, this performance is a bit long winded for non fans, but those that do enjoy this artist will be more than satisfied. She is without doubt a talented singer and songwriter. A much better performance would have been these new songs along with a few hits from her top selling album, or even some Fugees songs, but you get the impression from this artist that the past is just that and she wishes to move forward. Hopefully it won’t be another four year wait for her next album.

      Video
      Audio
      Extras
    Contract

    Being a made for television special, this transfer is of very good quality. The only major problems are those quite normal for live performances. Picture is generally sharp throughout with strong detail and good colour definition. Grain is almost non-existent and aliasing occurs in the usual places such as on guitar strings and microphone stands, but these are not too intrusive. There are no subtitles supplied, but Hill's diction is terrific so these are not really required. There is a well placed layer change at the 66 minute mark that causes very little disturbance.

    Audio is supplied in a choice of PCM Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1. Both are very good, with the DD 5.1 being louder and offering the better balance of sound. Audio is clear throughout and allows you to hear every guitar strum and vocal exactly as it should be. This also enables the listener to hear any faults or missed chords, but these are very rare for this accomplished musician. Separation is not excessive, but it's not required to be as this is an intimate performance with the focus being rightly directed at Lauryn Hill. Overall the sound quality is more than satisfactory.

    There are no extras at all with this release.

    Overall this is one for fans and worth a viewing for those with an interest in this style of music. The performance demonstrates well the talent of this singer/songwriter, but also gives a great insight into the person through the many spoken word segments. These “chats” do tend to drag on longer than most could tolerate, but there is always the skip button. The video is decent and the audio is very good so if this is your cup of tea then you should be pleased.


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  •   And I quote...
    "This is a good performance from the hip-hop folk singer in this intimate MTV showcase, the only things lacking are hits from her previous album. "
    - Adrian Turvey
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Sony DVP-NS305
    • TV:
          AKAI CT-29S55AT 68cm
    • Receiver:
          Sony STR-DE685
    • Speakers:
          Sony SAVE815ED
    • Centre Speaker:
          Sony SAVE815ED
    • Surrounds:
          Sony SAVE815ED
    • Subwoofer:
          Sony SAVE815ED
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