Search - Music in High Places - Shawn Colvin (Live in Bora Bora) on DVD

Yuck!!!!

Dr. M. Villanueva | Albuquerque, NM USA | 10/06/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I like Colvin as an artist; she is incredible. This DVD is not her fault -- well, that is an assumption -- she did agree to it. So why two stars and not one? She is in it. If you love Colvin *and* like artists standing around in water singing to to nature with the sound of the wind and the ocean on your tracks along with the singing, then go and buy this. I am sure this DVD will play beautifully on a large screen plasma TV at some corporate function. However, if you love the artist and the music, then my advice is to avoid this effort. It is simply too painful to watch.What person came up with this idea? Good lord: Even the camera work is silly. No. Not silly. Just atrocious. Diamond in the Rough (which honestly looks voiced-over) starts the first 30 seconds as a singing head shot. I am not kidding! No guitar can be seen, just a singing head! After a while, camera pulls back and there is Colvin up to her shins in shimmering blue water, her ethnic dress is partially wet, with her blue shades (sun does looks awfully bright) singing. Of course, we are again treated to the sounds of waves and wind. Egads!Of course, the engineering of the DVD is just as silly: After each song ends -- and you go back to the main menu.I love this artist -- so much so, that I scour the web for any performance version of her. I am not trying to be mean or spiteful here, but this DVD is simply nothing more than a monument to artsy-fartsy, superficial filming at its worse. However, the real kiss of death, and the bottom line reason for such a low rating is this: There is no energy here -- none. If you have seen her performance on the Sessions at 54th Street DVD or seen her live, you know what I mean. There is nothing going on here -- nothing.This DVD is a compilation of one flat rendition after another of some wonderfully nice songs. It is just about the most pathetic attempt at film making and ranks as *the* most flat performance I have ever seen. Talk about DOA."

Music video for Adults

Thomas H. Simson | Westhampton Beach, NY United States | 10/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Geez - what a pleasant surprise this was ! Sometimes these videos can be a big letdown - but this was very nicely done. Shawn Colvin songs are always best in there most stripped down version. In my opinion her live and acoustic versions always outshine the studio cuts - and all these songs are simply guitar and voice in some strikingly beautiful settings. What's really amazing is how good the sound is outdoors with the water and breeze - it just adds to the music. One really gets the feeling that your spying her playing the songs alone on the beach. There's also sections of the DVD that are travelogue of the trip there - those parts were ok - but I'm not sure I want to watch them a zillion times - so the DVD allows you to play just the music."

That Voice!! Those Images!! Combined - They Equal Heaven!!

Terry Lee Hawkins | Bridgeport, WV United States | 07/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have to admit I'm biased. I LOVE everything Shawn Colvin does. I've been a huge fan ever since I first heard her voice back in 1989. I've seen her in concert (solo & with a full band) more times than I can count. This DVD is wonderful. It provides an opportunity to see a more personal side of Shawn, while enjoying her wonderful music in some of the most beautiful locals in the world. It's a little slice of Heaven. I watched this baby on a 61" TV with a full stereo surround system while kicked back in my trusty recliner. Whoaaaa! That was good - that was very good indeed. Now, if they would only put out a collection of Shawn's videos on DVD. Then all would be right with the world."

Sonically very poor, not a good music DVD

Glenn Mar | San Francisco, CA USA | 04/11/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The idea of filming Shawn in some beautiful settings is kind of interesting, but the reality is that recording in the wind with location equipment makes for pretty poor sound. I've had this DVD for at least a year now and I find that I never choose to put it on. I'm glad to have it, as a Colvin completist, but I can't recommend it. If you want solo Shawn, the best commercial product is the Live '88 CD.



The highlight of this DVD is Shawn playing one of her songs accompanied by a bunch of island drummers. That was kind of cool. I believe this was filmed as a DirecTV music special, and it fares better in that context. As a music DVD though, there are so many better productions than this.



Actually, I think the best is actually Shawn's single track on the Best Of West 54th DVD."