On her 2008 Island Def Jam debut, Love Is Dead, Estonian singer Kerli (born Kerli Koiv) unveils an electro-tinged collection of goth-pop songs. Coming across as Marilyn Manson's creepy kid sister, Kerli combines the sensibilities of Evanescence and Bjork, as best revealed on the haunting "Walking on Air" and the dramatic, string-heavy title track. 12 tracks.
Customer Reviews:
Nobody knows where it's at Just when you might be thinking the singer/songwriter genre might be dwindling someone like Kerli comes along and proves it's still thriving.
Kerli is completely original, yet she's also kind of a mish mash of artists. At one point (Love is Dead) she sounds like she's channeling her inner Dolores O'Riordan. Then another time she sounds similiar to newcomer Charlotte Sometimes. And that's just vocally! Figure in the fact that she has an insane range of music to back her and you know you're in for a listen you won't soon forget.
What really separates Kerli from the rest of her singer/songwriter peers? Seems as though they focus more on lyrics. Kerli, however, more or less seems to just be having fun. Her lyrics are pretty good but I like the fact that--FINALLY!--we have someone who puts fun first. Kerli, to me, just wants you to enjoy yourself as you listen, which you entirely do.
As for the songs, not a single one deserves to be skipped. Kerli fully embraces the creepy factor throughout Love is Dead. It helps when her voice has an intensely dark feel to it, no tracks really offer a sunny feel and neither do the lyrics. Immediate standouts that grab upon first listen are Love is Dead, I Want Nothing, Bulletproof and Creepshow. Others that ease their way into your head are The Creationist, Beautiful Day, Hurt Me, and Butterfly Cry.
My favorites are Love Is Dead, I Want Nothing, Bulletproof, Creepshow, and Strange Boy. Kerli can only go up from here. She's got the perfect CD to catapult her career, she's got a look begging for attention, so all the ingredients are there for her to gain popularity. I will concur with a reviewer who said she hopes she doesn't get too popular so she'll retain her originality (or something like that). Recommended!...more info
Awesome. Just buy it. Having heard bits and pieces of her more popular song "Walking on Air", I didn't really like what I heard.
After finally hearing the ENTIRE song, I realized how stupid I had been, haha. It's awesome, the melody is eerie and her vocals are captivating.
I love the fact that she is from Estonia, I am always on the lookout for foreign artists because they are usually really fresh on what they bring, and Kerli is no exception.
This is one of the few albums I will actually buy, why? Because all of the songs on this CD are great, and she deserves it. I really hope she goes on tour, I'd love to see her perform live. I saw a clip of her on Yahoo! performing "Walking on Air" live and it was probably better than the CD version....more info
A slight disappointment I bought this album in high hopes that it would be interesting, kooky, and different. Unfortunately, I was highly disappointed after the first few tracks. Based on the cover of the album, and the track names I thought it would be something like industrial, gothic, or even a little darkwave rock. It turned out to be way to popish for my tastes and her singing relied a tad to much on synthetics. Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt the woman has talent and I'm sure she will be successful. But for me, looks can be deceiving and I felt a tad tricked into buying this cd. I'll stick to Emilie Autumn. ...more info
Estonian Brilliance She's from Estonia! E-S-T-O-N-I-A! And don't you forget it. This makes her creepy, unpredictable, and prone to fits of musical spontaneity. Despite her uncanny physical similarities to fellow blonde rocker Avril Lavigne, newcomer Kerli has an earnest and raw vulnerability to the truth of her music.
It is the presentation of Kerli, however, that spins the greatest web of lies about this wonderful performer. If you believe the packaging, Kerli is a gothic porcelain doll, wrapped in misery and strife and haunted by her own emotions, clutching onto any false sense of security she can. But as Kerli co-wrote every single track on the album, one listen through will shatter that trite, yet very marketable, painted image. Kerli desperately sings for help, her airy yet solid vocals belting out that "Love don't live here anymore" on her debut single, "Love Is Dead," which is also the title of her album. The video depicts an aged and wrinkled, graying and frazzled Kerli, from the shoulders up, alone and singing on a scrolling backdrop of nature and effects. As the video progresses, slowly but surely she appears younger and younger until her hair is smooth and golden, her skin youthful and healthy. No climax, no story, no relation to the content of the song, but the simple beauty of the video aligns perfectly with the simple beauty in the music and Kerli's voice. Bleach-blond damaged rocker I can believe. Dark and gloomy goth girl? I definitely don't buy that.
Dancefloor friendly?
Her second single, "Walking on Air," is about the girl from Estonia, trapped and isolated by her differences and striving to be so much higher than she is. The instrumentation is gloomy and fits the album packaging perfectly, while the lyrics definitely embody the spirit of overcoming your obstacles. No matter how strange and secluded you are, you can achieve. For a goth girl, this message is extremely out of place, yet somehow fits perfectly among the Halloween that is "Walking on Air." Island Records made a fantastic move regarding "Walking," as they issued club mixes from Ralphi Rosario & Craig J, Josh Harris, Lindbergh Palace, and Armin Van Buuren. Ralphi and Craig take the track in a soulless, circuit style meant to pack the floor but not really in any deference to the original. Josh's mix adds a little something extra, definitely involving adequate floor appeal but also making a more palatable track. Utilizing a beat similar to Christina Aguilera's "Keeps Gettin' Better" and Britney Spear's "Womanizer," the Lindbergh Palace mix strays from their typical style, a lush and poppy backdrop for Kerli's yearning vocals. The winner here is Armin Van Buuren's club creeper, taking some of the best vocal elements from the track and transforming them into trance beauty. The only fault I find with Armin's mix is the fact that the chorus has mostly disappeared.
The rest of Love Is Dead vacillates between styles. "The Creationist" is an upbeat romp through good-natured Estonian cheer where Kerli, sounding very much like earlier Bjork, informs us that she is a creationist. Good to know! "Creepshow," possibly the album's darkest track, playing along like the dark and twisted carousel ride we all wanted to hear when first seeing the album packaging. Near the end plays the dark electronic number "Strange Boy" which is one of my personal favorites. There are other light and dark moments interspersed throughout, making this a well-rounded journey through the lost and lonely child of Estonia. E-S-T-O-N-I-A!
Summary
'Love Is Dead' is one of the best and most unique major label offerings of 2008, and hardly something to miss. With Kerli's emergence into the dance scene, I predict that this is the album to watch. Four and a half stars....more info
Big Kerli Fan I love love this cd. Her music mixes dark and light so its not depressing or over the top bubbly. Her lyrics are poetic and her music is a mix of pop and goth. Best Tracks: Love Is Dead (samples madonnas love dont live here anymore), Walking On Air(amazing video too!!!), Bullet Proof, Butterfly Cry. I love all her tracks though. Shes sooo beautiful too!! ...more info
Twilight Zone I was asleep in front of the TV when the 2008 scream awards began. I was then in the twilight zone when I awakened to this music. "Who is this?" I asked. In sharing this with my family, I find that my daughters and grand daughters already know who Kerli is. My youngest, age six, insists in hearing the end of the song when Kerli comes on the radio. "Love is dead" is a must buy for all ages....more info
Fresh and sincere I picked it up as I happen to be born in same tiny town as Kerli. You know, just to check how she is doing and this album ended up monopolizing my playlist. It is surprisingly good, it's very good actually. It's not yet another young girl debut in pop-rock - it's deepish, it's changing, it's interesting but very sincere and honest. As such it reminded me early Kate Bush.
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Kerli is amazing!! This is such a great cd, all the songs are really awesome and Kerli has a great voice!! If you ever get the opportunity to see an interview with her you'll see what an amazing, inspirational person she is :)...more info
Brilliant new talent I first heard Kerli on Indie 103.1 radio. I had no idea who she was but her gorgeous voice and the darkish sound of the song got my attention immediately. The radio DJ pronounced her name as "Curly" and of course I couldn't find her on the internet. Luckily I remembered the title of the song I had just heard (Walking on Air) and Kerli came up on YouTube. As soon as I finished watching that fantastic video I wanted to see and hear more of her. I too can hear a little Bjork and Evanescence in her, and perhaps even a dollop of Gwen Stefani in one of the songs, but she has her own very genuine talent, unique sound and completely different style, and she is by no means a copycat. While I like some songs more than others (the only song I really don't care for is Strange Boy - the lyrics are not bad but the music doesn't do anything for me), overall the CD is excellent. The more I listen to it, the more I like it!
Too bad that Good-bye is not on it, though. I saw it on YouTube and it was just SO beautiful. And I'm pretty sure that I've heard Kerli's SUPER cover of one of Bauhaus' old songs on 103.1 several times that's not included either. Oh well, she is leaving us with wanting for more! (Smart girl! :-)
I can't wait to see her in concert in Los Angeles (Bar Sinister would be a great venue for her to start with!). I sure hope that she will keep her edgy, gothic-y look and sound, will keep writing her own songs - and will refuse to be turned into yet another pop-princess by the greedy Hollywood Music-machine....more info
Fantastic Album! In all the years I have been using Amazon, I have never been so impressed with a product that I wrote a review. This is an exception. This album is fantastic! It has interested me in a new genre of music that I never listened to before (not that Kerli even fits into just one genre), just as Taylor Swift did. I love pop music, and it brings just a hint of pop - enough to get me hooked! Saying I like this album is something because I typically like singers such as Girlicious and Britney Spears, which goes to show that Kerli can appease a variety of musical interests.
Her music is a collaboration between Rock and Pop with creepy/gothic overtones. The song "Walking on Air" is fantastic and is my favorite song of 2008. Almost every song is excellent, but the ones that stand out are "Love is Dead" "Walking on Air" "Bulletproof" and "I Want Nothing." The video for "Walking on Air" is the best video I have ever seen, it is absolutely amazing, and looks very high-budget. Her music is fresh and sounds unlike any other singer/band!
I urge anybody to check out the songs on this album and buy it. I only found out about her from iTunes Free Single of the Week earlier this year and hardly anybody knows who she is. I know her album hasn't been super successful (according to Wikipedia) and I want her to be successful so that I can her more from her in the future. If her album was marketed correctly I really think she would reach great success. Please buy her album, you won't be disappointed! Oh, and tell your friends too!...more info
Kerli Koiv Love is Dead Review Thanks so much for this Kerli Koiv CD to me! Sure it was sent a couple days after it was supposed to, but i don't care, it was totally worth it and it was in great shape too! ( yeah i know, terrible review, but writing isn't my thing).... Thanks again!
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Support New Talent Kerli has an eclectic mix of music for her lyrics and it compliments it very well. This album tells her life story and rather than depress the heck out of her listeners, she wants you to be able to take her lyrics and use them to inspire the listeners to live their lives as well as they can. I hope that her new album whenever that comes out, will be as inspiring and daring as this....more info
Best CD of 2008 After playing her youtube.com clips for a week, I bought Kerli's CD LOVE IS DEAD today and have been playing it nonstop ever since. To say that Kerli is the best new artist of the year would be a gross understatement - I haven't been this excited about a new singer since the 90's. The title track LOVE IS DEAD is an instant classic, but BULLETPROOF and CREEPSHOW are just as great!...more info
Something Different i like kerli's music because she is different and isn't trying to copy other singers songs that's why i like her and her songs are great and have alot of meaning to them my favorite songs on love is dead is: 1.beautiful day 2.the creationist 3.fragile 4.waling on air
Surprisingly good, though somewhat naive This is an amazingly good debut disc for a singer. Some of the other reviews critique the fact that it is quite easy to track Bjork's, Evanescence's and Pink's styles. My answer: Sometimes genius is not about coming up with a totally new thing, but about combining the existing things on the right way.
The musical arrays are, in my way, great. That doesn't mean that there are no weaknesses. I think that probably would be even more enjoyable if it was in Estonian... I don't speak any Finno-Ugiric language. The lyrics seem to be too naive, as if they had been written by a fourteen year old girl, and not by a twenty plus woman. I hope this improves as times goes by....more info
Kerli's debut album is great This is a very creative and imaginate piece of work, all of it gracefully executed. There is nobody to compare Kerli with that I can think of. Check it out. ...more info
Welcome to the creepshow... I bought this album solely on appearance which is something I rarely do anymore. I loved the gothic look of the cover art and faintly recall one of my favorite artists recommending her music months ago on myspace. It was enough to drive a sell with me but I must admit, I was half expecting (on pure speculation) something a bit darker and heavy sounding, like Evanescence. Instead I surprisingly got some positive lyrics -- such as following your dreams, no matter what others think of you -- with more of a commercial sound similar, perhaps, to Paramore... but then... not really. Kerli's music is very hard for me to categorize which is naturally a good thing since I prefer diversity in my music. She's got a slightly edged out, dimply tinted blend of peculiar pop/rock songs that at times warrant comparisons to the quirky muscisian Bjork (most noticeably heard on the first two tracks) as well as newcomers like Katy Perry (only more original) and the equally amazing Charlotte Sometimes. She definitely has potential hits here if promoted in the right hands but I'm hoping that she maintains enough obscurity to keep her uniqueness in tact because, truthfully, there's a whole lot of crap floating around out there and this isn't one of them!
Standout tracks include "Love Is Dead", "Walking On Air", "I Want Nothing", "Bulletproof", "Hurt Me", and "Butterfly Cry"....more info
84% - Fresh Probably like most people, I became a Kerli fan after watching the video masterpiece "Walking on Air". I loved the song, it was trendy, it was inspirational, and slightly eerie - it was perfect! Naturally I bought her album, and for the most part I was continually impressed with it.
"Love is Dead" is really great, showing a much more industrial side compared to Walking on Air. Other big standouts for me were "I Want Nothing" which is a rock anthem that sounds slightly amaturish but that's what makes it fun.
"Beautiful Day" is a very polished production that I love. It's not epic, but it's great to listen to.
The rest are pretty evanescence-ish, which is mostly a good thing, but I can't listen to them over-and-over-and-over like I can "Walking on Air"
So.. is Kerli a one hit wonder? I'd say no.. the whole album is very listenable, but it is true that the only track I keep on repeat is Walking.. Nevertheless I would definately recommmend the CD, it's a waaay better production than half the stuff that comes from top 40 artists....more info
This album surprised me I heard of this artist on the 2008 Spike Scream Awards when she performed "Walking on Air" onstage. I was instantly hooked on the song (and got everyone else in my house hooked too). After looking up more of her music I decided I wanted to buy the album.
She has a kind of cool weirdness to her music and her songs each have a different style to it. I think the music itself sounds a little too synthetic sometimes - like there was no real band available to play or it was over-produced.
My favorite tracks on the album are "Walking on Air" and "Bullet Proof"All in all - its a good album and she is an interesting character.
I would recommend this album to anyone who is open minded about music and likes things that are a little different or kinda strange. The album cover makes it look like it may be some kind of goth-pop stuff but its not. Its a cool album and I'm happy with it :) ...more info
Uniquely Beyond the REALM of NORM!!!!!! Uniquely Beyond the REALM of NORM!!!!!!
I love this CD. I downloaded the 1st single on iTunes since it was the freee single of the week and thought it was interesting. I picked up the album at my local music store since it was $7.00. I believe an album cant be that bad if its for 7 bucks. To my suprise i picked up a winner. Kerli is very interesting and unique enough to make her stand out from the crowd. The real stand out track is the album name and title track for #1 which is "Love Is Dead". Its a wonderful CD and is very unqie and cutting edge. In a world full of typical artist its nice to see someone come along thats new and doing something different or something that hasnt been heard of in awhile. Her angelic voice has traces of Dolores from the Cranberries. There's a mixture of just about everything on the CD. A little bit Avril, alittle bit Dolores, alittle goth. Its all here. Pick up this CD because its truly a great debut from a very promising new artist....more info
Do yourself a favor Buy this album. Listen to it over and over and fall in love with it like I did. And then go tell your friends about it. They will thank you. And if this isn't your usual fare, buy at it least because of the cool cover art. ...more info
Original and amazing! Kerli is absolutely one of the most amazing artists I've heard in quite some time. I don't think I've liked anyone this much since Alanis Morissette first came out. Kerli's lyrics are deep, and I love how each song has a completely different sound and beat...truly a testiment to her talent and creativity. I can foresee myself playing each and every song over and over and over again....more info
Over The Hills and Far Away in Estonia So I purchased this cd because I heard two songs "Walking On Air" and her cover of Bauhaus's "She's In Parties" (should have been on this album).
All I can say was that I wasn't dissapointed. For being what some people call a 'depressing' album, I didn't think so. You have to have a different twist on music to make it stand out and be one of a kind and thats exactly what Kerli does. She makes you think about your actions, feelings and what your theme is in life.
Love is Dead -sounds like a morose song but is a lovely tune.
The Creationist - We need to learn to not follow the pack and learn to
create and believe in our own ideals without what others think.
Up,Up,Up - has a neat little island feel to the rhyming verses.
Beautiful Day - Make your day beautiful even if its grey.
Creepshow - Kerli shows us about herself and reminds me of Siouxsie and The Banshees
Strange Boy - Even the strange people in our life can be the ones we get along with.
For a girl that sounds like a cross between Bjork/Siouxsie Sioux she is making a mark here in the US by being herself. Sometimes she sounds a bit younger than she is (twenty some old girl) and that she grows on her next album. Other than that, a very awsome debut from the girl from Estonia. ...more info
Pleasant Surprise I had purchased the CD after hearing Walking On Air. That song, and the video by the way, were very well done. The other tracks on the CD were good except for three, Bullet Proof, Up Up Up and Beautiful Day. They had a hip-hop sound/disjointed rhythm to them that did not flow near as well as the rest of the tracks. They really took away from the CD, hence the 4 starts. Over all it was a good value for the price. Kerli has a smooth, clear voice and her video presence is very artistic, not crude or sexy. I hope to hear more from Kerli. ...more info
Surprisingly good I was attracted to this album by it's cover art. So I decided to samlpe the songs via iTunes, turns out the girl can sing. Plus its something different from all the bubble gum pop ''music'' out there....more info
One of the best I've heard this year! Ok, I normally listen to a lot heavier stuff then this such as Slayer, GWAR, Pantera, Meshuggah, even Marilyn Manson things of that nature. But I was introduce to Kerli by some of my close friends and then I finally decided to look up some stuff about her on the good ol' youtube then I heard the title track and I got hooked. Now for the album I love the whole cd my faves are Strange boy, Love is Dead, I want nothing, and creepshow. The only song I dont really care for is up up up though i still like its just not one i listen to a lot. So i highly recommend you give this cd a shot. ...more info
Loved IT!! I can't understand why Kerli's CD Love Is Dead isn't playing all over the radio. I've shared the CD with several of my friends while driving and they all like it!! Maybe she needs a new agent or manager. It's great music and she has great style!! Wishing her the best of LUCK!!!...more info
SCREAM 2008 was a Career Break-thru Moment of Discovery! Kerli, besides coming to America, the 2nd best thing I think you did was the live performance of 'Walking on Air' at the Scream 2008. WOW! That performance, the lyrics, the background artists/outfits/makeup, was one of the most entertaining 5 minutes I've ever experienced in a live music video! You've just turned me into a big fan, your being cute is just a bonus. This is a really unique sound you've created, don't change for awhile! Everyone else, you need to check her out! You'll be surprised. Start with this album and work back to her earlier works. ...more info
SELLOUT / POSER / WANNABE! HORRIBLE and blatant rip-off of Bjork.
Kerli's only good track 'She's in Parties' isn't even on this album, so it's a total waste.
I can't believe I've been following her career since last September just to watch her become a sellout....more info
Kids Show Material One of the most disappointing cd purchases I've had in the last three years.
This cd is one of the worst mixed CD I've heard. Most of the music sounded like it came out of all the presets from an 80's Casio, with only a few noticeable changes. It sounds unrefined, if not out right garish at times. However, if you want to listen to music that sounds like it belongs in a Saturday morning cartoon, then this CD is for you. I'd recommend the track "Creepshow" where the only thing missing is Scooby Doo laughing.
If there had been more work done on it this cd could have been rather good. The lyrics aren't half bad, (although repeated to death in a few tracks) and Kerli's voice work is good from what isn't drowned out by the rest. It's just a shame that she was stuck in that mess....more info
