Petra Goes to the Movies

Did you hear Scott Simon's conversation on Saturday with Petra Haden about her new album, "Petra Goes to the Movies?"  I did, found it intriguing enough to snag a copy, then enjoyed what I heard enough to schedule a couple of tracks for late in the noon hour on Monday's WFCR classical music.  Please tune in a let us know what you think.

In short, the album features singer and violinist Petra Haden mostly doing overdubbed, a cappella vocalise versions of selections from such movie scores as "Psycho," "Taxi Driver," "The Social Network," and her all-time favorite, "Superman."  OK, it's not exactly  classical music.  And Petra Haden does some pretty strange things here with what is not by any means a conventionally beautiful voice.  But having set up a major challenge for herself here, she pulls it off with such aplomb that any open-eared music lover should want to take notice.  Plus, if you'll pardon the expression, the album is an absolute hoot!

As you see on the comments section of the NPR page, including my own comment, my feelings are not unanimous.  "Oh Petra," wrote listener Leslie Lesner, "Your concept is fun, but the tone of your voice is worse than a chicken." Opined one NoelAnnSchiferle, "the sound was like fingernails on a black board."  Most succinct was listener Diana Lazo: "Seriously?"  Well, the further out an a limb an artist dares to venture, the more people will volunteer to saw the limb off — probably a lot of the same people who would claim to prefer challenging, off-the-beaten track music over the same old same-old.  Not that you have to like "Petra Goes to the Movies" just because I do.  But whether you do or don't, could you tell us why?  Thanks!