Everybody loves a happy ending. And in 2000, the Dido story provided one guaranteed to appeal to the British sense of fair play and love of the underdog. Like one of her songs, it was a tale of triumph against the odds, which bears repeating, if just for the warm cosy feeling.
It's 1999. Dido Armstrong is just another singer-songwriter with a debut album ('No Angel') that no one cares about. A year later, Eminem spots the desolate beauty and abject helplessness of one of her songs ('Thank You'), borrows it for the chorus of one of his ('Stan'), has a huge hit and suddenly Dido's an international superstar, and 'No Angel''s sold 12 million copies making it the biggest selling UK debut by a female artist.
Good things coming to those who wait, karma or just luck, it's a nice story.
'Life For Rent' suggests that luck had more to do with it than anyone previously guessed. On 'No Angel' Dido seemed to have a mesmerising ability to swerve along the fine line that divides boredom and breathtaking simplicity. For the all-important follow-up, her bland-o-meter appears to be well and truly busted.
Despite being guided by brother and Faithless mainman Rollo, the shimmering computerised backdrops and meandering guitars are vague and emotionless where they should be bleak and aching, ready to be cut through by Dido's trademark ray of melodic hope. Not that 'Life For Rent''s overflowing with affecting melodies, light, dark or otherwise.
Like the title track's unfathomable/poetic ode to her hopes and dreams, songs are grey and noncommittal. She never sounds happy, sad or defiant, just bored. Neither heart breaking nor warming, 'Mary's In India''s yarn of love lost and love found, ends with a sigh rather than rallying joy, while the tragic diary confessions of 'Who Makes You Feel''s wronged lover feel like a half-hearted 'sod you'.
'White Flag' and 'Do You Have A Little Time' momentarily find her missing mournful allure. Dejected yet triumphant, they remind us what 'Life For Rent' could have been.
Maybe she's just so content with life - well, you would be, right? - that she no longer needs to search out the positive in the gloom. Maybe she's flat broke on the interesting stories. Or maybe her luck's just run out. Which ever it is, this is the disappointing epilogue which spoils the end of the story. For certain, if 'Life For Rent' had been her debut, even Eminem would've struggled to make her famous.
