Reviews (46)

This cd rocks!
I don't care what other reviewers have said about "Chain Gang of Love". The first full-length album by The Raveonettes rocks. I was at Borders this morning and I was curious to hear this cd. So I listened to a few tracks on one of the listening stations at Borders. Man! I was hooked right from the word go! Normally I am not into this so-called movement of the "The" bands (i.e The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, etc...etc...) but this is different. Unlike the aforementioned bands, The Raveonettes manage to incorporate some infectious hooks into their music. I am not big on the whole distorted, fuzzed guitar sound but I thought it really works with The Raveonettes. The second I heard "Remember" my jaw literally dropped. When I listened to a sample of "The Great Love Sound", I was hooked. "Noisy Summer" made me want to buy the cd. Normally my musical tastes leans more towards the darker side lyrically and musically but I thought "Chain Gang of Love" was a half hour bliss of pure joy. It has a very retro sound, very Link Wray-ish, Buddy Holly-ish sound. After listening to "Chain Gang of Love", I am officially now a fan of The Raveonettes. They definitely are one of the best rock bands I have heard in a long time.

What A Let Down
With most bands if there is a difference between their live sound and their studio sound, the recorded version is better. Not so with the Raveonettes. The production on this album is absolutely awful.

Everything is slighlty distorted and flat--somehow producers Richard Gottehrer and Sune Rose Wagner have managed to record the band in stereo while retaining all of the shortcomings of mono, and have gained none of the warmth of mono in the process. There is a grating metallic screech dropped into some songs and in the breaks between others that sounds more like a circular saw than music; I get a headache everytime I listen to this CD.

(By the way, I hear little similarity between "Chain Gang of Love" and Jesus & Mary Chain--sounds more like Exene Cervanka and X to me.)

The songs are OK, but they all sound pretty similar. Heard one and you've heard 'em all. "The Truth About Johnny," is OK, and "Untamed Girls" is actually really good, but the rest of the tunes are kind of dull.

See the Raveonettes live.

Sweet Americana
A Danish duo infatuated with 1950's film noir Americana, The Raveonettes have borrowed more from that decade than just their looks and mindset. A conglomeration of doo-wop sing along, fuzzed out Jesus and Mary Chain background noise and big boy/girl vocal garage ballads, Sharin Foo and Sune Rose Wagner hijack love and try to make it dirty. Wagner has taken his distorted view of the 50's (from watching all those b-movies) and turned it into a world where black leather and whips rule and loose n' free girls ravage the town.
Recording every song in B major, this album is decisively sunnier and brighter than their debut EP, which was recorded solely in B minor. Wagner can try to make a hopeless song about a down and out hooker, but it comes out sounding like sweet sunshine and inspiration. On "Noisy Summer," handclaps are the featured instrument, and on "Love Can Destroy Everything" it's a solitary blip. They are masters of using space and vocals to create an atmosphere, then letting the huge wall of white noise overwhelm everything else just to keep their hipster street cred. In fact, it seems like Wagner does everything with a wink and a nod, fooling us because we think he's the fool. It's not all about the black leather; they just have too much fun playing pretend to do it any other way.
On "New York was Great," they sing that the night was "painted black with fun/ but all the time the light shone through it all." What a drag, they say, to be caught in the light. Yeah, ok maybe not, but once you accept their world things make a lot more sense and they sound a lot better too. "Two delinquents in love/ their love just won't stop" they breathe in "The Love Gang," reviving long lost memories most of us alive today never had. Their world is alive in the collective consciousness of timelessness that also houses our apple pies and Model-T's, and allows for all those times that never really existed to be more tangible than reality. On "Little Animal," his girl just wants to get it on, but it's not enough, so at night he heads out to meet "the Devil" in the rainy underbelly of the city, looking to get from strangers what he can't bring himself to get from her. It's that kind of contrasting love and loneliness that they try to present through the lyrics, but we know that they can't stop smiling once the music starts.

Ugh...
i bought this cd after hearing Attack of the Ghost Riders and Beat City... song off of their first cd. I instantly fell in love and decided to buy this mindless junk. when i popped this cd into my cd player, I was embarassed to have bought such a bad cd. Honestly. I couldn't stand it. The singing sounds lame and makes me want to gag. They have changed their style its less hard than before. I just couldn't stand it. So its now in the used rack at my record store. Awfully annoying cd. Download all the songs first. Don't listen to these rave reviews they mean nothing. Theres so many better bands out there right now. If you want something innovative and fresh check out Tv on the Radio and !!!. SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!!

Terrific followup
This album is the debut full-length and is actually only ten or so minutes longer than the other EP. It expands on some of the good things on the other album, such as the distortion, energy, and cute innocense at times. This time the album was co-produced by members of the band and Richard Gottehrer who has worked with retro rock acts, most notably, Marshall Crenshaw, and the Go Go's. The result is an album that doesn't sound like it was recorded in a tunnel. It sounds like it was recorded in a studio and that is a good thing because the first wore that well, but a second album of that would've been redundant. This album might put off sound listeners, though. Some of the cute songs are interrupted by the white noise and that might annoy, and/or give some a headache. Beware, you have been warned. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Some albums really can change the world, and in 1989 this was one of them. The psychedlic dance extravaganza that was The Stone Roses ushered in the era of Madchester, baggy trousers, Kangols, and the Hacienda. From the magnificent protracted opening of "I Wanna Be Adored" (where, for once, the arrogance wasn't overdone) to the dying seconds of "Fools Gold," every note was perfect. Jon Squire's guitarwork was a thing of magic, a new hero for a new age, Ian Brown sang with gusto, and the rhythm section had paid attention during the second summer of love (1988 version). Essential. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (199)

They should have been as big as U2!
I bought this album over 13 years ago and it still finds it's way into steady rotation on my cd player. I hate most of the stuff that comes out of the UK, but these guys were unique. They wrote the most beautiful melodies, heaped on soaring choruses and the interplay between musicians was outstanding. They played the most uplifting happy music but never sounded sappy. It wasn't embarrassing to say you dug these guys. Everyone I know who has heard this album has LOVED it. Somehow, they managed to squeeze 30 years of pop music into one majestic piece of work. From the distant clicking train tracks that introduce "I Wanna Be Adored" to the final tambourine shake at the end of "Fool's Gold", the Stone Roses' debut inspires awe and adoration. I'm running out of superlatives here. It's as if they took every good element of indie-pop, folk-rock, funk, house and psychedelia and somehow made it click. "She Bangs The Drums" is pure grandeur. Not one hook or melody is wasted. "Waterfall" takes it's cue from a propelling shuffle beat and a pulsing bass line that raise the shimmering guitars to heights way beyond your standard UK jangle guitar bands. R.E.M. only wish their guitars could chime like this. "This Is The One" is a the most uplifting cynical song ever and "Shoot You Down"'s soft brush drumming and gentle arpeggios create a magnificent ambience. "I Am The Ressurection" sees the band start off in a Merseybeat pop style only to morph into a monstrous psychedelic jam that includes 12-string and countrified slide guitar, maracas, tambourines, bongos, funk-derived basslines and frenetic drum soloing. It's as if all the 60's had been compressed into one eight-minute power pop jam. In truth, there is not one bum track on the whole album. John Squire's guitar playing is the unholy ... child of Hendrix, Page, Johnny Marr, Paul Simon and Roger McGuinn. Reni is the best drummer to come out of Britain in a generation. Not since John Bonham and Keith Moon had their been a limey drummer with such a distinctive style. Mani's bass playing is functional, but, because he's surrounded by virtuosos, somebody has to keep it simple. Ian Brown was tone-deaf live, so his vocals must have been run through heavy harmonizers and sequencers because he sounds good here. At their peak the Roses could do no wrong. Their b-sides could have easily been saved up and used as a second album, and it would have still been better than most bands' best outputs. Oasis copped their attitude, the Verve borrowed their jam-heavy stylings, Blur took the art-school feyness and Radiohead even nicked their producer. The Roses have to be the most influential and inspirational cult band in the world. Unfortunately, they frittered away all their potential by delaying their second album, losing Reni's powerful drumming, by abandoning the sound that made people love them and by playing awful live shows. Their aloofness turned into laziness and killed the band. At least they can be proud of this one gem they bestowed upon the music world. I was lucky to come across something this sublime at the moment it was unleashed upon the world. God Bless.

This Is The One
This is an album that is for no year and no age but for all time; simply put, The Stone Roses' classic debut is a record so perfect, so brilliant, so beautifully inspired that it rises above nearly every other album in the history of rock.

It is impossible to fully describe with words the staggering level of aesthetic beauty and perfect songcraft present here. This music by itself is melodically and harmonically extraordinary; when put in the hands of Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani, and Reni, it becomes something more, a phenomenal blur of psychedelic transcendental magic.

The opener "I Wanna Be Adored" seems to drift out of heaven with its distant rumblings. As the funky bass line emerges from the noise and the layers of shimmering guitar harmonies cascade over the ominous rhythms, the stage is set for a truly astonishing musical journey. After this opening swirl of drama, "She Bangs The Drums" makes a perfect entry, its endlessly catchy, carefree melody taking the listener to a different world. And these two songs are but the beginning...

There is never a dull or unenlightening moment on any of these 13 masterpieces; even "Don't Stop," which is "Waterfall" played backwards, is profound and peerless, and "Elizabeth My Dear," a one-minute interlude set to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair," is a political protest for the ages. The album's true shining moment is its conclusion--no album in the history of rock has ended so well. The 13-minute firestorm that is "This Is The One/I Am The Resurrection" is a masterstroke not soon to be replicated by anyone. The triumphant guitars of the former song--which recall the harmonious work of The Byrds--and the sweeping, awe-inspiring instrumental solos on the latter are as close to pop Valhalla as any band could ever hope to be.

Although this album never went platinum and was basically ignored outside of Britain, it went eventaully go down as one of the top ten albums of all time. Some critics continue to downplay its quality and impact, saying that it is simplistic and overly naive. Yet "The Stone Roses" is a much finer piece of work than Nirvana's much-overrated "Nevermind," Oasis' shallow "Definitely Maybe," and U2's derivative "Achtung, Baby." It is better than anything by The Clash, The Rolling Stones, and The Sex Pistols, and thus is one of the absolute finest pieces of music ever, with a place next to "Double Nickels on the Dime" and "Revolver."

************************************************************
don't believe the nerds who complain about recording quality or tone-deafness. the stone roses provide pure pop bliss.
top 100 lists, classic?, not classic?, groundbreaking or not, who really cares?

A great moment in popular music
This masterpiece is testament to the fact that melody produces the best music. Buy it before you die. It will make you happy.

Oh no.
People are starting to bash this CD. Please, they are all wet! This CD is PERFECT. EVERY second of this CD is absolutely amazing. Melodic, timeless(!!!), uplifting, thirst-quenching, day-breaking, love-making, soul saving. The guitar playing is flawless (see: JAMMING last 5 minutes of I Am The Resurrection). The airy vocals of Ian Brown (heard throughout). The driving bass (Fool's Gold/I Am The Resurrection) and ecstatic drums (She Bangs the Drums, This Is The One, Fool's Gold). There is not one dud in the whole group. I have listened to this CD HUNDREDS of times and it still makes me feel like life is perfect (although it is far from it).

If you like pop music. If you aren't a crabby, contrarian. (fragmented sentences for dramatic effect. ;) ) If you LOVE great tunes, BUY THIS CD and enrich your life. You'll thank me for gushing like this when you experience this work of genius. I am not being generous, I am being honest. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Canada's Godspeed You Black Emperor raise the ante on their already ambitious orchestral rock by releasing a double CD of material as their second full-length album. The group combines the drums and guitar of typical rock-band instrumentation with horns and strings to create a music built around drones and slowly evolving melodic figures. It rises and falls from delicate introductory passages to unabashed grand climaxes. Their juxtaposition of drums with violins and lush romantic tonality brings to mind Rachel's, but their compositional scale and the pounding repetitive intensity of their dynamic peaks evoke Glenn Branca's The Ascension. Although the two discs are indexed at only two 21-minute tracks each, the package includes a handy road map to the movements into which each is subdivided. The opening piece starts with five minutes of a 15-beat circular melodic pattern that is gradually embellished as the volume swells to an ecstatic roar. The release drops down to a pastoral drone that rebuilds to support an acid-etched guitar solo, which in turn yields to a unified 4/4 kraut rock pound that eventually explodes, leaving behind field recordings of public announcements mingled with wandering late-night Swell Maps piano. The other pieces use a similar set of sonic building blocks to take the listener on comparable journeys. Fans of Godspeed's previous work will be very happy, and the curious might want to hop on board as well. --Bob Bannister ... Read more

Reviews (135)

Awe.
Godspeed You Black Emperor!'s second full length attempt continues their tradition of completely extraordinary, breathtaking music. The songs buildup, climax, and end wonderfully. Especially "Sleep", my personal favorite song on the album. The music can be described as an orchestral effort that combines 3 guitars, 2 bassists, 2 drummers, violin, and cello, with eletronic ambience. It is not like 'classical' in overall sound, but perhaps partly in song structure. It is more of a combination of orchestra and rock. Hence, its usually classification in the "post-rock" genre.

You must have patience. There is a lot of ambience within this album. However, it is definitely worth it to listen to songs in their full length, even though they are quite long songs (usually around 20 minutes each.) The songs also contain much buildup: like an approaching thunderstorm, the clouds come in setting the scene for the beautiful cataclsym at hand. The forceful wind arrives and wrecks the setting that was once full of grace. Lightning bolts with thundering crashes fill the scene with fear but awe at the same time...

If you are into creative, beautiful (but also pensive), complex, outstanding bands, look into this album and the rest of GYBE!. If you love dull, repetitive bands and lack patience, then stay away. Simple as that.

An Orchestral Masterpiece
Since its release in 2000, Godspeed You Black Emperor! has influenced many bands on the art rock scene. When the band formed years ago in Canada, as a nine piece band without any lyrics... well, lets just say Im surprised they made it this far.

The album has the illusion that you are listening to a full orchestra, instead of guitars, basses, pianos, etc. The band has amazing talent, and if you aren't afraid of some odd music for just easy listening, then I think this is a wonderful album.

As 20 minutes go by, you still have the sense that you just listened to about 5 songs, not just one, which is what makes this band so unique. They have the ability to take up so much time, and still have the songs not seem monotonous, which is something which hasnt been achieved since the days of full symphonies that WERE pop music.

This is one of my favorite albums to sit and listen to, especially when I'm reading. You dont get distracted by any lyrics that you have the urge to sing along to, and somehow it is softly comforting.

Comprised of two disks, the first disk to me is beautiful and seems more sculptural. The second disk is more violent, more tomultuous, sadder.

This is a WONDERFUL album, and I strongly recommend it to those fans of art rock or modern classical (oxymoron?) If you prefer something with vocals (okay, so maybe this does have some guy talking about Coney Island and then some little kids singing in French, but im not sure those are "vocals") then I suggest a band like Sigur Ros, who has the same eerie type of landscapes. Rockier, go with Mogwai.

Beautifull
First of all this music is not for everyone, some find it boring and repetitive(i hope that I spelled taht correct). However if you enjoy long instrumental music, this is THE album for you.
I discovered this band through a live performance I heard on the radio, I was so hypnotised by the music, that I went out and bought every album they had out. I have to say that this is my favorite together with the slow riot EP. These two records are simply the best in this sort of music.
If you like bands like Mogwai or Explosions in the sky, you should really buy this album. You can also try any A Silver Mount Zion album, they're beautiful as well.

soundtrack to the fall
Right around 1998, American culture transformed. It became, suddenly, the horrible beast it is today. This is the soundtrack for that era, which I term "The Fall." This is the soundtrack for the few intelligent kids set adrift in a society full of morons and paranoid psychos.

This is music for people that have more going on in their heads than "I need to look cool, I need to ride the latest trend, I need to conform, I don't want to think too much about anything."

Mesmerizing
Godspeed You Black Emperor's are without a doubt in a league of their own. There have been just a few albums that have had such a tramendous effect on me and this is one of them. Its very hard to rightly categorize their work because it is incredibly fresh and original. Their music blends in contemporary classical influences (reminiscent of Arvo Part, Gorecki , Morton Feldman ) with a post rock style. The group consists of 9 members with 2 members playing cello and violin. One word that I can think of to categorize GYBE is APOCALYPTIC. This will be the album played when the the world and human kind will come to a dreadful end. What is remarkable about their sound is that the guitars are not used in the traditional sounding manner. The guitars are used in a droning way, evoking spacious and dreamful sounds that fit so well with the string section. Its very easy to forget that what you are hearing are guitars because of them sounding so full and orchestrated. Another wonderful aspect of their work is the slow ambient soundscapes athe begining of each song that work up to a crescendo that later explodes into a large epical and orchestral blast of music. The field recordings heard on some of the intros fit brilliantly with the bleak mood of the music with one of them being children laughing and playing which creates a contradiction to the whole melancholic feeling of what is heard. Behind their tragic sound their lies a sense of hope in each song. Any of Godspeed's recordings should be without hesitation in a music lover's library. I strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to experience dreamy and fresh sounding music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Canadian folksingers Tegan and Sara's debut album debut album on fellow Canuck Neil Young's Vapor Records is a formidable first effort betraying a startling maturity for two 19-year-olds. There is enough depth in the lyrics of "Come On" or "Frozen" to bear repeated listenings, while the mainly acoustic-based instrumentation provides a spare yet rhythmically interesting backdrop for the sisters' musings on life and love. There is also a defiance in some of the lyrics (witness "Proud": "Freedom and blood/ I make my mark and fight for tomorrow"). While there is still evidence of room to grow as each sister betrays a distinct influence (Tracy Chapman for one and Ani DiFranco the other), this decidedly fresh debut is a step toward a very bright future indeed. Apparently they are utterly captivating live as well so expect this duo to stick around for quite some time. --Ike Bolton ... Read more

Reviews (45)

reviews rendered useless by listing to above samples
This CD is really something special. Ever since first seeing Tegan & Sara at a festival we have here for the socially conscious folks (...)three or four years ago, I've been quite a fan. When they were hyped with radio and video play here in Canada I was torn. While I wanted as many people to know about them as possible and experience the magic of the live show, I didn't want the media machine to take over and focus on something other than the fantastic songwriting. The last show I saw them perform (...) featured masses of people talking loudly throughout it- perhaps their decision to attend was driven by hyped curiosity rather than being really stoked. Frustrating. There isn't a weak track on this album. Fantastic production from another great Canadian songwriter, Hawksley Workman.
A lot of people seem to want to make the connection, but I would say the only real similarities to an Ani album would be to Puddle Dive, and these songs are better.. gasp! Will I be struck down? Buy this. It's not only inspiring and thought provoking, but also way too fun.

Amazing talent
Well, first I need to correct one of the review: the twin sisters were born in 1980, so they are 20 years old, not 16. Second, well, let me tell you that the talent they have is incredible. I saw them live in a small bar, with only two acoustic guitars, and fell in love right away with their music. You can hear the samples up there, or you can go to their website http://www.teganandsara.com to download the full mp3 of their song "The First". I bought the CD right at this concert and listen to it almost everyday. I am telling you, this is not going to be their last album - with no accident, I predict a very nice future to their music. Tubes from Tegan and Sara will be everywhere soon!

Deserves way more than just 5 stars
This quite possibly could be the best cd I own. I don't even really know how to describe it, their music can't be compaired to anyone elses. I've had this cd for years now and I'm still not tired of it, which is amazing 'cause I get bored really easily. This cd is perfect. Don't miss out on it! It's amazing beyond words. T&S rock!

Better than clean underwear. Well, maybe not that good...
I say move over all you wishy-washy, lyrically transient, vocally programmed army of female "singer/songwriters." Tegan and Sara are more than just a wrinkle in the fabric of music (or lint in a belly-button), they are more like those huge creases that are left in the shirts ironed by coping husbands when their wives are sick. The only thing better than Tegan and Sara's "This Business of Art" is licking brownie batter off your fingers. But licking brownie batter off your fingers would only rock to its fullest potential if you were listening to Tegan and Sara while doing your best Homer Simpson hoovering impression.

Another under rated canadian act
I'm an american living in canada and was once under the mistaken idea that all the good acts come from the states!
I was introduced to this album by a girlfriend - I can't say I was a willing participant in that I thought this would be another "chick" album. But in fact these two sisters put out awsome music and lyrics. The album is solid from beginning to end. I highly recommend this album - and their second album (if it was you) builds off the first. Discover these two before everyone else does! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Eponymous albums are usually either debuts or the work of musicians trying to introduce themselves to a new audience. Count Liz Phair among the latter. It’s Phair's fourth studio album, but her first since 1998, and it's a long way from the arty, low-fi sound that marked her true full-length debut, 1993'sExile in Guyville. Phair has developed into a considerably more confident singer, while her songs and the production they receive here are as slick and radio-friendly as anything by, say, Avril Lavigne. That’s no surprise, since Lavigne's production team, the Matrix, produced many of the tracks here. (The rest are helmed by LA rock stalwarts Michael Penn and Pete Yorn producer R. Walt Vincent.)Sex is still Phair's primary subject, whether it’s comparing a lover to a comfortable pair of old underwear ("Favorite"), asking a much younger man to "Rock Me" all night long, or praising the beauty benefits of oral sex ("H.W.C."). The only time Phair lets the cheery facade crack a bit is on "Little Digger," on which Phair tries to explain to her young son why the man she's currently dating is not the boy's father. Who could've guessed that even the freest, best-protected sex could have such far-reaching, unintended consequences? --Keith Moerer ... Read more

Reviews (391)

Who put these Avril Lavigne songs on my Liz Phair album?
I went out and bought this CD after I read the NY Times piece which was about the most vicious record review I have read since Lester Bangs stepped on a rainbow. I thought it was really overdone ("me thinks thou protests too much").

Basically it comes down to charges of slickness and selling out. I think it's all a bit overdone but there is some merit to the charges. Selling out, specifically the Matrix songs, are another matter which I'll come to in a minute. When I saw Phair on the whitechocolatespaceegg tour about five years ago now she was already sporting a more glamorous look. She's evolved to the current sexy cover shot from Guyville's more subtle nipple shot. Welcome to the age of Maxim. Female music artists have two choices these days: let the music speak for itself and find yourself probably selling a few hundred thousand copies at best on your way to not keeping your recording contract or go the pop star route and slap a Maxim like shot on your CD cover, shoot a suggestive video and release a couple of slick singles to get you into the multi million category so you can live to release another CD. And I think this is part of what's pissing everyone off is that they didn't think that Phair would make this choice. But she's been gone five years and wants to come back with a bang; you can see how it could happen. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing for the hard core "I knew here when couldn't play or sing" fans who want her to keep recording her albums in her bedroom with a four track. Time to move on folks. Face the facts. Whitechocolatespaceegg was a solid album and it sank like a stone. One more like that and it's Abyssinia Liz.

Ok so what about the CD? The biggest problem I have with the album and the Matrix songs in particular is the trivial, pop-like subject matter. Typical Liz Phair cleverness grafted over this music would have been pretty compelling and might have pulled off the trick of getting a hit and maintaining credibility with her hard core fans. Extraordinary and Why Can't I are great songs but are definitely dummed down LP (she slips a dirty line to the latter ? can you find it without the lyric sheet?). My Favorite Underwear is just too obvious. Rock Me is a great pop song but again is the lyric is just so hammer headed and sophmoric. WHC is also a clumsy parody of what people expect to get on a Liz Phair album and lacks all the subtly and cleverness of songs like Flower and Chopsticks. So what works? Red Light Fever is an example of how this balancing act could have been pulled off. Great hook, clever lyrics and a soaring production combine to make probably the best song on the
album. Little Digger is probably the most heartbreaking song I've heard in awhile. After that it's pretty typical Liz fare which is fine but what made Liz fun in the past was her offbeat way of writing about familiar situations; shifting her point of view and narrative. Songs off of spaceegg like Johnny Feelgood and Polyester Bride. There's not much like that here. You kind of get the filler of those albums and over the top pop (or pop top) numbers from the Matrix. The center doesn't hold. The next album, if there is one, should be interesting.

One last thought: She should release a compilation of all her songs containing dirty words and sexual subject matter. Almost Blue?

Hardly worth complaing about
To all the people who are distraught over this album: seriously, what is wrong with you? Not only is it ridiculous to reject an artist simply because their style has evolved, it eludes me how anyone could think that "Liz Phair" is an all-out terrible album. This record - which a lot of people seem to be calling "pop" - does an excellent job of incorporating many different styles of music. You've got pop songs, rock songs, and even a couple ballads. The diversity of "Liz Phair" is impressive in itself, but what makes this album really successful is Liz Phair's slightly-perfected vocals and characteristically witty and poignant lyrics. On songs like "Take A Look," "Little Digger," and "It's Sweet," Liz Phair's talent - both vocal and literary - really shines. Even the song "HWC," which seems to be the most critically maligned track on the album, retains the wit, humor, and even grace that fans have grown to expect from Liz Phair, who has a knack for making any situation - even the most intimate and, well, messy - seem amusing, important, and utterly natural.

Some fans and critics bemoan the fact that, since the release of "Exile in Guyville," Liz Phair has moved further and further away from her indie-priestess roots. I strongly believe, however, that these are the same fans and critics who would criticize Liz Phair if she only put out albums that mimiced the alt-rock sound established on "Guyville." The easiest thing Liz Phair could have done was stick rigidly to that sound and receive great press for the rest of her career. I admire the fact that she was willing to take a risk with "Liz Phair." And regardless of how the naysayers feel, I think that risk was well worth it.

not the same exact liz but still GOOD
I know it's not the same as her first album....yes..yes but after 10 yrs isn't she allowed to change, people??? Who would want to listen to the same thing over and over again?

I loved the album. Besides the "made for radio" "Why Can't I" the rest is fun, packed with funny lyrics, and perfect for singing out loud. "Little Digger" and "Favorite" are great. If you like liz's voice, lyrics, and prefer something different and not so angry (anymore) like other female alternative singers still trying to hold on to their "edge", then you'll like this.

Give it a chance. I was wrong.
I originally did not like this album, and after one listen, I got pissed off at Liz and shelved it. I recently got it out for a listen after giving some other cd's a second chance (one of them being Courtney Love's solo album). And you know what? I was wrong about this one. Overall, it is a good album. I personally could do without the Matrix-produced tracks (which sound like Avril Lavigne b-sides), and that's what CD players are for. You can program those songs out. I don't know what was going through her mind when she decided to work with them, but that's a choice she made, and I am sure she had her reasons. I am also sure she knows that her choice alienated a lot of fans, but I don't if it is really worth it to her to lose a bunch of fans in return for getting a song or two on summer teen movie soundtracks and getting billed on girlie festival tours. Maybe it was money, and I understand if that's the case. I thought she had lost me as a fan, but I was wrong. On my second, third, fourth listen I realized that the rest of the songs on this album are classic Liz Phair. Yes, updated a bit. More glossy, but still Liz. I hope she continues to make albums, but I also hope that she stays away from people who want to make her sound like Avril Lavigne's big sister.

An Exorcism Has Taken Place!!!
Liz, The Lovable Liz Of F and Run and Supernova. Joltin Joe has gone away, hey hey hey, hey hey hey. This record sounds like a Sheryl Crow CD all polished up with turtle wax!!! "Why Can't I" who cares if you like the younger guys Liz lovem all and get over it and make that tough, rough music you used to make!!! EXTRAORDINARY...NOT!!! The best thing about the CD is the CD cover and it's not even original, Carly Simon did it first. Come Back Liz, Come Back! ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

Doug Martsch is enough of a guitar god to fill Keep It Like a Secret, one of indie rock's strongest 1999 major-label releases, with blazing solos. He's also ambivalent about the whole thing, which allows him to highlight the album with "You Were Right," a despairing litany of classic-rock lyrical hooks. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (102)

music from the center of the universe
Anyone who doubts that Built To Spill's Doug Martsch is the best new songwriter/guitarist to come along since Neil Young, has obviously not listened to this album. On "Keep It Like A Secret," the band's second major-label outing, BTS sticks close to the pattern of concise indie-pop songwriting that made "There's Nothing Wrong With Love" such an irresistable gem of a record.

And "Secret" also has it's share of standout moments. The record starts with the heavy "The Plan," complete with jaw-dropping guitar strumming from Doug. Completing the opening trilogy of awe-inspiring songs, "Center Of The Universe" and "Carry The Zero" are beatiful, plaintive, emotional songs that defy easy categorization.

But the album doesn't come close to dropping off after this--even though the first three songs set an impossibly high bar for what comes next. The lyrically clever "You Were Right"--which picks apart old classic rock cliches--is sure to bring a smile to your face. And the grandiose, climactic closing number, "Broken Chairs," complete with roaring guitars and a lovely whistling section, is a fitting end to this album.

But in between are the driving, punky "Sidewalk," the downbeat "Bad Light," and the fragile, multi-layered "Time Trap." Each song is a gem, with multiple facets and hidden nooks that you'll discover over multiple listens. But mentioning individual tracks may even be counter-productive; the main attraction of this album is how well it all fits together and flows to create a cumulative mood. Let's all get together and hope Doug Martsch releases a dozen more albums this good.

Arguably their best to date
I, too, have discovered Built to Spill from hearing this, their most recent album, first. So arguably my attitude to their earlier work (still good, but not as solid or cohesive) may be a bit biased.

But this is inarguably a five-star album, regardless of their past. The sound ranges in its intensities from personal to somewhar manic. It's a must for any of those people who play rocking air guitar. From beginning to end, the disc is frankly fascinating, a noise that makes you remember why you like music.

The themes of the songs, though varied, also allow for much of the good times involved -- check out "You Were Wrong," where a dejected lover blames his radio for his woes, and perhaps the album's best track "Center of the Universe," a new take on the famous id v. ego battle.

If you're at all a fan of guitar rock or (dare I say it) college radio indie, then you probably already own this.

right there in the middle
what i said when i bought it: "keep it like a secret just didn't grab me; some of the songs were really great (and even the worst among them was better than the best on the new album, ancient melodies...), but the whole package felt too sterile, too i-wanna-write-songs-people-can-call-'gems'. i just don't like it all that much."

i still feel that way, more or less. i listen to it occasionally, which is more than i can say for anything that followed later. everything since there's nothing wrong with love, i've liked a little less than the one before it.

what cd's were meant to be
Honestly, this is one of those records that defines music in a larger format than traditionally concieved. While the individual tracks startilingly good they are even more impressive when strung into the nearly agressive, yet ambivilant format of Keep It Like A Secret. At times the band seems too cool to care but their arrangements are far too rich and betray a love of large indie-symphonic sensabilities.

Despite my love of this record on the whole it also includes on of the greatest songs ever written. "Else" is the best track 7 off any CD written in recent memory and represents of one of those songs that can truly define a period in your life. It is a song that seems to write itself into the soundtrack of your own personal movie. Other highlights include the wandering "Time Trap" and the thoughtfully biting "Center of the Universe".

Another great guitar record!
Major label status has improved BTS. Their indy work, to me, was a bit spotty and at times indulgent. Now the guitar majesty of Doug Martsch is focused, and the songwriting improved. A fine addition to anyone's catalog! ... Read more

Album Description

Metal-Core ... Read more

Reviews (20)

I don't like just giving away 5 star reviews, but...
...this 5 star review is totally earned. The Metal/Hardcore/Metalcore category has always been somewhat of saturated genre, but now it's beginning to fuse and take form. The front runners are Bleeding Through, As I Lay Dying and obviously Unearth. I'll admit I downloaded the album... but I'm blown away enough to actually go out and buy it. The first song I heard from it was "This Lying World", it's not even my favorite track but I was still impressed. I decided to download the whole thing because I kept hearing the name Unearth more and more. And now that I have the full thing, it hasnt left my CD player since. The drum and guitar work is excellent... and I have no problem saying it dwarfs most bands around today. The moment you hear any of the songs from The Oncoming Storm you'll easily be able to see that Unearth is a very guitar driven band. Even the vocals arent like your generic metalcore singer's screaming and yelling. It actually grows on you. Absolutely no filler tracks, get this album.

Stand out tracks: Failure, This Lying World, Zombie Autopilot, Bloodlust of the Human Condition and Black Hearts Now Reign

"The Oncoming Storm" Packs a Powerful Thunder
"Whoa." That was my reaction when I first heard Unearth's new CD, "The Oncoming Storm". Words cannot express just how amazing this CD is. Now, I had huge expectations for this album: I was expecting it to be the best CD to come out this year and to be completely perfect. Even with those expectations, I was still blown away when I heard it. Top to bottom, this album simply amazes me and is my pick for Album of the Year so far.

The first thing you will notice when you first pop this in is that Unearth has decided to favor more of the metal sound on this album and focus less on hardcore. However, they still have some of the most punishing breakdowns you will ever hear. There is a great Swedish metal influence on this record, especially on "Zombie Autopilot", which sounds a lot like In Flames.

The guitar work on this album is just absolutely mind-blowing, it gets very complex. This is their first CD with new drummer Mike Justain, and he provides drum fills galore throughout every song. One thing I love about Unearth is that they never take the easy way out. It would be very easy to just throw a record together and use the same formula and make it so that everyone can play their songs along with them. But, they use their talent to the fullest and play what sounds good rather than what is easy to play. Everything here has been given the time to be perfected, this is not some nu-metal record that was written in 20 minutes. Each song on this CD is different and special in its own way. A few ways that separate each song would be a catchy guitar part, a pummeling breakdown, or a guitar solo.

From the opening song, "The Great Dividers", to the closing song, "False Idols", this album is a miracle. It is so amazing, it will bring you to tears when it is over. But then again, you can always go back and listen to it again, which I strongly recommend you do. Everyone into the metal/hardcore scene better get "The Oncoming Storm". If you don't get it, you will regret it.

Standout Tracks: The Great Dividers, Failure, Bloodlust of the Human Condition, Predetermined Sky

Fantastic
This is as good as anyone could ever ask for Metal-core. Not only is it aggresive, but the band utilizes some truly great guitar riffs and melodies similar to those heard from the Gothenburg, Sweden melodic death metal bands like In Flames and At the Gates.

Great for head-banging and simply wonderful for driving music because the drums are so intense and the guitar-work so moving. The lyrics may not be anything exceptional, but awe-inspiring lyrics with remarkable profundity are never required for a good metal or metal-core album; for a good metal-core album one only needs catchy guitar hooks, driving drumming that pulls your head up and down with the beat of the double bass drum kicks, and vocals screaming for you to vent your emotions (anger mostly). This Massachusetts band possesses all of these requisites and still manages to make a unique sound about them, a sound heartfelt like a hard-core band, but still with enough of a raw edge to keep their metal standing in good order.

For fans of Bleeding Through, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Zao, Underoath, and the like, give this New England band - one of the best in its genre - the attention it deserves.

Wow simply wow!
I was never a big fan of Unearth untill I heard this. The guitar work is simply amazing, songs like Zombie Autopilot are loaded with 80's metal harmonies that are haunting yet beautiful. As a guitar player I'm excited to see the guitar hero making a comeback and bringing technique back to metal.

sucks
Justain from Red Chord is being wasted here. His talents are made for more original metal than this garbage. There's one or two good songs on this but its ruined by their need to include at least 10 breakdowns per song. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Somewhere it’s raining, and a heartbroken teenager listens to the Wedding Present on headphones while staring out at the raindrops sploshing against the earth outside. Formed in Leeds in the mid ‘80s, this "miserabilist" pop band was huge in the U.K. back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, though they never approached the charts here. In 2005, the Wedding Present is David Gedge plus whoever he wants in the band. In fact, Take Fountain, the first WP album in 8 years, allegedly started out as a new record by his post-WP orchestral pop act, Cinerama. Gedge has always demonstrated very Catholic indie-rock taste. His band covered Pavement’s "Box Elder" -- a song off their first single -- before most knew who they were. And here he re-enlists versatile veteran Steve Fisk as the producer. There are poppy mid-tempo dirges ("Don’t Touch that Dial") and vaguely detuned, mopey but not emo anthems ("Mars Sparkles Down on Me"). The now-Seattle-based Gedge has made another Wedding Present album filled with pretty songs that gracefully shout to the heavens, "Woe is me!"--Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Amazing lyrics
Most of the time I dismiss lyrics and focus my opinions simply on the music and/or vocals.Yeah, that's just the way I am, so deal with it.That said, the lyrics on this album are impossible to ignore."How can I just shake his hand when it's been all over your skin?"Simply amazing.Every song seems to have some line in it that blows me away and when this is all combined with outstanding musical arrangements (I'd say soft and airy) it makes for my favorite album of the year so far.

nice return
mon, de first track a mindblower!i love-loved dees guys longtime, mon.i sat and auditioned dis disc at de record store...now i must go-buy (but me cash poor millionaire, mon--some my friends, you buy dis for me?pretty-plea?
i need dis; you need dis.what you also need:NEW ORDER new record waitin' for de siren call;THE BLACK WATCH, very mary beth; PAJAMA HARVEY, uh huh her; SPOON, gimme dat fiction

Great Stuff, but file under Cinerama
This of course is a 5 star record, best David has done in ages.
I respect Cinerama a lot and think the idea of coming back to the orignal WP group name is pointless when both bands sound so similar towards Saturnilia to current Cinerama.Maybe it is for the financial attention that he totally deserves, selling his own shirts after every show.I once saw them perform.David saw this one kid sing every word to every tune from the stage.The kid asked for two shirts and David said 'it was on him, cheers'.I'll never forget how in touch he was to his following.In any case,if you like later WP, this is such an easy one to throw on.Very Recommended!I also recommend British Sea Power's Open Season.They have a lot of WP's energy on the slow ones, as well as Julian Cope and early Echo.Cheers.

The Best TWP in Years
I was a little anxious to find out how this album would turn out and have been anticipated it's release for some time now. I have not been disapointed in fact very impressed with Take Fountain.

This albbum is better that anything Cinerama released (although I though Torino was a great record) and some of the last releases that TWP where a little dissapointing for me. This record makes up for this and is well worth to buy.

The album is a strong set of songs and a solid releases from start to finish. InterState 5 is a powerful pounding song (a great driving song)that shows TWP at their best. The extended mix breaks into a south western/blueman group type instrmental that is brilliant. There is likely a short movie to made just for this song alone. It really gets your imagination pumping.

Further north than you is a great pop song well wriiten and catchy all the way through. Mars Sparkes down is a downbeat song remins me a bit of the seamonsters record. Don't touch that dial is also a great downbeat song with strong emotional drives.

Track 7 It's for you sounds like it came straight off the Bizarro record and is a lively bit of fun.

Even if you have been dissapointed with TWP or Cinerama in the past this is the time to make ammends. TWP have delivered a solid album that will be memorable. I recomend to buy this record.

Also the good news is the US tour and they have been plying alot of oldies including My Favorite Dress, Once More, Kennedy, Brassnect on the European circuit so I expect that we will receive the same here. The US tour dates are.

Apr 14 2005 8:00P
Troubadour Los Angeles, CA
Apr 15 2005 8:00P
Slim's San Fransisco, CA
Apr 17 2005 8:00P
Neumo's Seattle, WA
Apr 18 2005 8:00P
The Red Room Vancouver,
Apr 21 2005 8:00P
400 Bar Minneapolis, MN
Apr 22 2005 8:00P
Luther's Madison, WI
Apr 23 2005 9:00P
Double Door Chicago, IL
Apr 24 2005 9:00P
Double Door Chicago, IL
Apr 25 2005 9:00P
Kraftbrau Kalamazoo, MI
Apr 26 2005 9:00P
Lee's Palace Toronto, ON,
Apr 27 2005 8:00P
Cabaret Music Hall Montreal, QC,
Apr 28 2005 8:00P
Middle East Underground Cambridge, MA
Apr 29 2005 8:00P
Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Apr 30 2005 9:00P
Maxwell's Hoboken, NJ
May 1 2005 8:00P
Black Cat Washington, DC
May 2 2005 7:00P
Andy Warhol Museum Pittsburgh, PA
May 3 2005 9:00P
Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
May 4 2005 8:00P
Little Brothers Columbus, OH
May 5 2005 8:00P
Southgate House Newport, KY
May 6 2005 9:00P
The Patio Indianapolis, IN
May 8 2005 8:00P
Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
May 10 2005 8:00P
Bluebird Theater Denver, CO
May 12 2005 9:00P
Plush Tucson, AZ
May 13 2005 9:00P
Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach (San Diego), CA
May 14 2005 8:00P
The Roxy West Hollywood, CA

dynamite
Wedding Present back on form. I have had 'Interstate 5' on repeat for the past week - for anybody that has ever been used 'and is it sexist to say, that Ithought just boys were meant to behave in this way'. Lightning. And, as for 'I'm from further north than you', the man is a genius. Buy and enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chan "Cat Power" Marshall's performances have become legendary marathons marked by Marshall's shyness and her ability to create moments of fragmented beauty. Five years on from her last collection of original songs, 1998's Moon Pix, Marshall has reined in the silvery brilliance of her shows. The 14 pieces on You Are Free maintain a spontaneity, but, compared with their digressive live incarnations, they've been given focus--a development that owes something to a notable supporting cast that includes Dave Grohl on drums and Eddie Vedder on vocals. Marshall's impressionistic vision is expressed with a new clarity while retaining its affecting understatement and sense of dislocation. Her past kinship with Bonnie Prince Billy and Smog gives way to PJ Harvey and Nina Simone comparisons. You Are Free confirms that Marshall is one of the most original and compelling singer-songwriters around. --John Mulvey ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Excellent, Sad Album a look into Chan Marshalls Soul
This album holds sentimental value for me as Cat Power seems to have been always playing in the backround during the more trying times of my life in the last few years. While Moon Pix was good I prefer this album on the strength of its melodies. The songs are uniformly depressing and soul-sapping but excellent throughout. If the lyrics to "Names" don't make your skin crawl then you aren't human. I saw Chan Marshall perform here in Miami about 2 years ago and she was as fragile and bizarre in person as she comes across on her albums. The venue was very small and intimate and it was a perfect opportunity to soak in the music as it was intended to be heard. Highly recommended.

2.5 stars for a good album
OK, I'm not gonna pretend that I know anything about Cat Power beyond what you find in the reviews for this record. As nearly everyone has said, Chan Marshall provides subdued vocals to minimal accompaniment. Don't pay attention to the big names mentioned - it's so not a big deal. I understand that not all music is complex and that many people appreciate sparse arrangments; however, I think too much of this album is too musically repetitive for me to enjoy it often. You may say that is the allure of Cat Power, but I know people in my city who don't have a cult following that can create simple songs more compelling than these. That is why I am blown away at the amount of people who will readily give this album 5 stars. To me, that is just as uselessly fanatic as the gazillion people who rate Britney Spears' debut album as perfect at her respective page. Man, we need to be so much more critical of our music. I can say this is interesting music at times and the lyrics are definitely unconventional and thoughtful. The first track's words I find particularly intriguing and the overdubbed "I don't blame you's" are effective. BUT - I can't say this is a masterpiece or brilliant. I just don't feel that. I am tired of both mainstream *and* indie singers/songwriters/bands being shamelessly overhyped and overpraised when they make mediocre music. Sorry for the tangent, but sheesh! One thing, the recycled paper CD case is cool, but I feel that my disk will become scratched easily. I also have to turn the case inside-out to remove the CD, so it's not exactly simple, but that is minor. Anyway, if I got this CD free I would not have a thing to say in the least, but I listened to Courtney Hole...

Honest
When I hear Chan Marshall's voice, I want to both shield her and rock out. She carries this incredible frailty in her voice, in the tentative strokes of her fingers on strings or keys, that I feel compelled to stand in front of the onslaught. It's a protective urge, but I'm also singing along. This is, to me, the sort of music that begets a squeaky singalong as I trudge home from a long day. It reminds me of the emotions I can often cast aside; it reminds me of our interconnectivity.

Maybe it's my own depressive tendencies revealed, but I find more in her less catchy tunes. Songs like "Names" and "Good Woman" are breathtaking-simply because they are stark, simply because her voice cracks with the pain (and I don't believe it's an affectation). It's just really honest stuff.

A Truly Amazing Album
This album is truly amazing. I can listen to it over and over again without ever getting bored. Up until last week, I had never even heard of Cat Power. When I came across the song He War online, I knew I just had to have this album. I think every song on the album is wonderful. If I had to choose two favorites they would be He War and I Don't Blame. In my opinion, this album is a must have for music lovers everywhere.

I am in love with Chan Marshall.
Not in a conventional sort of sense, of course; I'm not some slavering fan or stalker weirdo, and I've never met the woman in my life, but there's just something about her and her music I find impossibly and powerfully attractive. It wasn't always this way, though. I had of course heard Chan's name mentioned before among my slightly pretentious music snob friends, and had read some of the buzz surrounding her in the indie music press, but I never paid much attention. As it happened, a friend of mine, knowing my tastes tend to run toward melodic, lo-fi music, bought me "You Are Free" as a birthday gift. And I have to admit, the first couple of listens, I didn't get it. All the elements of the music I tend to like seemed to be there in the simple, almost stripped down arrangements on the album, but for some reason they didn't seem to be coming together for me.
The epiphany came one night as I was driving home through moisture slicked streets after work. "I want to be/a good woman/and I want for you/to be a good man/this is why/I'll be leaving/and this is why/I can't see you no more", Chan sang with chiming guitar and sawing fiddle in the background, as the rain spattered my windshield, and I suddenly realized I was listening to the most gorgeously wistful song I'd ever heard. I listened to track after track that night, taking an hour to do a ten minute drive, and couldn't believe I'd missed how brilliant this record was. I guess what I'm trying to get across using this long-winded parable is that there are some albums whose charms are not immediately evident. They take patience and work. This is one such album, and if you devote yourself to it, the rewards will be unimaginable. And maybe you'll fall in love with Chan Marshall too. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's only one word that comes immediately to mind when describing Anberlin's Never Take Friendship Personal release. The word? Amazing. This is one of those truly remarkable releases that is so refreshing, so defining, and so well done, you will feel a need to let every know about it. Much like Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown and D.C. Talk's Jesus Freak, Anberlin's second release captures the musical styles of the day but recasts them in a unique and exciting way. Much credit up front should go to producer Aaron Sprinkle, who never lets the music overshadow Steven Christian's emotive alto vocals. Joseph Milligan's guitar work is nothing short of phenomenal and propels such blistering tracks like "Paperthin Hymn," "Runaways," and "Feel Good Drag." Let's not forget the rock-steady rhythm from drummer Nathan Young and bassist Deon Rexroat that continually lays down a concrete foundation. Also worthy of note is the intelligent songwriting that prevails throughout the release, showing that Christian-based bands don't always check their brains at the studio door. Moody at times, exhilarating at others, this is a giant leap forward for a relative newcomer in Christian music. It's also a release worthy of widespread acclaim and a breath of fresh air in a genre that is sadly growing all too predictable. --Michael Lyttle ... Read more

Reviews (78)

please but tis cd!!!!!
This is the most popular band exaling from tooth and nail. And it shows becuase there music is outstanding

Thank goodness they still rock!
I'll admit it. I was worried. I loved Anberlin's first CD, and I wasn't sure they could do it again. They could, and did. The sound is still pretty much the same, not much musical maturation, but frankly, I don't care. Why mess with a proven formula. The songs are all different enough to please me.

totally underatted
This refreshing release from the so called "christian" label is outstanding. Beautiful melodies in stationary, stationary will just make you fall in love w/ this. Not to mention the little alternative style in dance dance christa paffgen. If it was a shorter song i would play it on a popular station thats plays yellowcard and all that kind of stuff. Definetly worth buying and they should be on the map but maybe they'll break the line with a future realease!

also taking back sunday fans look to see if anberlin and tbs are in concert close to youre area.

Some real shining songs, and some fillers to finish.
"Amsterdam" and the title track are well-written songs that make this album hard to pass by. Everything is well done here, but it, like so many other albums, is nothing groundbreaking... the aforementioned stand-out songs are beautiful, but some of the songs on the album sound like they were written just to fill a quota for song numbers. i would say that 75% of the songs on this album are great, but you will be left with a 25% that seems dull and less interesting.

breathtaking
anberlin is back and better than ever. this is a great sophmore release. amazingly beautiful vocals, and different styles make each song individually great. their singer has one of the best voices ive ever heard. if you like the non-whiny emo like armor for sleep or new hopesfall, get this. you wont let it out of your cd player ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Louis XIV rules, ok?
Believe me when I tell you that Louis XIV is all that. It took just a few bars of "Finding Out True Love is Blind" to catch my ear and I was hooked by the time the lead singer started crooning. In fact, I decided just now that "Finding Out True Love is Blind" is my favorite song of the moment. It's stripped down and raw and there's this refreshingly spontaneous energy that I liken to a live performance of musicians comfortable with each other and confident in their abilities.

It's not overwrought, over thought intellectual mind-meld-with-the-artist kind of stuff, haters. Like it's namesake, Louis XIV is decadent, if not entirely full of cheeky self-absorption and excess. I've had this EP for a full month. I'm kind of embarrassed and a little ashamed that I haven't listened to it until yesterday. And now I'm going into that weirdly obsessive state where I've listened to it over and over for the last 2 days. Perhaps I'm hearing things that aren't really there and giving them more props that I actually should...

For those haters out there who may doubt my word, perhaps you'll be dazzled by this most trivial piece of utterly useless fluff: Louis XIV have toured with The Killers. Frankly, the Killers really don't do much for me and I find Louis XIV immensely more original, though I won't go so far as to say I don't like the Killers because, well, a statement that scandalous could threaten the sanctity of my marriage. Uh, but this review is about Louis XIV... They rule!

Glam Bam Thank You Ma'am
Louis XIV is single-handedly going to bring back the pompous sexy glorious sounds of 70s glam rock.This EP is a shining star among the otherwise dull sky of modern rock.Complete with glitter eye makeup and lyrics that make a girl's (and possibly guy's) thighs tense, this dirty little album is the best thing since Ziggy Stardust.The track Illegal Tender is by far and away the best but that is a hard call to make.Front man Jason Hill has a speciality for cheeky yet sultry lyrics and a great mix of glam and almost AC/DC like riffs.This is an absolute must have!

Amazing
To me this band is reminiscent of Nick Cave and Bauhaus, both of whom I love.It's really terrific to hear something different and mind-blowing for once.I hope they keep it up.

This is the start of something great
I saw these guys play when they toured with The Killers last summer. They had released a few EPs but were not even signed to a label. At the same time they were getting known in the UK. Six months later they are being played on the radio all the time, and are this season's hot new band from nowhere. Louis XIV is named after the sun king who liked a bit of luxury. They are from San Diego and started about two years ago in 2003. They sound a little like The Fall and some early British New Wave groups but they carry it off like their own. Their song "Finding Out True Love Is Blind" is a massive single. It has great interplay between male and female vocals. All the songs on this EP are brilliant. The 1950s pinups shots are fun too. As Albert Einstein has said: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." This is a band to check out.

Me me me me!!!!
rpatton - Ditto brother!!!If you are in CA and don't know these guys, well you're just not alive!A new century version of Stones meets Rocky Horror.Turn up the decadence, but don't stand too close - you'll get burned! ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Never get tired of being depressed
It doesn't take long to find out how infectous this album is. If you don't listen to it for the emotionally painful lyrics you can always fall back on the catchy tunes. I think what makes this album good is the believablity of Oberst's lyrics through his vocals which sound as if he is constantly about to cry. Some may find this annoying but as you listen to it more it becomes very much part of the music. There is a sense of put-on and a slight sense of humor in this album to make it not all doom and gloom. This is the album that introduced me to the genius of Conner Oberst and ever since I've been a fan of him and his many other bands as well. Bright Eyes has to be my favorite of his many bands since it isn't totally in your face like, say, Desparecidos. "Fevers and Mirrors", I would say, is a perfect balance of an album. It is honest, depressing, at times up-lifting, humorous, and pretentous but all great art has those qualities.

Oberst grabs your heart and seduces it
Any new-comers to the nirvana of Conor Oberst's music would be safe to start with either this album or 'Letting off the Happiness'. The album starts with what sounds like a car ride and Conor diving into a self-exposing song with great but quiet guitar. Following that track comes 'A Scale, a Mirror, and Those Indifferent Clocks'.This song will get you up and dancing with a huge in-your-head melody, but ends on a contemplative mood which sits you back down, thinking. Next comes 'The Calender Hangs Itself'. Many people would probably call this their favorite; coming from Bright Eyes it has a unique sound. The lyrics are ingenious and gives the females a picture of a flawless love. 'Something Vague' comes next. This is my second favorite song on the album..Oberst gets personal and his voice touches you way way down. "The Movement of a Hand' is a little lacking musically, but the lyrics are profound. 'Arienette' may confuse you. She's a ficticious character of Conor Oberst's that has her own song, but looking past that it's a decent song. Next comes 'When the Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass'. This song has a backround of noise and is mostly piano. He talks about his brother and his past [a personal song]. 'Haligh Haligh a Lie Haligh' is my favorite off the album. The narrator [oberst himself?] discovers from a phone call his lover has been cheating. After that, raw emotions pour out with lyrics that will blow you away. 'The Center of the Worl' starts out slow, but worth sticking out because the end picks up and will shake you and make you smile. Next comes 'Sunrise, Sunset' which is a true Bright Eyes song...contemplating the purpose of life and the circular motion we seem to live within. A circus-like sounding theme. 'An attempt to Tip the Scales' is a simple, pretty song. Lastly, 'A Song to Pass the Time' is a disorganized but calming song, and takes a small glipse at society.
Overall, I strongly suggest this album to anyone into Indie and the related types. This album lies at the peak of Conor Oberst's attempts to tip the scale. :)

Dasies, lullabies, and suicide
Listening to Bright Eyes makes me want to run in a field of blooming dasies with one of those giant plastic bubble wands that makes bubbles the size of hula hoops.

Okay, not so much.

This album is kinda a downer ("From a cradle to a casket there ain't no way to escape. The sunrise and the sunset. Hold your sadness like a puppet, just putting on the play." I'm sure I will be singing that to my future kids as a good-night lullaby sometime.) But... it kinda scares me how much I like this CD. It makes me think that I just might be slightly unstable.

But enough about me. Conor is an amazing songwriter at any rate, even if he tends to be over the top at times. His lyrics are so intense- it's very personal. Most of his songs are about his seemingly pathetic and meaningless existance. There are a few bad relationships, a few musings over the escape that death offers, and a lot of just general "lets have a pitty party for Conor, he is so troubled and sad."

As for his voice, you are either going to hate it or love it. I think that it enhances the songs. Sure, it's not that pretty to listen to, but when you're singing "I drug your ghost across the country and we plotted out my death. In every city memories would whisper 'here is where you rest'," bubble-gum pop perfection doesn't really seem to fit. His voice is unique, though. I love how he can go from quiet depression to near-screaming (yet still understandable) anguished vocals all in the same song, while sounding like he might break down in tears at anytime.

Musically, there is a lot of variety on the CD. Not every song has the same tempo and the same beat, so I'm not bored by the end of the CD. The songs even change their feel within themselves. 'Sunrise Sunset' is the perfect example.

But, I'm a new fan of Bright Eyes, and I really don't know if I'll still enjoy listening to how sad Conor is in another six months. His "pain" seems to be somewhat exagerated at times, and I don't know how believable he is. I've heard that a lot of what he writes isn't in direct reference to his own life, but other people's experiences. It is hard to know what is true and what is just musical poetry.

So, you just might want to get this CD. It is probably the best out of their full lenght albums. You could very well hate Bright Eyes after you listen to it, or you could wind up in the Behavioral Health Clinc, but if you're lucky you might relate to some of what Conor in saying and appreciate the morbid beauty of it all.

Take it or leave it
This album has obviously created battling reviews. The fact is, Conor has a very particular sound that not everybody's going to like. I am of the opinion that he really can sing, but due to the amount of drugs he seems to take his voice ends up a little sketchy. Okay, very sketchy - particularly on "The Curious Girl...", when he is basically screaming into a microphone.

I don't see what everyone has against his chord progressions. They're simple, and he says so himself.

The way I see it is, the songs are only vehicles for his words. You can't put Bright Eyes on and go do something else - you have to sit there and listen to what he's saying. I don't think he's trying to convey "wisdom" at all - he's just saying what he has to say. Evidently this boy has an incredible amount of sadness, and this is is way of venting. To me, the "Curious girl" sounds like sitting in his living room, just listening.

If you want really good music, don't buy this album. If you want to hear one tortured young individual's view of the world, hear his pounding chords in your head for the next few weeks, and become very, very sad, while feeling like you love life and everything is beautiful...buy this album.

A good use of the English language...kind of.
Ahhh, Fevers and Mirrors. Suburban angst at its finest. Conor Oberst gives the American youth an album meant to appeal to teenagers who aren't basking in the glow of The OC and Total Request Live. It's one of those albums to listen to when you really are...I don't know...not happy? If you're sad, it will make you more sad. And if you're happy, it will make you sad. It's not an uplifting album.
Oberst uses imagery of mirrors and scales to weave a common thread throughout the album's tepid, rather whiny songs. Well, good idea with the symbols, Conor, but the lyrics would do much better in songs with more interesting melodies. His unsteady voice (don't call it hurt or deep, the guy can hardly sing) quivers along unbalanced and lackluster melodies, simply trying to depress every American teenager into being just as sad as he seems (or pretends) to be. Sure, The Calendar Hung Itself has a unique rhythm and beat, but that song is the only one that I really gave a damn about.
Conor Oberst knows his words. That much can be said about him. But it all too much appeals to the generic hormonal teenage sadness that this album exploits. Waaaahh, my mom and dad don't like me, that girl won't ask me out, he'll never love me. If only Oberst put his lyrical skill to use, he could put out an album that actually can be listened to after age 16. And in the meantime, he can get someone to write his melodies for him. Two stars because he might be on the track to something better than this. The other three when he realizes that he takes his "psychosis" too seriousely. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Vic Chesnutt has released a dozen albums in 15 years, and there's not many artists operating at that speed. However, Chesnutt warrants it; the pace simply matches his artistic growth. Ghetto Bells has a powerful resonance that reveals itself slowly. A couple of seven-minute pieces are the heart of the album, both moving forward slowly, but ever so purposefully. One of them,"Rambunctious Cloud," is further sweetened by the presence ofVan Dyke Parks on accordion (who appears throughout, on various keyboards) and a staggering guitar solo from Bill Frisell. It's a mark of Chesnutt's singular songwriting prowess that such a stellar band of disparate players came together, full of sympathetic invention, confidence and grace. -- David Greenberger ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Chesnutt's Sublime Bells
When people like Michael Stipe -"Top 10 finest songwriters today: Vic Chesnutt"- or Tom Waits -"He's fragile like Neil Young, Daniel Johnston and Aaron Neville, songs like strange things you find on the ground"- have this much praise to offer for a fellow musician, I think it is alright for those among us, who long to be moved by great songs, to stop and listen.
Chesnutt new album, Ghetto Bells, is a fine place to start, perhaps a perfect one. At least to me, it conjures up the bare poetic soul of his early classics -"West Of Rome," "Little," the Stipe-produced, or "Is The Actor Happy"- at the same time that it reminds me of the sophisticated musical vision of his amazing 2003's "Silver Lake."
For those who have already fallen under Chesnutt's spell, saying this much will be sufficient or, perhaps, unnecessary. The man has proven to be such uncompromising talent enough times to justify the purchase of his works "sight-unseen." For those who may not know them well, the rest of these words -I hope- may be useful to convince them of purchasing this album.
First and foremost, his lyrics -at once ironic, deeply emotive and deceptively simple-- deserve a place along the great songwriters of popular music. I'm thinking of people like Jimmy Webb, Springsteen or Leonard Cohen, none of whom are references in style, but a sign of Chesnutt's poetic stature.
Listen to songs like "Virginia" -a moving confession of troubled love for his mother- or "Ignorant People" -in which he expresses such sincere gratitude for the life he gets to live- as fine examples of his depth of feeling. Both particularly poignant when you realize that he has been paralyzed as the result of a car accident in 1983, when he was only 18. Both infused with courageous acceptance, and not a single gram of sentimentality.
Musically speaking, although his songs remain faithful to authentic simplicity, these melodies are utterly moving. In addition to the songs mentioned before, I'm thinking of "Forthright," "Rambunctious Cloud" and the incomparable "Vesuvius."
Of course, it does not hurt to have the assistance of Van Dyke Park on piano, accordion and organ -plus the exquisite strings arrangement in "Virginia" - nor the unpredictable beauty of Bill Frisell's guitar, or the masterful drumming of Don Heffington.
Finally, and perhaps the most impressive surprise of Ghetto Bells, is Vic's voice, which it managed to achieve a vulnerability nothing less than courageous, beautiful in its disregard to be perfect and most interested in connecting deeply with the listener.
As Van Dyke Parks said, "Add Vic Chesnutt to your short-list of great Southern Writers. A true Romantic poet! In his works is an unsparing candor, leaving the casual listener amazed, deluged and wrung out again-refreshed with truly informed optimism and shoots of ironic humor, sprouting up in most unexpected places."
This is an extraordinary album, a work that offers hard-earned joy, humble wisdom and and immense relief amidst the caution and self-consciousness so prevalent in recent recordings from respected and more famous artists today.

Masterful fusion of great musicians
This album sounds like a Vic Chesnutt album, with the inimitable vocals and dark-green sounding guitar but it also sounds like a Bill Frisell album as the man's sunsetty guitars perfectly weave through the songs adding dimensions. While Silver Lake had a very good backing band- here the band is not so much backing but adding their own very distinct and musical talents to the mix. Van Dyke Parks accordion (concertina?), string arrangements sound like open spaces or parisian streets. Vic's niece Liz Durrett's layered vocals on "What Do You Mean?" sound like ghosts in a southern forest. The album is well-produced but not over-produced.
Above all- if you like Vic's sparse earlier recordings you should love this as all the musicians add to the songs AND if you like Silver Lake you should love this as the recording is rich sounding. Besides, what other album would have a line about Neopolitan ice cream in a song called "Vesuvius"?

A New Classic....Ghetto Bells
Vic Chesnutt has created a work of art. Like a fine novel, or a film destined to be a classic. With every listen, the characters come to life and the soundtrack is the soundtrack to your life...real or imagined.
"Little Caesar" refers to the obvious leader of the (free?) world..and "Forthright" leads you to a kinder, gentler place...where sincerety is the rule, not the exception.
Excellent imagery abounds with every note, and word of every song, written by a down to earth dreamer. Vic Chesnutt will gain many new fans, with this new release. Deservedly so...
A FIVE STAR recording if ever there was... ... Read more

Album Description

With Our Shadows Will Remain, Arthur has delivered the album that will connect with the masses. It is at once his most intricate and focused work to date, featuring the mesmerizing rock tracks "Can't Exist" and "Even Tho". With other songs ranging from beautiful acoustic melodies (Echo Park) to harder-edged, expansive driving rock (Devil's Broom), to deep and gritty programmed beats (I Am, Wasted), this album is a real, vital diary of the landscape of urban life and the album that most clearly reveals the breadth of Arthur's incredible talents. Our Shadows Will Remain is an instant classic, destined to make Joseph Arthur a household name. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This twenty-minute EP is a five-song companion piece to Sam Beam aka Iron & Wine’s exceptional 2002 debut, The Creek Drank the Cradle. Culled from sessions in Sam’s Florida house between 1999 and 2002, everything that made that left-field album of often beautiful and sometimes strange folk music is here. There’s Beam’s deft banjo and slide guitar playing, his hushed and lovely but somehow very intense vocals, and those wonderful cryptic Southern Gothic lyrics. The words are sung clearly and they’re worth chewing over; infused with religious overtones and muted irony, they’re never corny and invite multiple interpretations. A highlight is the audience favorite "Jesus the Mexican Boy," one of his most beautiful and touching songs to date. PS: Your copy did not get water-damaged; like the intentionally lo-fidelity recording sound, it’s supposed to look like that! --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (9)

beautiful EP
First of all, I do not understand how some of the other reviewers could say that "Jesus, the Mexican boy" is a bad song. I guess it's just a taste thing, but I think it's one of the strongest on this EP. Sure it's not a song that's gonna "raise the roof" but that's not why I listen to Iron and Wine to begin with. The song is a beautiful poetic parable about his friendship with Jesus, the Mexican boy, and how he betrayed Jesus, but was forgiven. And as for the reviewer that called this album "JUNK," well, to be honest, that makes me sad. Sad that this person just doesn't get it.

Now that my temporary rant is over, I'll accually talk about the EP as a whole. When I bought this EP, I was hesitant at first, because it was only five songs, but I bought it anyway. That night I was up late framing some paintings and I just put it on loop and played it for about 5 hours. Now you'd think I'd get tired of the same five songs for five hours, but I didn't. Actually, I bought this before I had ever heard "The Creek Drank the Cradle," and I thought, "if this is what they left off of the first one, I've got to hear it." I was not disappointed at all, and haven't been by "Our Endless Numbered Days" either. I would recommend that anyone who is into layed back, beautiful, poetic, acoustic music buy all of Iron and Wine's albums. You will not be disappointed. However, if you are someone who absolutely adores what you hear on pop radio and on vh1, maybe you're not up to it. And for the record, I only gave it four stars because lately I've been saving my five stars for completely ground breaking, "change my life" sort of albums.

Not as good as Creek
I'm with a couple of the other reviewers about "Jesus the Mexican Boy," which is overlong and wouldn't be all that good even if a couple of verses had gotten lopped off. The first, second, and last songs are gorgeous. though, and the third song is fun ... Hardly "junk" like an apparently deaf customer called it, this EP is definitely worth it if you're a big fan, but the uninitiated would be better off starting with one of the full-length LP's.

Beautiful EP
This EP is absolutely brilliant. Beam maintains the same sound of his full length, with a new message. As his LP was filled with songs about a fallout with hs religious upbringing, The Sea and the Rhythm seems to be regaining those beliefs seen most clearly on 'Jesus the Mexican Boy'. The highlight here is the title track, a descriptive narrative about making love in the lyrical vein of Neutral Milk Hotel. Buy this EP if you had more than a passing interest in 'The Creek.'
2000man

"Someday the Waves Will Stop"
Length - 21:16
The brilliant Floridian Sam Beam, aka Iron and Wine, had displayed his lush, porchlight lullabies magnificently on Iron and Wine's debut, The Creek Drank the Cradle. The Sea and the Rhythm divagates through the same wayworn roads, but with an augmented sense of wistfulness and desolation. Another reviewer propounded that this EP will make listeners who are more concerned with lyrics very happy. The lyrics are, without a doubt, indelibly beautiful; but depreciating the music by sparing it a mention lucidly personifies ignorance. The delicate acoustics are as much a part of the poetry as the words themselves. Without the lilting glow of a banjo and a guitar, seemingly strummed by divine fingers, Jesus the Mexican Boy and Someday the Waves would be nothing more than average ballads. The Night Descending, for example, offers such pensive lines as "Met a man with missing fingers/Shaking hands with shaded strangers/Far too strong to pacify you/Ain't no telling what they're up to", but conflated with the hokey, O Brother Where Art Thou?-ish country jangle, a lackluster track is rendered. Thankfully that is the only number with parts not adding up to a cohesive whole (hence my rating of 4 stars, 4 exceptional pieces). The opening duo of songs that I've yet to mention are both very well done. The mysterious opener Beneath the Balcony foreshadows the dense lyrical tapestry that is woven in somber stitching through the course of the EP. The eponymously titled second number is a sultry love song in the purest sense..."Our hands they seek the end of afternoon/My hands believe and move over you". All in all, The Sea & the Rhythm airily transcends its earthly figures of 21 minutes and 9 dollars in a meek, self-effacing manner. Not monetarily, but soulfully, it shares a brief composition that will pull at your heartstrings and leave you wondering, how can a man come to create such music?

junk
I love Creek drank the Cradle but this is pure junk. Jesus the Mexican boy is simply pathetic. Why, why was this released? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Akron, Ohio's Black Keys offer crunchy, riff-heavy blues-rock that is remarkably rich and textured, particularly when one considers that they are merely a duo. Continuing in the vein of their 2002 debut, The Big Come Up, this sophomore CD leavens their garage blues with enough innovation to keep things interesting, taking full advantage of Dan Auerbach’s full-throated growl. Particularly appealing are "Hard Row," which lurks somewhere between Cream and punk rock, the strong stomp of "Everywhere I Go," and the irresistible guitar riff that graces "If You See Me." The Black Keys might be covering familiar territory, but they do it so well--and with so much invention--that one is inclined to yield it to them and see what they do with it. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Something Different.
After seeing The Black Keys live, I was impressed. They have soul, I'll admit they sound a little like the White Stripes but if you look past that there is more of a blues influence. To call them punk is probably not the right word, it's more like indie if anything. A great band though, if you like the White Stripes you might be in to these guys. See them live with Beck this summer if you get a chance, they are a wonderful opener.

Great but unoriginal
I really could grade this album using 2 sets of criteria:

1. If you're looking a fun, mindless, hard-rocking disc, this is the one for you. These guys, despite being a guitar/drum two piece, sound nothing like the White Stripes. This is old-school traditional blues played by a couple young white kids. Auerbach is a genuinely good guitarist (something Jack White really isn't) and has a voice built for the blues: raw and soulful. Again, unlike the Stripes, Patrick Carney is a VERY good drummer - one can hear hip-hop and funk in his beats. The production here is VERY lo-fi - raw and scratchy.

2. If you're looking for an original, inspired album, look elsewhere. All this has been done before, and frankly, it's been done better.

As another reviewer said, if you're a big fan of 60's era British Blues, this is a good CD to pick up - it continues the trend started by bands like Cream, Fleetwood Mac, and the Faces.

Yeah!
This album is Great. I don't know how these two guys managed to get such a soulful sound while using so few resources, but I'm glad they did. Both of their albums (see also: The Big Come Up)are the kind that I never get tired of. But I should say, that I think Thickfreakness is the stronger of the two because it has a less retro sound. Check this album out, there's never a dull moment.

RAAAWW
Yeah. Im just randomly writing reviews of albums i own. I live like 50 minutes from Akron, the home of these dudes. I love the raw dirty sound here (called Medium Fi or something and produced by the drummer) and also the sound of Dans voice. He has a way with pronunciating that makes it seeem like he's saying things in a weird way when he really isnt. Anyhoo, its the music that gets to you- Blues Punk, not like the White Stripes (who i love) but dirtier grittier and RAW

i like this music
i like this music. i know it's good because i like it alot. and i know what's good to like. i know what i like because it's what's good. i like this music. i like the black keys. they're good. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

irony-free zone
hmmm. this is a tough one. dan auerbach plays some raw-boned blues geetar to match the world-weary (22 whole years) gruffness of his voice. nothing he does wreaks the slightest of affectation or irony, he plays and sings from the heart. patrick carney provides solid, slightly-updated beats, and there you have it - a great two-piece blues band. the white stripes are not a blues band, they're a pop band who count the blues as one of their myriad influences, so no comparison between the two is necessary or even warranted. these guys update the blues a bit through some noisy interludes, hip-hop beats, and covers of beatles and stooges songs, but essentially this is a delta-influenced blues band. this means howlin wolf, fred mcdowell - not stevie ray vaughan or his ilk, thank you - maybe john lee hooker and such. they're really good at what they do. here's the tough part - why don't i like it as much as i think i should? i mean, i like it quite a bit, but i don't feel the enthusiasm expressed by many. i think that listening to this makes me feel like i'm listening to creedence or cream or even paul rodgers (yecchhhh) or something. i hope i get over it, because they're coming to town soon, and i'm trying to get up the urge to go out and see them. my guess is they're probably a much better live band.

Brilliant Debut
Words cannot express how great this disc is or how great The Black Keys are. The Big Come Up is rooted firmly in the hypnotic North Missippi hill country blues brought to attention by RL Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. This disc is proof positive that blues music, REAL blues music, knows no color or geography. It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from, If you get it...YOU GET IT!!!!!!!!!! Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney HAVE IT. The playing, and more importantly, feeling are 100% genuine. Singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach doesn't play many solos and isn't concerned with technical brilliance or how fast he can play or how many scales he knows. He doesn't consider himself 'the midpoint between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix' (as one popular blues wanker once stated). Real blues musicians know style, "THEIR" style, is more important than mindless aping and idol worship. Dan's style echoes many great bluesmen but comes out all HIS. I can think of no greater compliment to pay a blues artist. Drummer Patrick Carney concentrates on rythmic FORCE. At one time, that's how blues players ACTUALLY played. No kidding.
To sum up: Buy this album and thank your lucky stars that bands like The Black Keys are out there doing it the way it should be done

none of you know anything
i wish the guys from the black keys would slap you all, but they don't cuz they don't give crap about anything you say in fact they hate you cuz i know everything and you don't. shut up.

to music fan from seattle
in your review you said we should all start listening to "music."the you started bitching about the black keys being compared to the white stripes and how the white stripes play blues and only u know that because YOU listen to "MUSIC." the two bands should not be compared because they are completely different sounds. you see there are different types of blues and there is a difference between playing the blues and being influenced by the blues but im sure you know that because you listne to "music" unlike the rest of us

Good...been done, but good.
This is an excellent disc. For those White Stripes fans out there, the Black Keys-White Stripes debate is not worth getting worked up over. The Black Keys are a much different band. And seriously, if you want the low-fi, raw blues sound, you should be listening to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. (Yes, music like this was recorded before 1999.) The Keys or the Stripes are good places to start, but check out JSBX and hear where this low-fi, raw sound really became modernized. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For their follow-up to their 2001 debut, Y'All Get Scared Now, the original cast of 15--including Arab Strap's Aidan Moffat and members of Astrid, Belle and Sebastian, Mogwai, and Mull Historical Society--have been joined by a deluge of new recruits headed by Idlewild's Roddy Woomble and Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake, swelling their number to a staggering 27. It seems every Glaswegian with a guitar has signed up to join honorary Scot and Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody's lo-fi folk answer to the Traveling Wilburys. The fact that Son of Evil Reindeer is infinitely more coherent and intimate than its predecessor is astounding, and Lightbody himself deserves most of the credit. Aside from Moffat's brilliantly woozy "Whodunit?" the tender words and music are all Lightbody's, and it's the Snow Patrol singer's quietly aching voice that adds melancholy to acoustic ambles "Budapest" and "Your Sweet Voice," and feeling to the country-rock grind of "You Are My Joy." With the co-op's more avant-garde noise factors reined in, the other 26 contributors are seemingly confined to minor cameos, but when the results are as touching as this, it hardly seems to matter. --Dan Gennoe ... Read more

Reviews (7)

wow - great
I knew belle and sebastian, snow patrol, astrid, idlewild... well all of them - but couldn't conceive how they, as such a large group, could've made something so simple and yet so affecting. I'll be here when you wake and your sweet voice stand out for their melancholic brilliance while strike me down and you are my joy are just great and well... i could mention pretty much every song on the album and still not do it justice. An excellent album if you are looking for something intimate and thoughtful, don't expect hideously upbeat and chirpy music because this rarely borders above mildly cheery, but this is an excellent,yet under-appreciated album

Gary Lightbody's thought process...
"How can I make my average/dull sub-Lou Barlow songs sell more copies? Hmmm... I know- I'll get a load of my famous Glasgow scenester 'friends' to play on them and then milk that 'one big happy family' gimmick for all it's worth. American college students will lap it up!".

The section got bigger, the music got better.
Its hard to believe that after an amazing debut like "y'all..." The Reindeer Section would be able to put out a record that just surpasses its predecesor's greatness with such ease. And not only did they manage to do that in less than a year, but with an additional 12 members! Most bands cant handle 5 people, but that is probably where the greatness of this project comes along.
The music becomes the main element... the creative process gets five times the input... and there are just no worries about the future...
Its like a big indie party of music making... except the music is downtempo and gloomy...
For me it took a while to assimilate this record... i was still hooked up on their first when i got it, and it seemed far more depressing. So i put it down for a while... then acouple of weeks later, when i put it back on, i couldnt get enough of it... that was in october and it has been in my car's cd player since.
Yes, the atmosphere is gloomier, but the composition is much better, and the recording seems much better. Not to mention that when you have 27 people working with you, arrangements are more varied and interesting... such is the case here...
Gary Lightbody's voice is beautiful, and fills the atmosphere with sweetness and a sentimentality that is easy to relate to.
Whereas the music feels sort of like home... comforting, reminding you of things youve done recently...

This album, like others have put it, is addictive... And the way it moves through the atmosphere, makes it amazing to listen to... and, although most songs are downtempo, there are a couple of songs that are bright and pump some energy back in you...

this cd is definetively a must for fans of indie and lovers of truly great music...

Plainly Beautiful, Simply Addictive
The first Reindeer Section album came out just last year, and although I loved it, I was not expecting a follow up - especially one so soon and so good. Let me explain. The Reindeer Section is the brain child of Gary Lightbody of the band Snow Patrol, and the line up for their first album, Y'all Get Scared Now, Ya Hear, consisted of 15 people, all of which also had their own bands. This makes for a great idea and a possible one-off, but to follow it up one year later with a cast that has grown to 27?! Who knew that egos, schedules and creative differences could stay under control enough to allow this group to record an album that surpasses their first in greatness? Well, they did and we are lucky for it. Despite the plethora of different musicians and singers from track to track, Son Of... flows beautifully and contains quiet and beautiful melodies that will stay with you and beg you to listen again and again.

addictive, gorgeous, brilliant
I can't say enough about this album. I was turned on to the Reindeer Section on a trip to Ireland this past June, and have simply not stopped listening to it. The first song, Grand Parade, had me in tears, it was so affecting. As a whole,the songs just fill me with peace and happiness on a level with the classic pop albums of, say, Frank Sinatra. I know, different styles and eras of music, but still the same kind of complete musical satisfaction. Simply the best pure pop album i have heard in years. I would say more, but I need to turn my stereo on and listen to the Reindeer Section. ... Read more