Wire

Track Listings

 
1. Any Port in a Storm
2. Goin' To Vegas
3. It's Easy
4. Hold On
5. It's Always 4:20 Somewhere
6. Crosses on Fire
7. I'll Let Go
8. Pull Me Through
9. Tattooed
10. My Way
11. Fit To Be Tied
12. You're So Damn Pretty
13. Hold Back and Let it Go
14. We Got High
15. You're Never Alone

Editorial Reviews

Uncut Magazine (UK), April, 2005
"four stars...a superb debut."

Product Description:
The Coyote Problem wire together elements of alt-country sadness, swamp rock swagger and singer-songwriter insight into this Americana feast of west coast style. Scoop Stevens of The San Diego City Beat says "this trio's second album covers broad ground stylistically, but does it well. Showcasing front man Peter Bolland's excellent songwriting that spans country to riff-rock to soaring pop, the album is deep in potential singles..."

Wire

Wire,The Coyote Problem,Long Road Records,Postmodern California alt-country rock...the best of the West Coast sound.
The Silver Tree
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Silver Tree
    Lisa Gerrard
    Manufacturer: High Wire Music
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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    5. Volta

    ASIN: B000O78L32
    Release Date: 2007-05-08

    Tracks:

    1. In Exile
    2. Shadow Hunter
    3. Come Tenderness
    4. The Sea Whisperer
    5. Mirror Medusa
    6. Space Weaver
    7. Abwoon
    8. Serenity
    9. Towards The Tower
    10. Wandering Star
    11. Sword Of The Samurai
    12. Devotion
    13. The Valley Of The Moon
    14. Entry

    Amazon.com

    Few artists last long in the rarefied terrain occupied by singer Lisa Gerrard over the last quarter-century. She shares a passion with composers like Arvo Pärt in the unrelenting pursuit of the divine. In fact, Gerrard evokes Pärt a few times on The Silver Tree, her first non-collaborative solo release since The Mirror Pool in 1995. The Silver Tree is an album of ancient echoes, ghostly refrains, and hymns to the heavens. On "Abwoon," she intones the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic, orchestrating her own voice in choral harmonies that unfold beneath her like winds on waves. But "Spaceweaver" sends chills through the soul as Gerrard unlocks this peculiar nasal, back-of-the-throat snarl that she only adopts on such tracks, with a menacing blues groove that recalls "Meltdown" from her score to The Insider. You can hear much of Gerrard's soundtrack work mirrored here: "The Sea Whisperer" picks up at the spirit-affirming end of "Now We Are Free" from Gladiator. And I suspect that the 10-minute opus "Towards the Tower" might be her rejected overture for the film Constantine. With Ligeti-like voices, suspended glissando strings, and ominous percussion shifts, it certainly would work in the cinematic context of a supernatural thriller. The album has been available for half a year in Australia (worldwide via digital download), so as a bonus, the American release tacks on a bonus track, "Entry." Its thudding electronic drum loop and sketchy vocal makes for a disruptive exit. But until you get there, The Silver Tree is an embracing experience. Whether singing Aramaic, English, or that language of her imagination, Lisa Gerrard makes the most heavenly music heard on earth--and maybe beyond. --John Diliberto

    Album Description

    The title of the album is "The Silver Tree", not Silver Tree.
    Endless Wire
    Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
    • Life Goes On
    • Disappointed
    • OK but not great
    • It's good to know the boys still have it!
    • 50/50
    Endless Wire
    The Who
    Manufacturer: Republic
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Wire & Glass
    2. The Road to Escondido
    3. Live at the Fillmore East
    4. Highway Companion
    5. Love (CD + Audio DVD)

    ASIN: B000IONLN6
    Release Date: 2006-10-31

    Tracks:

    1. Fragments
    2. A Man In A Purple Dress
    3. Mike Post Theme
    4. In The Ether
    5. Black Widow's Eyes
    6. Two Thousand Years
    7. God Speaks, of Marty Robbins
    8. It's Not Enough
    9. You Stand By Me
    10. Sound Round
    11. Pick Up the Peace
    12. Unholy Trinity
    13. Trilby's Piano
    14. Endless Wire
    15. Fragments Of Fragments
    16. We Got A Hit
    17. They Make My Dream Come True
    18. Mirror Door
    19. Tea & Theatre
    20. We Got A Hit - Extended Version
    21. Endless Wire - Extended Version

    Tracks:

    1. Intro
    2. Can't Explain
    3. Behind Blue Eyes
    4. Mike Post Theme
    5. Baba O'Riley
    6. Won't Get Fooled Again

    Amazon.com

    Nearly a quarter-century (and bassist John Entwistle) passed between what had been considered the Who's career-capping album, It's Hard, and this 19-song epic, which at its best has the band of two pining for the days of Who's Next. Built from the triumph of the mini-opera Wire & Glass EP (included here in its entirety), Endless Wire mixes metaphors of music, war, and religion, while showcasing Roger Daltrey's ageless vocal cords and Pete Townshend at his windmilling best. Launching with a "Baba O'Riley"-like synth break in "Fragments," Daltrey asks "Are we breathing out or breathing in?" and Townshend answers with a thrashing, crashing Gibson. When the volume is turned up, there are echoes of three decades ago. "It's Not Enough" and "Mike Post Theme" conjure images of Entwistle and Keith Moon--the latter song, with its quiet verse and thunderous chorus, recalls "Going Mobile" and longs for Moon to whack it into shape. But the linchpin remains Townshend's songwriting, whether he's questioning faith ("Man in a Purple Dress"), showing gratitude for support ("You Stand By Me"), or dreaming of entertaining immortals into eternity ("Out on an Endless Wire"). By the time it wraps up, Endless Wire tells two things. No, it does not rank with the band's best work. But yes, as long as Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey walk the earth in tandem, the Who live on. --Scott Holter

    More Who

    The Who Sings My Generation

    A Quick One (Happy Jack)

    The Who Sell Out

    Tommy

    Live at Leeds

    Who's Next

    Quadrophenia

    The Kids Are Alright

    The Ultimate Collection

    Album Description

    The Bonus DVD is 28:17 in length and features the following tracks:

    Mike Post Theme (from the new album Endless Wire)

    And 4 classic hits: Won't Get Fooled Again Baba O Reily Behind Blue Eyes Who Are You

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Life Goes On.......2007-07-14

    You weren't really expecting the second coming of WHO'S NEXT, were you? That would be a bit unrealistic. With more than thirty-five years and two bandmates having passed, it would be a miracle if Townsend and Daltry had another set in them that was THAT good. Does that mean ENDLESS WIRE is disappointing? No way! After all these years, it's great to hear them still sound so good and so vital.

    This incarnation of The Who is at once more mature, more vulnerable, and more thoughtful, but they can still rock. While Daltry's voice often sounds a little frayed (especially in live performances), he gets by adequately in the studio, and renders Townsend's songs with poignancy, power, and even a touch of sadness for things lost. Pete can still play a great guitar and his vocals are as good as ever. For me, as someone who is aging right along with them, it's heartening to find these guys still performing at such a high level.

    Besides still being able to play and sing, Townsend also still writes great songs. My favorite is "We Got A Hit", an exuberant rocker that harks back to the band's top-twenty days. Other favorites include "Two Thousand Years", "God Speaks Of Marty Robbins", "Endless Wire" and "Tea And Theatre". Along the way, Pete rails against organized religion, waxes philosophical about music and the human condition, and mourns fallen comrades and the passage of time. He always has something meaningful to say and, here or there, he may even touch you personally. As someone with a few years behind me, I can't help but be moved by "Tea & Theatre". The Who hasn't been called "the thinking man's rock band" for no reason.

    As one of the professional reviewers here wrote, ENDLESS WIRE isn't one of The Who's greatest albums. I agree, it isn't WHO'S NEXT, TOMMY, or LIVE AT LEEDS. It's pretty darn good, though, and well worth having. If you've enjoyed any of the music this band has recorded in the past, you gotta have this. For now, it is The Who's next. Let's hope there are more. It sounds like they still have some music left in them.

    Maybe, had ENDLESS WIRE been released in the late '60's/early '70's, when there was a plethora of great groups putting out a steady stream of excellent new music (from the Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, CCR, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, CSN and sometimes Y, and Fleetwood Mac to the Byrds, Jethro Tull, Steppenwolf, Deep Purple, Allman Bros, Bad Company, Three Dog Night, the Mamas and the Papas, et al), it would be a four-star effort. Rock music was the coin of the realm in those days, and we were all rich. Such is no longer the case, however. Life goes on and times change. Based on the current rock landscape, ENDLESS WIRE is a rare blessing. It's worth six stars today. Unfortunately, five is all I have to give.

    1 out of 5 stars Disappointed.......2007-07-10

    I can understand people looking beyond the music and appreciating the staying power of talented musicians such as Pete and Roger. I am a long time Who fan and have appreciated everything I have heard from them including solo projects, rock operas, mixed anthologies, lost classics, etc.
    I can say with complete conviction, after anticipating a new Who studio album amid rumors for the last two decades, that I am no longer a Who fan. I simply did not like this.
    Just because we age along with our favorite artists, doesn't mean we have to settle for something that is totally devoid of any 'punch'. This album lacked anything to keep me awake. Maybe that is why I have heard nothing from this album on the radio!
    I may be middle aged, but I still need some music I can air guitar to. I can't picture Pete smashing his guitar on stage to anything from this CD.

    2 out of 5 stars OK but not great.......2007-07-08

    I'm a huge Who fan. I've seen them live, and with Moon on drums too. This CD is just OK. My advice would be look for classic Who, if you don't own any CDs, and buy it. "Live at Leeds", "The Who By Numbers", "Tommy", "Quadrophenia" and of course "Who's Next". I guess when you get old you run of things to say. That's what seems to have happened to Pete Thownsend.

    5 out of 5 stars It's good to know the boys still have it! .......2007-06-29

    After an extremely long break, the boys (minus Moonie and The Ox unfortunately) are back with new songs and new members (Pino and Zak) and they sound just as vibrant and solid as they did in the 60s and 70s! This is a great come back album with the good ol' Who styles ..... guitars, mandolin, keyboards, lots of drums, etc and Pete and Roger still hold the group together well! The songs are great and full of new life from a band that has stood the test of time and have still arisen as winners! Another bloody good album from the rockers we grew up with! All Who fans must buy this!

    3 out of 5 stars 50/50.......2007-06-03

    This reminds me of a half Who and half Townshend solo. First 9 tracks are The Who. Fragments w/ an intro salute to Baba O'Reily, Dylansque lyrics on A Man In The Purple Dress. Mike Post Theme is classic Who one of the best tracks on this CD. In the Ether Daltrey sounds like Tom Waits which is the only song that doesn't fit in this section. Black Widow's Eyes could of came from Who Are You album. Two Thousand Years and It's Not Enough has that sound from It's Hard album.
    Mini-Opera tracks 10 to 21, Wire & Glass to me sounds like it's part of Townshends solo recordings. Only a few tracks I consider Who material like Sound Round, We Got A Hit, and Mirror Door.
    Daltrey's vocals are good on the studio songs but when it came to the DVD Live At Lyon tracks his vocals on the classics cuts I take goes w/ age. He does a decent live version of Mike Post Theme that is catered more to his present day vocals.
    Continued Story/Hi, How Are You
    Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
    • I think I heard it in a movie once
    • Er, to clarify the other review....
    Continued Story/Hi, How Are You
    Daniel Johnston
    Manufacturer: High Wire Music
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Yip/Jump Music: Summer 1983
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    ASIN: B000GW8PYK
    Release Date: 2006-08-29

    Tracks:

    1. It's Over
    2. Ain't No Woman Gonna Make A George Jones Outta Me
    3. The Dead Dog Laughing In The Cloud
    4. Funeral Home
    5. Her Blues
    6. Running Water Revisited
    7. I Saw Her Standing There
    8. Casper
    9. Ghost Of Our Love
    10. Fly Eye
    11. Etiquette
    12. A Walk In The Wind
    13. Dem Blues
    14. Girls
    15. Poor You
    16. Big Business Monkey
    17. Walking The Cow
    18. I Picture Myself With A Guitar
    19. Despair Came Knocking
    20. I Am A Baby (In My Universe)
    21. Nervous Love
    22. I'll Never Marry
    23. Get Yourself Together
    24. Running Water
    25. Desperate Man Blues
    26. Hey Joe
    27. She Called Pest Patrol
    28. Keep Punching Joe
    29. No More Pushing Joe Around

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars I think I heard it in a movie once .......2007-06-14

    I think I heard it in a movie once that maybe the books we read choose us. This is the recollection I had when picking up the documentary 'The Devil and Daniel Johnston' from the local video store (no movies to select from that day) and perhaps it applies to video as well - I really didn't know what to expect. 'The Devil...' was my introduction to this unbelievably eloquent lyricist. The first 14 tracks were done in studio some time around 85 and was Daniels first professionally recorded album - these 14 tracks coupled with the next 15 that he recorded himself - listening to them made me feel like I had discovered a treasure chest of priceless feelings. In todays image and commercially driven music scene it's really difficult to think of anything that could compare with the creativity I heard on this album (CD).
    It would be wrong to categorize my picks as "hot spots" because every thing on here is GREAT but I will share the ones that come to mind right now:
    1 through 29.

    "There is a star and a heaven" for Daniel Johnston.

    4 out of 5 stars Er, to clarify the other review...........2007-01-25

    I got into Daniel Johnston through the documentary, "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" after it was recommended to me by a friend. If you haven't heard him before, I suggest you do the same, as it puts a lot of things into context, and it's a good way to here a lot of his music, easy and cheap. As the movie progressed, I found myself seeing a lot of Beck and Brighteyes in Johnston, which is to say there's a lot of Johnston in Beck and Brighteyes, since he came out a solid 10 years prior to either of them. His music is definitely not for everyone, as it's not at all polished. It IS, however, brutally honest and poetic. Definitely worth a listen if you like your lyrics to have a bit of substance.
    Across A Wire: Live In New York City
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • If you want the orginal recorded music by that instead!
    • Great live music from the Counting Crows
    • Best album of CC besides August and Everything After
    • I was at this show
    • Some of the details from each show
    Across A Wire: Live In New York City
    The Counting Crows
    Manufacturer: Geffen Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000008USI
    Release Date: 1998-07-14

    Tracks:

    1. Round Here
    2. Have You Seen Me Lately?
    3. Angels of the Silences
    4. Catapult
    5. Mr. Jones
    6. Rain King
    7. Mercury
    8. I'm Not Sleeping
    9. Anna Begins
    10. Chelsea

    Tracks:

    1. Recovering the Satellites
    2. Angels of the Silences
    3. Rain King
    4. Sullivan Street
    5. Children In Bloom
    6. Have You Seen Me Lately?
    7. Raining In Baltimore
    8. Round Here
    9. Ghost Train
    10. A Murder of One
    11. A Long December
    12. Walkaways

    Amazon.com

    Too much too soon is the m.o. of so many bands who, thanks to the fleeting fame that accompanies music-video breakthroughs, are famous before their time and has-beens five minutes later. You could be excused for thinking that's the case with Counting Crows, darlings of both MTV and VH1, who here release a double concert CD after only two studio albums. But you'd be wrong. The set, an acoustic disc recorded for VH1's Storytellers and an electric one from MTV's Live from the 10 Spot, proves how well the oft-bootlegged Crows have earned their reputation as a smoking live band. It also shows how elastic their rambling and evocative songs can be, some of which appear on both discs but in vastly different arrangements. People may tire of vocalist Adam Duritz's perpetually-wounded-soldier-of-love act, but this is one band whose success was hard-won and is richly deserved. --Daniel Durchholz

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars If you want the orginal recorded music by that instead!.......2007-06-23

    I wasn't a huge fan of the live music. Too many audience noise to drown out the otherwise amazing music. The audio never feels authentic to me. The VH1 disk is worth the money and then some. But beware. If you are a person that only wants to hear as band sing their songs exactly like they do on the album, this is NOT for you. I love the way they have changed the songs and lyrics to fit the mood that they're in at the time they're singing it. "I think we know how to play them now" probably explaines more than I could ever attempt. If you looked back at things you have done years ago, I am sure you would change them to reflect your position today. This album makes those changes and it's truly blissful to go along for the ride.

    5 out of 5 stars Great live music from the Counting Crows.......2006-11-08

    Normally I am a total purist when it comes to concerts. I like the songs to sound the way they do on the CD, and I don't like surprises. But after seeing Counting Crows live this summer for the first time, I was amazed. It didn't matter that they changed the arrangements. They were just incredible. I immediately ordered Across A Wire, which didn't disappoint. This double CD captures their live performances for VH1 and MTV. It brought me right back to this summer's concert, and let me really appreciate Adam Duritz's vocals and the band's ability to change things up. Anyone who likes this band live will appreciate this CD set.

    5 out of 5 stars Best album of CC besides August and Everything After.......2006-08-24

    Live music from Counting Crows! I somehow only just found this CD after being a CC fan since 1994. The energy of this performance is exhilarating. Adam Duritz is still raw, a trait I love and miss, since I think the rawness of his performing and writing has evaporated over the last five years or so.
    I highly recommend this as a must have CD of Counting Crows. Two CDs, one is more acoustic than the other. My preference is for the second CD which is edgy and loud, long versions of songs I love. Sullivan Street, track 4 on CD#2 is awesome.
    There are two versions of "Round Here" on this CD, one acoustic with only Adam and Dave. Both are fantastic.

    5 out of 5 stars I was at this show.......2006-08-05

    I actually went to live at the 10 spot. I remember them announcing they were recording this live. It was a great show, though I had wished it was longer. Seems like the Counting Crows are lazy. I was a little disappointed they didn't play Mr. Jones. Overall great show though.

    5 out of 5 stars Some of the details from each show.......2006-06-02

    "Chelsea" is a previously unreleased track and is not part of the VH1 setlist.

    "VH1 Storytellers" was released as a promotional CD by Geffen Records prior to the release of this CD.

    The VH1 set does not contain "A Long December", which appeared on the original broadcast, or "Omaha", "Good Luck", and "Walkaways", which were played but not broadcast.

    "Round Here", "Mercury", and "Anna Begins" were not aired on VH1.

    The MTV set does not contain "Goodnight Elizabeth", "Catapult", "Mr. Jones", "Omaha", and "Anna Begins", which appeared on the original broadcast, or "Wiseblood" and "Daylight Fading", which were played but not broadcast.

    "Raining In Baltimore" and "Children In Bloom" were not aired on MTV.
    Welcome To My World
    Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
    • Perfect entry for the genius of Daniel
    • Perfect Companion for "The Devil and Daniel Johnston"
    Welcome To My World
    Daniel Johnston
    Manufacturer: High Wire Music
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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    1. Continued Story/Hi, How Are You
    2. Songs of Pain: Early Recordings Volume 1
    3. The Devil and Daniel Johnston
    4. Fun
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    ASIN: B000F1IPJ2
    Release Date: 2006-04-18

    Tracks:

    1. Peek A Boo
    2. Casper The Friendly Ghost
    3. Some Things Last A Long Time
    4. Walking The Cow
    5. I'm Nervous
    6. Man Obsessed
    7. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances
    8. Never Before Never Again
    9. The Sun Shines Down On Me
    10. Chord Organ Blues
    11. Living Life
    12. Speeding Motorcycle
    13. True Love Will Find You In The End
    14. Never Relaxed
    15. Sorry Entertainer
    16. Ain't No Woman Gonna Make A George Jones Outta Me
    17. Lennon Song
    18. Devil Town
    19. Laurie
    20. Story Of An Artist
    21. Funeral Home

    Amazon.com

    He is erratic, moody, adolescent, and unsettling, just as he is strikingly brilliant, and all depictions entwine on this collection that plucks from Daniel Johnston's most memorable work throughout a quarter-century of bare-bones recording. While his helium-pitched voice can often border on acquired taste territory, Johnston, who suffers from bipolar disorder, writes both gripping melodies and cutting, cunning lyrics--often about failed love, life's ambiguity and his passion for the Beatles and comic book heroes. Any Johnston follower might choose 21 different selections to represent such a catalog, but this package--culled mostly from his '80s songbook--is both symbolic and inclusive, including a pair of chord organ grinders that are among his most familiar: the childlike "Casper the Friendly Ghost" and the wistful "Speeding Motorcycle." Johnston's raw vulnerability shines most on "Never Before Never Again," on which he howls about a former girlfriend, and the fragmented and demented "Funeral Home," where he contemplates his last car ride (to the tune of Bruce Springsteen's "Cadillac Ranch"). Welcome to My World is ideal for any newcomers to Johnston's music, provided they are willing to peel away his torment and contemplate his true genius. --Scott Holter

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Perfect entry for the genius of Daniel.......2006-09-22

    Almost every song from this compiliation is present as soundtrack to The Devil and Daniel Johnston. If you want to enter in thsi strange but beautiful world, a schizo Dylan that someday took LSD from the devilish [....] Surfers, this is the one to get. Then, if you become a fan (it happens, eheh), you should try his masterpiece - Songs of Pain 80-83.

    5 out of 5 stars Perfect Companion for "The Devil and Daniel Johnston".......2006-05-16

    It should first be noted that the music of Daniel Johnston is not for everyone -- you will either love him or hate him, most will feel the latter. His voice sounds like a 14 year old who got into the parents' liquor cabinet, but like Bob Dylan, it's the perfect vehicle for his material. I recommend the excellent documentary currently playing in art movie theaters to learn about this unique singer songwriter's incredible life --you couldn't make up a story as sadly surreal. His music is best appreciated if you understand his history and are familiar with his artwork (his pen and ink cartoon-like drawings go for thousands of dollars). His songs, like his artwork, are replete with symbols and references to his internal mythology, a conglomeration of cartoons, comic books and fire and brimstone religion.
    Welcome to My World is sort of a greatest hits of his early work, mostly recorded on cheap tape machines and often given away to people on the street. Daniel bares his soul -- listening to his music is like awkwardly being trapped with a stranger you run into, obviously a little off center, who rattles on providing too much information about his innermost feelings. But no other artist I have heard captures the angst of adolescence quite as well as Daniel, and his sense of melody, his ability to convey complex feelings with the simplest language, is brilliant. Strange, moving, disturbing stuff, an emotional car wreck that you just can't look away from. If you like the off beat and stark emotional honesty in your music, check him out.
    Bird on a Wire
    Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
    • Is she STILL being ignored?
    • Sweet & Soulful
    • Unexpectedly Surprised!
    • Good...but not amazing-more like 3 and 1/2
    • A delight to the ears
    Bird on a Wire
    Toby Lightman
    Manufacturer: Lava
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Little Things
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    5. Little Things

    ASIN: B000G1ALJI
    Release Date: 2006-07-25

    Tracks:

    1. Don't Wake Me
    2. Don't Let Go
    3. Better
    4. Slipping
    5. Round & Round
    6. My Sweet Song
    7. Alone
    8. One Sure Thing
    9. Overflowing
    10. Weight of the World
    11. Holding Me Down
    12. I'd Be Lost
    13. Good Find

    Album Description

    There's a music biz truism that says an artist has her whole life to write her first album and six months to write her second. What that statement fails to take into account are maturation and inspiration--two elements present in abundance throughout Bird On A Wire, the surprising second album from New York-based writer/artist Toby Lightman. With 13 songs running the gamut from the Rufus-style funk-pop of "Slipping" to the moving lullaby "Better" and the modern-day torch song "Weight of the World", the album documents an uncommonly gifted young artist in the act of becoming fully herself.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Is she STILL being ignored?.......2007-07-04

    As soon as I first caught the video for Toby Lightman's "Devils and Angels" on VH1, I went to check out her album Little Things. As good as that album is, sales showed that apparently I was one of the only people that bought it, even after Toby tacked on a decent contemporary remake of Mary J. Blige's "Real Love". And even less people picked up her second album, Bird on a Wire, but I don't know why because it's also great.

    What really drew me to Toby was not only the music but the edginess in her vocals. I was a little disappointed when I found that that edge isn't QUITE as prevalent on here as it was on Little Things (it's on MOST of the tracks instead of ALL of the tracks), it doesn't really matter because everything is pretty damn good. Also, it gives her a chance to show that she can do more things with her voice (see "Slippin'").

    There are wonderful harmonious tracks to be found on here, especially "Don't Wake Me", but "Overflowing" isn't far behind. And if you're looking for smooth songs to mellow out to on the ride home, try "Good Find" or "My Sweet Song" on for size. There are also some tracks that are just plain funky, like "Don't Let Go", "Holding Me Down" and "Better" (which might be confusing if you don't REALLY pay attention to the lyrics). Another highlight is "Alone" (the song that inspired the album's title), but it's kind of unnecessary to have a second version of it at the end of the album; the only difference being a slightly slower tempo.

    While Toby's voice may go a little off-key here and there, she still sculpted Bird on a Wire into a quality listen. I don't know why more people don't know about her yet, but if you want great music, it's still not too late to help her career take flight.

    Anthony Rupert

    4 out of 5 stars Sweet & Soulful.......2007-06-13

    I found Toby Lightman via Pandora.com and knew I had to hear more of her stuff. I was not disappointed in the least.

    Standouts for me include "Alone", "Weight of the World", "One Sure Thing" and "My Sweet Song"

    5 out of 5 stars Unexpectedly Surprised!.......2007-05-15

    I read other listeners reviews of this CD prior to my purchase and figured, what the heck - let's see how I like it. I had never heard of Toby Lightman before this, but now I absolutely love her music. She has a strong voice that's easy to sing along with - kind of bluesy, kind of rock & roll, sometimes mellow and sweet. This has quickly become one of my favorite CD's to listen to in the car and at work.

    3 out of 5 stars Good...but not amazing-more like 3 and 1/2.......2006-12-26

    I just recently got this CD and popped it in my CD player almost immediately. I am a HUGE fan of Little Things and I was really excited to see what Toby had in store. I was also excited when I saw Bill Botrell's name on it. (He produced Sheryl Crow's AMAZING Tuesday Night Music Club album.) As I listened,however, I became increasingly disappointed. There were tracks such as Alone,Slippin, and Don't Wake Me that really popped out, but there were many others whose melodies were no different than any other generic pop artist. I really enjoyed Little Things because of the unique melodies, so it was a bit of a let down. However, Toby's voice is in fine form on this album. Also, the use of the organ on most of the songs is quite fun to listen to. The lyrics aren't the deepest, but neither were her lyrics on her first album so I wasn't really surprised. This is a first listen, so maybe I'll find better things on the album in time.

    5 out of 5 stars A delight to the ears.......2006-12-12

    "Bird on a Wire" is just a delight to the ears. The album shows off Toby's ability to sing in so many different vocal styles, each with such ease. From the soulfulness of "Don't Wake Me" and "Overflowing" to the thoughtful introspection of "Weight of the World" to the sexy jazzy "Slippin'" to the wholesome sweetness of "Better" and the blunt honesty of "My Sweet Song" (come on, admit it...we all have a song we feel that way about!). I can listen to the album a million and one times over and over and never get sick of it.

    To those who criticize the lyrics of some songs, learn to occasionally enjoy simplicity, and everyday messages most anyone can relate to without using a hieroglyphics decoder. And don't forgot that sometimes hidden among simple words are deeper meanings - I feel that in Toby's voice. I think the album is gutsy, sexy and real. An awesome accomplishment and a beautiful follow-up to "Little Things".

    If you get the chance to catch Toby live, do it. Once you see how she "feels" these songs you can only love them and her even more.
    Pink Flag
    Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
    • My Favorite LP of the 1970s Punk Era
    • Rock esctasy!
    • best late '70s punk album
    • a seminal band for a reason, and it all started with this album
    Pink Flag
    Wire
    Manufacturer: Pink Flag
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Chairs Missing
    2. 154
    3. Entertainment
    4. The Modern Dance
    5. Solid Gold

    ASIN: B000ENC7KY
    Release Date: 2006-04-11

    Tracks:

    1. Reuters
    2. Field Day for the Sundays
    3. Three Girl Rhumba
    4. Ex Lion Tamer
    5. Lowdown
    6. Start to Move
    7. Brazil
    8. It's So Obvious
    9. Surgeon's Girl
    10. Pink Flag
    11. Commercial
    12. Straight Line
    13. 106 Beats That
    14. Mr Suit
    15. Strange
    16. Fragile
    17. Mannequin
    18. Different to Me
    19. Champs
    20. Feeling Called Love
    21. 12 X U
    22. Options R [*]

    Amazon.com

    There are myriad details that illustrate why Wire's 1977 debut is bulletproof--or at least wildly compelling. There's the count of tracks--21 to be exact--the snare-cracked pulsing roll of "Reuters," which sports one of punk's greatest first lines: "Our own correspondent is sorry to tell of an uneasy time, that all is not well." There's the six songs that last under a minute (and at least that many more that last under a minute and a half), all of them urgently poised on Colin Newman's deadpan urgency--a laconic riposte to the shouting that in '77 was already central to punk. There's album closer "12XU," which Minor Threat would make anthemic in their short hardcore-forging career. Pink Flag was made after Wire had played a mere 15 gigs, honing their sound in the atelier of the Clash, Sex Pistols, Ramones, etc. without sounding a smidge like anyone else. Importantly, it's the band itself that got rights to remaster this flawless gem, in a cool gatefold digipak with a fascinating liner essay. That's something you don't see many punks do. --Andrew Bartlett

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars My Favorite LP of the 1970s Punk Era.......2007-05-06

    Everyone's heard of the Iggy Pop, The Clash, Ramones, Damned and Sex Pistols, but many of you have probably not heard of Wire. I was very into the punk scene in the 1970s and I loved it all back then. But of all the punk albums that came out between 1976 and 1980, Wire's "Pink Flag" (1977) holds up best for me 30 years on. This album is very raw with a minimum of production, but with some key elements of production here and there. It's been referred to elsewhere as minimalist and taking a deconstructive approach to rock music. Both are true, and Wire does it with intelligence on "Pink Flag". I think they set a standard for what can be done with a few chords that no one else has achieved. The lyrics on "Pink Flag" are mostly imaginative and timeless, certainly better than most of what was written back then. If I had to recommend a few albums that best represent the era, I would include this one. This re-mastered version of "Pink Flag" sounds every bit as good on CD as my original-pressing vinyl LP, maybe even better. I highly recommend it.

    5 out of 5 stars Rock esctasy!.......2007-02-26

    A great recording. Song after song careen past in a glorious rush. Some of the tracks may seem at first like undeveloped sketches but further listening demonstrates that in most cases the music is memorable even without the repetition and structure most ears have come to expect -- it simply requires a bit more concentration. And Wire is full of ideas and display quite a range. I feel the term "British punk" is far too simplistic for this debut album. The songs on this album range from slow, haunting texture excercises, warped power pop, punk anthems, proto-hardcore rants -- and you must BLAST the volume when the title track comes on (do this while driving and you're in rock ecstasy.)

    5 out of 5 stars best late '70s punk album.......2007-01-09

    this is one of the absolute best of the '70s punk albums, along with the clash debut, sex pistols (which now sounds a bit dated), and the ramones. the sound quality of this disc is a major improvement over the late '80s cd reissue. the only problem is the lack of a lyric sheet, which really puts the album into perspective, and makes it more impressive. i removed the lyrics from my older, flat sounding version, and added it to the new one. THE SOUND AND THE SONGS ARE GREAT, GREAT. I didn't care for some of Wire's later synthesizer styled music, but this 'punky' debut is a classic.

    5 out of 5 stars a seminal band for a reason, and it all started with this album.......2006-04-16

    Really, what more can I say about Wire's Pink Flag that hasn't already been said? The album is so good, so burned in the retina of my brain (even though I still cannot for the life of us unscramble Graham Lewis' lyrics), so nearly perfect that it's sort of hard to write about. In a perfect world, whatever nonsense I may have to say about the record would be moot, as you should already own this record (along with Chairs Missing and 154, Wire's second and third albums respectively). But for those of you who may be enraptured by the recent flurry of post-punk revivalists who continue to make quite a stir, let the reissue campaign of the first three records introduce you to the band that Interpol, Maximo Park, Franz Ferdinand, and Bloc Party only wish they could be.

    Recorded in 1977, Pink Flag is an immaculately concise punk record, even as Wire recognized that punk was becoming a self-parody and willed themselves to develop through experimentation with structure, technology, and process. Pink Flag's 21 songs cover a mere 35 minutes, many of them clocking in around 90 seconds or "when they ran out of words" as bassist / vocalist Graham Lewis once quipped. Energetic and volatile, each of the songs on Pink Flag thrash through the repetoire of reductivist power-pop riffs as immediately catchy and aggressive as anything by the Damned, the Ramones, and the Sex Pistols. But even on their first album, Wire demonstrated an uncanny ability with chord changes and melodic shifts that by '70s standards were much artier than their punk bretheren. Of course, in the aftermath of math-rock's acrobatic twists and turns, Wire's Pink Flag hardly sounds unpredictable... but if it weren't for Wire would we really have Laddio Bollocko, for example? Probably not.

    The album's opening track "Reuters" is an anxious introduction to Wire's provocation with lead vocalist Colin Newman over-annunciating a polemic against government's abuse of propaganda (sound familiar?) on top of an increasingly agitated metronomic blast of bass, twin guitar, and drums. Elsewhere near perfect pop songs develop out of the angular punk slashing, as heard on "Ex Liontamers" and "Mannequin." Wire ends the album with the monotone anthem "12 X U" which many have declared their "Anarchy In The UK." With a motorik rhythm punctured by concise punk riff, the track simultaneously decries homophobia and censorship with the song's entire lyrics "I saw you in the mag kissing the man / 1 2 X U!"

    So yeah, Wire are a seminal band for a reason, and it all started with this album. If you don't have it, please do yourself a favor and buy this album. You won't regret it!
    RockPaperScissors
    Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
    • Bold, Beautiful, Haunting
    • Wow.
    • sublime razors' edge
    • Really really beautiful
    RockPaperScissors
    Michael Brook
    Manufacturer: big Helium Entertainment/Canadian Rational/High Wire Music
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000G1ALSE
    Release Date: 2006-07-25

    Tracks:

    1. Strange Procession
    2. Want
    3. Doges
    4. Darker Room
    5. Rock Paper Scissors
    6. Tangerine
    7. Light Star
    8. Pond
    9. Silverized
    10. Pasadena (Pt. One)
    11. Pasadena (Pt. Two)

    Amazon.com

    It's been 14 years since Michael Brook did a proper solo album, Cobalt Blue, but that doesn't mean the guitarist has been absent from music. He's produced and performed on pop recordings by Julia Fordham and Jorane and made numerous albums for the Real World label, including signature releases by the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Djivan Gasparyan, and Hukwe Zawose. He's also composed and performed on film scores and was part of Hans Zimmer's soundtrack posse, contributing notably to Black Hawk Down, among others. He throws all of that into his new album, RockPaperScissors, which could've been called RockPaperScissors and Whatever, as Brook slices up a career's worth of influences and drops them in one load--albeit an elegant one. Lebanese violinist Claude Chalhoub turns in a mournful duet with Brook on "Tangerine," singer Paul Buchanan shows up on the title track, and a Bulgarian choir turns up incongruously on a dreamy, '60s style guitar instrumental, "LightStar." There are King Crimson-like guitar grooves on "3 Doges," and on "Darker Room," a spoken-word sample of Richard Burton performing Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood," quoting the "Starless and bible-black" line that Crimson connoisseurs will note as the title to a one of their albums. Given Brooks's extensive work as a film composer and session artist, it makes sense that much of the disc has a cinematic quality, with many tracks featuring a full orchestra. Excepting Lisa Germano's haunting turn on "Want", the other two vocal tunes drag. Rather than honing a sound, as he did with Cobalt Blue, RockPaperScissors brims with too many ideas, as if Brook thought it might be another 14 years till his next album and he had to get it all out now. --John Diliberto

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Bold, Beautiful, Haunting.......2006-10-26

    So compelling is this CD that on the rare occasions when the house empties, the first thing I do is turn on RockPaperScissors. It requires closer attention; one listening and you are entranced-at least I was. Then it resonates within you. Oh, Tangerine is so sweet and haunting. The Bulgarian Orchestra, Bulgarian Classical Choir, the Cosmic Voices- wow, it adds such a large dramatic sensation. I Loved Richard Burton doing Dylan Thomas in Dark Room. Bold, Beautiful, Haunting.

    5 out of 5 stars Wow........2006-08-09

    I heard Mr. Brook on Weekend Edition, thought he sounded like a great guy and I wanted to support him and his new album he spoke so eloquently about. RPS, as I call it now, came a couple days ago, and this might be a bit cheesy, but I believe this album to be magical. Somewhat a musician myself I am amazed at the seamlessness and gorgeousness of transitions every time I listen to any piece on this record. Brook very masterfully goes from electric guitar to an orchestra to a Bulgarian choir and it's so great that 1. I wish I had written it and 2. why doesn't everyone put a Bulgarian choir on their album!? It's just really beautiful. I can't even pick my favorite piece because honestly my answer changes every time I listen to it.

    Supposedly this new album is a slight departure from previous works, if other online reviews are to be believed, and if it is, it is a departure to beauty and lushiness and exquisite detail that is so very worth listening to.

    5 out of 5 stars sublime razors' edge.......2006-08-01

    I am a longtime and loyal fan of Michael Brook. I believe him to be a brilliantly innovative and creative musical force. I was extremely excited when I heard he was coming out with a long overdue solo release.

    'Cobalt Blue' is still one of my all-time favorites and his collaborations with Nusret Fateh Ali Khan and Djivan Gasparyan are equally powerful and compelling offerings. All masterpieces.

    Brook has such a unique way of structuring his compositions, and when coupled with his experimental sonic approach it's just breathtaking. So many unpredictable and engrossing sounds, but not in a self-important way. It is very mindful of the vast expressive sea in which he swims in.

    Upon repeated listenings within the past few days, I have to say that that "RockPaperScissors" is very captivating and engaging. Though I also enjoyed it upon first listen, I somewhat agree with the other review below that it didn't fully sink in upon first listen. I'm glad it didn't. I usually find that the greatest work - music that penetrates deeply and lasts over time - usually has to possess this enigmatic quality. Michael Brook has captured it in spades.

    I also read the critical review and see that person's point; the album at first is a bit wide in its scope. Yes, it is representative of Brooks' entire oeuvre, but in the best of ways. Even Brook describes it as a 'travelogue'. In the end, it absolutely adds up to much more than the sum of its parts, and thus, it is great art.

    However, I don't believe that the particular reviewer who wrote that review allowed himself the pleasure of repeatedly listening to this sublime recording. There are many layers here, both sonically and vibrationally (if you know what I mean), which cannot possibly be absorbed in one or two surface listens. It is also important to be in the 'right' environment and headspace to openly receive this type of reverent music.

    Having heard "RockPaperScissors" now seven or eight times I fully 'get it'. It truly is a masterpiece. In some ways better than other previous albums, but only time will tell.

    Though I love the entire collection of songs, highlights for me are: "Strange Procession" is classic Brook, with abrupt changes in tempo and haunting guitar notes. "Doges" is a polished and primal ethno-trance sure to pull you into the jungle muse. The title track, "Rock Paper Scissors" even works for me; Buchanans' voice works perfectly with Brooks' sonic weave . "Light Star" perfectly builds into crescendos with the assistance of a surprising contrasted Bulgarian chorus. Again it totally works, very well I may add. "Silverized" is my favorite; it's just gorgeous and terribly beautiful. It reminds me a bit of Eno & Lanois' "Deep Blue Day" from "Apollo" soundtracks, which may simulataneously be the most inspiring and deeply sad song ever recorded.

    I only hope we don't have to wait another 14 years for Brook to come out with another solo recording. He is far too gifted and amazing to just allow those he works with to take centerstage. Shine on Michael Brook! Thanks for all of your creative energy, it is very appreciated.

    P.S. For those who may be interested, check out an interview NPR had with him on Sundays 'Weekend Edition' (July 30, 2006). Nice insight and very humbling indeed.

    5 out of 5 stars Really really beautiful.......2006-07-28

    The first time I listened to this new album I quite liked it but wasn't blown away. A fellow Brook fan told me to give it one more listen and as I did I was fascinated by a billion details that I'd missed on the first time around. I was amazed and yes, blown away. It's a gorgeous piece of work ---- Tangerine in particular. It's all stunning, really.
    Feast of Wire
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Feast of Sounds
    • Very Disappointing Effort From an EXCELLENT Band
    • Complex, interesting, fun...
    • hauntingly beautiful
    • Slow, boring, not my style
    Feast of Wire
    Calexico
    Manufacturer: Quarter Stick
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
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    ASIN: B000089CPF
    Release Date: 2003-02-18

    Tracks:

    1. Sunken Waltz
    2. Quattro (World Drifts In)
    3. Stucco
    4. Black Heart
    5. Pepita
    6. Not Even Stevie Nicks...
    7. Close Behind
    8. Woven Birds
    9. The Book and the Canal
    10. Attack El Robot! Attack!
    11. Across The Wire
    12. Dub Latina
    13. Guero Canelo
    14. Whipping the Horse's Eyes
    15. Crumble
    16. No Doze

    Amazon.com

    Unlike the ever-experimenting Lambchop, to whom they are often compared, Calexico stick to their niche. Since Calexico don't spring as many stylistic surprises on us as the sprawling Nashville ensemble, their track record is also less erratic. While Feast of Wireis a bit quieter than its three full-length predecessors, it also fits neatly into an ever-impressive body of work. John Convertino and Joey Burns--the Tucson band's core--only confirm their status as folk storytellers, their songs as irreducibly American as Cormac McCarthy novels, and their trademark Southwestern, sun-baked Ennio Morricone sound continues to be ambitiously timeless. "Black Heart," for instance, begins like a Portishead outtake before swelling majestically. Even when they shuffle styles ("Close Behind" marries '60s western grace with assured melodic chops, and "Attack El Robot! Attack!" goes off in an almost Devo-like direction before smoothly segueing into the full-on mariachi extravaganza of "Across the Wire"), they retain an immediately identifiable personality. Calexico may not make headlines, but this album solidifies their standing as one of the most endearingly idiosyncratic bands on the American scene. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

    Album Description

    Calexico is Joey Burns and John Convertino of Giant Sand. Their fourth album is a masterpiece of beauty and diversity, with desert-rock guitar interplay to expansive noir-ish sweep to full-mariachi grandeur. 16 Tracks. Quarterstick. 2003.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Feast of Sounds.......2007-05-29

    This is a folk album and Calexico isn't afraid to do something different. The album has a very southwestern feel and even goes south of the border on several songs. I am not an instrument expert, but I do know there are some instruments in here that I only hear in Sergio Leone films. With such an array of instruments... Joey Burns vocals are almost ignored. But it is his voice that really lifts this album from being an experimental effort to a darn-close masterpiece.

    A few instrumentals throughout the album might slow some listeners down. But it won't stop most from enjoying this album. Quattro (World Drifts In) is probably my favorite track and is classic Calexico with a several horns for good measure. Close Behind plays like a folk song with visions of Love's Forever Changes (1967). And that album seems to be a great influence on Feast of Wire. The great thing is that Calexico really invents their own style and sound. They may resemble something else, but Feast of Wire is still their own. Above or below Garden Ruin, this album is one of Calexico's best.

    1 out of 5 stars Very Disappointing Effort From an EXCELLENT Band.......2007-05-09

    I'd heard of Calexico, but had never purchased an album. Then I saw them play at the Republic in New Orleans the night before they were to play the annual Jazz Fest. They BLEW MY MIND as a live band.
    Seriously one of the best shows I have ever seen. Then they did it again the next day on a huge stage at Jazz Fest!!!! The crowd was very into it.
    So after debating (with myself) which of their discs to purchase, I chose "Feast of Wire"....
    My companion and I were hoping to sort-of recreate their live shows with a cd for our road trip out of New Orleans, but were sorely disappointed.
    This cd is boring overall and does not capture their live energy, which is their greatest asset. Also, there's too much synth-sounding "things" on this album....I was hoping for a more organic sound --- more like their live sound. Apparently all albums before this one are more what I was looking for!!

    5 out of 5 stars Complex, interesting, fun..........2006-03-18

    I absolutely love Calexico's version of "Alone Again Or" on the Austin Music Fest CD from 2004, and was more than pleasantly surprised at this CD. The best part about it: it's NEVER boring.

    Too many CDs (especially Pop music cr*p) sound like they took one song, and replayed the same tune over and over, substituting banal lyrics and calling it "art."

    Guess what kids? THIS is art. Thoughtful lyrics, complex arrangements, and combinations of styles like Jazz, Country and Latin make this a superb CD.

    5 out of 5 stars hauntingly beautiful.......2006-03-10

    i'm not sure what the reviewer scott taylor listens to (and music is a vey personal thing, like religion i guess), but in my mind this is one the finest, most creative, hauntingly beautiful, and wonderfully mesmerizing albums i have heard in a long time. 'black heart' is a killer. please check out the dvd also if you have not seen them live. they are daring, challenging and diverse. some of my other favorites that exceed musical boundaries are coltrane, hendrix, miles, king crimson etc. so, judge for yourself, but give this one a chance if you truly love creative music.

    1 out of 5 stars Slow, boring, not my style.......2005-05-14

    I purchased this disc both on the glowing recommendations on this site and because of a particularly catchy song from a soundtrack. While the soundtrack song is on here, the rest of the disc stole all the energy and magic and I have distaste now for the one song I liked. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this. The songs drag and are depressing. They lack creativity and there's no spark that goes along with music coming from people who really enjoy crafting music. Take time to listen to the samples before buying. I didn't and regret it. (Please purchase mine used above:). Thanks.
    Wire Waltz
    Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
    • Pleasing, but lacks emotional range
    • A Must Have
    • 1-2-3 1-2-3
    • I Love this record!
    • Now I want a lap-steel guitar too!
    Wire Waltz
    The Last Town Chorus
    Manufacturer: Hacktone Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. The Last Town Chorus
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    ASIN: B000MTDRBI
    Release Date: 2007-03-06

    Tracks:

    1. Wire Waltz
    2. You
    3. Modern Love
    4. Caroline
    5. It's Not Over
    6. Understanding
    7. Boat
    8. Huntsville, 1989
    9. Wintering In Brooklyn
    10. Foreign Land
    11. Bonus Track 1

    Amazon.com

    On this second album by Megan Hickey's band, her nine originals are joined by a spare and emotive reworking of David Bowie's "Modern Love." It is built around her breathy but resonant vocals and her lap steel guitar, the minimal accompaniment (drums, bass, violin, guitar) judiciously utilized for an overall sound that feels old but sounds new. Her lap steel playing truly lends this release its most identifiable and idiosyncratic element. Hickey is capable of slashing density (as on "Caroline"), high and lonesome melodicism ("Boat"), and atmospheric sweeps ("Foreign Land"), but often moving from one approach to another within a given song, seamlessly altering or embellishing moods. She has also come up with songs that have a life of their own. One can imagine songs like "Wintering in Brooklyn" and "It's Not Over" being played by others. Self-produced and recorded, Megan Hickey has a fully formed sense of purpose and a willingness to push herself, not only making this album a powerful work, but raising expectations for anything she decides to do next. --David Greenberger

    Album Description

    The distorted cry of a lap-steel guitar slices through the Brooklyn night. A voice sings with aching sweetness and strength. Caressing melodies are barbed with stinging solors. This is the sound of The Last Town Chorus--the revolving ensemble led by singer/writer/lap-steel-guitarist Megan Hickey.

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Pleasing, but lacks emotional range.......2007-05-18

    I find this CD a fresh musical wave in a sea of mind-numbing pop. Like others here I bought this because I heard their cover of "Modern Love" and was wowed. Indeed, the vocals and haunting instrumentation on many of these songs are a winning combination. Overall, it's a pleasant CD that works well as background or for quieter moments when you can focus more on the subtle complexities. However, I find that the lead singer's vocals don't change; her emotional expression is static. Quite like Margo Timmins in Cowboy Junkies -- after a while I want to switch to another CD. I admit I am drawn to vocals and I value singers, like Rufus Wainwright, who convey their interpretation of a song via a wider range.

    5 out of 5 stars A Must Have.......2007-05-12

    Megan Hickey is one of the most talented musician/poets to come along in a generation. She combines the soul of Nina Simone, the cool of June Christy, the feel for quotidian beauty of Laurie Anderson, with a skill for the lap steel guitar to rival Roy Clark. The lyrical, soothing moments leave you wonderfully unprepared for suprising innovations of tone and technique. This is an album that anyone who appreciates what music and words can do together should own and cherish.

    4 out of 5 stars 1-2-3 1-2-3.......2007-05-04

    Wire Waltz is a lovely album. It is very mellow, languid, and atmospheric. It takes its time as it reels you in with a lap steel as the main instrument and the sweet, soft, dreamy vocals. Singer, song-writer and lap steel player, Megan Hickey's voice is not unlike Cat Power, Tiffany Anders or Mazzy Star. I bought the cd after hearing the superior, slowed-down version of David Bowie's "Modern Love" (again similar to Cat Power's superior slowed-down version of The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"). Lyrically smart, "Huntsville, 1989" hits home with lyrics about falling asleep listening to the Smiths, carrying Oscar Wilde books to school and picking friends because they wore the same boots. It was hard to find others like yourself back in 1989 whether in Huntsville, Alabama or in South Western Pennsylvania (which she also mentions in this song). I believe this is the second album by this band, although The Last Town Chorus is basically Megan Hickey's gig. I hope this is the beginning of a long future in song writing and wish her all the best. Her voice takes me places. I am not sure where yet, but away from SW PA at any rate, and that is something for which to be thankful.

    5 out of 5 stars I Love this record!.......2007-04-10

    Megan Hickey will woo you with her voice and rock you with her guitar! While I love the cover of Modern Love - in which Hickey makes the song her own, It's Not Over, Caroline, Wintering In Brooklyn - are haunting and lovely and sad. This record is like fine Scotch - take your time with it - don't gulp, sip!

    5 out of 5 stars Now I want a lap-steel guitar too!.......2007-03-27

    This album was not what I expected at all when I first listened, but I really wasn't sure what a lap-steel guitar sounded like, and I certainly didn't know what it could do! Wire Waltz is an album of contrasts and juxtapositions. Hickey sounds like she's having lots of fun, but in a fierce, controlled way. The voice tracks are often slow, minimal, and full of sad, ponderous echos, which are then delicately laid over rebellious, twanging, unpretentious guitar that at any moment can run off into a lively rock-ballad style riff. All of the songs are deliberate, and the band has a clear, defined sound that's like some combination of Patti Griffen and Mazzy Star.

    It's an album for listening to (a bunch of times) when you want to feel nostalgic and older, and better for it. Favorite tracks are her David Bowie cover, 'Wire Waltz,' 'I Want You,' and 'Huntsville.'

    Music Album:

    1. With the North Carolina Ramblers and the Highlanders [Box set] [Original recording remastered]
    2. Won't Be Blue Anymore
    3. #1's: The Warner Brothers Years
    4. A Truly Western Experience
    5. Acoustic Traveller
    6. Acres of Heartache
    7. All Aboard the Blue Train [Extra tracks]
    8. All That I Am
    9. All the Hits & All New Love Songs [Import]
    10. American IV: The Man Comes Around

    Music Album

    Music Album