The Creek Drank The Cradle is personally my all time favorite indie folk album. Sam Beam's subtle, sometimes Nick Drake-like vocal delivery is the perfect accompaniment for his beautiful acoustic, southern tinged melodies. For me there's no better album to listen to on a summer morning sipping coffee. That's not to say that's the only time this album works, as it's a brilliant listen no matter when or where it's heard.
From AllMusic: "Lion's Mane opens the record and immediately takes your breath away as Beam's voice is so beautiful and his hooks are razor sharp. Every song that follows is just as memorable, Beam sounding positively angelic as he harmonizes with himself...As soon as the almost jaunty, Neil Young-esque album closer, Muddy Hymnal ends, you'll want to hit repeat and start again. The Creek Drank the Cradle is a stunning debut and one of the best records of 2002."
A few of my favorite songs for your listening pleasure:
Gonna go with Iron and Wine ahead of that Sparks tribute act.
As a Sparks fan, I really don't see how Of Montreal is a Sparks tribute act aside from both being melodramatic performance art pop music.
This is definitely Iron and Wine at their best, but I have to go with Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?. Of Montreal may be over the top, but that's kind of the point. This album is an adventurous psychedelic pop record, and one of the most fun albums of the last decade. _________________ http://jonnyleather.com
OK, so let's begin this post with what is completely wrong about of Montreal :
lethalnezzle wrote:
that Sparks tribute act
While they do share common points, of Montreal is much, much more than Sparks copy. Firstly because, well, they're much better (sorry, outlaw). Also, because they rely much more on electronic and funky instrumentation and dark atmospheres, and much less on theatrality and anthemic choruses.
*scaruffi mode on* Hissing Fauna, now, is one of the masterpieces of modern psychedelia. *scaruffi mode off* The melodies are always were you don't expect them to be, the instrumentation is creative, and the lyrics are crazy. The cover is a very good indicator of the sound of the album : dark, with explosions of colors here and there. It's like rainbows in the night.
Here are some of my favorite musical pieces from the album, even if I love nearly each and every song off it.
There supremely colorful Gronlandic Edit, with those parts where all the voices sing together :
I feel Iron and Wine manages to convey environment and emotion to some level, even if a bit mild IMO. of Montreal conveys... I have no idea, boredom? eh... they're rhythmically fine at times but... that's just my opinion, and my opinion is also to vote for Iron and Wine.
Not only do I find Iron and Wine extremely dull but Hissing Fauna is kind of the complete opposite of that. What Of Montreal do so well is combine well trodden musical cliches with melodies that, as drakonium put it, are always where you don't expect them to be. It makes for an effect that's familiar and disconcerting all at once (a combination I find that always makes for music you can't turn off). Some other highlights that haven't been posted:
and another special mention to The Past Is A Grotesque Animal which is probably one of the 10 or 15 songs ever made. Just a crippling epic ode to failed love.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
