Customer Rating:  
Summary: Smart, quirky, actually FUN!
Comment: In this era of never-ending melancholy...what a refreshing album. There are hundreds of what I would call "power-pop" albums coming out every year that are well produced, have fairly good song writing, but ultimately fail to catch on because they just aren't FUN.
I don't live in LA, I know nothing about this band. But this is good music. The singer isn't too girly, the band is tight and the arrangements are interesting. Most of the songs are extremely catchy and uplifting, but achieve depth because they aren't afraid to go a little dark at times.
Case in point, on the track "Her in These Lights" at 1:57, there is a great synthesizer part that turns this up-tempo pop tune into a much more serious song. The kind of part where the singer stands back and appreciates what her bandmates are doing. And in the end leaves the listener much more affected, than say after listening to any of the "New Pornographers" - not that they are a bad group, but Hello Stranger manages to go much deeper, yet still does it in an exciting, fun way.
Other obvious standouts are "Here We Go Again" and "Dance For No One"
Customer Rating:
Summary: Understatedly Great
Comment: At first listen it's a good album.
By the 5th listen it's even better.
Then you're hooked. The songs, deceptively simple at first, grow in complexity after multiple listens.
I impatiently await their next album
Customer Rating:
Summary: Compelling stuff!
Comment: At first listen, most of what Hello Stranger had to offer didn't really mesh well with me. I heard potential (the singer's voice is incredible with the style) and that inspired me to continue listening even though very little was keeping my interest. "Take It To The Maxx" was the only song really grabbing my attention.
After a month, I can say that this album is, hands down, one of the best things I have bought this year. The music is well written, the lyrics are interesting and the singer's voice, as I said, suits the music perfectly.
Normally I would go through why I like certain songs, but I really have faith that you, the consumer, will trust my opinion, and the opinions of others who have also loved this album. I will however, list the songs I love from this album.
"Take It To The Maxx", "Here We Go Again", "Her In These Lights", "Learn Again To Feel", "Plain And Simple", "Everyone Comes Here", "Dancing For No One".
Go for it. You know you want to.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Real music made by real people
Comment: I have been seeing this band live for a while now and have always been blown away by their shows. This record finally does them justice. The songs are catchy yet not too bubble gum. This is music that I would give to a friend or my mom or a little kid. It's just universally acceptable good fun rock music. There are some really beautiful sonic textures coming from the keyboards and Juliette's voice (which has become one of my favorite voices ever) to the fingerpicked guitar playing that seems to have died with the rest music. The drums are deceptively simple, almost machinelike until you notice all the little things the drummer does that are really unique. Finally the bass is what really seperates this record from their EPs. Check out the bass solo on Es Tu Vida! To sum it up, what a breath of fresh air to listen to a record that was made by real people actually playing their real instruments, making music that everyone can enjoy.
Customer Rating:
Summary: looking for something new and awesome?
Comment: then buy this cd. this amazing trio from los angeles know how to make ears happy. i have been seeing them live here in LA for years, and this debut of theirs is amazing.
buy two, you won't regret it.
|
