Customer Reviews

5:30 Saturday Morning

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Lennon Murphy is an extremely talented and personable entertainer. She pens her own lyrics, composes her melodies and sings with a passion that is frequently lost in over-produced, major record label releases. Nothing is lost in this recording. Lennon's words, the instrumentation and her ability to balance hard rock/borderline nu-breed metal-tinged hooks with piano balladry shine throughout this impressive debut.

The packaging includes everything you could possibly hope for. There are some beautiful pictures that reflect several different moods and scenes, full (and legible!) lyrics, standard album production and performance credits and a very personal Thank You section.

1. Property of Goatf***er: This cut immediately kicks. You can bang your head to this opening riff with ease, as well as sit back and listen to the very personal and introspective lyric contained within. My only (minor)complaint is with the backing male vocal. It just seems unnecessary and slightly detracts from an otherwise perfect opener.
2. Trying To Make Me: This track starts with a hypnotic beat and somewhat filtered vocals, but then picks up with a strong vocal by Lennon and a dark, brooding guitar riff that is very catchy (but not in a commercial, generic way). The contrast between the vocal parts and musical progression make for a very excellent follow-up to "Property."
3. Brake of Your Car: The single! This song should've been huge! It has a great hook, universal lyrics, and showcases another strong vocal performance. This one really translates live as well.
4. My Beautiful: Our first glimpse at the softer side of Lennon, so to speak. Vulnerable. Real. It's a great look at how a relationship can cause you to search for answers to the questions one's mind conjures up when faced with rejection and/or replacement. And though one can accept the reality of where the relationship is, moving on is seldom easy. Truly moving.
5. Those Days: "Let me move on with my life." Fast-paced, hard-rocking and almost over in 3 minutes. This is a continuance of the message from its' preceding track. In brief, it's about wanting the other participant in a relationship to let go enough to allow you to continue on your life's path. Letting go...
6. Asking You: I don't think any description I could lend would do this song justice. It is breath-taking and heart-breaking... It's about evolving into your adult self and developing your personality and just figuring out who you are exactly. And how sometimes that "new person" doesn't fit what someone else's expectation or idea of what/who you should be is. My third favorite song on "5:30..."
7. Morning: This song is definitely a release for a lot of emotions. It's very well crafted and creates one of the most instantly memorable moments on the cd. It's no wonder it's one of Lennon's favorites. She also performs it live with unparalleled intensity onstage.
8. I Hear: Calm, beautiful vocal delivery... The lyrics leave the topic of relationships, and delve into broader life/after-life/questioning subject matter.
9. Thank You: Personal lyric that deals with a personal loss Lennon experienced prior to the release of her debut. The booklet includes a photo of a vulnerable looking Lennon next to the words to this song. The accompaniment makes for a very moving moment when listening to this track.
10. Couldn't Breathe: My second favorite selection from this album. There is a heavy reliance on guitar throughout the verses, and the chorus has an interesting progression in intensity. The first rendering is a solo piano and vocal, which builds into full blown instrumentation by the final chorus repetition. Amazing!
11. These Days: This song is rich with textured guitar melodies and features a very well developed storyline of a woman in an abusive relationship who is on the brink of self-destruction; a lyrical highlight.
12. 5:30 Saturday Morning: I experienced a relationship situation similar to the one described in this song. It is a very deep and touching piano ballad. Sometimes I just hit Repeat on this perfect album closer and drift off into my own world; a world where I'm accompanied by my memories of times passed and Lennon's penetrating and soothing voice. This song is worth the "price of admission" alone.

In summary, pick yourself up a copy of this disc. You will not regret it. There are nu-metal styled guitar riffs, soft piano moments, and that voice. There is Lennon; a beacon of sorts, in an otherwise dark and stormy sea of corporate, unoriginal, one-hit-wonder producing clones. She's the one that broke the mould.

Many will compare Lennon to other female artists such as Alanis and Tori, but the only thing they have in common is their gender. Those ladies don't rock like this one. On songs like "Brake of Your Car" and "Trying to Make Me" sturdy guitar lines become rumbling choruses as Lennon vents about
relationships gone bad. Her lyrics describe experience well beyond her young age of 19. The poetry is innocent yet sexual, describing loss, disappointment and hope. These are beautiful contradictions! In "Asking You" Lennon declares "I'll turn them this way/ And I'll turn them the other way" while the piano compliments her every word. She then asks......."Is this how you want me?" Yes Lennon, we want you! Saturday morning has never looked so bright!

So, I forgot exactly how I found this girl, but it was through Amazon I think. One of those, oh this is cool, try this.

I special ordered the CD and forgot about it, then I noticed, we had it in stock, so I went and searched for it. Found it. Bought it. Was wowed.

This girl can sing. Even though her voice isn't edgy enough to be singing the really hard stuff on this album. It's a bit awkward, but the music and everything is great. Her voice is amazing.

My favorite track? "Couldn't Breath" has a wondeful mix of hard elements as well as light, beautiful piano in it, as well as edgy guitars.

I'm eagerly awaiting her new CD, and can't wait to get my hands on that.

She sounds like Joydrop. So...if you like Joydrop, she's your next best thing, since Joydrop is no longer around, which makes me immensely sad.

Otherwise, the music goes through different types of metal, like it says at the top. Really edgy stuff, pop type stuff, and piano solos.

Just like her next sort of album, "Career Suicide" where it's completely all done in piano.

I'm waiting for her next album now...I want it...NOW...

*grins*

First and foremost, I have to say that this girl can write some very good and thought-provoking songs. Having said that I will move on with my review.

I'm a recent newcomer to Lennon's music, and was turned on to her by her song Brake Of Your Car. Having heard that song only, I went out and began the hunt for this CD. After recieving it I discovered that it wasn't what I expected at all. Quite frankly, I despised it. I thought the male background vocals were absolutely horrendous and her voice kind of bothered me. But with further listens I began to appreciate what Ms. Murphy had created. This isn't like most girl rock I have heard in recent times, she's created her own path and that's what I had to get used to.

The CD starts off with a bang, and that bang is Property Of Goatf***er. The male background vocals are pretty annoying, but other than that it's a solid opener. This is her most lyrically recognized track, but it's far from the best in my opinion. Everything about this song is very catchy, be it the verses, chorus, or the bridge. It's all put together to create a nice tune. My personal favorite song on here is I Hear. This song sounds extremely familiar for some reason. I really like how half-way through the song it completely changes directions. It goes from being a rocker to a slower part where Lennon is just basically reading her lyrics. The lyrics are thought-provoking and the band does a great job of making the song flow amazingly.

A few of my favorite songs on here are My Beautiful, I Hear, Couldn't Breathe, and 5:30 Saturday Morning. All and all this is a very solid release. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I felt that there was no need to have male vocals in this. I mean Lennon's got a great voice, she should be able to use it without having a guy wispering lyrics in the background. Other than that you couldn't ask for a better CD.

On 5:30 Saturday Morning, Lennon announces her arrival with authority, unleashing passion and rage that doesn't sound forced or clichéd. At age 19, Lennon has written some powerful lyrics that suggest maturity far beyond her years. Oh yeah, they also rock mightily!

Much of the lyrics on this album seem to stem from failed relationships, but rather than offer up the same old tired words bemoaning love gone bad, Lennon takes the offensive with fire and fury. She expresses her own doubts and fears with power and proficiency, while placing the blame, she feels others deserve, with bitter and acidic accuracy.

I said that much of the lyrics are about failed relationships, but others, like Couldn't Breathe, sound like they are a person still very much trying to figure our herself and her place, both in life and in love. The song Thank You is about a young woman struggling to find peace with a mother who is trying to live vicariously through her daughter.

Musically, this is a heavy album with blistering guitars that are more riff oriented and sound like they have been influenced by the slow heavy rock of the early 90s, as well as the more current nu-metal.The rhythm section is thunderous and tight. There are no backing vocals, only Lennon delivering the message.

"The only thing on my body
Is an impression of you"
Lennon slows it down on the title track which features only her and her piano. It is turn of phrases like the one above that makes it so easy to get pulled into her songs and see, with your mind's eye, the picture she is painting.


I see great things for Lennon Murphy, great things and a long career of dynamic music.

I first saw/heard of Lennon when I went to see Stabbing Westward live in Cleveland as they were supporting their self-titled album in 2001, Lennon being the opening act. As usual, my expectations for the opening act of a show were pretty low, and I was expecting some boring, pseudo-angered rock band with not much to offer. However, as soon as I saw Lennon Murphy herself come out onstage and start singing "Property Of Goatf---er", I was amazed. After meeting and chatting with her after the show, I was even more impressed. Not only is she beautiful, but so is her voice, which shows that there is a market for female peforming artists in the world of rock without screaming like Phil Anselmo (Kittie) or being too tame (such is the stereotype).

Her music blends standard, lighter alternative rock such as the likes of newer Stabbing Westward, A Perfect Circle and various others while putting an industrial vibe remniscient of Nine Inch Nails or Gravity Kills, with Lennon's own keyboard/piano playing and the crunching guitar riffs blasting over it. This girl knows how to perfectly blend some of the most creative and influential styles into her own and come out with a sound completely individual of herself.

In addition to her own beautiful voice and piano skills, she is backed by a talented band, live as well as in the studio, such as Kenny Aronoff on drums (has worked with Smashing Pumpkins) and Shea from Goldfinger playing live. The two guitarists and the bassist also do a wonderful job of putting all the emotion of the song out in their performance, making the band seethe as one instrument in perfect time.

What is so attractive about the album itself is the fact that it is so diverse. Vibes range from the anger-seething "Property Of Goatf---er" and "Those Days" with the like-minded "These Days" and "Thank You" to the calming and beautifully arranged piano piece, "5:30 Saturday Morning". Although many of the songs seem full of anger, many of them seem to reflect a person who has had more anger and hurt inflicted on her, who now questions the reasons for the way things work out, with lyrics like "Where do I fit in if she's in your bed? Where is my beautiful?", "One more night is all she thinks. I won't come back but I'm too weak", and "I just want to live my life, they just want to hear they're right", all of which pushes her to statements like "I hope to see you all in hell."

The lyrics are angry yet mature. Desperate yet hopeful. Emotional yet hard. It's the perfect album to vent to. If things keep going this direction, Lennon can look forward to a great career ahead of her. My expectations are high for the next album and I can't recommend this enough. Every track is great and has it's purpose, but those standing out to me are "Property Of Goatf---er", "These Days", "5:30 Saturday Morning", "I Hear", and "My Beautiful". If you consider yourself a fan of music buy this. Period.

A new artist with more buzz than a hive of bees, Lennon proves, once and for all, women can truly rock out without having to sound overly girly (Tuuli) or like men at a Napalm Death concert (Kittie). With her debut, she makes a huge stride for rock music by proving that people can be won over without a deluge of swearing or sexual innuendo (though she provides plenty of that too).
Opening up with the powerful force that is the heavy energy of Property of Goatf***er, she lets her voice do the talking and the guitar do the smashing. The radio-friendly single Brake Of Your Car is still a good song. Lennon said it best herself: "I think My Beautiful will be one of those songs that everyone can definitely relate to. Morning is by far my favorite track. I think the album has something for everyone. You go from one extreme, Goatf**ker, to a song like Asking You. Keeps one interested." And she's right. Even the metalhead get a good, heavy mosh anthem or two in Those Days and the similarly themed These Days. But... 5:30 AM Saturday Morning is the ultimate ballad. Simply beautiful, amazingly crafted, and a real gem to find among the tracks on here.
Also... it is worthy to note that Lennon's band on this CD is made up of studio musicians. Why is it worthy to mention? Because they are a very talented bunch of people. Among them one finds the very cool and overlooked(overshadowed is a better term) Scott Borland. Yes, he is the brother of Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland. And also, maybe a sign of how much buzz her music generated in musician circles, the drummer is legendary stickman Kenny Aronoff. He's played for some VERY big names. Smashing Pumpkins, John Mellencamp, and Creedence Clearwater Revival, to name a few. And he rocks out on here. Adds just the right kind of feel to the songs.
So, Lennon's CD is a favorite of mine. It's an amazing effort for a debut CD. Undoubtedly it will be a base for her to grow from, and this is one of few CDs that covers all the bases all at once. If you like guitars and rock at all, this CD comes highly recommended.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet and interview Lennon Murphy a year ago, as part of a journalism internship. The subsequent story I wrote for Say What magazine focused mainly on the recent death of Lennon's mother and how she is rearing her 9 year old neice as her own. But I soon realized while speaking with Lennon that she is an amazing person, both privately and publicly. Her drive to preform is inspirational. It is something she loves to do more than anything else. obviously. I have seen Lennon preform only once, long before she got this record deal with Arista. That one show was the most electric and astounding thing I have seen. I was completely blown away by her hauntingly beautiful voice and the way she is able to bend her words around her melodies so perfectly. I know that her new record is the best thing I have heard in a long time. It's full of her angel-on-acid vocals, heavy guitar, driving industrial beats, and vicious wordplay. Lennon is definitely the Next Big Thing, but with lasting power. Buy the CD- I promise you will not regret it.

The September SPIN's description as going beyond Alanis Morissette by including a snarling, chugging and clanging wall of Black Sabbath guitar chords is more or less on the mark. Upon listening to her, maybe a bit of P.J. Harvey, as well as something unique. I figured, anyone named after one of the Beatles can't be all that bad. And in the July issue of AP, when she mentioned the title of her first song, I said to myself, "That's it! I've gotta hear this!" Then I saw the release date. Urgghhhh! I can't wait two months!

"Property" begins with a churn of heavy metal guitar that is indeed reminiscent of Tony Iommi. That same guitar roar is present in the following song, "Trying To Make Me." as well as others, such as "Morning" and "I Hear". Major kudos to Scotty Smith, Eli McFadden, and Spider for giving Lennon her leonine roar.

I like the heavy riffs, guitar rock, and gothic/industrial ambience of "Brake Of Your Car." That and "My Beautiful" with a chorus of beautiful strings, pounding drums, and metal guitar, intercut between Tori-ish vocals, should make brilliant singles. I've come to see the latter as my second favorite track here.

"Asking You" echoes Tori Amos or Fiona Apple in its soft parts, but during the blaring wall of string synthesizers and rhythmic, pounding drums, sounds like One Dove or Dot Allison with its ambient sound.

"Couldn't Breathe" sounds like Godsmack or Union Underground's crunchy guitars, intercut with Tori-style piano interludes.

The simple yet resonant piano-ballad title track rounds up the dozen songs and puts Lennon up there with Tori Amos. She shows herself as more outrospective and the inpermanence of treasured moments, moments savored with a bittersweet longing. Perhaps this comes from her harsh background, culminating in the loss of her mother and in the process, becoming the guardian of her 8-year old sister.

The drummer is Kenny Aronoff, and if the name sounds familiar, he was John Cougar Mellencamp's drummer in the 1980's.

Lennon's sound is a much-welcomed fresh sound with a dynamic maelstrom of heavy guitars this side of Metallica. She seems determined not to let the current music market of *N-Styncers deter her music or life, as evidenced in the chorus of "Property": "I don't care/what you have to say/I'd rather fail/and do it my way." And from "Asking You" comes that fierce doctrine of self-determinism that makes Americans American: "If I'm going to f... up own my life/I'm going to do it right."

One question: if Lennon is Lennon, who is McCartney? If someone has an answer, let me know.

Lennon may have the face and body of a woman, but she has the roar of a lioness. Look out, world! She is Lennon--hear her roar!

Lennon Murphy has shot way up to the top of my personal hit list. I love the hard-driving songs, the touching melodies, the thought-provoking lyrics and the whole package. Solid collection of alternative hard rock classics and slower, heart-touching ballads. Just raw talent in all aspects of her music. She really opens herself up for the world to see in her lyrics helping you to feel her inner rage, emptiness and soul searching. I also saw her open up for "Heart" last year and man she is a great live performer who really knows how to rock the stage.

I am so ready for the next album. Waiting anxiously.