Abulum

Glen Phillips | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 10, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Gold Circle
• ASIN: B00005AVR1
• In-Print Editions: DVD Audio
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,746 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Careless

2. Men Just Leave

3. Back on My Feet

4. Fred Meyers

5. My Own Town

6. It Takes Time

7. Drive By

8. Darkest Hour

9. Professional Victim

10. Train Wreck

11. Maya

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Pop Treat from Toad's Former Front Man, April 10, 2001

By 

JD Cetola (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Abulum (Audio CD)

Glen Phillips, former vocalist/songwriter from the terrific Toad the Wet Sprocket, has finally released a solo album (the first full album of material from him since Toad's 1997 overlooked masterpiece "Coil"). Musically, this album is more in line with the earlier Toad output ("Pale", "Bread & Circus"). Some of the edge from the band's later output is missing. Nevertheless, this is an album of great pop songs with the typical lyrics you would expect from Phillips (some quirky songs--see 'Drive By' and the single 'Fred Meyers', some moving songs--'Darkest Hour', and the standard depressing fare--see most of the other songs). Overall, this is a solid album from start to finish and well worth obtaining for any fan of Toad the Wet Sprocket.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting To Know Glen As A Solo Artist, October 4, 2001

By 

Alicia (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abulum (Audio CD)

The lyrics in Abulum are not a far cry from his work with Toad...expressive, deep thinking, and beautifully delivered. Each song is musically exclusive to Glen's creativity...I felt like the lyrics and music tie more closely in this album than ever before in Toad.
Abulum is the opportunity to get to know Glen as a solo artist. Those who listen expecting to hear another Toad album will be disappointed because this is just Glen Phillips' creative work. Those fans of Toad that were so extremely disappointed by Abulum obviously set themselves up for it. Glen put the magic in Toad...take a listen and really let it flow through you and you'll see that, too.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of my favorite discs of the year!, October 1, 2001

By 

"titoofadam" (columbus, oh) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abulum (Audio CD)

this cd explores the depths and heights of humanity. the depths contain a tragic beauty, the heights are indescribable. this cd is not, however, for some toad fans. it has a very elvis costello meets elliot smith meets toad feel with some old johnny cash and willie nelson thrown into the mix. if you are able to glimpse the hidden beauty of sorrow or elation, this cd is not for you.

each song has its own distinct presence, yet as a whole the record feels amazingly cohesive. personaly, my favorites are "darkest hour", which glen wrote about his father's passing. although i was disappointed that the album version is different from the first version i heard online earlier this year.
after listening to "train wreck"(amazing imagery) i'm convinced it was written about a girl i know. every time i hear it i think of her.

i can understand why some toad fans don't like this disc, it seems to have been written during a darker emotional period in glen's life than most toad fans are used to, but it also contains the same poetic beauty, with lyrics like "tear me open, sanctify me/find the beauty thats dying inside of me"-(maya); i could go on and on, but i would end up writing the entire liner notes, and we don't have enough space...