Customer Reviews

As If to Nothing

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I first became aware of Craig Armstrong's work on the underrated Massive Attack when he co-wrote a couple of my favourite racks on that album. Since then I've heard some of his collaborations with other musicians and of course now on several film scores most notably on Moulin Rouge. When I heard the guest list he'd assembled for this c.d. well you could say I was pretty excited on hearing this c.d. My first impressions of it when I bought it way back in February were very disappointing indeed. To me it sounded way to cheesy and all a bit too 'classy'. To me it sounded like the sort of background music you may hear at some 'thirty something dinner party'-albeit a pretty dreary one at that. Then recently having ignored it for a while I dug it out again and my opinions of this c.d. have altered radically. I mean I can see why some people may hate this sort of c.d. as it does sound a bit too like some sort of elaborate film score. The orchestrations are full of vast cinematic swoops and it's all sounds quite grandiose and lavish. But then in other moods I've found this to be an atmospheric c.d. that moves the listener with it's sheer beauty.

The whole thing starts off quite amazingly with this slow moving almost apocalyptic sounding piece. The buzzing drone of a synth builds the piece quite slowly and tastefully for nearly 5 minutes. Then we get the ultimate climax as a choral section joins this near 6 minutes of aural pleasure. Evan Dando never sounded better on the eerie "Wake Up In New York". Considering the terrible events that happened in that city recently it all sounds so prophetic. His voice is tinged with such a despairing sadness it makes this track quite moving indeed. I don't know if it was deliberate but the next track really gets the mind moving also. Scotish mood maestro's Mogwai (all of their albums are certainly worth checking out also!) give their own brand of guitar based atmospheric chill out music. The haunting aspect to this song is the Arabic vocals which seem to be full of pain and sadness. It's a remarkable set of tracks. The next 2 tracks are simple orchestral pieces with a certain hint of Massive Attack bass effects. They sound pretty similar but I love both of them. The first track I'm not too fond of is track 6 "Waltz". It's again very slow moving and has some unusual German spoken word echoing in the background.

The next track is quite diverse from the previous ones. It drops the orchestral sounds in favour of some harsh sounding industrial synth sounds and some fairly heavy guitar, as well as the life support machine synth effects which are heard quite frequently on the c.d. The next track is a collaboration with Photek and is aptly called "Hymn 2". The start of this tracks sets a haunting atmosphere with a soprano used to great effect. It's great to hear David Mc Almount's vocals again on the next track "Snow". He's too good a vocalist to be in the wilderness. The lyrics may be a little too soppy for my liking but when it's mixed with such an amazing string arrangement it makes this track one of the c.d's highlights. Bono does a version of "Stay" which I was surprised to find sounded all a bit [cheesy.] I just feel that the use of the orchestra doesn't work particularly well on this track-it's almost like the orchestra holds the tempo of the vocals back. I prefer the Zooropa version by far. The mood of the c.d. continues along it's pretty melancholic lines and reaches an amazing crescendo with the penultimate track "Let It Be Love". This time the arrangement is based around a simple haunting piano to back some excellent vocals that pour out with emotion.

This c.d. won't have you jumping around the place for joy with excitement and verve but given a more reflective mood you can't deny it's beauty and obvious class!

Craig Armstrong came as an incredible musical discovery to me by accident, when I ran into the version of U2's "Stay (Faraway, So Close!" that comes in this album. As a matter of fact, that was just the tip of the iceberg, since the whole album has a feel that puts him alongside artists of the caliber of David Sylvian (check out his "Secrets of the Beehive") and the extinct band The Blue Nile (don't miss their "Hats" for anything in the world).

Thematically, this production is a great accomplishment, where his own solo efforts are crowned by welcomed collaborations from some of the artists he has worked with in the past, while scoring U2 and Massive Attack, among others, and conceiving the music for 'Moulin Rouge' which earned him a Golden Globe. Among the most beautiful tracks beside "Stay..." are: "Let it be love", "Wake Up in New York" (with Evan Dando), "Hymn 2" (with Photek), "Sea Song" (with Wendy Stubbs) and the song that I love most of the entire album, "Finding Beauty", where he showcases all his talents at scoring that have made him what he is today.

Among other accomplishments this guy provided string arrangements for U2 (check out Miss Sarajevo) and Massive Attack's "Protection." This alone should give you a sense of his worth, yet listening to this album you can experience the emotional depth Armstrong reaches in his writing and arrangements. If you are not moved by these pieces, you ought to check your pulse. This could be the soundtrack of your life.

Lavishly orchestrated throughout, this CD will stand the test of time with some terrific, though a tad dreary, tunes. WAKE UP NEW YORK, SEA SONG, and LET IT BE LOVE are simply among the finest ballads out there, and all are totally different, with 3 different singers. In fact, I've played LET IT BE LOVE probably 100 times in the last 2 months, matching similar overplayed tunes by such greats as the Beatles and Sinatra! So Mr. Armstrong and his friends are in some good company. Plus there's 2 nice choral hymns, including the closer. The only drawbacks are some unnecessary weird noisy tunes here and there, and a rock oriented instrumental that may be there to keep the listener from falling asleep too early. Definitely some of the best songs out there today!

This had been my most eagerly-awaited album of 2002 so far.
His music is unlike any other artist ive heard. Like his first solo album, The Space Between Us, it combines beautiful cinematic orchestral arrangements with downtempo electronic beats and other elements.
Its an amazing album. The music is moody and evocative. He also has more collaborations on this album with artists like Photek, Bono, Mogwai, Evan Dando and Wendy Stubbs (best known from the group Alpha - who are another excellent and underexposed group on the Melankolic label)
If you are a fan of cool chill out music and movie scores then you should listen to this album. Craig Armstrong does an excellent job of merging the two. I highly recommend this album and i also recommend checking out his first album.

I was expecting a lot from this disc, because I have enjoyed all of Craig Armstrong's previous efforts especially his only other real solo non soundtrack CD "The Space Between Us". In an effort to be dreamy and ethereal this genre of "melankolic" music ( the self described moniker used for the catalog of Massive Attack's wonderfully talented collaborators) often ends up just bland. As I write this review, I must admit that maybe I have not given "As if to Nothing" enough of a chance, but truthfully so many of the songs presented here are as if to Nothing to me. That being said I enjoy the Evan Dando collaboration "Wake up in New York". The King Crimson sampled "Starless II" might be seen as a statement about the early influences of what is now known as techno and is quite beautiful too. U2's "Stay" is not bad. I also liked a cut called "Let It be Love' I had never heard of the singer on this cut Steven Lindsay but he has a really good voice. That's it though 15 cuts- 4 keepers 3 to 4 that may yet grow on me and the rest is a big yawn.

Despite the sleepy quality of most of the pieces on this album, As If To Nothing sports something in the realm of today's music that few other albums can match: quality of the craft. Instrumentally speaking, Craig Armstrong is by far on the vanguard of modern symphony, blending quiet moments with the rising trill of strings into a full blown orchestral wave of emotion and sound. There are indeed a few experimental sounding bits, the "radar" bleep of "Ruthless Gravity", the sub-aural German dissertation on assembling a webpage on "Waltz"... These things garner an interest that keeps one hooked on the music itself. The four-star rating comes from the wish that there were more such pieces like those on "The Space Between Us".

After hearing Craig Armstrong's collaborations with Liz Fraser and Massive Attack, I was intrigued by his work based on the gorgeous cinematic-like melodies. I recently acquired his latest album "As If to Nothing". I found myself enchanted by the gorgeous melodies and breathtaking vocals from Evan Dando, Wendy Stubbs, and Catherine Bott. The songs themselves are beautiful. I felt like I was listening to a soundtrack, especially a Hans Zimmer soundtrack. The music has it all,it is emotional, dramatic and melodic without coming off weepy and drippy like Yanni and John Tesh. The listener is transported to a whole 'nother world while listening to the album. I can virtually hear Craig's talents as a film composer shine through the entire album. I was deeply moved by the enchanting music on this album. Simply an amazing album to say the very least. Definitely one of the best electronic albums I have heard this year. I look forward to hearing more of Craig's music.

This cd is wonderful because it offers a variety of orchestration, instruments, vocal talent, genre, etc. It definitely isn't the type of cd that you get tired of listening to becaue all of the songs sound the same!

2002 will be the recognition year for Craig Armstrong. First the Golden Globe for Moulin Rouge (hopefully an Oscar soon) and a perfect follow-up album "As if to nothing".
Anybody who enjoyed the string arrangements in Frozen, Learn to say goodbye, Please(single version), Ground Beneath Her Feet, Golden Eye, will have an exhale with this album in such desperate days for music. I guarentee you that the core of the album is melancolic(as the name of the producing company), aggrassive and sensative just as it was in "Space Between Us". It is a shame that it is an import though. Hope you all enjoy it.