Customer Reviews

Auberge

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whether or not you are a romantic person, this album will return you to the places and memories your heart just won't allow you to forget.

Rea's voice is mesmerizing and his guitar playing is, surprisingly, very good. He has crafted some beautiful love songs on this mellow record and it is one of the few CD's I always take with me on road trips and vacations.

"Heaven" is a bittersweet masterpiece that describes the simple joy and escapism of driving: "... the paradise of going somewhere that's still so far away ..." The guitar work alone on this song is worth the price of admission.

"At The Mention Of Your Name" will put a lump in your throat for that special relationship that slipped away - and from which you never completely recovered. Rea does a superb job of capturing those awkward moments of reflection - from having those memories inadvertently triggered by a well-meaning friend, to the "sunny days and drunken nights" of trying to erase them.

I have been surprised over the years at how many people have this lone Rea album in their collections. It's a wild card for sure. Not many folks know about Chris Rea, and he certainly never had much success in the States, but he's good. Real good.

If you are not familiar with Chris Rea, add Auberge to your collection. It really is a must have.

Highly recommended.

I was introduced to the music of Chris Rea by my dear friend Jeebu (Hi Jeebu, remember YCCE) in 1992. Since then I have listened to virtually all that Chris Rea has to offer. However, Auberge remains the first and the best album of his that I ever owned. The music is very basic. Guitars, drums, and an incredible voice (I feel that his voice starts from inside his boots). I would especially recommend you listen to this album after a hard days work. Helps me unwind. Happy listening. Cheers.....

The Road to Hell was a critical success, but Auberge may be even better. Red Shoes, Sing a Song of Love To Me, and The Mention of Your Name are among his best. Chris Rea continues to redefine himself. As is the case with most artists, he misses occasionally, but overall he is someone who the American listening public is missing out on because of a lack of U.S. promotion.

Chris Rea, a British singer and slide guitar player is not very well known in the US. But he has for sure won over the hearts of the Europeans. His songs are very popular in Eastern Europe. Germans like it a lot. The song from this album "Every second counts" has to be a hit in France, because it reflects so much a French attitude towards life. It is also very British and tongue-in-cheek. "Auberge" is a quintessential European album. This is a relaxing blend of soft rock and blues with some great haunting tunes. Great beat, fantastic deep voice, and meaningful lyrics are certainly an attractive combination. It will be a nice addition for any collection, particularly if you are kind of person who enjoys "Dire Straits".

I've never been really much into rock or pop, and would have never imagined myself listening to an artist named Chris Rea. Oddly enough, I was forced to listen to "Looking for the Summer" on telephone hold music, and have been a fan of Rea ever since. The Auberge album in particular seems to possess a fine degree of thematic integrity and tone. If you must buy only one Chris Rea album, let it be this one.

I highly anticipated this Chris Rea album after the radio success and personal enjoyment of Dancing with Strangers and The Road to Hell. Auberge took on a different style than its immediate predecessors, more low-key and probably less musically diverse, but it is still an enjoyable album.
The title track is the strongest song and obvious single, even though its guitar riff is overused by Rea (listen to the closing riff on Just Wanna be With You from 'Road as well as Johnny Needs a Fast Car from Espresso Logic). Gone Fishing is typical laid-back Rea, but hardly deserved to be included on his "Best of" album.
Other memorable songs are towards the end of the disc: Every Second Counts and Looking for the Summer (also on his "Best of" album). Overall, this album is worth investing in if you like Chris Rea's brand of blues.

And I'm happy completely, listening to Chris Rea.

I absolutely adore Set Me Free, the guitar in this is beautiful, and the mood of the music itself will always be linked to evening drives with my father for me.

I have many happy memories of listening to this album in the car whenever we went a long way. The whole family would sing along to it. My dad and I used to pop it in the CD player to listen to while we worked on the car too.

I've always been a blues girl, and Chris Rea's beautiful gravelly voice is always easy to listen to. The songs on this album have never gotten old for me. Unfortunately, I only really get to listen to the whole thing when I travel back to the UK, as I have yet to buy myself a copy of this album.

This may not be quite what people expect if they've only listened to Chris Rea's more recent releases, it feels a little less like the blues than some of his other songs, but it's a pleasure to listen to nonetheless.

The only tune anybody except real fans can name from Chris Rea is his pop single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" from his debut many years ago. Rea visited the US charts a few years little, albeit briefly with "Auberge", which is one of the smoothest, most elegant CD's out there.
Rea is no stranger in Britain - in fact, he's a bona fide guitar hero, and rightly so, as his slide work is as slick and sinewy as a basketful of snakes. Add his husky baritone and mellow background musicians, and you have a real class act.
The high points of "Auberge", possibly his finest work, include "Gone Fishing", "Looking For the Summer" and the bouncy "Red Shoes". Why his smooth music hasn't made the same impact as later Clapton music, Sting, or any other adult contemporaries you could name is a mystery, but that's the fickle music biz for you. Clapton may make his guitar gently weep; Rea makes his break down and sob.

A well put-together collection of tunes. What he may lack in technical skills, he has more than made up with the composition, great vocals, and just an all-around, nice selection of songs. There's something here for every taste, and you would look hard to find anything you don't like. One of those CDs you can easily listen to from beginning to end.

Chris Rea delivers the best of what Chris Rea is all about in this signature CD. "Set Me Free" is arguably the most potent mix of cerebral arrangement and soulful, heart-stripped-clean vocal you'll ever find. This is the stuff that makes Rea the finest outlet for melancholy. Check into a cabin in the forest, let the rain patter against the window, light the fire in the fireplace, pour a fine claret or even a cabernet and spin this CD with the one you most want to be with. Deep philosophical healing will begin on contact.