Auf der Maur

Melissa Auf Der Maur, Auf Der Maur

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 1, 2004)
• Original Release Date: June 1, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B00022XOB8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #129,563 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Lightning is My Girl

2. Followed the Waves

3. Real a Lie

4. Head Unbound

5. Taste You

6. Beast of Honor

7. I'll Be Anything You Want

8. My Foggy Notion

9. Would If I Could

10. Overpower Thee

11. Skin Receiver

12. I Need I Want I Will

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Melissa Auf der Maur has the best rolodex in rock: She played bass for both Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins; went to school with Rufus Wainwright; and purportedly counts Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and Andrew W.K. among her romantic conquests. Her own record better be good. While Auf Der Maur's self-titled debut doesn't sound anything like either her friends or former employers, it's clear she's picked up a few tricks. Standout tracks "Followed the Waves" and "Real a Lie" storm out of the speakers with shameless arena rock bluster and volcanic urgency. Her lyrics stink (think witches and black light unicorn posters) but she compensates with the sort of million-decibel pterodactyl shriek that makes it hard to notice. And when she tries her hand at a bit of '80s-inspired noise pop with "Would If I Could" the results near My Bloody Valentine envelope pushing brilliance. She was obviously born to do this. --Aidin Vaziri

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lightning is my girl, July 10, 2004

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

In the modern music scene, too often female pop singers are relabelled "rock." Here's the real thing: Melissa Auf Der Maur -- formerly of the Smashing Pumpkins and Hole -- debuts with a blast in "Auf Der Maur," pushing aside pop-rockers with her robust, bass-heavy rockers.

It opens with a bang in the swoopy, searing, catchy "Lightning is My Girl," which adds a rather confusing spoken interlude before the sweeping buildup of "Followed the Waves." From there on, she gets into the cycling hard rocker "Real A Lie," the softer "Taste You," the bass-heaving roaring "Beast of Honor," and the playful rocker "I'll Be Anything You Want." It rounds off with the sprawling "I Need I Want I Will," which starts on an ominous gothic note, before falling into silence, and blossoming again.

Listening to this album, it's not hard to see why Melissa Auf Der Maur was in the Smashing Pumpkins -- she has the heavy, roaring complexity that many other rockers could benefit from. There's an air of confidence around "Auf De Maur," which seems to come from Auf Der Maur's past experience, and her undeniable talent as a bassist and singer.

Auf Der Maur has a solid voice that rises above her music. Don't expect her to do any vocal gymnastics, but her vocals are assured and confident, as if she's fully in tune with her music. Her songwriting needs lots of work ("Take one look at your cook/Feed yourself, I'm on a hook"), but it has some raw promise ("I'll see you in my dreams/Electrified and cherry red") and very evocative imagery.

She was also the bassist in both the Smashing Pumpkins and Hole, so needless to say she plays a mean bass on her own album -- complex, dark, heavy, and sinuously flexible. Her old bandmate James Iha and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme offer their own talents, with Homme cowriting and playing solid guitar, and Iha offering his talents to the solid "Head Unbound."

Melissa Auf Der Maur's debut shows the polish of many years in other people's bands, but she's strong on her own two feet, in her own unique sound. An imperfect but solid debut, and one that promises good things yet to come.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Something new and good in rock music, July 25, 2004

By	D. Montros (UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Melissa Auf der Maur has put together an excellent album.
This is moderately hard rock. Not much pop or nu-metal influence to be found here. The album is unique enough that I can't compare it to anything directly, but it struck me as a cross between Smashing Pumpkins (one of Auf der Maur's former bands) and Tool. Her voice is good. Extremely sensual. Her lyrics are generally thought-provoking (maybe a little fixated on sexual metaphors-not that I am complaining!). The highlight of the CD was the instruments. The musicians did an incredible job. The guitar work really surprised me. I am not a musician, but there seemed to be an unusually wide range of techniques used. The distinctness of each song made the album that much more interesting. She collaborated with a lot of people to put this album together, and that may have resulted in the variety. The drums also stood out as exceptional, understated when appropriate, and driving at the right moments.

It was nice to finally hear some really good, creative rock music.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worth a Peek, December 11, 2004

By	Hapworth (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) - See all my reviews

Okay, the lyrics are dumb, true, and rock history hasn't been kind to secondary members of famous groups trying to strike gold on their own (just ask Andrew Ridgely, Jane Wiedlin, or even George Harrison)--though this seems to be less true in alt rock (just ask Kim Deal or Dave Grohl)--so maybe Melissa Auf Der Maur, former Smashing Pumpkins and Hole bassist, has rock genre on her side. Auf Der Maur's debut is a potentially great hard rock/metal/alt record--part Zep (and, by default, part Heart--check out the "Barracuda"-riffed "Skin Reciever"), part Pixies (and, by default, part Breeders-check out Melissa's dead-on Kim Deal imitation on "Followed the Waves"), oh, and, of course, part Billy Corgan-70's-influenced arena hard rock. A handful of songs here do rock politely, but me, I'd like to see Melissa make the H.R. Geiger reference in the CD finale literal and bring this monster to life. Why not unleash the metal beast and let listeners be trampled underneath, begging Melissa for the forgiveness she apparently craves so much if you read her lyrics? Why not let Melissa's monotone yet girly voice fight against the onslaught of metal guitar chomp? I dunno, but can you imagine what a great record? I'd buy that CD. This CD, I like, but I'd also sell it for two bucks when the bank account ran dry and I needed beer money.

Standout Tracks: "Lightning is My Girl," "Followed the Waves," "Real a Lie," "Taste You"

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