Black Comet

The Heavenly States | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 12, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Baria Records
• ASIN: B0009RQRWY
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #519,296 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

"Sorry it’s simple but the simple keeps me up at night," from the song entitled "Borderline" on The Heavenly States album Black Comet.

Product Description

Black Comet is dense, economical rock presenting full, raw performances in a chamber rock setting. From the classic rock style of "Look and Listen" and "Pretty Life" in the vein of Neil Young, Van Morrison and VU, to the southern rock gothic of "Elastic Days" that pauses for a Palestrinian lullaby right in middle of the song, this record is handling heavy equipment and handling it well. Horns join in for the "The Pale", a The Who-wants-to-party track, and they appear again on "Black Comet," a song that blends traditional "Cotton-eyed Joe" with Creedence’s "Fortunate Son" into a manic coping song -- or is it a fighting song? Like the gas-powered rockabilly spirit of "Racetrack," most tracks on the record hit hard right out of the box, but for this very reason, don’t miss the four songs that stray from the ring. Slow dance "Song in F" asks the dance partner to "Stand in, if you must, for the bones on the ground," before the music runs right into regret. "A Revolution Away" is a breathless waltz, a wordless giggle that puts innocence, mischief and hope in very close proximity to the cynical dragon. Funereal anthem "The Witness" might best be filmed at an English football match with the stands singing its Verdi-style chorus, except this is a song about what it feels like when defeat and victory can no longer be distinguished. Gypsy violins replace swooping synthesizers in "Light Dressed Storm," a dance track about the ground getting its revenge on the sky. (Baria Records on The Heavenly States album Black Comet)

Now that Bruce Baby (Springsteen) has taken it down a notch or a dozen, where has all the gusto, that larger-than-humdrum-life rock, gone? It sounds like it's safe in the hands of the Heavenly States. The Oakland band's Black Comet (Baria) dares to grab at that huge honking sound and scope, so rare and out of favor these days – thanks to the always energetic singing by Ted Nesseth, the up-front fiddling of Genevieve Gagon, and the band's tendency to sound as urgent as a 15-alarm fire and generally kick heinie whenever they play. When words fail Nesseth, and the sweet waltz of "A Revolution Away" fades into the poignant flute folk of "The Witness," you're prepared to hand over the keys to Brother Brucie's kingdom of inspirational rock. (Kimberly Chun, San Francisco Bay Guardian, May 2005)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Kicks, July 16, 2005

By 

Dolphina (Miami, Fl) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Comet (Audio CD)

In the past five or so years there has been an obvious trend in popular music. I have heard people refer to it as a "revival". There has been something missing from most of the albums that have been released in this new-old genre. Interpretation. A band of moderately versed musicians can mimic just about any riff or nostalgic mood that rock and roll has to offer, but that is not what makes something relevant. The Heavenly States are relevant because they lace up their musical shoes with their own soles, pockets, tongue and gription. The songs are all different and full of invention. They use their own particular illusions and fears and angst and love, and wrap it up in riffs that we've `almost' heard before. I swear there's a Van Morrison song in the vein of "Look and Listen" but the chorus takes it somewhere else completely. The title track is much like the comet Ted Nesseth sings about. It rushes by, beginning with a huge tribal drum beat that becomes a country ho-down. In the middle eight, the sax solo (yes - a sax solo) is like Clarence Clemons on speed with the rest of the E Street Band. I'm able to hear a multitude of influences and at the same time have a feeling I haven't had before. The album rolls seamlessly in and out of emotions and genres and that makes it stand out like the sore thumb home in the neighborhood -- the home you have to wonder about. This year, it's being subletted by The Heavenly States.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars review from the Synthesis, August 31, 2005

By 

Synthesis_jason (Chico, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Comet (Audio CD)

The Heavenly States churn out rambunctious rock, like the spawn of The Replacements and The Wonder Stuff. The spirit of a rollicking bar band drives much of Black Comet, but what really makes the album click is the addition of Genevieve Gagon's violin and viola. These smokin' strings combine with occasional sax, trumpet and keys to expand the band's sound, enabling The Heavenly States to rock in a more unique way, which is always good. On songs like "Elastic Days" and "Look And Listen," Gagon's violin adds an extra emotional element and an urgent texture to the tunes. While Ted Nesseth's vocal range does not appear to be that broad, he compensates by having something just as important: a true tone of sincerity.

- Connell Burton McDaniel
Synthesis.net

3 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Truly Horrible, July 15, 2005

By 

Sloth (Norman, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Comet (Audio CD)

This is the Heavenly's second release and, like the first, it's a huge disappointment.

As a live band these guys are a visceral, raw, scream-your-head-off band that can live with any other band around.

As a studio band they seemingly have no idea. The drums sound as though they were recorded through a 30 foot steel door from six hundred miles away and the overall sound of the album suffers the same fate.

Songs like Racetrack and Pretty Life (so vital in concert) are limp wristed and lard assed.

How songs that sound so good when you see these people live can die such a horrific studio death is beyond me.

I think THS should really think about changing producers or do something positive for the next release, because this is 12 tracks of bad news.