Customer Reviews

Concentrate

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Though they sound like a peculiar mix of Elvis Costello, Camper van Beethoven, Ben Folds Five, Fountains of Wayne and The Reivers, Judd and Maggie craft a unique and unpretentious sound in "Concentrate." The songs are beautiful, melodic and full of hooks. It's so well mixed and produced that it's hard to believe it's their debut effort. The lyrics are positive, down-to-earth and harmonious with a Christian perspective; it isn't in-your-face-Christian but very incarnational and Catholic: It takes the ordinary and adds upon it the insights of grace. This is a must-have album for anyone who loves pure, great pop and even more for those who value pop without vulgarity and darker themes. My only compaint about the album is that there isn't more! I can't wait to hear what Judd and Maggie put out next.

I know Judd and Maggie personally but have only seen them live a few times. If I'm going to write a review of their CD, I want it to be objective beacause I'm way too analytical as a person. With that in mind, I gave the album a complete listen, and I still loved it. The comparisons to Ben Folds have merit. I would also recommend it to fans of Elvis Costello, the Carpenters, and even Randy Newman.

Lyrically poignant and sincere, the album reminds one of the emotional adventure that everyday life can be. The music is bright and poppy without ever succumbing to the inappropriate cheekiness that accompanies the word pop in so many instances. This album is very well produced for a local effort. Added polish would only serve to dry up the melancholic undertones that make this relatively cheery album so precious. Judd Bolger's distinctive voice and more-than-competent playing are complemented by Maggie's welcome vocal interludes. With a little help from their friends, they have crafted a rich journey of a CD.

Record labels should get curious. Anyone who appreciates songwriting should take a chance and purchase this disc even though you can't sample the songs here. Believe that.

Excellent songs, innovative production- another one of those albums you'll be happy you own, and nobody else has ever heard of. I would suggest this to anyone with an iffinity for a well-crafted song, a dying art in these Mtvilified times where ADHD is assumed. You may find parts of this album thought-provoking, so don't buy it unless you'd consider that a good thing.

I recently became a Judd and Maggie fan when they played a hot and humid church picnic with just one guitar one amp and two voices. "After Tonight" could be a classic someday if it gets noticed by somebody important. The lyrics of this song are amongst the most clever I've heard. How can you write a song about a break-up with a hook that says "Let Me Hold You Tight"? Judd has a Jackson Browne quality to his voice and you won't be able to put the CD down! Now that the skeptical/heartbroken teenager record has been made to perfection its time for them to move on to another one of their specialties, a religous record!

This album is great. I've had it a little under a year, and it feels like new. I swear it will never get old.

You should buy this CD now while it's 9.99 before they get super uber unbelievably famous and it costs twice as much.

I'm tellin' ya homes, early bird special! Get buying!

This is by far one of the GREATEST CD's I have heard in a long time. I can't stop listening to it!!! With Judd's unique voice and Maggie's beautiful vocals, they make a great combination. Every single one of the songs on this album are catchy and have really good lyrics. Definite props to Judd and Maggie for making such an awesome CD.