Customer Reviews

Curved Glass

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

 

 

The grinding, echoing space that Hopewell carves out on this album is like a giddy isolation tank, and the sound deserves high volume or a good set of headphones. The Hopewell experience reminds me most of the crushing joyful feeback accomplishments of the traditional heavies, like Velvet Underground, as well as the masters of more recent noisy neo-psychedelia, including the Flaming Lips, rather than of the lighter Merry-Go-Round or Beatles production style of bands like Kula Shaker. This stuff actually vibrates its way into your head.

For those who started with the later work of "Hopewell & the Birds of Appetite," as I did, you will find the vocals heavily buried under the roiling harmonic noise. For me: a very good thing, though others may prefer the more lyrical sound of the later work. This album has replaced everything else in my CD changer for the moment.

takes the rev thing to another place. Well-produced, balances the bizarre-noise thing and amazing melody perfectly. "Christmas Now" is one of the best songs written in the last 5 years.

i bought this cd before i was aware of the rev members. i don't care for the rev but somehow love this cd. usually very picky with my music, so a bit confused why i like this so much. best line- "do you ever wonder why, the morning sky..."

Hopewell features three members from Mercury Rev, but it actually doesn't really sound like Deserter's Songs quietness.(I guess that's the point of a side project)Anyway the guitars have a very important place and sound noisy, psychedelic or sad, as every good guitar should... If anyone finds a more touching song than "Christmas Now" I'd like to know who outbested this pure genius gem... Audio satisfaction guaranteed folks...

Composed of three memebres of Mercury Rev and friends of theirs, Hopewell isn't what you'd expect Merucry Rev to sound like. However the psychedelic element is still present. The guitars of course have a great presence on the album and sound dreamy, noisy, as every good guitar should. If you can find a song that touches you more than "Christmas Now" well, then it means you listened to a great genius... Pure audio pleasure guaranteed !

Sadley, the editor review is wrong. The first Hopewell album came out in 1997. It was called Contact and was released on Burnt Hair Records out of the Detroit area. Just wanted to make sure you were not missled by the editor review.