Customer Reviews

Distorted Lullabies

5 star:		(101)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

An incredible CD is hard to come by these days. But OURS has succeeded in recording an amazing debut. It's hard not to notice a resemblance in Jimmy Gnecco's voice to such greats as Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke, & Bono. And the songs on the album at times recall an early Radiohead, but nevertheless, a great song is just that and Jimmy sings them all with extreme emotion.

OURS: DISTORTED LULLABIES, is a laid back album with catchy melodies and great musical textures. Highlights include: 'Dizzy', 'Dancing Alone' & 'Fallen Souls'.

The album is full of amazing songs and it was the first single 'Sometimes' that grabbed my attention. Since then, I've had the opportunity of catching an acoustic show of the band. They are by far one of the better new bands out there. I just hope that more bands like this get the recognition they deserve.

Several years ago, this album was released with just enough hoopla to let you know that it was there if you were paying attention. You may have heard "Sometimes" on an indie radio show of some sort, but if you blinked you probably missed it. If you did it would be a crying shame. Distorted Lullabies is a fantastically well-written and melancholy trip through loneliness and isolation.

The indie radio show that introduced me to the project described Ours' sound as a cross between Jeff Buckley and Radiohead. Today I still think that this is a relatively apt description if one understands the difference between "The Bends" and "Hail to the Thief". "Distorted Lullabies" immediately recalls the euro-rock sound of early Radiohead and Coldplay, but also brings to mind the eerie feeling that Buckley is being somehow supernaturally channeled through lead singer and songwriter Jimmy Gnecco. To compare Gnecco to Buckley is obvious, but I would also like to throw in a healthy dose of Bono's tone with a little Freddie Mercury falsetto thrown in for flavor. Grown-up fans of the Cure and other depression-charged bands will no doubt be attracted to Ours.

However, Ours distinguishes themselves from their gloom-rock predecessors in the same way that Buckley did; with a wildly passionate delivery that transcends the immediate impression that the lyrics relate.

For example, several years ago, while on a tour of Europe with my family, I was feeling particularly uncomfortable with my American identity. In Germany, I left my hotel on a solitary walk with Ours on my discman and the phrase "Ein bier, bitte" on my lips. After taking a curious left turn I found myself in a beautifully wooded area on a solitary walk through what could have been Little Red Riding Hood's "Path of Nails." The track "Fallen Souls" screamed out to me in the woods that day in a way that I still cannot explain.

Even so, five stars is very difficult to hand out when comparing "Distorted Lullabies" to its influences. It really is a fantastic album, but it is not quite "The Joshua Tree", "Night at the Opera", or, even more immediately, Jeff Buckley' now-classic "Grace". However, fans of Gnecco's influences cannot help but be moved by his passion and conviction.

The lowdown: Like Phish was to the Grateful Dead, Jimmy Gnecco and Ours are the obvious heirs to Jeff Buckley's legacy. For those of us that miss him, Ours is a pretty good-tasting placebo, but is in no way to be confused with the real thing. If you already have "Grace", you will most likely come to tears over this recording.

I am a lover of music and of albums that you can listen to, and feel, from song one through the final note played. This is such an album. I discovered Ours the week "Distorted Lullabies" was released and have listened to them religiously since then. Much has been said about the voice of Jimmy Gnecco(comparisons to Bono and Jeff Buckley),and there are similarities, but I don't know if I have ever heard a voice quite like his. Very rarely can a voice surround you and suck you in. Full of passion, beauty, angst, and honesty. It's also rare to find an album so "artsy" yet so commercial. I had the pleasure of seeing Ours in October in Nashville and was blown away by their live show. The power of the songs and Jimmy's presence was undeniable. He's right up there with Freddie Mercury and Glenn Hughes. I've turned so many friends onto this cd because the music is good. I don't know why anyone wouldn't get into this record, unless you just don't like the style. If you don't have it, do yourself a favor and buy it.

Browsing at Target today, I wandered into the music section, thinking to myself "They don't have anything but rap-rock and pop". I was about to leave, when I heard an extraordinary noise coming from the TV's they show music videos on. Like everyone else said, Jimmy Gneco does bear a FREAKY resemblance to Jeff Buckley, and when he sings he sounds EXACTLY like Jeff. The band plays both hard and soft, too. So I was glad to see from other reviews that I wasn't just thinking wishfully. I normally don't buy CDs on whims, and I'm wary of new artists- I'm a bit of a music snob. But it was only 7.99 and the music sounded awfully good. I grabbed it and went home and saw the band was signed to Dreamworks along with two of my favorite artists, Elliott Smith and Rufus Wainwright. Even better! I hope the Jeff comments don't annoy them too much, because they aren't well-known yet and everyone's already making comparisons. "Distorted Lullabies" is excellent, and one of the best newer bands I have heard in a long time.

Ours may seem to be just another rock band out there, worth noticing solely because of Jimmy Gnecco's singing (incredible range, incredible use of breathing, incredible emotion, - all of which are rare these days). Well, of course, it's better not to remind yourself of Jeff Buckley, but Jimmy is really good.

I give 5 stars to this record because it is DIFFERENT:

1. While most specimens of modern rock-production can be easily categorised (happy hair band music, tear-squeezing music, rage/anger music, etc), this one won't fit anywhere. 'Fallen Souls' or 'Dizzy' may well bring tears to your eyes, but that's not how suffering sounds. That's how the overcoming of suffering sounds. Ours' message is not 'decadent surrender', it's a fight for *life*.

2. Ours differ from many in a way 'baby genius' differs from other children. Swiftness, precision, fountain of energy.

Now the dark side:

1.'Distorted Lullabies' is a seriously overproduced record. Though I can't get enough of it, I would be happier to listen to the record capturing them live.

2. The whole thing is going commercial with the speed of light. Sleek but basically empty imagery, sleek interviews, promo photos that criminally distort Gnecco's real-life appearance - well, I don't doubt Dreamworks' ability to create a cult band, but it's a pity that the material for the new cult is Gnecco and company. Hope they will hold on to what they are...

I live in NYC and saw these guys several times right before they got signed, didn't hear anything about them for about 2 years(!) and then saw them perform again with the release of their album. They are a fantastic live band. Jimmy is extremely charismatic and I can see why they got signed and why there was/is so much buzz about them.

As an aside, let me just say, there is something just a little too groomed, too scripted, about this band. Every guy has the perfect "look." (I don't know if it's the Dreamworks' stylist or they just dress like they're in a fashion shoot on their own.) They had four roadies while playing The Mercury Lounge (which holds like 100 people!). I had this strange feeling that I was watching a performance by actors pretending to be rock stars, as opposed to watching people genuinely playing music. I don't doubt their sincerity, they just seem a little more interested in being rock stars than in being musicians. Everything from their look, to their actions, to the hushed awe of the industry heavy crowd, just seemed so scripted, so cliched. Which doesn't make them bad per-se, it just is what it is. Perhaps a little too much thought and planning went into the record and their marketing (what else was going on for 2 years?!).

"Sometimes" is a brilliant single, especially the bridge which is sublime with its major chords and "sunshine" happy lyrics juxtaposed (sorry, had to use that word) with the minor chord, meloncholy of the rest of the song. In a just world a song like that would be all over the airwaves this summer instead of Staind or whatever garbage idiot sludge corporate nu-metal that's out there.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album lacks the power and melodic or songwriting ability of "Sometimes." A lot of the music is good, it's never horrible, but once again just like when I saw them perform live, the record sounds good and even great at times, but feels as though these guys are actors pretending to be rock musicians. I feel like a jerk saying this because I don't doubt that Jimmy and Co. really do believe and FEEL their music but that "acted" vibe is the impression I am left with. If I was 15, I would be praying to the Ours alter, but I'm 26 and somehow it just doesn't click on that other level with me. With all this said, I would gladly hear these guys any day over 90 percent of the pop/rock that is out there but I can't help but want more.

Like most of us, I perked up thinking "Amnesiac" was out the first time I heard Ours on MTV2 (thank you for playing music instead of reality shows!). Days later I saw the band on late night television and was again enthralled with the sonics coming from my television. Alas, I purchased the CD, and was so pleasured to hear a vocal range along the lines of Thom Yorke and Sara McLachlan doing introspective songs with nice textured, guitar work. The production on this album is primo and I personally love "Fallen Souls", "Sometimes" and the U2ish "Bleed". When opening the liner notes to see that Steve Lillywhite (who I will credit with more interesting bands than Dave Matthews...i.e. U2, Big Country, Simple Minds and The Blue Nile) I instantly felt that this CD was going to be a winner. I wasn't disappointed. It is so rare today that you can hear a song on alternative radio and then find out that the album is not full of klunkers but instead is full of lovely songs that all blend together like magic. Touching and stellar. 5 Stars!

I remember my high school days, when I got my first vehicle and could finally listen to the radio stations I wanted to listen to. Listening to music become more than a pastime for me, it became a passion. As I listened to the music being blared over my speakers at a volume that was likely much too loud for my ears' well being, I heard a song that completely stood out from the rest. The melody was captivating, the voice was powerful yet soft and expressive, and the guitars rigid yet not in the least way unpleasant. That song was "Sometimes", although I didn't know the name of the artist or the song until many months later, when I happened to catch it on a late night MTV2 showing. I knew I had to get the album as fast as I could.

The album did not disappoint- in fact, it exceeded my already optimistic expectations. Very rarely is there an album where most of the songs are good, but Distorted Lullabies contains a number of songs which are absolutely great in their own way. This album could not be more aptly name, for it makes reference to the fact while this album can be as hard-hitting as the next, it contains the melodic nature of a lullaby. While his later albums would show that he has a little bit too much pension for screaming, singer/songwriter Jimmy Gnecco has perhaps the best voice to grace rock/alternative music since Freddie Mercury. His voice seemingly has no bounds, as his range extends beyond what any male I've ever heard except for Mercury can produce, yet he can still produce a tone that is forceful yet pleasant.

There are a number of standout tracks on this album. The aforementioned "Sometimes" is a rare song that maintains a sound that can be commercial yet extremely beautiful at the same time. If you haven't heard it before, find a way to hear it now. For all the attention that it gets as the band's most successful song, perhaps the best in their collection is the opener "Fallen Souls". The song begins with a gentle fade in, but once all the instruments get going their is a sense of intense drama. This tension builds, and Gnecco's vocal dynamics and octave shifts in the melody serve to heighten it. Towards the end of the song, their is a brief moment of silence before all of the tension is let loose in one climactic moment, as Gnecco's voice lets go a series of melodic screams that are more angelic than abrasive. This moment is one of the best musical moments I have ever heard- and I have listened to a lot of music.

The second song on the album, "Drowning", was not a successful single, but despite its lack of value on the airwaves, it is a very interesting song with a very detailed yet rocking arrangement. It flows seamlessly into "I'm a Monster", a beautiful ballad which expresses remorse over various aspects of life.

Two of my favorite songs on the album come in the middle, a section of the album which is somewhat more mellow and gentle than the first. "Bleed" is one of my favorite Ours tracks, and it highlights Jimmy's expressive vocal ability. A listener cannot help but be drawn into this song because Jimmy's voice creates such an intimate mood, even though the song is a bit more upbeat than most that are described as intimate. "Dancing Alone" is another astoundingly good song. Once again, Jimmy delivers an excellent vocal performance, but this time he is underscored by some dramatic musical moments which provide practically perfect transitions.

Anyone who has gone to an Ours concert will tell you that the most memorable song was "Meet Me In The Tower". The song is probably the second most gentle song on the album, after the slow closer "As I Wander", and one of the rare ones where Jimmy does not display his tremendous vocal range whether it is necessary or not, but despite its unassuming sound, "Meet Me In The Tower" comes off as a classic. It not a song that grabs you instantly from the first listen, but it has a subtle quality becomes apparent after a few listens. The chorus, complete with perhaps Jimmy's best exercise of vocal harmony, is one of the finer moments on the album and lends itself to incredible live performances, complete with audience participation.

If you are not familiar with the music of Ours, you should be. This album will change the way you view music, as Jimmy Gnecco and co. can do things musically than others are simply incapable of. Out of the band's three albums, this is no doubt their finest work, as the other two, being as exceptional as they are, contain a few flaws and weak points. This album has none.

Ours has been my favorite band since I first picked up this cd over five and a half years ago. I love this CD and can listen to it over and over, never getting tired of it. When their second CD came out I snatched it up right away. It's different from this CD, a bit more upbeat, but still very good. Of coarse this is my favorite from them. I think the music and the lyrics make the vocals even more intense, if that is even possible. Powerful vocals!!

On my list of things to do before I die is to see Ours live.

This is an amazing CD, the vocals are the best part. The lead singer has an amazing voice that other bands out there in the "pop" world really lack right now. I remember thinking the same thing about the lead singer of Shudder to Think, these guys know how to sing for once. I can't get the song "Sometimes" out of my head. My other favorites are "Dizzy" and "Medication". Two Thumbs Up! An absolute necessity for any Rock fans CD collection.