Customer Reviews

Emerald City (Dig)

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

 

 

JV has an exellent track record regarding his records, and Emerald City in no different. Anybody who's a fan of his music knows his music is way better than almost anything that plays on the radio. I have almost all his records, and this is among his best, though the exceptional Cellar Door is by far the best of his career, thus far. What struck me about Emerald City is it's exceptional melodic structure, incompairably beautiful harmonies, and poetic lyrics (all of which are staples of JV's unique style). It's not as immediately accessible as Pixel Revolt (thus the negitive reviews), but if you give it some time, you'll grow it love it just as much. Basicly, anybody who's a fan of JV's music should definately buy it, but someone who's not very filmiliar with his music should probably get Pixel Revolt first.

Love it, especially the first track "Kookaburra", which seems to wrap together the seemingly opposite qualities of goosebump-inducing beauty and destruction. Of course, I've always felt that danger and beauty go together.

I'm not sure why the background instruments on "White Dove" are distorted, but it's a cool song too.

Best CD I've bought in a long time.

Just got this early this week and felt I needed to say something on the latest Vanderslice. After the second time I listened to it, I dug up all his albums I own. This involved digging into my overpacked closet. You see I've been listening to John since "Occult Figurines" which I found to be a cool if minor indie rock album. And then he released Time Travel is Lonely. My interest grew and I realized what I had found. A talented songwriter who payed as much attention to the lyrics as the instrumentation and the arrangement. I mean he is the real deal! Somewhere between Malkmus and McCrea both vocally and lyrically with a undercurrent of melancholy. There is something direct and poetic about his work. This is pop, before that was a bad word, that is evocative and concise. Musically the elements are expansive and harder to pin as being anyone but Vanderslice. Then came Life and Death of an American Fourtracker which seem to slant more to art over pop. It took me awhile to crack it but I did. I like a lot of it but found some of the experimentation didn't take with me. It seemed like it was needlessly obtuse in the music department.
I had no problem with the Beulah style horns, it was just the studio-centric noodling. Some could call it prog pop, I thought of it as needless stretching. But it grew on me. The real moment of doubt came with Cellar Door. Gone was the light conceptual draw of the previous albums for more of a short story feel. And there was one too many ballad type songs. Not to mention a feeling of creative exhaustion which made it more of a song by song experience than an album one. It left me in a state of uncertainty which made me unsure if I wanted to bother with Pixel Revolt. So I drifted away until I heard about Emerald City. After devoting so much time, I figured what the hell. And it was worth it! I think that this is the ideal place to start. Back is the internal cohesion and a nice split between innovation and tradition. Not to mention a blur between autobiography and invention which is Vanderslice's strong suit. It is a solid presentation of what makes him singular in a world bloated with singer/ songwriters with a vision. So why should you want to check it out? It shows that you don't have to suffer to hear good creative music with a personal touch. Not a party record but it sustains you through those introspective/alone moments. This stuff is crafted! Inviting yet enigmatic. It just keeps drawing me back.

I discovered John Vanderslice at a record store listening station. I fell in love with the song "You were my Fiji" from "Time Travel is Lonely." I back filled my collection with his other albums which were a mixed bag of either over-experimentation or lack of inspiration but all with a consistent refreshing off-beat style. On "Emerald City" he combines the best of what he has learned along the way. The songs have a slightly more pop feel (more accessible)than previous efforts but do not lose his quirky songwriting, folksy voice, or minimalist guitar/piano approach. "Teaspoon of Codeine" and "Numbered Lithograph" add just the right touch of elecrtronica. Just a delightful album to listen to from the first to the last track.

"Emerald City" is my introduction to John Vanderslice. His off-center musical approach is refreshing and unusual. He's not blessed with a classic singing voice, but has a thin vocal quality that works much as Ray Davies' classic rock with the Kinks. Vanderslice's music uses his unusual voice and varied musical instruments as on the opener "Kookaburra," "It can't be stopped; Thunder clouds are tightening in the sky tonight; We can't be saved; Electricity will scribble out your name." "The Parade" pits a flower-power melody against a conflicted lyric, "Be calm, be quiet as the cop drives by; Stand right there like a poisoned well." "The Tower" plays like a soundtrack for a marching army with the drum pounding against the full vocal harmonies, "It's a burning tower hit by lightning & people are jumping out, It's coming down." Vanderslice's songs are impressionistic, leaving you to wonder exactly what it was about. It's likeable, it's just unusual with musical riffs that are quite pleasant on the ear combined with bizarre lyrics as on "The Minaret," "They scattered in the woods to gather up their strength, dripping blood on the road; Oh how the animals looked on." "Numbered Lithograph" explodes emotionally as John wails, "I've never been lonelier." "Central Booking" concludes the set with a wispy melody. "Emerald City" is music made by an individual vision. It lets me appreciate the music from outside without really feeling I've gotten to the heart of the emotional experience. Yet, it is undeniably gifted. Enjoy!

In 2005, John Vanderslice released his fifth studio album, the brilliant "Pixel Revolt", which for me was one of the top albums of the year. The prolific Vanderslice (6 albums in 8 years) took his time for once, and took 2 years to come out with a follow-up album.

On "Emerald City" (9 tracks; 38 min.), we find a very different Vanderslice from "Pixel Revolt". Indeed, gone are the dreamy audio landscapes, and instead we get a much grittier and urgent sound. The lyrics of Vanderslice remain as difficult to penetrate and understand as ever, if not more so, although the main themes are dealing with the world as we know it post 9-11. I for one am not all that high on the actual lyrical content of songs, but more on how it sounds, and as mentioned before, this album sounds much more rooted in the everyday life than Pixel Revolt. Check out "Time to Go" or "White Dove", with a piercing guitar and stomping drums. The best songs of the album are actually found on the second half of the album: "The Tower", "The Minaret", "Numbered Lithograph" (with great lines like "You left me at the table to go to the ATM/I've never felt lonelier" while the song is awash in reverb) and the beautiful closer "Central Booking", the most reflective and introvert song on the album.

In all, while "Emerald City" is a very nice album, albeit not quite at the same height of "Pixel Revolt", but at 38 min. it's over before you know it and you want to play it again. Vanderslice remains an icon in the indie-rock community, and deservedly so. I saw Vanderslice recently in concert (opening up for Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks) and he and his band put on an outstanding 50 min. set, of course playing a lot of songs from "Emerald City". If you have a chance to see him live, don't miss him.

Well constructed folk pop with light electronics ventures slightly outside its predictability zone with thoughtful transitioning and an attention to detail overriding many inherent songwriting simplicities. The artist shows promise, but too often still comes across as a more refined incarnation of the Bright Eyes vibe before, going all pseudo-western.

JV pulls it off and this is by far the best cd he has released. His song writing is absolutely amazing and thought provoking. The best song on the cd is "Central Booking". I can't stop listening to this cd.
We love you JV! Los Palmos rules!!

I listen to this album more than most of my other new albums. I just do.

I was highly anticipating this release but was very dissapointed. I did not find any memorable tracks on this one. He is an excellent artist and it was tolerable, but there are no catchy tracks that I had press repeat on. Overall, I would pass on this outing and but the last two offerings.