Customer Reviews

Family [Vinyl]

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

 

 

I am a big fan of "The Throne" and also of Le Loup's live capabilities which are pretty moving, so the newest album would be welcomed anyway... But with "Family" Le Loup moves way up in my book. Introducing some great new vocal cooperations, the same catchy (if not catchier) hooks and songs that stick in your head. The album also maintains Le Loup's tech-edge feel with cutting in sound and fiddling with effects, but simultaneously introduces a new much more natural sound, showcasing the live show. Le Loup also once again showcases their ability to create an album with songs rather than a few songs on an album. In my opinion, THE best way to listen to Family... straight through. This band is really fantastic. Highly recommended.

Favorite tracks: Family, Beach Town, Morning Song

Since Le Loup's debut album was perhaps my favorite of 2008, I eagerly awaited the release of their sophomore album. It took about a 1/2 year longer to get to market than initially expected, and the group experienced a couple of artist departures from the first album. When Family came out and I was able to listen to 30 seconds of each track, I was a little disappointed. But, to support this Indie group, I finally bought the new album. Now that I have adjusted to the new tunes, Family is also a favorite. It must also be a favorite at RIM, makers of BlackBerry phones and PDAs -- Morning Song from this album is the background to a new RIM ad I just saw on TV.

If you like Le Loup, this is a sure bet. Also, try Person Pitch by Panda Bear, a very similar style.

Here's a story...

Band makes album.
Boy thinks album is stunningly brilliant and completely original, and rejoices in its splendor.
Band makes second album.
Boy's heart is broken, irreparably, forever. Boy thinks album is not good and sounds nothing at all like the last one. In fact, boy thinks the album tarnishes the name Le Loup and thinks band should rename itself - maybe "More Guys Who Sound Like They Wear Flannel and Have Big Beards", or possibly "Fleet Foxes 2".

Seriously, what happened? "Family" isn't unlistenable, but the first album is one of my favorites, and the band's new sound just doesn't do anything for me. And it does in fact sound way too similar to other "indie mountain men" bands that have emerged in the past few years. I hate it when this happens!

Heavy on Swirling guitars, massive atmospheric noise-scapes, well mixed, but very little in the form of songs. There seems to be a Structure of Song missing here. (PErhaps left out on purpose; celebrate the build-up but no Cresendo) The drone "shoegazer" sound is hard to imitate: Jesus and MAry Chain and Beach Boys.
Get a producer in with an old 24 track consule and meditate in To a different Band. Lets see (hear) what is next.

To me Le Loup is more than music. I do not agree with the lower ratings of this album. Le Loup is not a band that you can listen to once and form an opinion. I have been listening to Le Loup since Thrones, and I have to say this music is like a seed. Plant it and watch it grow.

It is a widely known fact that music inspires various emotions within us. Some people without realizing it tend to draw more towards a certain type of music that inspires a certain type of feeling. When one realizes this they can break the binding chain of predesposition. Pick your music based on what you want to feel. To me Le Loup inspires "spirituality" or a love for the infinite. You can't listen to Le Loup and not be happy to be alive.

"Family" takes the listener on a spiritual quest. Many Westerners travel to eastern countries to learn about ancient mysticism, and that's what this album is about.

The album starts with "Saddle Mountain" and "Beach Town". Here is where we meet the band, before they start their journey. "Grow" is the third song and it represents that spiritual questioning we all have at some point in our time, where we wonder "is there more". In this song the band decides to find their own answers.

"Family" and "Forgive Me" are beautiful songs where the character preps their families for their up coming spiritual quest. "Forgive Me" for leaving, but I have to find my answers.

The quest officially starts with "Go East". The character decides to go east. The character has some fascination with eastern philosophy and religion. They reach their destination with the song "Golden Bells". I think this is inspired by the golden bells Buddhist use in their meditation practices. They are all over the place in East Asia.

The two songs "Sherpa" and Neahkahnie" represent their spiritual growth and learning. We end the album with "Celebration' as they celebrate their new found enlightenment.

I hope you enjoy this album as much as I do. Do not set expectations before listening. Listen with a black mind. Enjoy the ride as you become inspired to seek enlightenment as well.

I'm surprised this record has gotten bad reviews on here. I haven't heard their other records, but this has been one of my jams this year for sure. The song "Family" is as good as it gets. And this record sounds totally different from a Fleet Foxes record, not sure why other reviewers are going on about them. This record is much less poppy, way more sparse and spacey, in a good way. I never write reviews, I just wanted to defend this record. Check it out!

If you listened to earlier Le Loup and found yourself wishing they'd sound a lot more like Fleet Foxes, then this is the album for you. I happen to like Fleet Foxes for what they are. I liked Le Loup for what they were. In expanding, they've sacrificed what made them unique. Maybe it's just an incestuous music scene. However, I found myself bored after the third sensitive mountain man campfire singalong that sounds like Fleet Foxes when Fleet Foxes are trying to sound like SMILE-era Beach Boys. A boring disappointment. I'm all for bands trying different approaches and experimenting, and this might've worked as, say, a 3 song ep, but not an entire album's worth of this stuff.