Customer Reviews

Fascination

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

 

 

The best effort yet from this Nashville based Americana band. Defying catagorization, this group continues to pump out music that will appeal to everyone, regardless of your genre allegiance. A little difficult to find on mainstream radio due to their refusal to compromise their talent but certainly worth a listen to anyone who enjoys good music. Get this one and you'll want their other three.

This group of fine musicians keeps getting better and better with age, experience and boldness of experimentation.
Their melodies and harmonies have always been exceptional, but this foray into more exotic and fascinating rhythms will only allow them greater room for growth and maturity as musicians.
Seeing them live only makes the sounds that more rich and memorable.
Keep up the great work.

What a fantastic album. Simply love it. Beautiful acoustic music with catchy melodies. Cant wait for their next offering.

What a great CD! A combination of contemporary country sounds mixed with sensual rhythms you'll only get from the Greencards. Original, Unique, and Fresh! The instrumentation as usual is phenomenal and tastefully transitioned. Nothing in this album is accidental or extra as everything feels like it has a purpose both in the performance and the lineup.

There are no dogs on this album. My favorites start off right with the title track, Fascination, a slow groove with a new-yet-70's transition. Between this one and track 12, Lover I Love the best, these are the most sensual, feeling songs. The 3rd track, The Avenue with it's upbeat, driving, urban feel and message has a foreign film feel to it as well as Rivertown. They have found the mix of songs with Outskirts of Blue, Chico Calling, Three Four Time (not done in 3/4 time), Davey Jones, Water in the Well. Only two instrumentals on this album but both are examples of the virtuosity of these young, talented musicians, Little Siam is the party pace while The Crystal Merchant is the lullaby.

A+++ would be my rating. Everyone and anyone can find something to like on this album and most would say it's entirely enjoyable. One they'll favorite on their playlists.

I bought this album before I saw The Greencards in concert for the first time, so my love of this album isn't influenced by seeing them as a live act. This is a great collection of original music that stands on its own. To me, Fascination is a cut above the band's earlier albums.

Not for nothing ... but if you get a chance, you should also see The Greencards live.

The other Greencard's Cd I have is Viridian. This CD is really nothing like it. It's more an adventure in acoustic rock instead of bluegrass. Listen to the weird vocal noises building tension in "The Avenue". Okay, who thought that was a good idea? These guys really go for it, very creative, awesome solos, very impressive. I would like it if the guys took more of the lead vocals, but there's more from this group out there. I'll just have to buy some more and I hope you do to!

this is a good group ,they have put together some really good fun songs.
i love one in perticuler,[water in the well].
just good music.

I have loved the Greencards for quite awhile, I have reviewed "Weather and Water", a tone laden newgrass CD with lots of good songs. Then there was "Viridian", their last disc with Dualtone. I had always sort of compared the Greencards to the Duhks and the Duhks latest CD was a disappointment to me, lots of odd melodies even some stuff with strings and orchestra.
The Greencards latest CD has taken a turn from their new grass beginnings, and as one Newspaper has called it, enchanting, fascinating. The recording style is remarkably different, not having Bryan Sutton and Pat Flynn on guitar to me is a big change in sound. especially Sutton seemed to work so well with them, as a three point group, they really cannot do everything they do without some help.They have Jedd Hughes on guitars, bass and vocals. Giles Reaves on percussion and autoharp. Producer Jay Joyce on bass. Jay Joyce was the well credentialed producer they had picked for this project, that was planned to be different. Young said that this CD took 8-9 months to plan , write and record where as the other Discs had only taken a couple of weeks head start. This is a very complex recording, the use of guitar is very sparse, for single line statements, not rhythm. "Rivertown" is one song that sounds a bit familiar, just listening to a live version "All the Way From Italy" from Veridian. It sounds great live. "Movin On" Live From The Ark", sounds great , This is a great live group. One thing about this recording is that it has almost a surround sound type sound, especially when you put on headphones. Tonally,
it is great, mastered by Doug Sax, one of my Favorites. Wow, the guitarist with them at the ark is awesome, He just took a long break. (Andy Falco)
Kym Warner , multi stringed instrument player is from Austalia. So, Eeamon Mcloughlin is the renegade from England, on fiddle. "We went into the studio on Fascination from Day One that this wasn't The Greencards Two years ago - this is us moving forward" Warner insists. I just noticed, one of the greatest acoustic recording engineers of all time in Nashville , Gary Paczosa, is not involved in recording, production , or mixing, He is now into A & R Direction. So now, Gary is working with finding new artists for Sugar Hill, (Bummer), I hope that he does well, it is the obvious up move, but he had a signature style of recording music,I reviewed many a disc with Gary at the controls.
OK, what is the Deal with Fascination, It sure does not sound like your mothers Greencards. Are you a diehard fan, you will probably find a way to like it. I have listened to this CD every way possible, and do appreciate the sonic quality, a bit too much reverb and delay to make up for empty space in the sparseness of it all, Like The Duhks, you have to let a group grow. I did not review The Duhks, it was just too weird. This is weird and different, but I probably will not listen to it again, even though it is a well done record. Life is too short to listen to music that you do not like, but at the same time, I spent lots of time with this, because I love this group and it is only 1/4 of their repertoire.
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