Fast Rise & Fall of the South

Kingsbury Manx | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 20, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B000AOVLBI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,493 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hypnotically melodic downbeat shoe-gazery pop, December 11, 2005

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fast Rise & Fall of the South (Audio CD)

Though there are modern touch points for this Chapel Hill, NC quartet's music -- Belle & Sebastian, for example -- the slightly sing-song vocals are often mindful of Village Green-era Ray Davies delivered in Zombies-styled minor keys with the hypno-dreamy style and far-ranging rock-electronica of Meddle-era Pink Floyd touched by freneticism of The Feelies. It's a smooth brew that produces flashes of recognition without ever dwelling on any one influence long enough to copy. And more to the point, the influences meld beautifully to produce hauntingly melodic songs that have both a folk-psych base and an electric-pop finish. Much like the tree branches in the cover photo, the music is spare in its dreamtime temperament, but complex in actual arrangement. Full kit drums are mixed low behind languid keyboards and stormy guitar feedback, with gentle acoustic guitars that are topped with pensive vocals. Penned entirely by Manx guitarist Bill Taylor, the album's mood ebbs and flows with impressionistic lyrics of hard work, misunderstandings and dashed expectations. All in all, a captivating disc. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars very good, October 18, 2005

By 

alexander laurence (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fast Rise & Fall of the South (Audio CD)

The Kingsbury Manx are a band that have been around for five years. They are from North Carolina. They are known for exotic psychedelic music. I have seen them play in New York City a few times. It's been loud, wild, and entertaining. This record is a little different. A guy from the band Wilco produced it. One member, Bill Taylor, wrote the whole album. It is more acoustic and it is a quieter affair. "What A Shame" is almost like a Beatles song. Many of the songs start with a guitar strum or a piano line. This is a band that is inventive and very musical. "900 Years" has an interesting vocal part. They are a talented bunch that are becoming more like Wilco, M. Ward, and Sparklehorse. Maybe if they play more across the country, more people will absorb their potential. This is great stuff. It may be one of those great records that will be rediscovered again and again.

3.0 out of 5 stars 3 1/2 stars. I like it. I wish I could say I love it., January 21, 2010

By 

Eric J. Anderson (Ankeny, Iowa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fast Rise & Fall of the South (Audio CD)

This band has a lot going for it on The Fast Rise And Fall Of The South. There is a good balance of acoustic and electric instruments. Good hooks, good rhythmic grooves. I like the lyrics, which tend to be a bit obscure and elliptical. Overall, this album tends to be fairly mellow and mid-tempo. Often I was reminded of the quieter material by the Kinks, say Muswell Hillbillies-style.

Some of the tunes are put together very well. What I don't like is that some of the songs run on too long with repetition of specific grooves or lines. Standouts for me are the tracks And What Fallout, 10008, and Nova. Perhaps if the musicians were good at improvisation, they could have turned some of the longer songs into jams that would hold the listener's interest a bit better.

Don't get me wrong. This is solid work. It is pleasant, comfortable listening. If they could edit things a little more tightly, kick the energy level up a bit, they might be quite awesome.