Customer Reviews

The Fountain

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I ordered this CD from the UK because I was eager to hear what the band was up to now. Right when it arrived in the mail, I popped it into my CD player on my daily drive and found myself grinning and even -- laughably (and I shouldn't admit this) -- singing along on the first listen! I don't know what the heck they did differently this time around, but the sound is much more upbeat, a little more raw around the edges, and yet ultimately more uplifting and joyful than these guys have EVER been before.

I typically associate Echo with a sort of sardonic sense of ominous gloom. Ian McCullough is one of the best singers in the world because he can dance on the low notes, and croon on the high. Here he just sounds happy to be alive. The happiness here is not the same we might have gotten with the nostalgic glee of songs like "Parthenon Drive" from the last CD (Siberia); here it sounds like U2 singing halleluja. (In fact, you can hear the U2 influence here prominently in the song structure and the bass lines). And though I am MUCH more into the "dark" EATB, I can tell that they have somehow managed to both keep their sense of irony while also lifting their spirits above the emo sensibilities of their post-punk days (which I long for, but understand are long gone).

The tracks all feel genuine to me. This is not "faux" happiness or a reach into pop for the sake of cashing-in. The band just feels happy where they are. I can tell they've been listening to a wider range of music, because the influences are all in the backboard of the tracks. And I do think they mic'd the cymbals more than ever before: there's a "brightness" to the sound, and a crispness, that I hadn't heard before. You can hear the crackle in Ian's voice and the wah-wah drone of Will's guitar and appreciate what they are up to. An A+ effort.

As to the songs, the first one out of the box -- "I Think I Need It Too" -- is so catchy it will kill you. It's anthemic. "The Fountain" is touching. I like "Drive" a lot for it's new Britpop sort of feel. The dark side is not entirely neglected, and you get a strong sense of it in "The Idolness of Gods" which closes out the CD...very similar in emotional impact to their previous song, "Nothing Ever Lasts Forever" but maybe grinning on the sly with a shot of bourbon behind it. I love these guys. This is not the 80s. Their back catalogue is huge and satisfying. Now my palate has been expanded. This is Bunnymen rebooted and I am not disappointed at all.

The band in the last several years made some surprisingly excellent CD's. 'Siberia' was a personal favorite that I still listen to all of the time though apparently the critics didnt like it because it sounded too retro (whatever). That CD is filled with beautiful tracks and it was also recorded with substantial studio skills. So, I am still grappling what to make of this CD. There's a decidely new and generally upbeat tone to the tracks: everything is played looser.

The singing is notably looser too. I have to say, I still havent got used to that singing style. Looser is OK but doing that also removes some of the drama from a song. You wont find anything like the refrain of "Dancing Horses" here, for better or worse.


My sense is that this is not their best work, but it certainly is worth a listen if you're a fan. Newcomers might want to listen to a "greatest hits" and then work their way to this CD.

On new album "The Fountain", Echo & The Bunnymen have exchanged their crocodile shoes for house slippers. The one-time brilliant, peerless purveyors of the gloom-rock anthem have traded it all in for safe, edgeless pop rock. Which is not to say the new release is without highlights: "Think I Need It Too", "Forgotten Fields", "Proxy" and "Drivetime" are all good songs, the latter being the closest they come to the moody grandeur of old (while still falling well short). Indeed, the entire record is eminently listenable, even pleasurable, and newer fans as well as the unfamiliar may find a lot to like here. The problem, especially for long-time fans, is that the tracks all sound thin, lacking weight both musically and lyrically. Will Sergeant's guitar is far too restrained and, on several tracks, absent completely, while Ian McCulloch's voice has been reduced over the years to barely more than a strangled croak. In and of itself, that's not such a detriment, but his reliance on repeating a single lyric over and over or frequently resorting to la-la-la's is a far cry from the quasi-poetic brilliance of, say, "With A Hip". I won't go so far as to say they've missed the point of their mission, but they've definitely become misshapen.

Middle-aged musicians who still make records have come to expect a certain reaction from cranky middle-aged music critics. It goes something like this:

"(NAME OF BAND) was so much better back in (YEAR), when they released their influential album (TITLE GOES HERE). But that was (NUMBER) years ago, and listening to their new album, it's hard not to feel sorry that they sound SO DIFFERENT/EXACTLY THE SAME. I just wish they HAD/HADN'T changed and that they weren't SIMPLY GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS/TRYING SO HARD TO CREATE A NEW SOUND. It's simply impossible for me to listen to this album without thinking of their old songs which affected me differently because I was so young and IMPRESSIONABLE/HIGH/TRYING TO ACT SO MUCH COOLER THAN I ACTUALLY FELT."

Having said all that, ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN sound recognizably themselves and occasionally fresh and different on their new album THE FOUNTAIN. "How can I change when I don't want to?" asks Ian McCulloch on the first single THINK I NEED IT TOO. "I've heard it a thousand times," he intones on follow-up LIFE OF A THOUSAND CRIMES. And maybe we have too. But McCulloch's vocals and Sergeant's guitar playing are as distinctive and pleasing as ever. They're still going strong, and, on the upbeat PROXY, issuing the present-day invitation: "Everybody look at us now."

Old fans (except perhaps the crankiest) won't be disappointed. And for new listeners, if you're not all hung up on those echoes of the past, there's plenty to enjoy, too.

With The Fountain, the Bunnymen's renaissance has now lasted as many albums as their original incarnation, and one can actually now debate which period has been richer. This album lightens up from the devastating beauty of Siberia, adding a more upbeat pop sensibility to the pure artistry they have developed. Forgotten Fields and Drivetime are pure EATB classics, and Proxy shakes things up with a backing vocal that is simultaneously ridiculous and fantastic. As a whole, Will goes more subtle this outing, Ian continues to croon with his tremendous foghorn, and the melodies are ticklish and tight. This is a real grower, and a lot of fun. My third favorite of this period, after Siberia and Evergreen.

I hadn't been paying much attention to Echo and the Bunnymen in recent years until we saw them on TV and I ordered this CD because I couldn't find it in any store near us. Boy, am I glad I did. I LOVE THIS CD! Almost every song is a winner. Yes, it's not as dark and mysterious as their past work, but I don't care. The sings are catchy and Ian McCulloch sounds great! I can listen to it from beginning to end, which I can't say about too many albums or CDs. I'd heartily recommend it to anyone. It reinforced in my mind what a great band they are. I don't understand why they weren't more popular in the US.

I was looking forward to this CD being a huge EATB fan and a big fan of their last CD, "Siberia". This CD is, in short, not as good as "Siberia" but is wonderfully listenable. Here's my review of "The Fountain":

The Cons: Some major review sources have said that the CD is a little overproduced and that the band sounds like they're on autopilot. Listening to tracks 3 and 7, I initially thought that myself. Both songs get meatier as you listen to them though. Track 3 especially has been stuck in my head for the last day or so.

The Pros: Most tracks have unexpected and playful lyrical turns, and vibrant music. I played the CD at home the other day and felt that it ended too soon. This CD is so lively, and such a fun listen, I'm trying to think of who I can buy a copy for to give them as a Christmas present. The CD overall has a bright fun sound we're not used to hearing from EATB, but the lyrics include some of the dark weird reflections we've come to expect. Very good.

(I have also written an Amazon review of EATB's last CD, "Siberia")

Sure I love the dour mood of their classics, but this album has that old classic vibe of E&Bunnymen but with uplifting emotion. As such, it is a modern classic!!!

The Fountain is a very enjoyable CD that shows the Bunnymen still have plenty of talent and creativity in their music. Ian's voice seems to carry some of the mood which emerged in Siberia, yet the tunes possess some of the cadence and character reminiscent of Songs to Learn and Sing. I'm a long time Bunnymen fan, and very pleased with this production.

I really appreciate an album that gets your attention right away, your wanting to hear it more and more as the days pass. Then you find yourself pushing aside other music so you can listen to these tunes again and again. And you can't help but see the lyrics in your head and feel the beat in your chest. A really good effort I give it a 4 1/3 stars! And I just listened to E&TB in concert in L.A. in October 2009, they were great!