Customer Reviews

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

5 star:		(324)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Every few months or so, I come across an artist or band that I previously would not have taken much interest in because their music genre didn't fit what I see as my preference. Usually, the artist blows me away and becomes an obsession of which a race swiftly brews where I must buy nearly every album they've released. Examples from the past few years are Alanis Morissette, Bjork, Sheryl Crow and Lauryn Hill. And then there's Sarah McLachlan, my latest discovery. Being an avid Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, I always knew who Sarah was, but couldn't really put a face to the voice. I'd heard her songs, but never thought about exploring her music. For some unknown reason, I went ahead and bought two of her albums on the same day. These were "Solace" and "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy." The former has received few spins on my CD player, but only because the latter has been hogging all the time...

Let me just say that once I heard this album, I was completely sold. Sarah's angelic vocals warmed me from the inside and enveloped me in a trance, and in that moment I knew I had to own her entire back catalogue. Released in 1994, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy was the third studio album from Sarah after her debut "Touch" and the sophomore set Solace. Sarah was still a fairly unknown with the release of this third album, but since its 1994 release it has gone on to become a masterpiece of the decade and touched millions with its beautiful lyrics, gorgeous vocals and soothing harmonies.

The album opens with the beautiful and sly "Possession." This song is trademark McLachlan and still one of her most popular songs. The song is a real life encounter that Sarah experienced of a stalker who constantly sent her letters. The song is unique because she sings the song through his eyes which must take courage and strength, along with a stunning voice that makes you believe everything she is singing. When she states "I'll take your breath away," you better be ready because she means it! "Wait" is a gorgeous mid-tempo song with gentle percussion and some brilliant vocals from Sarah. Her vivid lyrics paint awesome images in your mind and you can't help but love every second. "Plenty" is perhaps my favourite song on the album - it definitely has the best introduction. That sound of a door slamming after the 16th second sets the mood and the percussion coming in is eerie and masterful. When she sings finally after one minute, it's a complete revelation and the chorus is just majestic.

"Good Enough" is the first real ballad of the album. With its sombre opening and gentle beat, the song has a gorgeous composition and Sarah's voice fills the set with passion and emotion. "Mary" is a bar down from the previous four songs, but is great nevertheless. The song opens like a flickering candle and sets the soothing tone for the rest of the song. Sarah's airy vocals rise and fall all over the percussion creating a scenic and calm scene. "Elsewhere" took a while to grow on me, but once it did I was in love as with the rest of these great songs. The song takes a while to get going, but the chorus is amazing where Sarah cries, "I believe!" after around 90 seconds. "Circle" is the most up-tempo song on the album and start off with a cute laugh by Sarah. The song has a great beat and some amazing lyrics. The chorus makes this song a kind of anthem, because you can sing along to "What kind of love is this that keeps me hanging on?!"

"Ice" brings the upbeat mood down a peg or two, as Sarah sings with an icy and frigid tone in her voice. The song's title presents a chilly and Arctic feeling of loneliness and longing. The song is rather depressing, but Sarah handles the song so well by wrapping her voice around the lyrics in the most amazing way. "Hold On" is definitely one of the best songs on the album and is a fantastic song about true love and loss. Sarah has lost her man, and the section where she sings, "Oh God the man I love is leaving! Won't you take him when he comes to your door? Am I in Heaven here or am I in Hell?!" is mind-blowing! That voice. It's just stunningly professional and overpowering! "Ice Cream" is what fans see as probably the worst song on the album, even though it's still good. I have to agree - the lyrics are a tad childish, but once again, Sarah's voice save it from becoming cringe worthy.

"Fear" is another brilliant masterpiece from this album. The cello and keyboards set the atmosphere and the song peaks when Sarah sings, "There's nothing I'd like better than to fall!" She thrusts the song higher with her vocals, as they climax and gently fall down as the percussion sets in. It's superb, really, you won't have ever heard anything like it. The album closes with the brilliant album title-track "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy." The song is heavily emotional and a great album closer with more of the same that we've heard all the way through the album. If you can get the Import version of this album then I'd highly reccommend it because it contains the bonus track "Blue," which is a cover of the Joni Mitchell classic. Joni's version is still the more superior, but Sarah does a fine job of recreating the raw intensity. Very impressive.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

I had initially wanted to review Touch first, then Solace and then Fumbling Towards Ecstasy - I had wanted to review all her albums in order. However, since I don't own Touch yet, I got down to business and got this review written for this album. It's my 300th review, so I though Why not?! And also, the music on this album is just too damn good to wait to express myself on! I adore Sarah and this masterpiece, so it's hard to contain the love I feel for it. Anyone interested in exploring Sarah's music should do so instantly, starting with this.

It's difficult not to use superlatives when describing Sarah McLachlan's music but for this album I have no guilt whatsoever at resorting to them. It is quite simply one of the finest albums ever recorded and listening to it for the first time became a milestone in my life.

The first of Sarah's songs I heard was "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" on the soundtrack to an episode of Due South (thank you Paul Haggis!) and I was immediately smitten, resolving to buy the CD immediately. That's not so easy when you can't elicit the title from the lyrics but thanks to repeats and VCRs I was finally able to put a name to the voice. This album, depending on how you look at it, is the best or the worst way to be introduced to her music. Best in that it's a tour-de-force of songwriting, performance and passion on her part and worst in that it does rather spoil you for her other albums, none of which come close to the stunning impact of this one IMO.

"Possession" and the titular song are, unquestionably, the finest songs on the album and they vie for the top spot in my affections. "Wait", "Good Enough", "Hold On" and "Ice Cream" are almost as good. "Fear" is the most individual track with a haunting air and moving lyrics and serves as a wonderful lead-in to "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy". For me this is Sarah's most consistent and wonderful album and will always remain a favourite companion.

If you're lucky enough to get the non-US version of the CD it should include a bonus track (in addition to the hidden version of "Possession" tacked on at the end of track 12), a cover of Joni Mitchell's "Blue". It's strange to hear Sarah's voice singing Joni's words but it works and I've grown to love it almost as much as Sarah's own songs.

I don't quite possess the vocabulary to describe this CD; I'm not sure there's words in the English language to describe the pure emotion concealed in the poetry of the beautiful lyrics and the melody of Sarah's incredible voice. I can, however, say that this is one of the most stunning CDs I have ever heard... and I will say exactly that, because it's true. Sarah has a positive genius for capturing the essense of what makes us human in her songs, lending them a depth that sets them apart from many shallow "contemporary" artists of the day. Her words have impact. You can't help being drawn in by their honesty and sheer poetic grace.

It's impossible to choose favorites on a disk like this, because all of the songs are unique and beautiful in their own way. Still, certain songs are so hauntingly lovely that they deserve a special mention: "Hold On", "Elsewhere", "Ice", "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy", "Fear", and the hidden track, a piano version of "Possession", stick out in my mind as masterpieces by this wonderful artist. The last two tracks I mentioned in particular have an elusive quality of lucid, haunting beauty that strikes me to the core each time I hear them. They are truly stirring in a way that can only be experienced, not described.

This is no ordinary album, and it's one that you simply can't afford to miss. If you don't own it, what the heck are you waiting for! Get it right away... no CD collection should overlook this priceless gem.

Yeah. I'm sort of a late starter. My first Sarah CD was Surfacing, because I had seen her on MTV. I thought she had a magnificent voice and I bought Surfacing. I absolutely loved it and I had been hearing a lot about Fumbling Towards Ecstasy... so I decided to buy it one day at a (very expensive) music store at the mall (along with Ani DiFranco's "Dilate", in total was over forty U.S. dollars).

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is her best album. Her voice is wonderful, but I'm not just talking about her voice. I don't buy music because I think the singer has a good voice. Because anybody can have a good voice. I look for talent, in not just singing, but songwriting, instrumentation, and lyrics. And this girl has it all. She plays many different instruments, and writes all of her own songs. She writes them on different instruments ("Mary" was originally written on the piano, and "Ice" on guitar). She's an incredibly gifted artist, with an amazing sense of switching her singing registers interchangeably (she's one of the few singer/songwriters I listen to that has the most intriguing, sweet, effortless high notes... she sings so well!).

Beautiful singing, beautiful songs, beautiful album. It's art at argueably it's finest in pop music. I definitely recommend this album.

...Oh, and just as an observation. Ever since Sarah McLachlan stepped aside from the music industry (circa 1999-2000)... is it just me... or has women's music made a sharp artistic decline?

Sarah McLachlan's third released album since her entry into the music industry, and wow did Sarah take my breathe away. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy reveals the powerful artist that Sarah is through the lyrics and music itself. Each song is well written accompanied with great instrumentation. Each reveals the depth of an artist that Sarah McLachlan really is. Although this Album was a success, it still did not receive a much greater sense of success that this album truly deserves.

1. Possession: this song was written by Sarah inspired from a stalking fan that she had experienced during the past. The lyrics shows the depth of how Sarah can turn an event that affected her and channeling into a first person perspective and putting her inside her stalking fan's shoe "I would be the one, to hold you down, kiss you so hard..."
5/5

2. Wait: wait is a nice mellow song with great lyrical content. The instrumentation is nice as the guitars empower this song "Pressed up against the glass, I found myself wanting sympathy..."
5/5

3. Plenty: the song that caught my attention, and had made me purchase this album. This song is great. Sarah's vocals are great on this track. Once the percussion enters into the track, the song becomes very powerful.
"In more than words, I'd try to tell you, the more I tried I'd fail..."
5/5

4. Good Enough: this song took me a while to like. It sounds very country-ish. The lyrics are great but the instrumentation is what initially distracted me from the depth of the song. "Hey little girl your glass is empty, it's a hell of a long way down..."
4/5

5. Mary: this song became annoyingly good to me. The lyrics and the performance is great but what destroys the song is the drum machine. It doesn't sound like any of Sarah's music, well, besides the last track, but other than that it is okay. I recommend Mary from the Freedom Sessions, there you can find a great version of Mary. "Trembling hands she reaches out, the strangest flesh is offered..."
3/5

6. Elsewhere: another great track from this CD. Instrumentation is great, although it takes a while to get you to feel the song aesthetically. The lyrics are great, and they can apply to anyone.. "Mother can't you see I've got to live my life the way I feel is right for me..."
5/5

7. Circle: this song is another song that just took a while to listen to before it became one of my favorite tracks. The chorus is great in this track. Good. "There are two of us sitting in a circle, and one of us who wants to leave..."
4/5

8. Ice: this song is very mysterious and gloomy. What creates such strong emphasis in this track is the heart pounding percussions which further adds a whole new level of meaning. "The ice is thin come on dive in, underneath your lucid skin..."
4/5

9. Hold On: This song was inspired by a couple, one who has aids, which Sarah wants to portray the heart ache that one goes through. The guitars are very frantic in this piece as they create strong dramatic pose that help amplify the significance of this track. Emotional and great "What is it in me that refuses to believe...I'm standing at the crossroads..."
5/5

10. Ice Cream: this piece is a happy piece the just gives the listener a break from all the other tracks. This piece although is not a piece that I like to listen to. "Your love, is better than Chocolate..."
2/5

11. Fear: this piece is haunting with the layering of Sarah's voice in this track. The lyrics are extremely beautiful as the paint an image of fears. I recommend listening to the live track found on Mirrorball, as it may be greater than this one "Wind in time, rapes the flower trembling on the vine..."
5/5

12. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy: this piece has nice subtle instrumentation that sounds great. The performance is great as well. There is a simple melodic structure used, and it is very noticeable, and becomes very likable. Also, there is a hidden track in this track, which is POSSESSION-a piano version-that is slower. "Peace, in a struggle, to find peace...Comfort, on the way, to comfort"
5/5

Sarah McLachlan has matured from her first two released albums as the lyrics reveal the depth that Sarah possesses as a songwriter and singer. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is a great album for all, and I would highly recommend this CD to all music fans, current Sarah McLachlan fans or not, this CD is great. I would also recommend Surfacing, as it takes the listener to another level of her musical talents.

Thank you Sarah. I am your number one fan.

Tens of thousands of albums have been released since recorded music was first invented. Many of those albums were good, to very good, and some even deserve the appellation of "great". Each of these descriptions were applied to a particular album because of what the album added to our lives, our understanding of ourselves or each other, and sometimes as a call to action.

However, there is a level that transcends all of these descriptions, that of beauty and art. "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" accomplishes exactly that. It is music as art, and achieves the aspiration of being nearly as pure art as possibly music can be.

The voice, the music, and lyrics are perfectly blended to support and intertwine with each other in a very sensuous way. Writers try so hard to match the flavor and form of their words to the thought being conveyed. Musical arrangements are made to convey a form of feeling. Lastly, the emotion of a singer's voice is shaped to help form the thoughts, ideas and feelings by the sound as much as by what is said. This album achieves each of these possibilities nearly as perfectly as I have ever heard in any album.

This album is an emotional album. It is not for wusses, because if you immerse yourself into the music, you will find that you feel Sarah's thoughts and emotions. She is an artist, and it is her art that strikes the resonant emotional chord within your heart and soul.

The album begins with one of the most outstanding songs ever written and recorded, "Possession", a song about fame and fan obsession. The tone is lamenting and longing, and perhaps an emotional depiction of the two-edged sword of fame. On the one hand, there is the joy of having your art widely accepted and appreciated, and on the other hand there is the sadness of having unbalanced fans carry their love of art past the art to the artist herself. This song is best listened to in soft light, with no distractions.

Next comes "Wait", a song of longing and searching and apology, beautifully written and sung. "Plenty" is next, a song about someone who realizes that she feels emotion that her partner doesn't, and that there is a gap between them that she has lately only come to realize. The song by its tone seems to hope they could have stayed together, but the song ends without resolution, it is a song about what happens before the resolution.

"Good Enough" is quietly scary. Beautifully sung, but about abuse. The point of the song is that there is more than "good enough", and the singer is offering it.

"Mary" offers a woman who has given of herself to others her whole life, without appreciation. And one day, she seems to wake up from what she has been doing, perhaps wondering what happened to herself while she was giving.

"Elsewhere" is a song about someone who is happy within themselves, happy about what she is doing. She is making the choices that she feels are right, and those choices make her happy. Perhaps not the right choices for someone else, perhaps not her mother, but she is not her mother, she is herself.

"Circle" is sad. People losing their identity in love, smothered by the relationship rather than nurtured by it, and not recognizing they have lost themselves.

"Ice" offers up a description of shallow relationships, and the motivations between people. What one person says, and what the other believes. From her eyes he appears to have no depth, even though perhaps he pretends. Furthermore, even when he appears to have concern, what is the concern for? Himself or for what he might lose?

"Hold On" brings tears to my eyes. She is with a very dear loved one (her best friend) near the end of his time. She fears for his pain, she fears for what happens afterward. But she also cherishes each day that she gets, and hopes that each one will bring the least pain possible.

"Ice Cream" finally gives you a break from all the sadness. This song is the one bit of whimsy on the CD, a song about how good one person's love is, though compared to ice cream chocolate. Furthermore, Sarah notes that they've come a long way in their love.

"Fear" appears to be about commitment and relationship. The fear that when you have a real relationship with someone, what you have to give may be inadequate, but by opening yourself up to another, you risk losing yourself, your identity. Indeed, at the end of the song Sarah notes that they both have a lot to lose. Relationships are investments, and when they go south, everyone suffers. The singing on this song is absolutely gorgeous, fully exploiting her voice in ways the other songs don't, accompanied by counterpoint music sewing a tapestry of feeling.

"Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" is the conclusion to what you realize is a concept album. Sarah has finished her tapestry to the fabric of life. She has talked about love, death, abuse, obsession, pain...and now she says she will not fear what happens while searching for comfort and peace...not tears, not fears, not love...

The album is dark. But the ending is a positive spin, though sung soberly, matter-of-factly. The song is about the human condition, and as humans we want to be upbeat and positive. We have so many struggles in our life, and Sarah has endeavored to list them, and explore them, and tell you at the end of it all, there is beauty in our lives, even in sorrow, pain, love, life and death. It is why we are here. Listen to the beauty of this album, and do not be afraid to shed a tear...

I won't start out comparing Fumbling Towards Ecstasy to her other works like Surfacing because that is simply silly.
Fumbling stands alone and is far superior musically and emotionally than her other albums. I love the raw emotion that exists on this CD. You can feel the heart of Sarah as she made this CD. If you've only heard her other CDs then you truly haven't heard Sarah until you listen to this one.
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is one of the best albums made in the 90s. I hold it up alongside Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit as one of the more emotionally driven and authentic sounds that came to be during the decade.
I've owned this album since it was first released and as of yet have not found another female artist that has produced such a beautiful piece of musical art.
The songs Good Enough, Ice Cream, Elswhere and Ice make this CD brillant.

I know, as I sit down to write this review, that I'm going to gush, quite a bit, as I talk about this album - but believe me - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is definitely an album worth gushing over. This is one of those rare CDs where you sit down and listen to the entire thing, all the way through - and then hit the repeat button, and listen to it all, all over again. All of the songs on this CD are amazing - the lyrics are moving and intelligent, and deal with things that we can all relate to - love, loss, how to create a life that you love, for yourself. And musically, the songs are perfection - beautifully sung, wonderfully arranged, and flawlessly produced. I don't want to disrespect any of McLachlan's other work - Surfacing is beautiful, and Solace is amazing - but if you're going to buy just one album by Sarah McLachlan, make sure that it's FTE, because it truly is a masterpiece. As for standouts on the CD, my personal favorites are the powerful "Possession," the moving "Elsewhere," and the simply gorgeous "Fear" - but really, you can't go wrong - each track is wonderful. Order yourself a copy of FTE now - believe me, your CD collection will be greatly enriched by the addition.

Sarah McLachlan's 1994 album, 'Fumbling Towards Ecstasy', has several moments so powerfully emotional that they mock my efforts to describe them. In a collection of songs that survey the width and depth of the human heart, she and her collaborators have crafted a document that combines the imagery of lush, natural landscapes with the cerebral pulse of drum machines and intertwined them with electric and acoustic guitars, bass, Hammond B-3, and various percussion instruments to create a cozy, richly textured backdrop for a chillingly intimate, close-miked vocal performance in which McLachlan foregoes any theatrical over-singing and simply does service to the lyrics she has written.

And what lyrics. I first heard this album in one of those twilight states between sleep and consciousness, and I remember shooting bolt-upright on the sofa at one point, my pulse racing, in utter disbelief that any record label would dare release an album of such honesty, clarity, and insight. I thought McLachlan had somehow been reading my mind. Now, years later and after hundreds of listenings, I know that Sarah McLachlan is just a wise person who has studied music extensively, worked very hard at it, and has a knack for handling her subject matter in a way that lets other people see themselves in it. This is the kind of stuff that people connect with on the deepest levels imaginable. Life is hard; it's painful to be human and fragile and have all these emotions. But it's worth it, too; it's full of beauty and wonder -- both despite, and because of, the sadness and the fear.

It's a great listen, too. The acoustic instruments are recorded very well, and though there's a fair amount of studio grease in the mix, producer Pierre Marchand knows how and when to use effects for dramatic enhancement and has done an impeccable job of blending these widely varying kinds of sounds into a rich, sonic tapestry in which everything has a life of its own but nothing seems out of place. (I'll never forget hearing this album through a Cary integrated tube amp over a pair of planar magnetic loudspeakers; you could almost see the guitar strings vibrating before your eyes.)

Some fans complain that McLachlan hasn't made another album as good as 'Fumbling Towards Ecstasy'. So? Neither has anyone else. After 'Fumbling', popular music has nowhere to go but backwards. For those of us listening, this album makes us want to go out and live life. And when we see Sarah McLachlan -- on television, in a magazine photo, or on stage at one of her concerts, we feel like we know where that goofy smile comes from.

I can't believe it. After five long years I'm still not tired of this glorious album...

In 1997 I bought Surfacing and instantly feel in love with her smooth yet powerful vocals. I then bought all of her previous albums including all of her b-sides and imports, soon after classifying her as one of my all-time favorite singers. Songs like "Building A Mystery" and "I Love You" made me surrender to her lyrical prose and captivating styling. She is without a doubt one of the best female alternative-rock singers of our age, her music having a slightly ethereal spin to it as well (namely on "Silence" from Delerium's Karma cd). But out of all of her cds I still find Fumbling Towards Ecstasy to be my favorite of them all. "Possession" (which is sung from a stalker's percpective) was actually the first song I ever heard by her and it still remains my favorite of the bunch, although songs like the operatic "Fear" and the seductively alluring "Ice" come very close.

I recommend all of her cds but this one's simply the best...

POSSESSION (lyrics): Listen as the wind blows/from across the great divine/voices trapped in yearning/memories trapped in time/The night is my companion/Solitude my guide/Would I spend forever here, and not be satisfied?/Then I would be the one, to hold you down/kiss you so hard/I'll take your breath away/and after I'd - wipe away the tears/just close your eyes... (There's more but I'm tired of writing. I guess you're just gonna have to buy the cd to hear the rest...)