On High

Soundpool | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 16, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Aloft
• Run Time: 48.0 minutes
• ASIN: B000FO1GQI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #454,605 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The music of Quince/Aloft recording artists Soundpool is somewhere between Stereolab, My Bloody Valentine, Ladytron, Broadcast, Slowdive and Yo La Tengo. Setting out to blur the lines between alternative/indie/rock and dance/electronica, Soundpool is redefining the shoegaze, dream pop and space rock genres which have been steadily on the rise in the left side of the music spectrum for the last few years. The band's savvy classic songwriting sensibilities combined with their powerful, tight wall of sound live performance and mesmerizing visuals has earned them a loyal and growing fan base, making them a favorite among club goers in NYC's live music scene. The Quince release features a Japanese redesign of the album's original artwork and two bonus tracks. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shoegaze & something more, June 2, 2009

By 

William Timothy Lukeman - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: On High (Audio CD)

What a wonderful surprise! While Soundpool draws on classic shoegaze & wears those shimmering influences proudly, there's more going on here as well. As previous reviewers have noted, the 60s pop influence is equally as strong -- songs like "Span the Universe" & "Moonglow," for example, almost sound like a head-on collision between Lush or Pale Saints & the manic, propulsive energy of an old Top 40 hit like "Telstar." And the comparison to Stereolab on some tracks is definitely deserved.

But I don't want to make this sound merely derivative. Yes, the influences are there ... but Soundpool makes something fresh out of them, something that combines the ethereal, transporting haze of shoegaze with a solid rock beat. Their music is both haunting & unexpectedly cheerful, with catchy hooks galore. Again, as previously noted, the lyrics are positive, filled with as much sunshine as moonglow. Just listen to the opening title track -- it soars! And what follows fulfills the promise of that first song.

A band to follow eagerly -- highly recommended, and not just to shoegazers!

(Though this edition is out-of-print, there's a new one available.)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a nice little gem of a band, April 21, 2007

By 

S. McClure "the different drummer" (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: On High (Audio CD)

I'm a big "shoegazer" fan but sometimes the music sometimes gets too lost in liquidy layers of sound. There has to be something in that sound to grab onto--otherwise the listener will find himself drowning in noise. Fortunately, this is not a problem for Soundpool.

"On High," is a remarkably diverse effort. Sixties pop is a big influence here, and there are plenty of effective pop hooks to catch the listeners' attention. At a couple of points, and particularly on the track "Span The Universe," they sound a little like Stereolab, except with more warmth. Other times you can hear Petula Clark or Brian Wilson influences, particularly if you listen closely enough to the tracks "Polyphony" or "All of Eternity." They also insert a few interesting thirty-second tracks to round things out, such as "Be" where the members are chanting the word "be," or "Choir," which recalls the opening chorus of voices on Brian Wilson's "Smile" album.

One thing I like best about them, though, are the lyrics--very positive, sunny and bright. It's hard not to sing along to "sunset, sunrise, the sun in your eyes, revolves love endlessly," or "hear me, we're gonna be o.k." There is also a bit of social commentary in the song "Millions&Billions&Trillions," which talks about "dollar bills and stars up in the sky, profits made and tears that people cry."

Except---and this is my only little criticism of the album---it's a bit hard to hear the lyrics. I recognize that there can be an aesthetic quality to making the vocals barely audible above the sound--not uncommon among "shoegaze" bands. But in this case, the words are far too good to bury---there's nothing to apologize for with these lyrics.

The album stays strong throughout, and picks up energy through the last five tracks. It says a lot about an album when listening to it lifts your spirits and leaves you in a good mood.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hazy Mid Tempo Shoe Gazers, July 26, 2006

By 

M. JEFFREY MCMAHON "herculodge" (Torrance, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: On High (Audio CD)

Inspired by My Bloody Valentine, Lush, and Charterhouse of the 1990s, Soundpool has an authentic sound and good enough melodies to transcend the label of a mere copy band. With slow- and mid-tempo songs, the band is not as dreamy as Slowdive or the current Slowdive-sounding band Daysleepers, but it is evocative of those bands in its slower moments. With six solid songs, I say they're worth a listen.

If you like romantic dream pop, then you might also want to check out the Swedish bands Ronderlin, Wan Light, and Radio Dept.