Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I expected, but magnificent nonetheless, March 11, 2003
My initial reactions to this album were mixed and quite varied. As a huge, longtime Violent Femmes fan, I was both overjoyed to hear that Gordon Gano was releasing a solo album and somewhat troubled by the fact that he was doing this apart from the Violent Femmes. Then, when I got my first look at the CD, I was perplexed to find that Gano lends his unique voice to only three of the eleven songs. The whole "I wanted Gano to sing all the songs" thing had a negative effect on my initial impressions of the actual music, as did the fact that I was quite unfamiliar with several of the selected vocalists. In a short amount of time, however, I came to realize just how significant and frankly amazing this album is. These 11 tracks introduce a whole new image of Gano the songwriter and musician, expanding the realms of his musical triumphs to areas I never imagined him setting foot.Hitting the Ground definitely hits the ground running with PJ Harvey's rendition of the title track. Harvey actually "out-Ganos" Gano on this one, reproducing his trademark yips and vocal stylings to a remarkable degree while playing a mean guitar like nobody's business. Gano's own performance of the song, which closes the album out with a bang, can do no more than equal Harvey's remarkable effort. Gano's delivery of Make It Happen is a song steeped in Violent Femmes mystique; Gano proves that he still has all of the passion and fire of youth with the brash, in-your-face, frenetic, nostalgically idiosyncratic vocals he cuts loose on this frenetic little gem. The third track featuring Gano's voice is It's Money, a short (1:21), upbeat duet with Martha Wainwright. Amazingly enough, his normally forceful delivery maintains a subdued quality that meshes quite well with Wainwright's voice. The real magic of this album is found in the tracks performed solely by other artists, for it is here that Gano's incredible songwriting ability shines through most brightly. The selected singers bring out the kind of beauty and emotion that Gano's voice would be hard pressed to elicit. Two prime examples of this are Oh Wonder, a song whose quiet beauty is showcased magnificently by Mary Lou Lord, and So It Goes featuring Linda Perry of 4 Non-Blondes, a song that begins slowly and hauntingly and builds in emotional intensity throughout. Merry Christmas Brother (performed by country singer Cynthia Gayneau, who just happens to be Gordon Gano's sister) is an unusual song featuring a strange duality of voices blending together to produce a warm, folk music type of feel. Darlin' Allison, performed by They Might Be Giants, has an oldies, creepy feel to its surprisingly standard delivery, while Don't Pretend features a staccato-type piano accompaniment to John Cale's strangely soothing voice. Of course, this album has its share of Gano-esque rocking tracks, as well. Lou Reed's Catch `Em In the Act is driven by a frenetic type of background sound I would classify as controlled cacophony. Then there is Frank Black, who sings as if he has just downed about 30 cups of strong coffee. His deep, guttural voice and energetic (to say the least) performance is memorable indeed. I would urge Violent Femmes fans to give this album a chance; it will not only grow on you, it will amaze you. A lot of these songs sound like nothing the Violent Femmes would ever consider trying to perform, yet the spirit and talent of Gordon Gano clearly reveal themselves in the words and music. At a little over 32 minutes in length, Hitting the Ground is a comparatively short album, but what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in quality.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
So it Goes.., August 22, 2002
By A Customer
I was never a huge violent femmes fan, but always respected Gordon's lyrics and music! This is a great cd with exceptional performances by PJ Harvey, Martha Wainwright, and Linda Perry. I especailly like Linda Perry on "so it goes", she gives it such a warm quality. Check this cd out!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
stealth brilliance, October 7, 2003
I can't help compare the brilliance of this album to that of the less radio recognized albums the Femmes released in the 80's, particularly 3 and Blind Leading the Naked. On Hitting the Ground, just as in those, Gano has challenged boundaries of staunch rock n' roll fans with a solid exploration of rock n' rolls various formations, both musically and lyrically.On first listen, it strikes as generally good, with several songs -- Oh Wonder, Don't Pretend, and Darlin' Alison -- clearly taking a leading role on the album. On second listen, however, some of the more difficult-to-listen-tunes really came alive for me, especially Lou Reed's contribution in Cath 'Em in the Act, Frank Black's in Run, and, especially, Cynthia Gayneu in Merry Christmas Brother. Gano has completely erased any lingering doubts critics may have about his vast brilliance, his passion for music, and his reverence for songwriting as an art form. Having been a dedicated Femmes fan since I first heard "American Music" as a seventh grader, and having grown up consistently referring back to their various musical manifestations for inspiration, Hitting the Ground is, in all honesty, a wonderful gift to Femmes fans after the mediocre (by comparison) Freak Magnet.
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