Customer Reviews

Hourglass

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As it says on the CD cover this is "a collection of outtakes and rarities." But all of the songs seem to go together and make what feels like a complete CD. It includes the demo versions "If Baby's Gone" and "Sweeter Love" off of the self-titled album. Some songs were once bouncing around music download programs, and some have never been heard at all. All of them are awesome though. Favorites of mine include "On Her Way", "Family Tree," "Sweeter Love (demo)", "If You Want Me To", and "Hourglass." Here's a synopsis:

1. Lacy - once only on music download programs. It's slower, like something you would find on the Radiance album.
2. On Her Way - another song that you would think would be on Radiance. Another kind of slower paced song.
3. I Don't Wanna Be The One - another slow one. But awesome. "...sometimes I can't believe that you were mine..."
4. Walk Away- a faster song, and really catchy.
5. Young Again- this song is slow, and kind of bluesy.
6. One Day At A Time- this is a slow, sweet song. aww. "Maybe we should take it one day at a time.."
7. Family Tree- a little faster...with cute lyrics.
8. Banana - named after the "ba na na.."'s in the song. This was another famous one on the music download programs.
9. If Baby's Gone (demo)- a bluesier version of the original.
10. If You Want Me To- "if you want me to...I will." awesome song.
11. Sweeter Love (demo) - this song is the sexiest song I have ever heard. And with the demo, it only gets better. Mark Kano's voice kills me.
12. Paragraph- apparentally, a pretty old song. Somehow, you can tell in Mark Kano's voice, that he recorded it quite a while back. The chorus sounds kind of like a country song.
13. Hourglass- a slower, more intimate song. It's not the kind of style I ever thought Athenaeum would go toward, but..wow.

Just buy the CD! It's only available in certain stores too, so buy it here while it's still available.

First off, Athenaeum is one of my favorite bands. This may come as a surprise because that means I'm placing it with the likes of Dream Theater, Rhapsody and Dave Matthews, musicians capable of highly complex musical arrangements. Although Athenaeum excels in musicianship, their songs don't have the same twists and turns that these three said bands have. Their songs are much more (for lack of a better word) simple.

But even so, I am inexplicably drawn to their simplicity, and in having done so, I connect with the sound in ways I cannot explain. It started with the first song on their self-titled album, "Suddenly". The harmonizing voices and whimsical guitars were enough to enamor me of the band and its intimate sound. And now they have released their third album, Hourglass, a compilation of previously recorded and unreleased material. As far as anyone goes, it's a new album, completely new material. So I give it a listen, hoping that it will be half as good as Athenaeum and their 1998 release Radiance.

No disappointment. None whatsoever.

Hourglass's catchy hooks made their way through my head just as Radiance kept me hypnotized for months. Besides being able to `hook' the listener, Athenaeum is also very capable of varying the speed at which they play their songs. The second track, "On Her Way", which is quite possibly one of the best songs the band has ever recorded, is much faster than the band's trademark tempo. At the same time, "I Don't Wanna Be the One" has a sound reminiscent to Hootie, like the kind of song you'll listen to on your front porch. And despite its name, "Banana", will have you singing along with Mark Kano, whose voice seems to fit absolutely every emotion.

I can't help but listen to them endlessly. It's the music I can't get tired of, and it seems to fit the moment no matter what you're doing. You can be remembering a memorable day, lost in a love-struck conundrum, or simply thinking of someone. The songs will find their way to the moment, they will live the moment with you, and you won't feel so alone anymore.

I love this band.

Recommendations: "On Her Way", "I Don't Wanna Be the One", "Walk Away", "Banana", "Hourglass"

This group of songs really gets better the more time you give to it. It has beautiful subtleties in melody and the lyrics flow easily in relaxed ballads, such as Hourglass and If Baby's Gone. Just a great overall album.

Hourglass is just great. Usually b-side or albums made up of unused music is just a novelty album to get if you're a fan of the band. Well this compilation is made up of unused material that didn't make it to their past releases...but every song is just as good as those that did. After two truly great rock albums they have released in the past couple years, Hourglass more than stands on it's own...and being that these songs are older material that for one reason or another didn't make the cut...That just shows how great this guys are. My favorites are Walk Away(sure-fire hit if given the chance), On her Way, and Lacy. Most def an album to check out if you like rock music.

Hourglass is a real CD, but it's like a "photo album" of the band and their history. They have rare demos, songs that they only played live, unreleased songs. It's definitely a great CD to have if you're an Athenaeum fan.

If you want to take a listen to some songs - you should try "Walk Away", "On Her Way", or the "Sweeter Love" demo version. Then again, the whole CD is great... so give it a try. If you're a new Athenaeum fan - I recommened "Radiance".

Finally, fans of Athenaeum have their chances of owning Lacy! And along with Lacy? Not much. For as long as I can remember, Lacy has been available to download. Many Athenaeum fans, as myself, believed this was one of, if not the, best song ever written by this group. As for the rest of the record, it sounded ok because I had never heard it before (well, except for the demo versions of Sweeter Love and If Baby's Gone, which presence are questionnable). I was wrong. It wasn't ok.

Being a fan of Athenaeum since Radiance, I'm starting to lose patience. Are they ever going to release a worthy fallow-up? I still believe they can, I just thought it would have been here by now. Instead, we can this compilation of songs written over the years, and two songs already on a record. Really, the only songs worth listening to here are Lacy and the title track, Hourglass. The others, you've heard different versions before in the first two records.

If you want to know what a good b-sides and rare songs compilation sound like, listen to Steal This Album by System of a Down. If you want to listen to Athenaeum, and I've said this before, listen to Radiance.