Customer Reviews

Humming

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

What can u say about an album such as this. To start off, if absolutely..gorgeous. On, "Humming", Duncan Sheik uses an impressive number of instruments to convey his emotions, and does it with absolute beauty. While listening to these songs, I find that it is not hard to "get into them", as previous reviewer's have stated, in fact I feel quite the opposite! Listen to this CD when your alone, and turn it up loud. After that, just let your mind drift through the breath-taking melodies, of songs like "In Between" and "That says it all." (My favourite song, is Everything to Everyone by the way.) With his strong, yet gentle voice, Duncan Sheik manages to charm me once again, although this is a far more, "deep," album than his first. His tribute to Jeff Buckley on, "A body goes down" clearly demonstrates the eerie strings, and soft voice Duncan uses so well. This is, without hesitation, the absolute best album that Ive ever heard. Bravo Duncan!

I loved Sheik's debut album. There's something comforting about his watery voice. On his first album, he knocked me out with Barely Breathing and the enchanting She Runs Away, but Sheik offers something different on Humming. I consider this album one of my classics. Sheik paints a drury portrait of life just out of the sun's warm reach. It's a step just outside the realm of peaceful optimism that sends the listener into a state of thoughtful self-reflection. Sheik's voice is sweeping, biting and occasionally sardonic in its tone and scope, and I never get sick of hearing it. It's just so surreal to listen to someone I can relate so easily to. I actually enjoy the simplicity of Sheik's vague philosophizing. Besides, to a certain extent, isn't that what we all do, all day?

Favorites of mine here are In Between; That Says It All; Everyone, Everywhere; Nothing Special; and House Full of Riches. Regardless, Humming is a load, play, and eject piece of art... there's never a reason to skip around. Beautiful.

Brilliant. This is by far the most enchantingly beautiful CD that I've bought. Duncan has indeed done it again. His strong, yet gentle voice paired with the written word, and music arrangements fit for a king, make this, by far, the most enjoyable CD I own. There is nothing about it that I don't like. While listening to these 11 songs, I find it utterly impossible not to enter into a state of reflection. The music is so calming, but packs such a message, that one cannot go wrong with buying it. Although this CD is nothing like his first, self titled album, "Duncan Sheik," it is a gem in its own right. Duncan stands alone in his sound, but, can aptly be compared with the late Jeff Buckley, who was tributed in the track, "A body goes down." Truly worth the buy, this haunting CD will please you over and over again. Bravo Duncan, the world is indebted to you for giving us such a remarkable accomplishment. "You ARE something special!" Bravo!

When you hear the music from Humming at night as the soundtrack to your dreams, you know you must be obsessed. Enjoyable and beautiful in waking hours as well, this CD deftly addresses the unseen truths in life, however harsh and unforgiving. Duncan bares his soul once more and the result is astounding. The sweeping musical arrangements from the debut are back and the heartfelt lyrics return as well. Though not as driving and intense as the debut CD, Humming pleases in its own subtle and softspoken way in powerful contrast. This CD continues to amaze with every listen. Well done, Duncan Sheik. You have revealed the inner voice of the heart.

I was a fan of Duncan the first time I heard his voice echo through the hall of my dorm over a year ago. I bought "Duncan Sheik" right away and couldn't wait to get "Humming." It is a different sound than the first CD, more up, and more inspiring. Alibi is my favorite track but there isn't a song that I skip when I listen to the CD. Nothing Special deserves a good listen as do the two singles. I'd recommend this to any person who is looking for something different to listen to. Duncan has a mellow sound that somehow makes its point along the way. The listener can appreciate all of the instrumentation, his well bred voice, and the words which are quite beautiful in themselves. For anyone who didn't get his first album, it is a must for a rainy day. I hope this convinces you to buy it, and if it does, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I'll be humming along now.

It was pretty hard to deny the hooks in the hits from Duncan's self-titled debut: "Barely Breathing," "She Runs Away," and "The Absence of Sun" were all catchy beyond belief, and other album tracks like "Home" and "The End of Outside" provided further proof that Duncan was a songwriter to keep your eye on. He's still someone to keep your eye on, but on his sophomore effort, "Humming," it's more of a challenge to keep your ears on him.

"In Between," "Alibi," and "Bite Your Tongue" are radio-friendly enough, and certainly strong, upstanding pop tunes. But much of the album takes repeated listens to fully digest the quality of Duncan's work. Songs like "Varying Degrees of Conartistry" and "A Body Goes Down," the latter being a tribute to the late Jeff Buckley, possess a quiet poignance but aren't as instantly listenable as other stark compositions of his, such as "Little Hands" from his debut.

The arrangements are gorgeous throughout, Rupert Hine provides another great production backdrop (he was at the helm of Duncan's debut) and Duncan's love of strings are utilized to a beautiful benefit. The secret is, once the sublteties of the music seep in after a few listens, it's clear that Duncan Sheik is still a smart and clever songwriter and performer. This time around he just wants you to work a little harder to see it.

Duncan Sheik's voice has amazed me for a few years now, I heard a few of his songs when a friend was playing this, he really had no idea who it was it was just a cd his wife had bought and he felt it was a little too weak for his taste.
I myself listen to a huge variety of music, now I know you hear that all the time from people but I really do, I own loads of Jazz, Blues (mostly harmonica stuff), DMB (i give dave one of his own), ska and funk (bob marley, red hot chili peppers and sublime), classical (well you know what that is), and my favorite, loud alternative (I can go as far as KoRn and NIN, I like the bands like POD, Saliva, Puddle of Mudd, Nickelback, Default and INCUBUS most of all though).
Anyways lets get back on track. After I listened to some of this cd I was totally interested and I bought his first 2 cds, the self titled debut and Humming. I like the self titled but Humming is more consistent in the type of sound and his voice wasn't drowning in the Orchestral stuff.
This is just an amazing cd and Duncan really knows a lot about what music is. very emotional music, it brings a lot of bad memories because I used to listen to this stuff when my GF had broken up with me. But now I have a new GF and everything is cool, I still listen to his work and it is less depressing :)

Duncan Sheik has once again done it! The follow up to his debut album is amazing! I can't help but listen to it almost everyday. I hope he never stops making music. The album helps me to relax and helps me through those days that never seem to end. "That Says it All" is an instant classic in my head. The lyrics are simply amazing....but then again, so is he.

at first i thought..whoa, this is way slower than the first. it took me a few listens to get through it well, and ive come to really like it. it isnt as intense as the first record. it isnt as melodic as the first record. but that ok, its a good record, just being what it is. i like duncan. i just wish i got as many chicks as he does.

I saw Duncan Sheik open up for Barenaked Ladies and had heard nothing but "Barely Breathing." I was absolutely blown away... he and his band were phenomenal and no one noticed. I rushed to buy "Wishful Thinking," and figuring that the stage show was suggestive of the album. Wrong! The wondrously melodic blur of the electric guitar was almost never there on the album... replacing it were strings. Strings are OK, but there were too many here. Anyway: "In Between," "A Body Goes Down" and the "hidden track" are great. "Rubbed Out", if it were the only good song on the album, would make it worth buying: it one of the greatest songs i've ever heard-- it's got that etheral guitar, but loads of bite. That's what we need to hear more of.