Customer Reviews

It's Not How Far You Fall It's the Way You Land

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well this is either all a strange coincidence or this is a bloody good album, so it's probably that last thing. I (hangs head in shame) was not aware of Soulsavers and was pointed at this album by a friend who knew my fondness for Mr. Lanegan and if you have Dust, Scraps at Midnight & Bubblegum in your collection (and if you don't shame on you) then you need to get a copy of this as well. This is without doubt the best album I've heard in a long time, bringing together different genres of music effortlessly and so interestingly that it leaves you wanting more and finding more after each listen.

I can hear shades of NIN in some of the music but it is more complete, more rewarding than anything I ever heard from Mr. Trent. And I can hear shades and echoes of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, which for me is no bad thing. But this is a significantly better album.

I absolutely love the drive, the bounce, the cool reflectiveness, the soulful mourning, the twists and turns this album makes. It has a rich weave, darkly textured, sometimes sparse, but never wanting. Soul, blues, hip hop beats all demand your attention but never overwhelm, instead pick you up and take you places that are really rather nice places to be. It's the perfect companion at 03:00 in the morning when there is only you and a bottle of vodka, and equally perfect the next morning whilst you are padding around the kitchen looking for something to line your innards with.

Every track brings something to delight about; musically, lyrically, the way different genres snuggle up to each other and effortlessly support and inspire. Worthy of note in my opinion are the backing vocals, used on many tracks not only to support Lanegan's voice, but also to add emotive tones that are just done to perfection.

Revival could well be the song of the year so far, if it were not for Kingdom of Rain, it engraved itself on me the first time I heard it, and I will always remember the first time I heard it. It is magnificent. And I wholeheartedly agree with the Johnny Cash/Hurt comparison. It is moving, dark, delicate; the musicianship, the lyrics, the backing vocals, the everything about this track is just something to behold and take joy in the fact that it is out there for people to hear. It makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, it manifests out of the speakers, makes you sit down and take notice. This is just one of the finest records I have ever heard and is for me, the highlight of an exceptional album.

since leaving queens of the stone age, mark lanegan has suffered for lack of work. on the heels of 'ballad of the broken seas' with isobel campbell (ex-belle & sebastian for those not in the know), mark has lent his consider vocal talents to eight tracks on soulsavers' new album.

casting lanegan was a brilliant move. his voice is appropriately gruffy, weathered, worn, and wise. it's perfectly suited to an album whose overarching theme focuses of redemption of the personal sort. tracks like 'revival' (the clear standout, in my opinion), 'ghosts of me and you,' 'paper money,' 'spiritual' (jesus, i don't want to die alone), and the sadly-titled closer, 'no expectations' ('put me on a train, i've got not expectations to pass through here again. once i was a rich man, now i am so poor, but never in my sweet, short life have i felt like this before').

in an age where people seem to scramble for any shred of 'spirituality,' soulsavers (no small bit of irony in the name) tackle the universal themes in a personal way. after all, we all have these questions at times, don't we? soulsavers frame the questions within some glorious music, making that personal search for redemption meaningful (but never didactic or preachy) and ultimately very rewarding.

a very solid album.

There is little i can say about the album without running out of superlatives within the first paragraph. In a year that saw many stellar releases, this album topped them all. Having previously never heard of Soulsavers, i had no idea what to expect upon ordering it, but even if i
had, i doubt i could have anticipated such an excellent record. It is a wonderful album, a true modern great(And i say this knowing full well how over the top that sounds).

Pointing out highlights seems a little pointless when it is an album that NEEDS to be listened to in full. Intricate, and beautifully atmospheric, each song feeds into the next to paint a dark yet elating picture.Picking out singles would defeat the purpose of the album, as it is an album in the purest sense of the word.

Right from the sublime Revival, the album does not let up, each song seemingly confronting more than the last. Even the instrumentals evoke great emotion, a feat that must be admired, as Lanegan is in outstanding form, his deep vocals hitting the very bottom of the heart.

I must make a special mention of the Rolling Stones cover, No Expectations, as the closer. The song is magnificent, completely transforming the original into a moment of ethereal beauty.

Firmly one of my favorite albums already, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a shame this is Lanegans lowest profile album to date, as it is probably his best. He sounds like a man trapped in his own despair, yet refuses to give in.

Incredible album.

This is by far one of the best singers and best albums of the year!!!

if you dig lanegan and you dig trip-hop, do yourself a favor and pick this record up; it's a gorgeous amalgam of the two; dark and moody song faire set to a backdrop of dense electronic beats. it sounds of cigarettes and whiskey.

"It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land" is my first experience with Soulsavers' music, and I must say that I'm really liking this album. As others on here mentioned already, it's very atmospheric, and Mark Lanagan's raspy and haunting voice goes perfectly with the beautiful melodies. It's sad, uplifting, relaxing, yet thought provoking all at the same time. All the songs & instrumentals on here sound good, though "Revival", "Ghosts of You & Me", "Paper Money", "Spiritual", "Kingdoms of Rain" and "No Expectations" (Rolling Stones cover) are exceptional, in my opinion.

I've just now realized that the steady influx of records released by bands having nebulous membership is a really, really good thing, a case in point being both Arizona Amp and Alternator and Grinderman. Include Soulsavers to this group, since it appears that, for the time being, Mark Lanegan's vocal contribution is limited to only this album. It centers around the idea that having no expectations for future releases will make the listener focus on a finely conceived and produced piece of rock and roll solely on it own merits. And that is exactly what "It's Hot How Far you Fall..." is. It consists of one-part gravelly-toned Lanegan, mixed with a very subtle yet effective shot of electronica, creating a sound that's, while reminiscent of Tom Waits newer material, distinctive and deep. The theme of redemption and solitude throughout the album is simple yet consistent, and not over-embellished.

Lanegan definitely sets the stage with his voice, but the accompanying music is equally captivating. Crunchy guitars, a subtle organ, the slow yet methodical beats, and a gospel choir added for good measure, this album makes the most out of all of its parts. The pacing is slow for sure, but it's deep and atmospheric. Though nearly perfect, the standout tracks for me are Revival, Paper Money, Ask the Dust, Through My Sails, and No Expectations. If you like Grinderman, you'll appreciate this finely crafted release by Soulsavers. It's a little less in-your-face, but it's hauntingly good.

Pairing up Mark Lanegan's leathery croak with a trip-hop deconstruction of dustbowl gospel was a sheer stroke of genius. Lanegan furthers his bid to be the heir to Tom Waits' misanthropic, sycophantic mantle while pushing his songwriting in new directions. The restlessness evident on his recent solo recordings and work with artists as diverse as PJ Harvey, QOTSA and Greg Dulli finds another paving stone to push off of with UK production team Soulsavers. Murky cobwebs of soundscapes perfectly underpin stories of loss, regret, and religious ambivalence. The drawback of the album is, despite savvy cover choices (Neil Young's "Through My Sails," The Rolling Stones' "No Expectations," and Lanegan's own "Kingdoms of Rain"), Lanegan veers dangerously close to becoming a song stylist. Gritty metaphor and resolute, forward momentum has always been the singer's strength, falling back on hoary chestnuts threatens to be his downfall.

I've always had a soft spot for Mark Lanegan, like Johnny Cash, he could sing the Yellow Pages and make it sound great. And this album is so atmospheric, the combination is irresistible. Think a combination of gospel, some great loops, walls of muted guitar and pump organ all lovingly assembled, with Lanegan's "120 Marlboro a day" vocals. He manages to make pain so beautiful and yet so heartfelt. I've had the album about a month now and it is still on constant rotation.
My only warning is that it does not translate well live. I saw them in San Francisco a couple of weeks back and the destroyed it with bombastic guitar, loosing all subtlety. Lanegan held it together well, but it was a disappointment.

i'm not really sure what to make of this. i'm only giving it 4 stars because lanegan is involved. after watching the videos for "revival" and "k.o.r." on youtube,which are great by the way, i was expecting "whiskey","scraps" or even "bubblegum" style lanegan,the only songs that i would even consider great are,of course,"revival" which is brilliant,"kingdoms of rain" this version is a 100 times better than the one on "whiskey",and the rolling stones cover "no expectations" really surprised me. the rest of the songs i could take or leave. tracks 4 and 8 are unnecessary instrumentals,"jesus of nothing","ghosts of you and me", and "paper money" sound they could appear on any tricky album."through my sails",a neil young cover,just never seems to go anywhere and "spiritual" is about one of the most depressing songs i've ever heard,and not in a good way. i don't know who originally wrote this song but i'm sure he's probably commited suicide by now. i didn't like johnny cash's version of this song and this version isn't any better. so there you go, if you're a lanegan completist get it,if you like tricky as much as you like lanegan get it,if like buying full length albums for only a few great songs get it. i'm just glad i was patient enough to wait for it to be released here, because if i had paid import price for this i would have been pissed.