Customer Reviews

Kontiki

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this CD. I listened to this CD. I listened to it again. And again. I saw them live 3 times. This band can dish it out live like none I've ever seen. THE BEST LIVE BAND EVER. Period. The CD is absolutely amazing and anyone who likes The Who, The Kinks, The Beatles, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Squeeze, GBV, and The Byrds absolutely needs to own this. I can't say enough about it. Even my daughter who's 15 likes this! And the live show is like The Who and The Attractions and The Kinks all rolled into one!! Very powerful stuff. I'm glad this band exisits. With all the c**p out there, its wonderful to see that these 4 guys still care about melody and quality songwriting.

The best impression of the Beatles since, well the Beatles. This album sounds very much like a live record, and includes a host of great songs. Church of Wilson sounds like the Beatles crossed with Nirvana, and Aurora Bori Alice as good as its gets. For everyone that has made they way through all the Beatles LP's, this is there new one, in the form of Cotton Mather. This must go down as one of the best albums of the last ten years. It's not as forward as OK Computer, Morning Glory or any Verve record, but its sweeter than them all put together. A great album, 5 and a bit out of 5.

I haven't been this impressed by a new band for 20 years. The Beatle comparisons are obvious but rather irrelevant-the album stands by itself. What makes this work are great performances and absolutely terrific songs! I do have to say that as a Beatles Fan Club member since 1964 this doesn't really sound like just Revolver to me, I hear bits of the White Album and Abbey Road as well. And there are things the Fabs never did. I do wish lyrics would have been enclosed so I could sing along! Give this great album every star you've got. ricard sullivan, lincoln nebraska.

The songs "Password", "My Before and After", and "Homefront Cameo" are so good they alone are worth the price of the CD. Comparisons to the Beatles are apt. These three songs are certainly on par with either Paul's or John's three best post-Beatles songs. They are well-crafted, crisply produced pop-rock and the lead vocalist sounds like a morose John Lennon. The rest of the CD isn't at the same level but is not simply filler. Much of it is also Beatle-like but is comparable to the more experimental side of the Beatles rather than their mainstream stuff. I look forward to when Cotton Mather's earlier stuff becomes available again.

Kon Tiki is indeed brilliant, but to put this record on the same tier as "Sgt Pepper" would probably even embarrass the Mather lads. Personally, I like their first ("Crafty Flower Arranger"), and second cd (Cotton Is King") a little better, if just for the slightly rougher edge and slightly less self-conscious lyrics. Songs like "Ivanhoe" and "Payday" make me want to rebuild Liberty Lunch and The Electric Lounge by hand, brick-by-brick, just to put Cotton Mather inside and watch them perform, back when it was the original line-up (okay, maybe not with Wendy on drums, but then again, why the hell not?) Let's just say that if you're a "pop tart," you really ought to have at least one CM record in your collection. Kon Tiki will certainly do.

I think Rick Oliver has the right idea about Cotton. The album is true to their live sound and entertaining thoughout. If only all bands kept off the straight and narrow and maybe all music would be as interesting as this. Very rare these days to hear real good stuff only cotton and a band called RAYGUN have ever inspired me to pick up a Guitar!

I saw Cotton Mather at South by Southwest years ago and bought their first album there. That album has become a favorite and I have been waiting for another CM album for many years. I found out about this one and bought it and think that is an excellent recording. Keep it up CM and let us know when your new one is coming. Thanks

What a find this band was! Their name kept popping up on on-line music sites using the 'recommended if you like the Beatles' service. I'm frequently a sucker for such comparisons and am frequently disappointed. But not this time!

'Kon Tiki' is definitely one album you shouldn't miss if you like the Beatles. As a previous poster said, it's like a great lost Beatles album. Remember the exitement waiting for 'Rubber Soul' or 'Revolver' to finally come out and when it did, you played it over and over and over and you weren't disappointed? You can experience that feeling again!

I don't know anything about this band except that they're from Austin, Texas (!), but I'd swear the lead singer is channeling John Lennon. It's eerie.

Plus, they've got the harmonies (ah, those harmonies) and the interesting choice of instruments and musical frills you just don't hear these days. And it doesn't sound like they said, "hey, let's make an album that sounds like the Beatles." It sounds real. Sincere. Not just fun or an exercise in cleverness like 'The Rutles' (whose work I really must recommend also -- listen to 'Shangri-La' on 'Archaeology'). It's really that good.

Having said all that, you'd think I'd give it 5 stars, but I have to say there IS a bit of filler to it (but wasn't there always on a Beatles album also?). Still, about 80% of it is just amazing and you won't be sorry if you buy it. Would I lie to you?!

The Beatles/Lennon influence here is hard to ignore, but that would only be a bad thing if the songs weren't so GOOD. I often listen to this CD imagining it's a record the Beatles started recording between Revolver and Sgt Pepper, but never finished. A tuneful, lo-fi recording with some great, catchy tunes (My Before and After and She's Only Cool really stand out) make this Austin band's 2nd album a must-have for your collection!

Received in mail as scheduled.
Condition was as promised.
Great record from a now defunct band.
J.G.