Customer Reviews

Lift

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The quote inside the liner notes says it better than I ever could, "Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things."

This new album will LIFT its listener to new heights. The lyrics are filled with passion, love, and emotion that will take you on a journey through the ups and downs of life. The melodies are eclectic and are effortlessly woven together to create a unique sound that will make you feel alive.

The first single from the album, a remake of the Cars classic "Just What I Needed," is the perfect sunshine to a rainy day . This quintet has taken a classic pop song and made it their own, it is easily going to be one of falls favorite sing along songs.

"Another Me," "Dreamers," and "World Inside my Head" exemplify Sister Hazel’s ability to write introspective lyrics that make you examine yourself and your life as it is now, and maybe even make you wonder if they were reading your diary as they wrote the songs.

The intensity continues with "Surrender", as it sounds like a pleading for another chance from a man under repair; "Lay it Down" examines the scars of a misguided soul.

"Hold On" is a look at enduring adversity in a relationship...through the trials and tribulations that come with them.

On the lighter side, "All About the Love" is a catchy song that perfectly describes the community this group has created and surrounded themselves with. "I Will Come Through" is just down right funky. It's a fun song that shows off the guy's diversity and range. They certainly step out of the box with this one.

"Erin" is a tender acoustic ballad, as is "In the Moment," which can easily be described as perfection in a song.

"Firefly" and "Green" are beautiful love songs that span the spectrum of the subject. From the description of a woman whose effervescent spirit inspires, to welcoming a new soul into the world - these songs will touch your heart.

So, "Surrender" and buy this album. Jump on in, "Hold On" tight, and enjoy the ride as Sister Hazel LIFTs you higher!

I really don't know what the other guys are talking about. I love this album and play it all of the time. In each of their albums they choose one aspect of a relationship and center the album around that. In fortress it was the break up and I hate you's. In Chasing Daylight it was the apology for saying I hate you in front of millions of people on my album. And this one is about the Love.

Just like their song says, It's all about the love. So here is to their new album!

Sister Hazel...why are they not huge? under-played on the radio. under-rated by most. Yet there is so much other junk out there that gets more air play and more undeserved acclaim. Every SH cd is a refreshing experience. The music is full of energy and even though the song writing is not as 'intense and cool' as many claim music should be I personally think these guys are one of the best bands around today. Their music is enjoyable to listen to, you can relate to so many of the lyrics and play it over and over. The Live, Live! cd is also an incredible live recording...if you don't have it make sure you get it. The harmonies and music these guys make is a joy to listen to. I won't break it down and review each song, suffice to say that every one gets 10/10 in my book! This cd will remain in my cd player for months to come.... I can't wait for more Sister Hazel!!!

These days it is often hard to find a cd that you can listen to from beginning to end without skipping a track. It's even rarer to find a cd that you want to listen to on repeat all day. Lift is that cd. Sister Hazel has outdone themselves with this cd between the passionate lyrics and a little bit of a twist to previous musical style.

One can't help but love the musical style, but the passionate lyrics are what really makes this cd one that you can listen to all day. Sister Hazel has this amazing power of writing songs that take you back to places you have been, define where you've been and show you where you want to be.

Sister Hazel has come through with another amazing album and it is just what you need.

We are confessed Hazelnuts. We agree with the other 5-star reviewers. The first track "Surrender" had me hooked and has come to be one of those songs that I just crave hearing. "World Inside My Head" is just so Ken Block. Once you get to know this amazing band through their music, their live concerts and now their DVD rockumentary (hilarious and totally worth whatever you pay for it) you'll find that every song has a meaning and beauty all its own. Ryan's guitar playing, like always, shines. Ken and Drew's voices lift you up, Jeff's bass rocks. And Mark's rythym holds it all together. The band rocks - you've just got to get to know them to understand.

All us Hazelnuts have one thing in common -- it's like a secret handshake -- we're all perplexed at why they're not more famous! We love the intimacy of seeing them live up close and personal with all their wonderful humility at their own fame. But it really is time the world discovers them for what they are: an incredibly talented, inspiring, powerful rock band that should be covering the airwaves. If you are even THINKING about buying this album because you already know how good they are, go ahead. You'll be glad you've got it in your collection.

I became interested in Sister Hazel a little over a year ago when I first heard their Chasing Daylight album. Having had grown up in the same area of Florida as the group did, I immediately recognized their care-free quasi-country feel under the broader urbanite category of Rock and Roll and immediately felt that this band had struck upon a unique mixture. What drew me to their content was the emotion of the songs and the artistic harmonizing that is so depressingly absent from current popular music.

Many people feel that this latest CD has departed from that down-home style they have come to expect from Sister Hazel, but I found it the perfect evolutionary step in the band's career. Not only is the content as deeply imbued with emotion as it has been in their past songs, but their skill at harmonizing has led to amazing vocalized chords and classic rock allusions as in the great song "Just What I Needed". If this were the eighties, this album would be playing at all of the roller-rinks. And besides, I still recognize that Florida feel in all of their tracks. Party songs like "All About the Love" litter this disc and truly lift Sister Hazel to a new level of popularity, while the emo-kid lurking inside all of us will get a chance to brood over and finally "Surrender" to this band's uplifting sound.

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 5:06 am
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a gainsville rock band, having some commericial success, is trying to bridge the gap between the sound that has made them famous and expanding their musical depth to show the understated strengths of the each individual memeber. this is what their 5th album has done. the quality of the songs, while having a familiar feel, show how much the band has grown more comfortable in what they are trying to accomplish.

that album was released 20 years ago. tom petty and the heartbreakers' album "long after dark" was the bridge between "refugee", "the waiting", and "breakdown" to songs such as "free falling", "learning to fly", and "the last dj". it was the album that started to define tom petty as an artist.

another gainsville band has released their 5th album (4th studio album). that band is sister hazel. and "lift" will do for sister hazel what "long after dark" did for tom petty. songs such as "lay it down", "dreamers", and "world inside my head" bring the sound sister hazel has seemed to perfected. a catchy hook, interesting lyrics, and tight harmonies. the band's last album "chasing daying" was full of those songs. however, sister hazel is a band who thinks outside the box. not only with their marketing strategy, but now with their music. "hold on" is a haunting song that sounds like the aforementioned tom petty tune "stop dragging my heart around". "i will come through" sounds alot like a late 80's prince track. "all about the love" explores the southern blues sound that has been lost in the modern rock era. and the very faithful cover of "just what i needed" brings back memories of how good "the cars" really were.

sister hazel has decided to take listeners on a musically journey by pushing the bounderies of their musical ability. no longer comfortable with just being a melodic southern rock band, sister hazel has decided to grow as musicians and try different sounds and styles without trying to invent the wheel. the success of "lift" is yet to be determined. however, if the pubic will give the album a chance, they will no longer find a good pop band, but 5 musicians who have finally put the skills they display live on to a studio recording. it is a refreshing "lift"

I've been a fan for a few years now and this CD just proves to me that the band is doing things on their own terms. Admittingly, this one seems less "southern" than the former releases, but you notice right away that they're taking a step in a new direction. A hard-working band who is obviously growing, trying new things and keeping it real. After a few listens, I was hooked. The true~to~life and self messages that the lyrics reflect along with the amazing harmonizing and instrumental solos draw you right in. Give LIFT a chance and really listen to what the lyrics are saying. In no time, you'll find LIFT satisfying.

Since the beginning...as in the beginning where Ken and Andrew were playing at Market Street; half-filled rooms of frat boys at Richenbachers; and the thrill of being there for the taping of the All for You video at Florida Theater...I've loved the music these guys make together. I've got two copies of Somewhere More Familiar because one is Croakin' Poets and the other is Universal (and I can hear the difference between the two). But Lift, which I purchased unheard because it was theirs, disappoints.

The music is still mostly good, but the lyrics and vocals just don't seem the same. I can't explain it any better than I think this album is "off." I think I can deal with "different," and I don't think that's what bothers me about Lift. Somehow it's missing something I loved. All of the talent is still there, but it's not put together correctly.

Some songs have parts that are genuinely bad. I Will Come Through is a prime example of that. A lot of it is very "meh."

It's obviously not all bad. I'm in the Moment is beautiful in music and lyric, easily my favorite on the disk. Another Me is also top-notch with fantastic lyrics. Green is also a highlight, and certainly a positive way to end the disk

There are occasional flashes of SH brilliance, but they're too far and few between to put this title in the same category as Fortress or Chasing Daylight.

I guess I'm just looking forward to the next effort because I know they can do better than this.

This group a few years ago and just love them. I love the sense of humor that comes out in their music as well as the love ballads. If you like Sister Hazel, you'll like this cd as much as the others.