Light Music for Dying People

Sordid Humor | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 13, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capricorn Records
• ASIN: B000003CLG
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #275,494 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific album worth owning, October 24, 2005

By 

Mike Smith (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Light Music for Dying People (Audio CD)

Like many others, I bought this album because I was a fan of Counting Crows. David Bryson, Counting Crows' guitarist, produced the album, and Adam Duritz, Counting Crows' lead vocalist, sings this album's back-up vocals and co-wrote some lyrics. Also Marty Jones, who played bass for Sordid Humor, is who the Counting Crows song "Mr. Jones" is about.
And David Immergluck, one-time member of Camper Van Beethoven, makes appearances on this CD on slide guitar and bass.
"Light Music for Dying People" may appeal to fans of Counting Crows, but it should be understood that it does not sound like Counting Crows. It sounds great, but it sounds like a less-distortion-filled, more hopeful version of early grunge. It sounds like West Coast rock and roll. It's got tube-amp crunch, jangly and precise fingerpicked electric guitar, feedback, and dark, twisted, ocean-filled, image-filled lyrics. The songs progress into exciting builds, and the vocals sound as if they're sung by a tired-out punk rocker. Adam Duritz's background vocals waft and slide around behind everything, occasionally swelling up almost into duets. His appearances are nice, but this is not his album.
This is Sordid Humor.
In fact, I think the album's best song is one that has no Adam Duritz in it whatsoever, "Private Archipelago."
"Private Archipelago" starts of with the sounds of thunder and a rainstorm, and the clear, sharp but soft guitar (or high bass?) that darts into the first bars of the song seem like extensions of the storm. Then, stampy, minimal drums. Then the song builds into an unrellenting, despairing yet soul-filled force, and the lyrics tell a fascinating story of a strange relationship.
"She's scared of dying...and she wants to keep it that way."
Other great songs include "Helena" with its trotting, stumbling bass and Sordid Humor's trademark crystalline guitar, "Hat Song" with its funky lyrics and swirling guitar (or high bass?), and "Lolita" which perfectly evokes the hottest days of summer.
This is a great album--it gets better with every listen--and it's a shame it's their only one. They recorded a lot more songs though, and they're out there if you search for them on sites like Audio Galaxy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, September 19, 2006

By 

Billy J. Gardner "audio engineer" (NYC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Light Music for Dying People (Audio CD)

Wow, not only is this one of my favorite albums still today, but I didn't even know one could buy it here. I was the mastering engineer on this CD, and I'm so happy that so many people enjoyed this. It really is such a shame that this was the only one they did because its amazing. The recording engineer and mixer was Steve Boyer. If anyone get a chance to hear his other work, please do. He's brilliant and brought such a transparant sound to this recording and mix.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Real Talent, February 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Light Music for Dying People (Audio CD)

I love these songs, and they have gone over very well with my friends. The music on this album is a really strange blend of ska and a sort of pop-folk-rock. Adam Duritz, lead singer for the Counting Crows, is a backup singer on the album, and co-wrote Barbarosa. He went on to make lots of money, while the rest of them are still just normal guys. This really shows you that local bands can hit it big, and then sometimes they cant. Any way that you look at this, the music is really great, and without Duritz they still could have done the same, though he did help I think. Overall, this music is pretty sweet no matter how you look at it, from whatever angle.