Customer Reviews

Magic Neighbor [Vinyl]

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

 

 

Lisa Germano is an incredibly interesting and rich songwriter. Her songs typically feature a subtle complexity underlying a surface simplicity. Either would be attractive, but the paradoxical combination of these two layers is irresistible.

Her songs are often deceptively simple-sounding, but don't be fooled. Her interesting and unusual harmonic progressions...her tendency to eschew the verse-chorus song structure that characterizes almost all popular music in favor of a more organic melodic development...her sudden (but entirely logical) shifts from major to minor mode (or other modes entirely) and vice versa...her astonishingly personal lyrics (delivered in that breathy voice)...there is simply no other musician like her today, not that I know of anyway. Her songs are often simultaneously unbearably wistful and ineffably comforting...it's often difficult to decide while listening whether it's the saddest or the happiest music you've ever heard---because it's actually both.

Magic neighbor features all this and everything else we've come to expect from Lisa Germano (including plenty of kitty-inspired goodness!). The stand-out track is "a million times" but there are a lot of very strong competitors. The only song that I don't absolutely love is "painting the doors" which is just a bit too psychedelic for my personal tastes (incidentally, it's the only song that Germano didn't write by herself)---and even it has enough interesting stuff going on musically to make it somewhat enjoyable to listen to.

All in all, Magic neighbor is easily my favorite album of 2009 so far. I've been listening to it again and again ever since I got it, repeating it over and over for days on end---something I haven't done since I was a kid. It's been a long time since I've anticipated an album this much and it turned out to be worth the wait.

How is it even possible this album does not have more reviews up already? Lisa Germano, for those familiar with her music, is a talent impossible to ignore. She is what I would easily describe as a musical genius - the real deal. Unfortunately that does not always equate to being a top seller. This album is worth every penny and if you are sitting on the fence about getting it and are already a fan you owe it to yourself (and to her) to get this album - which shows off her skills in top form, and then the music (the most important thing) can be enjoyed. 'Magic Neighbor' deserves to be heard.

Lisa Germano is an incredibly interesting and rich songwriter. Her songs typically feature a subtle complexity underlying a surface simplicity. Either would be attractive, but the paradoxical combination of these two layers is irresistible.

Her songs are often deceptively simple-sounding, but don't be fooled. Her interesting and unusual harmonic progressions...her tendency to eschew the verse-chorus song structure that characterizes almost all popular music in favor of a more organic melodic development...her sudden (but entirely logical) shifts from major to minor mode (or other modes entirely) and vice versa...her astonishingly personal lyrics (delivered in that breathy voice)...there is simply no other musician like her today, not that I know of anyway. Her songs are often simultaneously unbearably wistful and ineffably comforting...it's often difficult to decide while listening whether it's the saddest or the happiest music you've ever heard---because it's actually both.

Magic neighbor features all this and everything else we've come to expect from Lisa Germano (including plenty of kitty-inspired goodness!). The stand-out track is "a million times" but there are a lot of very strong competitors. The only song that I don't absolutely love is "painting the doors" which is just a bit too psychedelic for my personal tastes (incidentally, it's the only song that Germano didn't write by herself)---and even it has enough interesting stuff going on musically to make it somewhat enjoyable to listen to.

All in all, Magic neighbor is easily my favorite album of 2009 so far. I've been listening to it again and again ever since I got it, repeating it over and over for days on end---something I haven't done since I was a kid. It's been a long time since I've anticipated an album this much and it turned out to be worth the wait.

Either you get Lisa Germano's emotional perspectives or you do not. Whether she is surrounded by highly talented and known studio entities playing complex rock melodies with Lisa's vocals adding the heart on a sleeve story telling (Slide... a spectacular and under-rated album Slide) or on an album like her last one, Lullaby for Liquid Pig... dominated by simple vocals almost as an afterthought to folksy home studio production..). For perspective, my own personal taste is for Slide, followed by Happiness, then Geek the Girl. I do like "production" or feeling like some level of thought went into the song crafting process....

Lisa Germano plays expertly on this album with an in-between style of not too much complexity but not too much simplicity... surprisingly demonstrated by the deceptive simple "Simple". There is darkness on this album but not the downward spiral that is so present in much of the obvious depression that dominated previous material like "Cancer of Everything". Happiness was the opposite of the emotions elicited.... and was probably exactly what Ms. Germano wanted. Out of tune is in tune on this album... it all works in a some strange fashion...

If you are a fan of Lisa Germano, this is a must purchase. It has been a long time in coming. More of a cohesive album than Liquid Pig, less produced (and a good thing with contrast and perspective) than Slide. Elements of Geek the Girl and Happiness are present, without the hint of pretension that was Slide. Lisa can be on her own. She can write fantastic songs, tell a story, and provide haunting background music and melodies highlighting her voice and words.

You know you want it.... and it all comes down to this.