Customer Reviews

Mel

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

 

 

How to describe East River Pipe? Well, for starters, East River Pipe is the work of one sole man, F.M.Cornog, who (as is often boasted on his releases) records everything himself in a small Queens, N.Y. apartment. His songs are for the losers, the dejected, the ones who walk around wondering where their life went. As the album takes you through droll commentaries on 21st century life, it's diversions and people, it seems almost a depressent, until the last song which re-affirms our essence in almost an existentialist vein("Life Is Born Today"). If you don't own this, you should and if you don't like it, you're probably a gimp.

There is no lo-fi or hi-fi, there is only good-fi and bad-fi. And "Mel" is very good-fi. Not only is it more vibrant and eclectic than "Gasoline Age," there's more pop on here. I was fortunate to receive the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" and this album in the mail the same day. Each the brainchild of one person. Each chock full of richly layered textures, introspective lyrics, haunting melodies and pop gems. One considered hi-fi because it was recorded in a studio; one considered lo-fi because it was recorded in an apartment. Go figure.

Very haunting and addicting work. Can listen to this disc over and over again. Can't understand why this artist has not received more critical and commerical acclaim.

Outstanding in every way.

This album is very special. Above all Fred Cornog's albums this one shines out. "The club isn't open" is an amazing and brief song but other songs on here are transformational.
"Take back the days" is just wonderful. There is a sadness here, of course. Fred depicts the sad side of life, but there is such beauty that the best songs face loss and bring redemption. There is something about Fred... he communicates recovery in almost every song.
His voice is a little reminiscant of John Cale, or Lennon, but has a frailty that fits his personal vision. The recordings are perfection, too. How he makes this sound in his apartment is beyond me.
Another thing I love is the way he doesn't waste his breath. "The club isn't open" would be twice as long if another band made it. They'd probably repeat all three verses. Instead, at one minute 48, it is a shard of perfection.
So, I love this record. I think that, if you don't like this album, you won't like anything else by Fred. It doesn't get much better than this. But if you love this record, you will love all his work. "The Gasoline Age" is very haunting, and has some of his most affecting lyrics, and "Poor Fricky" "Goodbye California" and so on are so powerful.
I've lent this album to people of all ages and all musical persuasions and its rare I find someone who doesn't like it. My children like it, my mum likes it, my colleagues at work like it and my friend's mum likes it. The tunes are simple and there is great pop here too, but it is tender and vulnerable, and worth listening to.