Customer Reviews

Nineteeneighties

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

 

 

Somehow Grant-Lee has managed to take the low acoustic sound he perfected with Grant Lee Buffalo and some of his more mellow solo tracks and use it on eleven wonderful songs from the alternative 80s, back when it was 'college rock'. And he's pulled it off perfectly.

These are all songs from the big names from back then, starting from the Pixies and running through New Order, Joy Division, Robyn Hitchcock, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Psychedelic Furs, The Church, Nick Cave, REM, the Cure and the Smiths. What surprises me is that most of the songs he chose are the more well-known songs of those bands rather than obscure album tracks (as tends to be the choice of a lot of indie bands), and he does the songs justice. He makes them his own, without detracting from the originals at all.

Definitely worth checking out, and definitely worth having if you grew up listening to the originals like I did!

I've never listened to much of Grant-Lee's previous stuff but I heard a great review of this album on npr.org and it sparked my interest. I've huge fan of all the bands he covers on this album and his interpretations are heart felt and touching. I've really enjoyed this album! Age of Consent, Love My Way, and Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me are my favs. Check it out!

Grant-Lee Phillips sings with sleepy pleasantness on this collection of covers, perfect for a late dinner in a candlelit lounge. It's a harmless place-holder while we wait for the next album of his own original songs, and is easily recommended to his fans.

If you don't already own his other music, please buy Mobilize or the Grant Lee Buffalo CD Mighty Joe Moon instead. Both display excellent songcraft, sweeter yet more intense singing, and wonderful music.

Grant Lee Phillips honors these songs yet he does it in a style all his own. His renditions stay with you because of his haunting vocals and the awsome orchestration. His choice of a harmonium on Love MY Way gives it that same etherial feel as the origional without being a copy in any way.
Love this CD. (Grant's not bad either...note album cover!)

I loved these songs back in the '80's, and I love how Grant put his own take on them. Almost like if they are new all over again. People everywhere maybe at work or in the car always comment on the CD when I am playing it. They always want to know who is playing. It's definately one of the best CD's I purchased last year. Hope you enjoy too.

Hearing Grant Lee Phillips' interpretations of these luscious, moving, affecting songs from the 80's will blow you away. It's better than an homage because he filters each song through his own unique translation. I was immediately hooked. "Love My Way" and REM's "Sorry" are particularly lovely. As one critic noted, when you look at the list of songs he selected you think: Boy, he sure does have good taste. You also think, Hey! Was he a fly on my dorm room in college??

This album is not unpleasant. Grant Lee Phillips can be a great entertainer. I own his first two solo albums, and am quite happy with them.

Grant has a very distinctive style of singing and some peculiar vocal affectations. His singing is as distinctive as Alanis Morrisette or Tom Waits. Once you know him, he is instantly recognizable. In his own songs, he seems to be able to make these quirks work for him. With this collection of cover songs, the result sounds slightly odd to me.

Mostly the problem here is monotony. Nothing seems very lively. Grant sounds a little burned out. If these are tunes Grant really loved, he hasn't convinced me. Maybe with some inspired backing musicians and about ten cups of coffee, Grant could have laid into these songs and wrung something new and interesting from them. This may be pleasant music for relaxing, or background for doing household chores, but I'd really expect more from Grant Lee Phillips.

This CD sat on my wish list for over a year as I watched used prices rise & fall. Finally in a splurge mood, I popped for the disc. I stopped listening to the radio with the arrival of the 1980s; so most of this music is unfamiliar to me. I've bought all of Grant-Lee's discs from the Buffalo through this solo recording. Listening with an unfamiliar ear to the music gives me the advantage of not comparing the recordings to other bands that originated the music. While I do have some albums by Echo & the Bunneymen, I think I missed the one that has "The Killing Moon" on it; but Phillips' version rivets the listener. Morrissey's "Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me" creates a lovely soundscape that transports me with Phillips' dreamy vocals. I've never listened to New Order, but my favorite track on the CD is "Age of Consent" which is addictive with its lovely melody and Phillips' insistent guitar strum, "I'm not the kind that likes to tell you just what I want to do & I'm not the kind that needs to tell you what you want me to." "Nineteeneighties" is a soft set with emotionally laden vocals. Enjoy!

He makes each of these sons his own with dream-like interpretations; the segue is smooth and seamless....emotionally resonating.

This cd is amazing,it's so smooth and all the songs are played with passion!!. I am surprised the songs he choosed, like he really wants to tell us that his music was influenced a lot by UK band.

Fantastic.