Oaklandazulasylum

Why | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Anticon
• ASIN: B0000996HW
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,497 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good lyrics and production, July 10, 2003

By 

Pontius Pilate (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oaklandazulasylum (Audio CD)

the lyrics on this album are amazing, almost comparable to the eels or beck. With a hip-hop style singing crossed with indie guitar reinforcement this band makes the best of both.
best put by the song "bad entropy";

these are songs to listen to after im dead;
when old women start wearing their hair grey;
these are songs to help an ant to find its shadow;
songs to bump in your cruser 2016, top down,
hair blowing in the absence of air.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There are very few microwaves in the third world., October 31, 2004

By 

Kevin Satterwhite (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oaklandazulasylum (Audio CD)

I didn't think Why? had it in him to be a member of Anticon and then pass for an indie rock artist. But then I would be wrong, because he released an indie rock album and it's actually pretty damn good.

The album starts with "Ferris Wheel", which starts with sparse guitar picking then shortly picks up when Why? begins to sing. Soon thereafter some horns begin playing and you can clearly note the slight inspiration Neutral Milk Hotel had on Why?'s direction. It's one of the better songs on the album. "Cold Lunch ([...] Remix)" is a really good song, but will lead me to my first complaint of this album. A lot of the songs are short (half the songs are less than 2:30 long, which 5 of them are less than 2 minutes long). This song, for example, is 1:36 long. It's a good song that I wish could have been maybe a minute longer, but nevertheless good.

Next is "America Afterschool", which leads me to my second complaint of the album. If one were to question Why?'s lyrics as being trite and meaningless, often times I don't think I could adequately defend Why? because I'm often dumbfounded by what he's expressing. But whatever, it's a good song. Now I'll skip ahead to "Early Whitney", the marvel of the album. This song is beautiful and on constant repeat on my iPod. I would love to hear Why? release more accessible songs like this, which he is supposedly doing on a new album.

"Shirtless, Sheetless, And" and "Women Eye, "No"" are funny songs and add to the album pretty well. "Seventeen" is my second favorite track of the album. It has a really good melody and hip hop beat.

This album is great and I'd highly recommend it. But if you have a chance to see him live, I suggest you also (or instead if you're limited on purchases) to buy his tour only album "Almost Live From Anna's Cabin". It's a live album and it has a lot of the songs from this album that sound better "live" (and some that don't necessarily) plus a few other songs he released prior and afterwards.

5.0 out of 5 stars Why? pass it up?, January 27, 2010

By 

Brian Bradbury - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Oaklandazulasylum [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

This record is full of haunting melodies and heart-felt poetry. Lead singer Yoni Wolf holds nothing back in this Anticon gem. A great find for anyone who can appreciate alternative rap.