Customer Reviews

One EskimO

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It pains me to give this only 4 stars. I genuinely believe this group is one of the most important breakthrough acts of recent times but this CD and the Deluxe version offered by i Tunes are reworked versions of All Balloons which is the raw stuff, vocals, acoustics, background vocal harmonies and absolutely brilliant. The newer versions have extras added - unnecessary male vocals over the female response in Kandi, Heavy guitar in UFO which totally masks the original 'out of this world' recording. Some tracks are the same Simple Day to name but one, Chocolate is nearly the same except it was Choclate (sic): Other tracks are not on the newer versions - Giving Up is more indicative of the new approach and Hi Low and in Between which is a bonus on the 'Deluxe' version is worth the price of the whole download let alone the .99c option on i Tunes. BUT find All Balloons if you can - it is as exciting a debut as I have heard and without any of the post production tinkering which adds nothing to any of the original tracks at all.

Saw these guys open for Tori Amos in Salt Lake City. AMAZING live! I went out to get the EP from the merch booth during the intermission and the guys were standing around talking to people and signed the disc for me. Really nice guys! This cd is awesome. I'd never heard of them before the Tori show. This is why it rocks to have good openers for the people you're going to see play. We get a new band to like, and they get our money. :)

I saw this band when they opened for Tori Amos in Minneapolis. I've been waiting for this album's release, listening to the EP Kandi. I must say the the album does NOT disappoint. Good stuff.

haven't before written anything here, but this is worth writing about.

it is not that difficult to find music that is likable, but there is something about this album that transcends just 'good music'.

i saw them play here in Philadelphia and was so impressed i bought the album. since bringing it home, i have not been able to stop playing it. never before (and i own somewhere around 1,500 cds) have i felt so emotionally moved by an album as i have with this.

the music is richly layered, but simple at the same time. with relatively few instruments (bass, acoustic guitar, light percussion (cajon/symbals, etc.), a modicum of synth loops, and some French horn), the musicians have created an evocative and atmospheric, uniquely textured style filled with melodic flourishes. the vocals are lush and understated, sung with a hushed, vaguely throaty power that is stirring and emotional. while the sound of the album is a bit hard to categorise, the orchestration mixes a lot of acoustic texture with some synth sounds in a way that marries the type of guitarwork of someone like Ray Lamontagne with the sort of electronic sensibilities one might find in some of the more lush Gorillaz tracks, sometimes reminding a bit of David Gray or even finding itself wandering into Peter Gabrielesque (earlier) territory. but it is hard to compare this music with other music because one of the huge differences is that there is no contrivance in this music; it is incredibly genuine on a level that resonates emotionally.

the one weakness, if any, in my opinion, is some of the lyrics. not a deal-breaker, but not as strong as the musical sensibility.

unfortunately, the versions which one might hear over the radio do not seem to be the ones used for the most part on the album. it would seem that the album versions are a bit more produced with some added guitar and synths that actually tend to over do things a bit. nonetheless, you can appreciate what there is here, and this is an album which gets better the more you listen. enjoy (and if you can find a source for the original production version, please post it here because i would gladly own both disks!)

gio

Saw band perform live in LA after scoring free tix from favorite station KCRW. Greatly enjoyed their set (and the accompanying animation) and have continued to listen to the CD many times without tiring of their sound. Lead singer has a beautifully soulful voice and appreciate that I can actually hear all the lyrics. This is not a hard-rocking album but more quiet, lyrical, and a bit quirky. I particularly like the songs Kandi, Astronauts,and Amazing.

One Eskimo opened up for Tori Amos in Philly a few months back and gave out an EP. I really enjoyed their live performance and the EP was awesome so I patiently waited for the release of the album. It was worth the wait. I love this new band!

I first heard of One Eskimo when I saw them on tour with Tori Amos. They were an incredible surprise. The uniqueness of their instrument choices helps to add variety to their music, but the percussions are what blew me away. So, between sets I ran right out and bought their EP. (Their first album had yet to be released.)

I have to say that I was initially disappointed in the EP. The percussions that I'd fallen in love with were all but lost in the music. Though, with each listen, these lighter versions of the songs began to grow on me and I began to appreciate the intricacies of their music. Then I read that One Eskimo had learned a lot from touring and actually rerecorded some of their songs before putting them on the album. The album is a noticable improvement, but still a little too light for me. But the music is excellent and there isn't a bad song in the bunch.

I have high hopes that the band will continue to grow in maturity and look forward to their sophomore release.

The idea of this album as a "dream" is fantastic. It covers all of the feelings of first love from begining to happy ending, solidified with the last song "Amazing". My personal favorite song is "Kandi" as it is just a great sort of jazzy song that is fun to sing along to. This is a great album to listen to while getting ready for work or cleaning the house, just fun, truly heartfelt music.

I've never taken the time to write an Amazon review before, but I had to write about One EskimO. Like many, I first heard a snippet of their song "Kandi" on the TV show "Bones." I searched and found the song, then was entranced was all their music. They're mellow but intoxicating. Luckily, they came to Omaha recently, and I was so there. Their live show is seriously transcendental. The drummer is a show in and of himself. I recommend the CD wholeheartedly and, if you're fortunate enough to have the chance, see them live.

As much as I've tired to keep an open mind and like this cd, I just found that everything sounded the same. I would play this cd for background music at a party but not something I would sit down and listen to on my iPod. The group has potential and I look forward to seeing what else they can do. But, for now I give this cd a 3.