Customer Reviews

Ordinary Riches

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

So I came upon this band by accident and was really impressed! They remind me of Fiona Apple with guitars, a mix of classic rock with mid 80's alternative bands. At times, the lead singer sounds like the girl from Paramore but her lyrics have so much substance. Great songwriting musically as well- lots of unexpected twists and turns! I'm now a fan!

My days of seeking the 'next new and amazing band that nobody has heard of' are starting to whither away as I realize the purchasing-power deficit that 30 year olds wield against the predominantly teeny-bopper driven Music Industry. However, much like love happening when you stop trying to find it or car keys reappearing after you've given up looking, finding Company of Thieves came into my life by a brilliant stroke of fortuity that was neither planned, intended, nor expected.

I went to The Knitting Factory in Hollywood one night to see a friend's band playing second on a roster of some four other bands. I didn't care who the headliners were, nor did I intend to wait for them to even grace the stage. I was there to support my friends.

After their set, we stuck around, hanging out by the 'merch' (stole that from Wilco) and finishing our cocktails. Lo and behold, a tiny sprite of a woman took the stage, backed by a cadre of what appeared to be your typical, backing musicians. I paid little attention, focusing instead on picking out a tee shirt for my friend's band to shamelessly promote them around Los Angeles.

After a song or two into Company of Thieves' set, I became confused. Having relegated them to background noise, flirting instead with random merchandise hawkers, I couldn't believe that the sprite I'd seen on stage earlier was the very same vocalist transfixing the entire audience. I'd dismissed her as a sound engineer or something. Surely that diminutive girl couldn't belt such fierce notes? However, as most biases are - my prejudices were soon and decidedly dispelled.

Genevieve Schatz is a revelation. Her voice is at one-time Bjork-like, without the kitschy, Icelandic pretense and at another a riveting and commanding Fiona Apple who (happily) doesn't expend all of her lyrics trying to prove how 'different' or 'unloveable' she is. Her onstage performances are intense and focused, as well as unencumbered by fear of any kind. Fear clearly does not exist in Ms. Schatz's dojo.

You can tell she gives it her all with every performance, never seeming to mind if she looks 'cool' while doing it. And yet - that kind of comfort and self-confidence is exactly what makes her so damned cool.

The band, and not to give them short shrift here, are equally intense and focused on nailing their performances. No offense to the guys, who do their jobs expertly and are clearly not just stage-fillers. Rather, they seem attuned to what their front-woman is doing, completely absorbed in the organic performance on a given night. It's just hard to pay attention to them while that Siren is on stage singing, unless of course, you're bound to a mast like Odysseus.

Luckily for those of you not able to catch them in concert, their debut CD - "Ordinary Riches" - masterfully captures a fair representation of what Company of Thieves is capable of. Whether it's their first single, "Oscar Wilde" with its insanely catchy chorus (or the acoustic version also found on the CD) or the strings-dominated and haunting "Fire Song", you too will know that Company of Thieves is capable of stealing your heart...

Especially if you're not looking...

Company of Thieves' album Ordinary Riches is a nicely constructed, and well-written album. It's performed well, both instrumentally and vocally, with the female singer having an ethereal quality. The vocals range from soft and slow to more intense and quicker. There is good depth and complexity to the instruments as well. The tracks vary nicely in tempo, but they start to sound a bit monotonous and similar after a while.

Ordinary Riches doesn't sound like something produced just to climb up the charts, but rather to be enjoyed for what it is, regardless of how mainstream it becomes. It's labeled as rock, but it's not really a hard or soft rock. It falls somewhere in between. The sound is reminiscent of One Republic or The Fray, to my ear at least (my preferred genre is Country, to give you an idea of my experience with Rock groups). The lyrics are meaningful and show attention to getting a message across as opposed to fitting the song into a certain time frame.

All in all...a good rock album for those who don't rock too hard, a nice production overall.

From the opening "Old Letters" to the closing "New Letters" you know you're being treated to something special with Company of Thieves debut album "Ordinary Riches". Front woman Genevieve Schatz has an amazing voice -- sultry, soft, hard and biting all at the same time. She belts out the lyrics like a hurricane and is accompanied by Marc Walloch's driving guitar work and the pounding drums of Mike Ortiz.

If you haven't seen these guys live, you're missing a treat. However, if you're not from Chicago and they haven't come to your town yet, you can check them out on both MySpace and YouTube. Some of the stuff on YouTube will reach right out from your monitor, grab you by the gut and pull you right in. This is a band to watch.

Ordinary Riches is an album by an up and coming band that show flashes of brilliance. Vocalist, Genevieve Schatz, and the supporting band have put together an album that incorporates elements reminiscent of many moods, genres, and artists, yet they succeed in creating something all their own. Listen to the vocals and you'll here hints of Fiona Apple and Bjork. The music and lyrics come across as a combo of pop, rock, indie and emo. Fortunately, they don't lean heavily on any one sound, and in the end create an album that holds up well for a first release.

As for the album... I was not terribly impressed on the first go around. The lyrics show fantastic elements, especially in the early going, but the vocals and band sometimes feel a bit disjointed for a few early tracks. Old Letters is a fantastic song that fits well with the parts of the album I enjoy most, but then the songs that many people have liked; Oscar Wilde, Quiet on the Front, and Pressure just don't grab me. There isn't anything necessarily wrong with the songs. The songs are perhaps the best in terms of lyrical quality, but I just don't feel that the songs transition from verse to chorus very well melodically, and at times I feel like the band clashes with Genevieve's vocals. This is as opposed to old letters and many of the later songs where the band works better as a whole.

In fact, starting with Around the Block, the album all of a sudden trends into a collective work that works very well. The inconsistency I heard in those 3 previous tracks is gone. The lyrics aren't quite as good, but it is made up for with verses, choruses, bridges that mesh well together. There are obvious pop influences in these tracks without the loss in quality that often accompanies stereotypical pop music. Rather, the music and melodies are brighter, and the band works very well together complementing Genevieve. I particularly like the songs "Even in the Dark" and "Under the Umbrella". These two songs have completely different tempos, yet they flow fantastically together with lyrics that are still quite good. The rest of the album keeps with the pop-like songs, with a flow not unlike the best rock-albums out there.

I really think it is the finish of this album that shows the potential this band has and combined with the lyrical quality of all the tracks makes this a solid 4 star effort from a band that should ultimately put out a 5 star album in the future. Some might even find this that 5 star effort. In only takes a couple of listens to hear the depth that elevates this album to that status.

After seeing the band perform at the Belly Up in San Diego, I became a fan and immediately purchased their CD at the show. I was completely amazed by their live performance. Their energy, musicianship, and honesty came through loud and clear. I don't expect them to be radio darlings, however each song on the album has a life of it's own. I find it difficult to categorize the band, which is a good thing, but hard to explain to friends. I simply tell them to listen to this CD a few times..I guarantee you will find yourself singing or humming verses unknowingly. This CD truly does grow on you. See them live also if they are playing in your area, you will enjoy it.

Company of Thieves is one of the most refreshing bands i've heard in a long time. After seeing them in an acoustic setting followed by a full-band set, i was amazed at how varied this band is. It's difficult to describe what they sound like because they have a myriad of influences that come together to create something new. The songs have a vintage feel, but yet still sound fresh. The melodies and hooks are great, and Genevieve's voice is outstanding. "Oscar Wilde" is the obvious hit, but every other song on the record is great. "Even in the dark" is a haunting ballad, and "Around the Block" is catchy as a cold. This band just needs to be heard. Listen to the samples on Amazon, and you'll be hooked just as i was.

Here's a link to a free download of "Oscar Wilde"
--> http://www.previewnewmusic.com/companyofthieves

Company of Thieves was introduced to me when I had the chance of filming one of their shows in 2007, their first release of the album was nothing short of amazing, and in late 2008 they released their ep...which was again nothing short of amazing! Their ep is compiled of songs that are not included in the Ordinary Riches album..

If you think their CD is phenomenal...you should see them live!! It's guaranteed to make you get up and dance and be awe struck at the level of music and performance they give at each show. I haven't been disappointed yet, and I doubt I will ever be disappointed at this trio of musicians.

Props to them being a local Chicago band! It's your time to share to the world your music :)

Many reviews of this CD are make specific references to how similar or dissimilar the Company of Thieves are to other artists. It is only natural to recognize sonic qualities, and although the Fiona Apple and Edie Brickell references seem obvious at first, Company of Thieves has a very distinct quality all to their own. The individual components of the songs are independently strong, but the combination of the musical foundations laid by of Marc Walloch layered underneath Genevieve Schatz's vocal lines creates a lush and refreshing musical landscape. Ordinary Riches is a complete musical work that has an infectious quality that is unavoidable. There music overflows with hope, honesty, and optimism that is seldom detected in the music other artists.

I discovered Company of Thieves released an Acoustic EP a few months before the release of Ordinary Riches on iTunes, and I also stumbled across videos of several other tracks on YouTube that have yet to be released. These additional discoveries were just as strong as the tracks on Ordinary Riches, and only succeeded in solidifying my liking for this band.

Check out Company of Thieves!

Imagine a folk-singer fronting Radiohead, or maybe Fiona Apple with a harder guitar attack. That is what you'll find with the wholly delightful Company of Thieves. Singer Genevieve Schatz possess that kind of slightly off kilter wail that can both captivate and set you on edge, and when she lets her voice drop to a more earthy whisper, I even found myself thinking of Suzanne Vega. Guitarist Mark Walloch has spent a fair amount of time gleaning his favorite licks from Radiohead (and I detect a little Johnny Marr, perhaps) to keep things interesting.

My favorites on "Ordinary Riches" are "Pressure" and "Oscar Wilde" (a quote from whom the album title is lifted). "Under The Umbrella" serves up a neat "na na na" singalong refrain, showing the band's way with an old fashioned hook and an arena sized guitar solo. Overall, a good first effort. For fans of Fiona Apple, The Cranberries, or even Bjork.