Other Lives [Vinyl]

Other Lives | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl (April 28, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: Tbd Records
• ASIN: B001T46TX8
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,930 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. E Minor

2. Don't Let Them

3. Black Tables

4. End of the Year

5. Speed Tape

6. Paper Cities

7. Matador

8. It Was the Night

9. How Could This Be?

10. Am Theme

11. Epic

Editorial Reviews

Based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the band has been playing music together for over five years, but only recently adopted the name Other Lives. With an organic, orchestrated sound that incorporates elements of Progressive Rock, Folk and classical music, Other Lives draws its inspiration from a similarly wide array of sources: from historical events to the landscape in which the members grew up. Recorded with producer Joey Waronker (Beck, the Eels, Lisa Germano) and engineer Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Outkast, Beck). --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unreasonably Gorgeous, March 18, 2009

By 

Jason (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Other Lives (MP3 Download)

I've been eagerly anticipating this album for months and it's finally here. Their EP provided a taste of the blissful beauty they're capable of, but this album is fully realized. Once again they demonstrate their mastery of all things melancholy and give us something achingly gorgeous. Imagine, if you will, a mixed stew with some of the best bits & pieces of Sigur Ros, Coldplay, Pedro the Lion, Radiohead, and Chopin. If your mind's ear just generated something akin to pure heaven, you're getting the right idea.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More assured and powerful than ever, April 29, 2009

By 

nycebo (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Other Lives (Audio CD)

Let me preface by saying that I saw Other Lives in concert at the Mercury Lounge in New York last night. It's the fourth time that I've seen them live and it was by far, their best effort yet. The band had just completely come together rhythmically and is creating music that I just don't hear from anyone else. Anyway, if you get a chance, it's definitely worth going out of your way to catch these guys on tour. I'm telling you, one day, you won't be able to get this close to such phenomenal artists when they are playing stadiums.

Anyway, back to the review. I had been listening to a few of the tracks on their demo release a few months back. The texture and layering of their music is simply superb. I love the way the Jesse's voice is so aptly matched by cello and piano. It's dynamic. The drums don't just pulse out a tempo; they actually contribute to the sonic fervor or passion of the particular song. I really can't say that there's a track on here that I don't completely love, but "End of the Year" is an absolutely stunner and may be my favorite if I have to choose. It's almost 4 songs in one with stunning pace to begin, fantastic chord changes in the middle and ethereal guitar taking over towards the climax. As I mentioned in my Kunek review, there are very few times when I've ever listened to a band's album and just gotten it right away. But what makes this album worthwhile is that it maintains my interest each time I listen to it (which is pretty damn regularly as I now put these guys up there with Pink Floyd, Yes, and Radiohead in terms of musicality and album thematics). To me, that's the sign of a dynamic and talented band that is doing more than just "popping" out tracks. They are creating complex rock/folk/whatever tunes that just stay with you. Thumbs up guys!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars O Sweet Melancholy, April 7, 2009

By 

Dr. Debra Jan Bibel "World Music Explorer" (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Other Lives (Audio CD)

Other Lives, a band arising from Kunek, whose recording Light of the Flynns was issued in 2006, now delves more deeply into wistfulness. The inclusion of a cello, itself having a sorrowful, somber, humanlike timbre, helps cement the unique sound and feeling of this different rock band. The three years between albums have matured the group with more assured playing and arrangements. And what sound is that?, you may ask. Take the orchestral rock sound of the Moody Blues, throw in the melancholy sensitivity of Tim Buckley and Leonard Cohen (OK, my reference point is the 60's; I'm ancient), and steep it all in the sweet yearning of a romantic Russian classical composer or a Parisian torch song. The songs are fairly brief; the titles suggest nostalgia, loneliness, temporality, and fatalism: the album even begins with "E Minor"! I wonder what the band would do with uplifting anthems or a frolic. But that will be something for them to explore later. Meanwhile, here is most interesting, indeed beautiful, album to enjoy.