Customer Reviews

Other Lives

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

I picked up Black Tables as a free track from Starbucks, I didn't think much of it... until it came on random play. It was arresting. I stopped. I can't believe they haven't been picked up for a movie soundtrack, or on the airwaves for massive play, they are that good and beautiful sounding.
Sweet, low and so pretty.

Terrific, original, haunting music. I hope to her much more from this band. I've heard nothing like them.

I never heard of this band before someone got me this album, but it is easily one of the best that I own. If you like Radiohead's OK Computer, Coldplay, or well structured, melodic songs this is a must have album. In my mind it easily could be album of the year. I am shocked that the TV shows have not yet picked it up for every song is a soundtrack. However, besides the wonderful construction of each song, the recording quality is simply fantastic. I am amazed that even in this age of communication a great album like this has yet to see the mass recognition that it deserves.

The album is not a cheerful one, but not as dour as others have constructed, such as The Hurting by Tears for Fears. The words seem to fit the music quite well, which only makes this a good album a great one. Hard to play just one song.

Just saw these guys perform on NPR's Mountain Stage [...] and they really impressed me.

They know when to fill the spaces with sound and also how to play a song using the spaces between the sounds as part of the song.

They recall a lot of great bands before John Lennon, Moody Blues, even Elton John a bit but not in an imitating way the sound is really orignal.

The clarity of the vocals and instruments is really great and the cello adds great sort of lonely ambience that is perfect.

OMG, you gotta buy this and if you have the opportunity go see them live, do it!
This CD is great and all but doesn't do them justice. Their music is very classically inspired both in construction a dynamics and it shows up alot more live. The CD limits the dynamic range and has less tempo change and less intensity at the high points than the show I saw. But still, It is a very enjoyable record. BUY IT! I download a lot of music that I casually listen too but I wouldn't feel right not paying for this.

FYI the music posted by Amazon under this album is a different band as of the date of this post. They may have fixed the problem by now. I love the actual album but the music on here sucks.

I cannot recommend this album enough. I am so happy there are bands like this that deeply care about the craft of their music. There's not a dull moment throughout. It's one of those albums you could play from beginning to end and enjoy/get lost in every moment...and then do it all over again. Musically, it's incredibly dense; they incorporate a variety of instruments successfully and the music never feels rushed or hastily put together. When I listen to it, I get the sense of a calm, mindful thought process behind the writing of each song.

I am hesitant to list these tracks because all the songs are amazing and I don't want to make it sound like you can just listen to these songs and skip the rest, but here are probably my favorite 3:

End of the Year
Matador
It Was The Night

It's too bad that "Flight of the Flynns" and "Precious Air" didn't make it on the album. The songs are available on their EP, though. Also, I highly recommend the album, "Flight of the Flynns" under their former band name Kunek. I wish this band all the best. After writing an album this good (and being genuine, kind people on top of it), they deserve it.

If there were a need for a "new Leonard Cohen", this band would be a great candidate. And gorgeous sounding arrangements.