Pride

Phosphorescent | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 23, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dead Oceans
• ASIN: B000V6JVQM
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,072 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #76 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Lo-Fi

Editorial Reviews

2007 album.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars through the ether, December 28, 2007

By 

Samuel Gentle (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pride (Audio CD)

Whenever I really enjoy an artist I get a bit defensive when they are continuously likened to another (even if I enjoy both!). That said, a certain Palace Brother will not be mentioned in this review and it's because of one striking difference between the two that should wholly separate them: Mr. Houck truly appreciates melody.

Listening to this album is like eating chicken soup: I feel just shy of healthy and about to be healed. It's so refreshing when instrumentation can remain minimalistic to make room for melody. It is a very difficult task to master, but Mr. Houck does it effortlessly. Other musicians I've spoke to about Pride believe the songs are sometimes too simple, but paradoxically the simplicity is what grants Pride repeated listens. You don't need to unearth new elements each time because you've already found them. Reflection then seems to be the only path left and any music that makes you reflect should be praised, as nobody does this enough.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Harrowingly beautiful backwoods alt.folk, November 14, 2007

By 

T. M. Orange - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pride (Audio CD)

The third full-length release from Alabama's Matthew Houck, who relocated to Athens, GA by way of Brooklyn. While Will Oldham is an obvious touchstone here, Houck orchestrates this backwoods church of Southern gothic with wide-eyed, wistful and harrowing hues of his very own. "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" and "The Waves At Night" take this listener past Oldham straight back to Galaxie 500 and Dean Wareham's gawky adolescent yelps. Contrast that with the rich vocal choir that dominates "Waves," "Be Dark Night" and the closing title track -- I've honestly not heard anything this literally harrowing/hallowing since Lou Reed's Berlin. The ukelele-driven neurosis of "Wolves" would give even Freud's most notorious patient a run for his money. "At Death, A Proclamation" has a bit of Peter Gabriel / TV on the Radio rhythm track behind it. "My Dove, My Lamb" finds Houck at his perhaps most Oldham-esque and forms the emotional centerpiece of the disc. "Waves" also wins the best lyric award: "where will we finally trade our teeth for rays of wheat to lay and sleep underneath."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent music!, December 18, 2007

By 

E. Knutson (california) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pride (Audio CD)

I am not a music reviewer but listening to this has driven me to become one. Sometimes my tastes can run shamedly mainstream, or at least what I think mainstream is .I just bought it four days ago and I am completely obsessed with how good it is. At first the melodies seem different and overwhelming until you realize that this is what music is really all about. Ranks up there with the great artists of our time. Glad I got to discover this music.