Customer Reviews

Rehearsals for Departure

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

 

 

Phew...I have to admit, there is no artist out there whose CD has made me cry. Until now. Listening to "Rehearsals For Departure" struck every melancholy chord in my body, bringing back sad memories of being dumped by girls and the joyful reminiscence of falling in love. Damien Jurado is the most talented "folk" singer in the market today, in my opinion. Everything about the album is wonderful, from his soft voice to his precise harmonies to his skillful guitar playing. This is a CD to kick back and chill out to...perhaps one for a long car ride home on a rainy night. Love it...5 stars.

You're either going to love this album or you're going to hate it. If you're into Nick Drake's later stuff, acoustical Smashing Pumpkins, or mellow Radiohead the chances go up that you'll like it.

I challenge you to buy the album and give it to a friend if you don't like it. Even if the album doesn't resonate with you there is a huge chance one of your friends won't play anything else in his or her CD player for a month after receiving this album.

I think Rehearsals is one of the best albums of the 90's and should be put up next to Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness.

Rehersals is like a long car ride with an old friend you have not talked to in years who is telling you the stories of his lost loves and missed opportunities. This record is the best effort of this artist to date. I have followed his career from his first public performance at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, WA. He was great then, but since then he has developed into one of the most prolific songwriters currently in the industry. What sets this artist apart is he is not static. Instead, his music moves and grows. You never know that you will get next and that is very exciting and refreshing in the current market of canned and marketed performers who seem to keep recreating the same sound over and over again. The cuts on this record take you through a variety of emotions and will strike a nerve no matter how much you have convinced yourself you are over that painful break up, or love affair. When singing his songs, Damien has the ability to make the listener feel like he is only singing to them, that he truly understands the pain he sings about and that they are not alone. That is songwriting at its best. If you have not heard any of Damien's records, get them. If you are a fan but have not added this record to your collection, it is a must. If you are a major record label, scout this artist out. It is only a matter of time before he is signed on a major label.

Listen to this album, dig out your old photos and love letters, finish crying, hit replay.

Rehearsals For Departure shows Damien Jurado going for a more rootsy rustic sound than his debut record and it pays off well. album opener "Ohio" tells a fascinating story and is very touching in it's Nick Drake inspired melody and warm gentle tones. "Honey Baby" and "Letters And Drawings" both sound alive and fabulous with their upbeat sound and catchy hooks. there's plenty of moody late night numbers as well, such as the brooding "Love The Same" and the final somewhat confusing title track. Damien has a way of writing very simple songs that don't waste time...they simply tell their story straight and get on with the next one. sometimes, his lyrics are a little too frail, such as on "Tornado," where the dramatic flair sounds best suited for an episode of Saved By The Bell. but then when you go back to the beginning of the album and re-listen to the lovely "Ohio" and all is forgiven.

Damien Jurado's always been one of those artists whose music I enjoyed every time I've heard it, but, oddly, never really went out of my way to do so.

Though I've owned Rehearsals for Departure for years, I'd apparently never really listened to it. That all changed recently after I added it to my iPOD. Maybe it's the intimacy of listening with headphones, as opposed to open air, but something snapped into place. I became so captivated by this album, I frequently found myself having to stop what I was doing to let it soak in. I ended up replaying songs over and over, not because of musical hooks, but because of emotional ones. This album's a stunning piece of work!

If I had to describe his music in terms of other artists, I'd liken him to a more melodic, more dynamic, Mark Kozelek with a splash of a more subtle Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy).

A few high water marks:

Ohio*--- Speaking of Mark Kozelek...this could easily be one of his songs...from the guitar picking, to the song structure, to the subject matter, but with more dynamic and engaging vocals. (Absolutely NO disrespect meant to either artist!). "...she belongs to her mother and the State of Ohio...I wish she belonged to me..." Wow!

Eyes for Windows --- Begins a stark ballad then ends with a discordant string encapsulated (soliloquy?). Easily one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever heard on a record. I don't know what the piece is or where it's from...and I don't want to know, I like it in the context of this song. What I get from this song: Sometimes realizing you've moved on can be sadder than the original loss. The song then transitions beautifully into into the (relatively) upbeat Letters and Drawings.

Love The Same --- So very simple, yet so powerful ...interesting classical-esque chorus -- one of the things that really works is the switching between stark and lush. That's the thing with this guy...he's able to make the simple beautiful.

Moving forward, I plan to give his music a much closer listen.


*and yes, Mark Kozelek/SKM even has a song called Ohio too ; )

Compared to the lyrics on this album, I am a stumbling keyboard bum. Definitely a top album of the collection, a must.

With Rehearsal's for Departure, Damien Jurado has reached a new level of story telling. Always able to spin a good yarn, Jurado has now added a new level of intimacy to his songs. He accomplishes this by stripping away the production of his first full length (Waters Ave S) and relying on two things: his impassioned voice and the stark, bare sounds of his music. Rehearsals for Departure explores what it means to lose someone, something, anything and the fallout that follows. However it also offers hope to those who have experienced loss.

what can i say....heartbreaking and beautiful... ...his other albums are brilliant too but this one is The ****..!!

Everything about this album is absolutely perfect. Production, melodies, musicianship, everything. From the haunting folk of "Ohio" to the soaring pop of "Honey Baby" and "Letters and Drawing" to the emotionally-overflowing finale, this album has it all. Do yourself a favor and buy it right now!