Customer Reviews

Reverberation

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After Ocean Rain, released in May of '84, I couldn't imagine Echo & The Bunnymen putting together another album with such an amazing array of strong tracks. Their self titled album, released in July of '89, had some good tracks, but most of them ended up sounding more like pop rock than the edgy, alternative style that defined the band's earlier work (New Direction is a wonderful exception). So when Ian McCulloch left the band, there was absolutely no reason to believe that the next Echo & The Bunnymen album would be of any consequence whatsoever. I bought Reverberation anyway, more out of curiosity than anything else. Just how far had the band sunk, I wondered?

Well let me tell you, I was blown away, utterly. First and foremost, who could you get that could possibly match the haunting and hypnotic vocals of Ian McCulloch? Well, Noel Burke, that's who. Yes, I listened to this new voice and could not believe how good it was and how it interweaved with the music to brilliantly capture the 'essence' of the Echo & The Bunnymen sound. He didn't try to sound like Ian, he sang with his own voice that was deep, resonant, and every bit as haunting and hypnotic as Ian's.

But as staggering as that discovery was, I was completely bowled over by the depth and sensitivity of the new songs that, combined with Noel's voice, ensnared my attention like a siren's beckon. The lyrics were every bit as moody, brooding, evocative, and brilliant as the music that carried them. My favorites? 'Senseless', 'Freaks Dwell', 'King Of Your Castle', 'False Goodbyes', 'Flaming Red', 'Thick Skinned World', and 'Gone, Gone, Gone'. Damn, that's almost the entire album, isn't it?

The benchmark of Ocean Rain had been met, I thought. Reverberation does not exceed Ocean Rain, mind you, but they meet as equals, and that itself is an amazing accomplishment for a band who had previously been floundering with their sound and whose lead singer had left them to pursue a solo career.

Reverberation is one of the greatest albums to ever be released without attention, fanfare, or acclaim. Such a shame, but we few holders of the work know how lucky we are. If you like the unique sound of Echo and the Bunnymen, then you must seek out Reverberation. You will be rewarded.

Now if it were up to me to pick the lead singer of Echo & The Bunnymen to be either Ian or Noel in their prime...well christ, I'm just glad I don't have to. They are both simply incredible.

First off, I've had this CD since the week it was released, an acquaintance who works at a record store flipped me a promo copy because nobody else who worked there wanted it. That is because they were FOOLS and bought into the conventional wisdom which stated that Echo & the Bunnymen without Ian McCulloch was not Echo & the Bunnymen. Their loss, my eternal gain: From the first instance I played this CD it earned a place of respect even if I really had no idea what was going on here.

I had heard of Echo & the Bunnymen during the 80s when some of their cuts turned up on post-punk compilation records (anyone remember "Life in the European Theater"?) but to my credit or shame was unable to distinguish between the voice of McCulloch and surrogate Echo, Noel Burke. I also had no idea the drummer had died in a motorcycle accident, that the keyboard player was more of a hired gun who had augmented their live sound and been a session guest in the past, and could have given a rat's rear end that McCulloch's solo work from this period was where the "purists" leant their approval. After playing it for a few people I was informed that the record was "bogus", that it represented a "sell out" and that I was "stupid" for liking it. People ...

This is a FABULOUS collection of alternative pop songs tinged with a not so subtle psychedelic flavor that was quite the rage at the time thanks to the explosion of Manchester pop/punk pre-rave music headlined by Happy Mondays, The Farm, New Fast Automatic Daffodils, Stone Roses, etc. It was danceable punk lite that you listened to while you were tripping, essentially, and unlike some of the garbled babblings of Sean Ryder or the trite simplicity of The Farm, there is actual substance to these songs. Even with oblique stream of consciousness lyrical content that perhaps defies specific discreet meaning -- the only song I have figured out the meaning of to this day is "King of Your Castle", which believe it or not is a party song about domestic abuse. Go figure.

The rest of it is pleasingly open to interpretation, mood or temperment, and while the musical structure is unrelated to their work the lyrical content is actually quite reminscent of art rock demigods Yes: Imagine "Starship Trooper" as a new wave song and that's more or less what's going on here. The lyrics paint verbal pictures, with the selection of individual phrases that are evocative over specific content -- "Strawberry Feilds Forever" or "Penny Lane", with lots of reverb twanging guitars (VERY accurately titled album here), upbeat drumming that never gets overbearing, a pulsating bass that always contributes rather than distracts, all of it floating on top of a wafting sea of mellotron passages, channel switching phase shifts, flange effects, echos and washes of strings, Eastern culture instruments, tabla drums, feedback loops, and half-whispered backing choruses welling up out of nowhere. It's one of the most universally appealingly psychedelic albums of the 1990s, bettered perhaps only by Happy Mondays' "Pills and Thrills and Bellyaches" only because of that album's somewhat more sophisticated use of dance rhythms.

And now in retrospect, 17 years later, it actually holds up better, resisting some of the cliches of club rock that Happy Mondays made part of their schtick. This is very much an alternative rock album by comparison, tinged by lyrics of wistful introspection ("Gone, Gone, Gone"), searches for personal identity ("Enlightened"), social observation ("Freaks Dwell") and social critique ("King of Your Castle"), admonishments againts personal apathy ("Devilment", always my favorite track) and commentary on the aloof impersonal nature of pop culture ("Thick Skinned World"), relationships gone amiss (the marvelous "Cut and Dried"), peans to mis-spent youths ("Flaming Red") and all of it climaxing -- on CD, at any rate -- with the bone chilling anthem "False Goodbyes" which never fails to raise goosebumps on the skin of anyone who's perhaps seen a few too many friendships go by the wayside over nothing.

To tell the truth I am not a real huge fan of Echo & the Bunnymen's more well-known work. Stuff like "Sugar Kisses" always rubbed me the wrong way, and one of the things that makes this collection of work so remarkable is that none of the songs ever got much radio play, no doubt in part due to industry indifference over having anyone but McCulloch as the focus of the band's presentation. All I can say is that such was an unfair conclusion and this remains one of the great unheard albums of the pre-alternative club rock era, when anything other than AOR friendly stuff like Led Zeppelin or The Doors could be considered "alternative" or indie rock.

The preferred way to experience it at the time was to eat a tab of doseage, pick up a six-pack and head for the studio for a session of repeat play feuled painting or drawing. The nature of the album always seemed to bring out a kind of cheerful introspectiveness that loaned itself quite readily to the creative process. Never becoming overbearing and filled with memorable quotes that defied some coehsive, arbitrary meaning. Now that I'm hitting 40 and perhaps more inclined towards sobriety the one thing that strikes me the most hearing it again after 15 years or so is how well it all held up: It wasn't just "fad" music, a criticism justifiably heaped on the Manchester raver rock scene that now comes off sounding so silly.

Here by comparison is a statement about culture, identity, social consciousness and artistic invention that has managed to stay fresh & insightful for nearly two decades. It was way ahead of it's time: Easy listening acid rock for the alternative indie sect, a genuine sleeper mini masterpeice that deserves to be heard again. And again.

One of my favorite things about this album is that it pisses off Ian McCulloch so much. It's too bad that people couldn't get over the fact that they didn't change the name after Ian left. Who the hell cares what their name is if the music is good?! Why should Will and Les give up the name recognition that they spent years building up when they were just as entitled to it as Ian?

This is a fantastic, creative album featuring some of Will Sergeant's finest guitar work to date. McCulloch's replacement, Noel Burke, did a fine job in the face of a near impossible job, writting clever lyrics and melodies, and certainly delivering the goods live. The psychedelic sound that the B-Men played with during their early years is cranked up on Reverberation, which features sitars, tablas, farfisa organs, and wonderful production by Geoff Emerick (who recorded a little band known as The Beatles).

It's truly unfortunate that so many people chose to ignore this fantastic album over something so petty. And the truth is, if you corner most Bunnyfans, they will admit to loving it just as much as I do.

Do yourself a favor and buy this album. And if you can find the two singles that they released independently, "Prove Me Wrong" and "Inside Me, Inside You", get them too. Not only are they excellent, they are super collectable since they only made about 500 to 1000 of each of them.

And if Noel Burke ever sneaks a peak here at Amazon to read the reviews of Reverberation...it was a short ride, but it was fantastic! I wish you would have made more music. Cheers!

Don't get me wrong, the original lineup of Echo and the Bunnymen was about as good as its gets up through "Ocean Rain". I have no idea what Ian McCulloch was thinking when he split for a solo career after the "Grey Album"; maybe he thought he was bigger than the rest of the band, maybe it was hard to stay with the others because of all the internal friction (usually created in the press, due to his mouth). But what did he expect the other three guys to do, simply wither away?

I know a lot of EatB fans say, "'Reverberation' is a good album, but they really shouldn't have kept the name." That's a pretty laughable comment these days, considering that EatB still exists, but only contains two original members, Ian and Wil Sargeant. The lineup that recorded "Reverberation" was Wil Sargeant, Les Pattinson, Jake Brockman (who, for all intents and purposes WAS a Bunnyman, seeing as he had played keyboards for the band on albums and on the road for years), Noel Burke (a singer who had previously been in St. Vitus Dance), and Damon Reece (who has since gone on to hit the skins for Spiritualized). So Echo and the Bunnymen Mark II had just as many, if not more, true Bunnymen compared to the current lineup. They deserve the name and don't diminish it.

"Reverberation" is an awesome album. It has the playfulness that was sorely missing from the Grey Album. Wil and Les lay down the guitars and bass that have always been the backbone of the Echo sound (the absence of Les' bass is SO noticeable on "Flowers"). Noel can turn a phrase just as well as Ian without being a jackass in the press (Mr. Burke, by the way, went on to teach grade school, while McCulloch ruined his voice with cigarettes).

Star power at the helm must mean something, though, because "Reverberation" flopped in sales and the band was dropped by its label. EatBII did go on to record two more singles, "Prove Me Wrong" and "Inside Me, Inside You", both of which are quite good. Reece and Brockman recorded an instrumental album under the name BOM. How did McCulloch do? Well, his two solo albums sold pretty well, but it wasn't long before he came calling on Wil to form Electrafixion, then Les to reform Echo (Les left after one good album, "Evergreen", and one single, initially to take care of a dying mother but permanently because of McCulloch's overbearing ways).

Get this album. You won't be disappointed. It's Echo and the Bunnymen acting carefree all over again, having a fun time. Wil cuts loose on guitar, just like the old days. Is EatB MkII as good as the original lineup from 1979-1984? I won't go that far, but they kick the snot outta the EatB from 1997 to today.

I don't know why this album wasn't a commercial success. It is a GREAT album. Lyrically it compares with any EatB album. Musically it holds its own too. Any other band would be given rave reviews for the depth, wit and pure craftsmanship exhibited here.

I resisted buying this CD for several years. However when I did finally buy it due to lack of any other E&B I was surprised at how good it really was. It will grow on you after awhile. It has become one of my favorite Bunnymen albums. I wish they had made more with this band composite, however the album bombed. There is also one single that I know of containing 2 version of "Enlighten me" (which are nothing special) and "Lady Don't Fall Backwards" which is a must have if you like this era.

A traditional proverb everyone knows is the worn-out phrase
"Never judge a book by its cover." The same can be said, of course, about albums as well. I was a bit skeptical about this album when it came out 15 years ago, and was I totally surprised when I had finished it for the first time. Mind you, alternative music had recently taken a more radio-friendly turn (if you'll venture to even call it "alternative") with the likes of The Lightning Seeds, The Soup Dragons, Jesus Jones, and so on and so on. I took one look at the psychedelic cover and thought "Yep, this Ian-less rendition of the band has sold out for sure!" Who could blame me though---I mean, The Wild Swans would soon abandon their sound for the poppier, Ian Broudie-produced "Space Flower" complete with its sickeningly colorful album cover and sickeningly sweet, lighthearted pop.

Well, let's cut to the chase shall we? I won't venture so far as to say that "Reverberation" equals the Bunnymen's finest moments ("Ocean Rain"), but it is certainly a far cry better than their worst (1987's self-titled "gray album"). Sure, Noel Burke is no Ian, but he handles himself rather well by sounding quite similar to McCulloch without actually trying ape him. It's hard to explain exactly, but I wonder sometimes if Ian could have actually pulled this album off. This is not to say, however, that Ian's efforts at the time weren't equal to this effort---by no means. McCulloch's "Candleland," in my humble opinion, is a freaking masterpiece.

Anyhow, despite what the album cover suggests, this effort is by no means pop-rock fluff. To be sure, though, it does lean more to pop than earlier Bunnymen albums, but there are no dreaded dance beats or over-the-top keyboard solos here.

So when the day is done and the sun has set, none of these songs will probably ever "fit" into Echo & the Bunnymen's musical canon. This is a pity, for "Gone, Gone, Gone," Freaks Dwell," "Enlighten Me," and "King of Your Castle" are some of the Bunnymen's greatest songs---with or without Ian McCulloch. Give it a try----and remember, ignore the cover!

My brother bought me this for Christmas when it was first released. It was one of the nicest things he ever did for me. I was amazed at how good the music sounded and how magical and exotic the music felt to my ears. This album was an extension of the Porcupine album and a bridge to the Flowers album. If you play all three consecutively, it all fits! Noel Burke did an admirable job and he offers up a full pallet of emotions from humorous to serious. There are many good songs here but listening to "Flaming Red", Noel gives the impression of a lost soul who is really suffering for past mistakes and Will's guitar solo on this song is one of his very best. "False Goodbyes" is a great song to end the album and as moved as I am to hear the final chords of the song play out, my only thought is...more! More! I found one of the group's EP singles and I must say that some of the other reveiwers were correct in saying that this material is just as good. "Inside Me, Inside You" is another great track. I know this might hurt some feelings but I think the record company should reissue this album with all the extra tracks from this period. Good music should not be hidden away! Get this disk while you can!

I was a huge E&tB fan going back to the early 80s--saw them in concert three times here in the States. When I saw this on cassette in a shop about a dozen years ago I was surprised--thought I had all the E&tB available. I am pleased to see all the positive reviews. Although the record is sometimes musically a bit repetitive from one song to another, people who like early E&tB will find this much, much more interesting than "the gray album" and much of what has been made since the E&tB reunion with Ian. Although, like the gray album, this one is (to my taste) a tad over-produced, a psychedelic sensibility flows easily in and out of the lyrics (the artwork reflects this!). I recently purchased a CD version because I'm afraid of the cassette deteriorating. This is often in my CD changer at home. If you're as long in the tooth as I am the vocals might remind you of The Damned. If you miss Ian's trademark duets with himself (one of the great attractions of the E&tB sound), be patient and give this one a chance. It is not as pop-oriented as the direction Ian seemed to be going. Happy listening!

This is a rare, out of print, deleted and hard-to-find 1990 release by ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (Echo & the Bunnymen's dark, swirling fusion of gloomy post-punk and Doors-inspired psychedelia brought the group a handful of British hits in the early '80s, while attracting a cult following in the United States). The Bunnymen grew out of the Crucial Three, a late-'70s trio featuring vocalist Ian McCulloch, Pete Wylie, and Julian Cope. Cope and Wylie left the group by the end of 1977, forming the Teardrop Explodes and Wah!, respectively. McCulloch met guitarist Will Seargent in the summer of 1978 and the pair began recording demos with a drum machine, which the duo called "Echo." Adding bassist Les Pattinson, the band made its live debut at the Liverpool club Eric's at the end of 1978, calling themselves Echo & the Bunnymen. In March of 1979, the group released their first single, "Pictures on My Wall"/"Read It in Books," on the local Zoo record label. The single and their popular live performances led to a contract with Korova. After signing the contract, the group discarded the drum machine, adding drummer Pete de Freitas. Released in the summer of 1980, their debut album Crocodiles reached number 17 on the U.K. charts. Shine So Hard, an EP released in the fall, became their first record to crack the U.K. Top 40. With the more ambitious and atmospheric Heaven Up Here (1981), the group began to gain momentum, thanks to positive reviews; it became their first U.K. Top Ten album. Two years later, Porcupine appeared, becoming the band's biggest hit (peaking at number two on the U.K. charts) and launching the Top Ten single "The Cutter." "The Killing Moon" became the group's second Top Ten hit at the beginning of 1984, yet its follow-up, "Silver," didn't make it past number 30 when it was released in May. Ocean Rain was released that same month to great critical acclaim; peaking at number four in Britain, the record became the Bunnymen's first album to chart in the U.S. Top 100. The following year was a quiet one for the band, as they released only one new song, "Bring on the Dancing Horses," which was included on the compilation Songs to Learn and Sing. De Freitas left the band at the start of 1986 and was replaced by former Haircut 100 drummer Mark Fox; by September, de Freitas re-joined the group. Echo & the Bunnymen returned with new material in the summer of 1987, releasing the single "The Game" and a self-titled album. Echo & the Bunnymen became their biggest American hit, peaking at number 51; it was a success in England as well, reaching number four. However, the album indicated that the group was in a musical holding pattern. At the end of 1988, McCulloch left the band to pursue a solo career; the rest of the band decided to continue without the singer. Tragedy hit the band in the summer of 1989, when de Freitas was killed in an auto accident. McCulloch released his first solo album, Candleland, in the fall of 1989; it peaked at number 18 in the U.K. and number 159 in the U.S. Echo & the Bunnymen released Reverberation, their first album recorded without McCulloch, in 1990; it failed to make the charts (which is insanity). McCulloch released his second solo album, Mysterio, in 1992. Two years later, Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant formed Electrafixion, releasing their first album in 1995. In 1997, the duo re-teamed with Pattinson to reform Echo & the Bunnymen, issuing the LP Evergreen. Two years later, they returned with What Are You Going to Do With Your Life. The new millennium brought Echo & the Bunnymen back to basics. The British press touted the band's storybook flair found on 1983's Ocean Rain and figured such spark would be found on their ninth album. Flowers, which reflected McCulloch's dark breezy vocals, and Sergeant's signature hooks, was issued in spring 2001.)

If you are an Echo and the Bunnymen fan you must have this CD, it is difficult to find but well worth the search.