Customer Reviews

Rigging the Toplights

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those of you who ever wondered if all the musicians who made quiet, heartfelt, contemplative music were abducted sometime in the late 1970's, there's Pinetop Seven, who arrive with songs that will melt you in two. The music is somewhat country-folk influenced but don't let that fool you; the arrangements are colored by unexpected sounds and it's all made to soothe and heal. Expertly composed and played, with an alarmingly correct ear for taste, I begin to wonder where the bandmembers come from...

Despite being from Chicago, Darren Richard somehow manages to capture a somber flavor to most of his compositions that conjure up ideas of being stranded in places far away from any other human presence. The songs are very reflective and a few have a menacing hint to them, but his spare voice is plaintive and lends itself well to narrative lyrics of longing, loss and the trials of life. The subject matter and instrumentation are very suggestive of frontier days or the wild west, and have been described as 'americana', but as you listen to this (or any of their other records) there is also a sense of comparing the past with the present, suggesting that that society might not be that far removed from our own.
"Drying Out" is a song that never fails to give me goosebumps. Pedal steel guitar, acoustic guitar, and accordion give this song a warm, dreamy feel, at odds with the loneliness in the lyrics, or maybe embracing it. "Heavens" has a driving, dark beat which foreshadows the outcome of a story of pointless yet inevitable ambitiousness.
If you've never heard of Pinetop Seven and come across this entry by accident, order this and every other record by Pinetop Seven. Then go out and buy a lottery ticket - this is your lucky day.

this is one of my favorite albums ever. its depth, complex emotions, and pathos has gotten me through many a tough time. 'drying out' especially has touched me deeply. if you like dark, orchestrally rich music and are not scared off by alt. country you cannot go wrong! the album is best described as tindersticks' country cousin. the production and instruments (harmonium, pedal steel, organs to name a few) are amazingly beautiful and the voice drips with sadness and regret. why can't more bands sound like pinetop seven?

Pinetop Seven is possibly the first original sound to come out of the United States since Talking Heads. Some cuts on Rigging The Toplights, apparently a reference to lights on top of a circus tent, are reminiscent of Talking Heads in their early days -- edgy, frantic, melodic, rhythymic. Distinct, rich veins of blue grass flavor some of the songs, hinting at the intellectual, dark-tinged vision of these musicians. Listen to it when you have time to pay attention, and listen to it two times loud before passing judgment.

All you have to do is put this record on and close your eyes - and youll be taken to some far away place, where themes of sorrow and longing for lost love take hold. I wish i could better describe my emotions after listening to this repeatedly. What I can say is that each of the songs have been carefully composed with the most beautiful instrumentation I think Ive ever heard. Rigging the Toplights is one of the most wonderful recordings of all time! Enjoy!

If William Faulkner were a contemporary musician, this is what he would sound like. The revolving door that is the Pinetop Seven lineup was at its finest here, with a big, sweeping sound that has no apt adjective in terms of music. The best descriptors would be "novelistic" and "cinematic." I bought this CD three years ago and have listened to it at least twice a week since, and I'm still finding new discoveries in the depth of Richard's vocals and accompaniment.

i can't even tell you how much i love this record. it's beautiful and big and lush and earthy and strange and surprising and bittersweet and earnest and wistful and quite simply, one of the most affecting things i've heard in a long long time.

charles kim is a brilliant guy. this is gorgeous stuff.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best records of '98. The production is sparse and delicate, as is the music. I've been listening to it everyday for the last month, and I'm not tired of it. Put it on during an intense storm and everything will be OK.

A good CD with a country feel and a lot owed to Enncino Morricone. Nothing matches "Our First Drunken", which is by far the best track, but the music is excellent. The voice often leaves something to be desired.