Rings [Import]

Absintheblind | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 28, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Philtar
• ASIN: B00009WKXS
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Track Listings

1. Break ( It's Been There All This Time)

2. Shields

3. To Forgive Your Enemies

4. Bands 1

5. Inside My Mirror

6. Walls Covered In Hope

7. Do You Know What You Mean To Me

8. Dreamers Song

9. Ease The Curtains Down

10. Brave

11. She Saves / Now I'm Where I Need To Be

12. Bands 2

13. Orphans *Bonus Track*

14. Today You Can Do What You Did Twenty Years Ago *Bonus Track*

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A challenging album that's ultimately rewarding, May 20, 2003

By 

Sal Nudo (Champaign, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rings (Audio CD)

Absinthe Blind are in their element skillfully playing lush, dreamy melodies, reminiscent of early Smashing Pumpkins (see Siamese Dream). One unique force of the band is Erin Fein, a good vocalist who intermittently lends her voice to the more laid-back tracks on the record, enhancing it and giving Absinthe Blind an underrated "weapon." For more of Fein's music, check out the album Kill Them with Kindness by the Headlights.

This is a wandering album where the music floats around and lyrics are a little secondary to musical style and a spaced-out aura that permeates. Consequently, when some good electric guitar does wail through, along with that good drum sound, it's a welcome breakthrough. Absinthe Blind write unique pop tunes such as "Inside My Mirror," "Ease the Curtain Down," "The Break" and "The Dreamer's Song," all sweet-sounding pop songs of self-reflection and hope.

This band's wide musical palate may not please everybody, but there's bound to be a song or two on "Rings" that would be endearing to most. The songs kind of linger and blend together; there's a mellow aura to the album, but its primary sound is hard to grasp -- even after several listens. One of my favorites is "She Saves/Now I'm Where I Need To Be." The song begins darkly enough with a throbbing bass, slightly out-of-tune guitar, crashing drums, lush voices and somewhat foreboding lyrics. Then, slowly, the song transforms into a dreamy, lush-sounding instrumental: Pumpkins-like guitars strumming ever so gently, a steady drum beat that lulls and intermittent cymbals that crash pleasantly, with background voices that fade in and out. Overall, pretty cool stuff.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alright then, this just rocks, March 29, 2003

By 

Freidrich Hamell (Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rings (Audio CD)

I can't believe I'm the first person to review this... This album is absolutely fantastic. There is not a single bad track. From the wandering ambience/movie soundrtack, summer sound of "The Break" to the bleak winter wasteland of "Bands 2", and every single fantasically produced (props to Matt Talbot and Keith Cleversey here), harmony-laden, great guitar solo-ed tracks ("Inside My Mirror", the electronica-to-rock of "Walls Covered in Hope", "Do You Know What You Mean To Me", and the Trail-Of-Dead-meets-Sigur-Ros stickiness of "She Saves")-this album is without flaw. Adam Fein and Erin Fein's voices go together like peanut butter and jelly, and Tristan Wraight is simply amazing at times on lead guitar. Seth Fein is a solid drummer, and just listen to Mike Zolfo's bass on "She Saves". Well, the only problem is the vocals on "The Dreamer's Song" ( a great Beatles-esque song), but that's just nitpicking. Buy this album wherever you can, and you'll see what I mean. If you like Interpol, Wilco, Radiohead, Ted Leo, Hum, Murmur, or even early U2, R.E.M, and the Beatles, then you simply have to buy this. You'll be supporting a little-known band who're better than 99% of the music out there (that I've heard), and getting great stuff to boot. Get on it.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absinthe Blind: Rings (Mud Records, 2003), January 6, 2006

By 

sylantroadie "www.somewherecold.com" (Fort Worth, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rings (Audio CD)

I happened up Absinthe Blind by accident through my interaction with Grand Theft Autumn records. As I began to become familiar with Rings, I did not know that I would stumble upon a musical jewel. What I found was astounding and brilliant. Simply put, I cannot say enough about this album. It is a masterpiece and all who love music should own a copy. Hailing from Champaign-Urbana, IL, Absinthe Blind crafts a disc that is both captivating and mature. Mark Talbott (ex-HUM) and Keith Cleversley (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Spiritualized) produced Rings and helped the band to make its sound shine through. Rings begins with a beautiful drone inviting the listening to enter musical landscapes that soar: vast and altogether powerful. This is due in part to Adam and Erin Fein's intertwined vocals. I am usually hesitant to accept a band that has more than one singer, but this brother and sister team pull it off in spades. Both Erin and Adam hold their own as front people, but they also have the power to enhance the others voice when doing BGVs. Beyond its musical depth, the lyrics are also mature and introspective. On the first track, "The Break", Adam and Erin proclaim, "the melody's inside me/It's been there all this time." And they do let it out. This entrance into the album leads the listener to Bands 1 (4th track) that captivates with one line: "She said playing in bands won't make you well." Erin croons this line over and over upon drones and layered guitars, horns, and a vast musical landscape. "Face Inside My Mirror" seems to state the albums overall introspective theme with its rock tempo and layered tones: "Your face inside my mirror/and in that I saw / exactly what got/clearer." My favorite song on the disc has to be "She Saves/Now I'm Where I Need To Be." The song opens with big, grungy guitars and moves into a melodic journey that lasts 9:51. What is fantastic about this song is that, at the end of the song, you just want more. There is no sense of drudgery or "is this song over yet." I would also like to take my hat off to Peter Linder who contributed Cello on this song. All this being said, I certainly do not want to take away from the rest of the band. Tristan Wraight, Brett Sanderson, and Seth Fein make up the rest of this impressive musical machine. Drum, guitar, bass, and programming all are impressive and, I must say, makes me want the next album now!