The Rock And The Tide (Amazon Exclusive Version)

Joshua Radin | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: October 12, 2010
• Label: Mom + Pop Music
• Copyright: (P) 2010 Mom + Pop
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 50:14
• Genres:
  • Alternative Rock
• ASIN: B0045NACYM
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,147 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Radin Veers Off Somewhere I Won't Follow ... October 26, 2010

By Big Daddy Gadzooks

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Okay, here's the thing ... I love, love, LOVE Joshua Radin. His style is (or was) unique, his voice quiet and thoughtful, his lyrics emotional and deep. We Were Here was such a groundbreaking album for me. It is largely responsible for my being a fan of acoustic music. Winter, Star Mile, Closer ... These were classics that have been stuck in my head since the first time I've heard them. Simple Times, though different, had some very high points, such as Sky, I'd Rather Be With You, Brand New Day, Friend Like You, and so on. The Rock and the Tide, at least upon first listen, seems to be so far out of the range of what Mr. Radin is known for, what he does best, and what got him where he is, that it's like he's going in a direction I'm not really willing to follow. He was once a subtle voice in a noisy world. Now he's just part of the noise. I understand artists have to progress. I'm a recording artist myself so I understand that all too well. But you can't go so far beyond where you came from that you can't see home anymore at all, and it feels like that's where Joshua Radin is heading, as if the acoustic stuff he wrote was only out of necessity because he wasn't big yet and couldn't afford his own band and so he'd settle for acoustic songs for now until he could do what he really wanted to do. I mean, there's only like two songs were the acoustic guitar is the main instrument it seems like. There are no female vocals -- that's part of his sound! Where's Priscilla Ahn? Where's Ingrid Michaelson? Now, I'll listen to this CD again and see if I think differently. It may just be that I'm refusing to accept his new direction because I'm too fettered to the old one. It happens. And sometimes, I'll re-listen in a few weeks and go, "Wow! What was I thinking?! This is GREAT!..." And sometimes I'll listen and go, "Yep. Still sucks." So, what will happen here? I don't know. But I will give it a chance. But my initial response, quite frankly, is disappointment.

A note on the live DVD -- Okay, first of all the mix is way off. Thin acoustic guitars and massive pounding bass drums. I don't know who mixed this or who the sound guy was, but someone fell asleep at the switch, as it were. Also, where are those favorites? I mean, there were a few, but NOTHING from We Were Here. It's a good thing the DVD came free with the CD because if I had spent money on it I would be jacked.

To Joshua Radin, I would say this in summation: The acoustic guitar has been around for many a year, and no one's tired of it yet. Yes, from complex finger-picking to simple chord strumming, countless people play the acoustic guitar and still sell CDs, get people to listen, and so on, and they do so because the songs they play are real, they're organic, they're human. Of course, rock n' roll has been around for quite some time, too, and many people enjoy it's loudness. Personally, I don't think you do the loud stuff good enough to make your way in this world with rock n' roll. You did, however, do the acoustic stuff with such passion, elegance, realness and humanity that you could've made ten more albums building on what you started in your first major label release and would have made a name for yourself as the quintessential acoustic singer-songwriter. Now you're just another guy sounding like the rest. So my advice, for what it's worth to ya, is take a step back, regroup, and try again. You don't have to put out We Were Here part 2, but you don't have to try to put out Born in the USA either. Springsteen already did that, and he did it better than you'll ever do it. Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Album October 12, 2010

By Book Nerd

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great album. The first few tracks are a bit peppier than Joshua Radin fans are accustomed to, but I think they are well executed and really enjoyable. The last half is pure (and well done) Joshua Radin.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Opened My Eyes November 19, 2010

By Ken Douglas

Format:Audio CD

A young friend of mine gave me this CD last week, told me it was time to get my head out of Dinosaur Music. Okay, so I do listen to a lot of Dylan, Stones, Beatles, the Boss and even Led Zep, who I didn't listen to back then, but do now. That doesn't mean I'm stuck in the past, music wise. Alright, I think the Doors were about the best band I've ever heard and nobody, but nobody has the heart of Janis or the Soul of Jimi.

But I listen to Paradise Radio, I hear the newer stuff that sounds like the older stuff. But yeah, I haven't gone out in a long time and bought a new CD or sat down and really listened to a band with members younger than say, about a half a century, with the exception of Melissa Etheridge, who I like more than I can say.

But I had this and my young friend wanted my opinion on this guy, Joshua Radin, who he thinks is destined for greatness, so I ripped it to iTunes and gave it a listen on my MacBook at 4:30 in the morning, as I get up early to write. A few seconds into "Road to Ride" and I knew this wasn't the kind of music to write with. Usually I have Billie Holiday singing along, while my fingers work the keyboard, but not with this. This was hard driving, fracking great music.

I paused iTunes, went upstairs, got my quarter century old Pioneer headphone out of my closet. A lot of great rock and roll has boiled through my brain through these babies. I plugged in an adapter, so I could use them with my MacBook, went back downstairs and played this bloody music loud, they way it's supposed to be played.

As I said, "Road to Ride" is a hard driving song, great to jog with. "Streetlight" slows it down a little and gives you a chance to appreciate this young man's voice.... It's a great song, "Streetlight" is and it almost sounds like there is some pan playing going on in the background, but I could be wrong, don't think so though.

"Here We Go" picks it up and I found myself getting out of the chair, moving my head and shoulders with the music, you know, how you dance when nobody's looking, this could almost be a cross between a dance song and a rock song. I don't like dance songs, but I found myself liking this one plenty.

"We Are Only Getting Better" is another hard driving rocker. I'm hesitant to say who it reminds me of, who he sounds like here, because though I think Joshua Radin may have a lot of influences, I think my young friend is right, he's going to be influencing a lot of others. He's not a copycat, he's got his own style of rock and I'm liking it just fine.

"The Rock and the Tide" I didn't like so much at first, but after about my tenth listen to this record, it's become my favorite song on it and I can see why it's the title song. As the song says, nobody knows how to make things last these days, ain't that the truth.

I guess there had to be a ballad here and "You Got What I Need" is it. Yes, ballad it is, but it's a good one. Nice harmonies in the background. A good song to slow dance to. And this is another song I didn't like at first listen, but have since come to like. Nowhere to go is another rockin', sockin' rocker, a song I liked right from the get go, one I'm still liking a lot. I like this whole record, actually. I like it so much that I'm going to try Joshua Radin's earlier efforts, which I can tell from other reviews here, are acoustic offerings, but after hearing "On Leap" I'm looking forward to them.

In conclusion, this Dinosaur Music loving rocker loves this record. My eyes have been opened. Too long my head has been stuck in the sand. It turns out I was wrong, good rock and roll didn't stop with rockers old enough to be Joshua Radin's father. It's still going on. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars better than the reviews give it credit for March 22, 2011

By Erock

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

Generally, I read reviews when purchasing most things. I depend on real people with real opinions to guide my purchase process. Music is definitely more subjective- that is for sure. But, I truly believe that many a reviewer has caused an egregious offense to Joshua Radin's new album, The Rock and the Tide.
**This is an awesome album.**
People evolve. Artists change, advance, grow, mature. Think of more synonyms and that is this album. If you like his acoustic, mellow, "stripped down" sound then stick to his prior releases. If you're looking for another "We Were Here" stop looking. Listen to We Were Here. If you want to listen to Joshua pushing his own boundaries into a more cohesive sounding album with an extra bit of flare then listen to "The Rock and the Tide". He still is an astute lyricist. He still has a few languid ballads. He just added more instruments and production.
Give the man a break. He's no Lady Gaga-- pumping out monotonous hits. But he is allowed- and encouraged to progress. I, for one, am thankful he has grown.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not what I was expecting January 27, 2011

By ecclecticenthusiast

Format:MP3 Music

I am one of the people who argues for artists evolving and changing as they grow, but this is just awful. I love Joshua Radin because he was unique in a sea of sameness. His music used to make me FEEL. I think all of this noise is drowning him out.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Lost himself in an attempt at progress October 19, 2010

By Matthew Buckley-Golder

Format:Audio CD

I don't like this CDs as much as I did his previous CDs.

It's difficult to know what to say. He probably had to progress somewhat to avoid sounding the same -- we didn't really need another Joshua Radin CD just like his others -- but it seems as if his attempt at progress has buried what was unique about his sound. He comes out of it sounding like no-one-in-particular on many tracks.

There are some tracks reminiscent of his previous albums, and the first couple of tracks that dress up his sound with more energy than we're used to are pretty good, but are not timeless as some of his earlier songs are.

If I'd heard this one before I bought it, I probably wouldn't have bought it. But, I'll keep my ears open for his future work to see if anything comes of this change in direction once it's had a chance to settle.

UPDATE 03/24/2011: as an example of what this album could have been, check out William Fitzsimmons's "Gold In The Shadow".