Customer Reviews

Saddle the Bridge

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this album is light years ahead of bonfire madigan's first album ("From the Burnpile"). i found that album to be somewhat lacking in terms of consistency and production. sure there were some great songs, but i got the sense that it was merely a collection of songs, not a full fledged album.

this new album though, is wonderfully consistent and cohesive. it really shows some maturity in song writing and arrangment for the group. on this album, the bonfire is pared down to it's core trio of madigan (cello, vocals), sheri (bass), and tomas (drums). much more attention has been paid to production and crafting a thematic album. striping things to the bone has allowed the musicians to focus on the most important thing, the music. though a little more spare than the previous album, it is no less enthralling.

the arrangement of the group, two strings (bass and cello), drums, and vocals is highly unique. the songs blend rock, folk, classical, pop, and even a touch of hip-hop influences. the result is intriguingly original instrumental arrangements, coupled with a compelling and powerful voice that has things to say. madigan's vocals are truly breathtaking and magnificent. the shear amount of energy that madigan pours into her music is stunning and quite captivating, you can tell that this is music she really believes in. that makes it impossible to ignore, and difficult not to share in her passion and conviction.

adding to the mix on this album is the way the group puts sound collage and studio created soundscapes to good use, both in rachel's song (and its variations) and in other spots, adding to the pacing and dynamics of the album. also great is the artwork, which in my opinion is much better than the previous album. all in all, this is one awe inspiring package: music, artwork, spirit, everything adds up to an exhilirating new experience, the likes of which i guarantee you've not heard before.

With cello, contrabass and drums, Bonfire Madigan appears to be a group of indie-rockers who never could shake the classical music training of their youth.