School of the Flower

Six Organs of Admittance | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Drag City
• ASIN: B0006L5S32
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #243,654 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On his best, most varied album to date, Ben Chasny AKA Six Organs of Admittance lays down gentle finger picked acoustic instrumentals, free improv tribal craziness, strange songs sung in an elfin pitch that surely drive all the unicorns wild, and tightly controlled drone compositions that veer from minimalist and meditative to crazy guitar freakouts where you feel like ripping off your clothes and running free through the meadow for all eternity. School of the Flower, the Comets on Fire sound effects whiz’s lucky seventh album, is his first for Drag City, and thankfully the first recorded in a real studio. Whether you’re a newcomer to Chasny’s sublime psychedelic folk or were a fan from the get-go and own all the limited editon vinyl, no one could possibly be disappointed with this album. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hang on tight, March 18, 2005

By 

cratesmusic.blogspot.com (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: School of the Flower (Audio CD)

Truly a head trip of an album. Vivid acoustic melodies repeat on end, sent adrift through dense layers of ambient drones and rolling freeform drums as overdriven squalls of electric guitar erupt haphazardly throughout. Acoustic plucking serves to anchor each of the tracks, providing the listener something familiar to latch on and cling too as otherworldly soundscapes roll in and threaten to wipe out any traditional song elements. In terms of psychedelic presentation, this stuff works to wonderful effect. A few of the tracks are more traditional folk numbers, that though not quite as interesting as the others, provide nice reprieve, with Ben Chasny's (aka Six Organs of Admittance) own sublime vocals supplying much needed human contact. All together, this makes for beautiful, ominous, and assuredly psychedelic folk rock that doesn't require any hallucinogenic supplements to be enjoyed, though that's not to say that they might not be warranted under the right circumstances ;).

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unpretentious and Stunning Music, April 24, 2005

By 

Juan Mobili (Valley Cottage, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: School of the Flower (Audio CD)

At times trance-like Western ragas, if you will -particularly in "Procession of Cherry Blossom Spirits"- and then simply gorgeous folk -"Lisboa"- which can also erupt into furious electric interludes -"School Of The Flower"- or be enriched with great vocals, like "Thicker Than A Smokey."
It is not that easy to describe, nor are Chasny's influences that obvious. I guess this is what happens when someone ventures and succeeds at making original music.
If I were to name other people, for the sake of reference, John Fahey would come to mind, yet not so much due to a similar guitar style but because of a common gift for conjuring up a powerful spirit.
All in all, an authentic and imaginative new sound, music -thinking of this album's title- that is definitely schooled in the wildness and beauty of flowers.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whoa., October 13, 2005

By 

Just Zach (Lombard, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: School of the Flower (Audio CD)

I don't usually go for contemporary folk music. That term itself, "folk music," conjures up images of oh-so-sensitive and self-important, delicate artistes. Lame hippy crap in the same bland mold as Dave Matthews, minus the big budget and slick production, that clings to some simple-minded notion of "purity" by virtue of the fact that it's just one painfully earnest dude with an acoustic guitar. To most of these types I'm inclined to say, "Dylan, Goodman or Prine you ain't; get off my lawn and go take a bath."

But this, this is something altogether different. Initial listenings sounded like a cool juxtaposition of fingerpicked acoustic guitar and electronic white noise. While that juxtaposition remains central to my interest in "School of the Flower," it grabbed me upon closer inspection how well this guy does both elements. No matter how harsh and grating the noise gets, it never overwhelms the record's peaceful heart; no matter how reassuring the acoustic sounds the noise is never too far away. I've really never heard anything quite like it: at its noisiest, "School of the Flower" posesses an unruffled placididity that evinces a Buddhist sense of detachment in spite of its own internal distractions. Plus, I like the way the vocals are pushed down in the mix and heavily echoed on some songs.