Customer Reviews

Sea Sew

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lisa Hannigan's first solo album, and what an amazingly beautiful freshman effort.

Lisa played with Damien Rice for some time, in fact Volcano is probably one of my favorite songs because she, Damien, and the cello all sounded like perfect musical instruments. It's a shame that Rice asked her to split off onto her own. She appears with him on these two Damien Rice albums O,9 - both are masterpieces when she sings.

Sea Sew is one of those delicate beautifully mixed clear albums that is just a pleasure to listen to. Lisa's voice and phrasing shows a number of influences, but she is never derivative of their music. She has a unique style that is very easy to recognize. On different tracks, I'm reminded of Jane Birkin (ex fan de sixties), Edie Brickel (shooting rubber bands at the stars), Bjork (her early work, maybe even sugar cubes days), Her Irishness comes out frequently, just enough pleasant lilt.

Her voice has a wonderful range, from whisper quiet with a the tiniest bit of rasp to clear clean beautiful full singing. Notes are always hit perfectly (no pitchiness here dog). The recording has wonderful imaging. The mix is well balanced, Lisa's voice is crystal clear backed by musical instruments at exactly the right volume.

The packaging is worth mentioning - all paper and paper board. The disc fits in a slot just inside the front cover. The 10 page stapled insert includes the musician credits, most of the song lyrics (a few are missing), and the standard thank yous at the end. The cover is a photograph of a knit and stitched piece Lisa and Frances Hannigan did.

Ocean and A Rock - beautiful violin accompanies her voice starting off with a low intimate whisper. Slowly builds through the song to include a nicely played trumpet. The volume of this song stays constant, there is none of that annoying very quiet first one minute of the song and then blarring sound at the end.

Venn Diagram - oh such a beautiful singing of something so mathematical. There is an interesting drum beat driving through this song. Lisa's ha ha ha's are, well a bit exciting.

Sea Song - The cello back drop on this song is wonderful. The tone of her voice works very well with violin and cello. This song is a bit weaker compared to the rest, a little sing songy.

Splishy Splashy - beautiful guitar opening. This song seems like it should be silly, but in fact has a melancholy tone in contrast to the words. "Have your coffee splishy splashy" imagine those words sung slightly sad, each word emphasized. It's remarkable how she can use her voice so well to make words and music sound sad (there is a xylophone made to sound like a child's toy).

I Don't Know - another track with a driving drum and trumpet. It's probably the most radio playable song of the disc. It's a sweet song.

Keep It All - has almost a Cowboy Junkies vibe to it. A standout on the disc. Driving drum beat, bass line, cello, and guitar. Where the lead singer of Cowboy Junkies always sounded like she was on Qualueds, Lisa Hannigan has all her senses and hits perfect notes. One of my more favorite cuts on this disc.

Courting Blues - the only song Lisa did not write, and my least favorite. There's a fair amount of dissonance, not unpleasant.

Pistachio - a cute song. Probably sounds the most like Bjork mixed with Jane Birkin. A few times the singing rolls off to almost speaking. It's an interesting enjoyable effect. The lyrics are just so much fun and oddly have an exciting side to them.

Teeth - Almost hate to say it this way, but it's sort of folk music meets a movie soundtrack or show tune (without all the horns and huge orchestra). The song is just fine, not a standout.

Lille - the most Irish folk song of the disc. Just a beautiful song.

Overall, this is a very solid disc. Personally I would purchase the CD for the lovely packaging. There's maybe one or two tracks that I might not download, if I were picking and choosing. A case of very well done mix, recorded lovingly, and with care.

Lisa was a standout to me on the Damien Rice albums. She demonstrates that she is not a one trick pony, or the background singer. She is a solid artist in her own right.

I first came across Irish Singer Songwriter Lisa Hannigan when she accompanied Damien rice on "Don't explain" from Herbie Hancock's "Possibilities" CD. Ethereal, with weeping Cello and Hancock's delicate tinkling of the ivories perfectly accentuating the pairs delicate vocals, it made me long for more and so I got Damien Rice's brilliant CDs "O" and "9", both brilliant. Lisa's vocals accompanied Rice's on quite a few tracks and people wondered what she would sound like away from his shadow.

Well, here we get to find out. "Sea Sew" is Hannigan's debut which originally came out late last year in her native Ireland. Comprising just 10 melodic but tender Folk-y songs with clever and intelligent lyrics, they sound as lovingly put together as the photo of the quilt on the CD cover.

With a spare sound (piano, cello, guitars, some tinkling/chiming glockenspiel here and there) with her hushed elfin vocals floating delicately above, every song is a standout really. I must say, her songs don't sound as bleak and melancholic as her former musical partner's. My favourites are the upbeat pair of "Sea song" and "Keep it all", the waltz-like Bluesy "Courting blues", the lovely piano-driven "Pistachio", the ethereal "Teeth" (which just builds and builds), and closing lullaby-like "Lille".

This reminds me of another stunning Folk-y CD which came out last year, "Me and Armini" by Emiliana Torrini. Much like that effort, "Sea sew"'s idiosyncratic charm is not immediately apparent but takes you over slowly but surely. Classy and beautiful!!

Coming off a musical breakup with the amazingly talented, Singer/Poet Damon Rice, Lisa Hannigan finally launches a full album under her own name, and the result is nothing short of amazing. Hannigan likely has the best voice of any folk singer of her generation, and she is probably the most beautiful too. For anyone who appreciates time on his or her own, or just wants to unwind while listening to an amazing CD, break out a candle and let Lisa take your hand and guide you on wonderful journey.

Most of the world was introduced to Lisa Hannigan's breathy, beautiful voice through Damien Rice's critically and commercially successful album O, in which Rice suggested what should have been apparent all along---the scrawny kid scribbling violently on his Pee Chee folder has a tortured soul. Less apparent was the fact that it was Hannigan's voice all along that lent dignity to Rice's "I just discovered sex" lyrics ("I hope my sanity covers the cost/To remove the stain of my love/Paper maché"). Quick: can you remember a single song from Rice's disappointing follow-up album 9 besides "9 Crimes," which, unsurprisingly, features Hannigan? Let's put it this way---the only reason Herbie Hancock wanted to collaborate with Rice on Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" was because Hannigan was on his arm. Lose Rice on "Don't Explain" and it improves; lose Hannigan and it never gets recorded. So in the fine tradition of temperamental singer-songwriters it was inevitable that ten minutes before taking the stage in Munich, Germany Rice would dump Hannigan faster than you can say, "Art Garfunkel." Could it be that Rice was less Svengali than Andrew Ridgeley?

Lisa Hannigan's first solo effort is a wonder in which her voice shines and yet blends with instruments as varied as a violin, cello, trumpet, double-bass, glockenspiel, harmonium, and snare drum. Gone is Hannigan's feminine yin to Rice's Yang; in its place is the poetry and playfulness of a female artist hitting her stride by being lyrically and musically comfortable in her own skin. At times jazzy ("An Ocean and a Rock"), at times spooky ("Courting Blues," the only cover on the album), Hannigan allows her voice space in which to play. If a woodwind could growl, Hannigan's voice does it on "Splishy Splashy," the lyrics of which, filtered through that sound, make sense only in a dream: "Have your coffee/Splishy splashy/Frozen up the stairs/Hollow but so normal/When she needs a piece of care." She celebrates the giddiness of initial attraction in "I Don't Know," and illustrates how relationships overlap in "Venn Diagram." And though no one would blame her for going straight-up Morissette on Rice, she shrugs him off in a single verse of "Teeth": "There's something I should say/But I can't get my head around/The bends in your brain/And your elaborate pain/Makes me tired." Sea Sew holds up well to repeated plays, both for the turns of phrase ("I feel you in the pocket of my overcoat/My fingers wrap around your words/And take the shape of games we play"), as well as the vocal phrasings. Hannigan is adventurous here, unafraid to hold a long, almost dissonant flat note as well as pop into a sound like the highest notes of an electronic keyboard. She is suggestive rather than explicit, sensual rather than pornographic. In Sea Sew, Lisa Hannigan is having fun fronting her own band and creating beautiful music. And it's unlikely she'll have to fire anyone to prove it.

I never write reviews, but I have to make an exception here. Since she is not main stream pop, she will need all the good reviews she can get - they are more the deserved! I first heard Lisa on Damien's "O" album, and instantly fell in love with her voice. I was bummed out when they broke up, and I ordered her album as soon as it came out. Before the cd got here, my wife and I got to see her perform this album live at a little place in Minneapolis (the varsity theater). There was a huge snow storm that night, and only maybe 50 people showed up (we drove 150 miles). She put on an mesmerizing performance for us. Do not hesitate to see her live, or get this cd. It's perfect for just sitting around, relaxing, and getting high.

Lisa Hannigan is a lovely artist but I don't feel this album really does her justice. Many of the songs sound very similar to one another. It just doesn't seem to flow. Perhaps I was expecting something similar to her work with Damien Rice - which is on me. Clearly.

I am a huge fan of Damien Rice. He is, without question, my favorite musical artist out there today and maybe even ever. It was on his stellar `O' that I first heard Lisa Hannigan. A few years ago, shortly after the release of Damien's `9', Lisa broke away from Damien to pursue her solo career. While it came at a inopportune time for me (right after I purchased tickets to see Damien Rice in concert, thus resulting in a Lisa'less experience) it was a smart move for Hannigan, for she certainly has the charm and the voice to succeed on her own; and she proves that here on `Sea Sew', her debut album.

I will say this right off the bat; the album is pretty close to flawless. So, you may wonder; why only four stars. The only issue I have with `Sea Sew' is a pretty big one. Nothing here, aside from one song, really POPS. Musically it is very similar to Damien's albums, but there is no `Blowers Daughter' or `Cold Water' or `Rootless Tree'. There is nothing that makes you sit back and say "wow", and you really need that. `Sea Song' is the one real standout here; but with an album filled to the brim with impeccable tracks I was expecting them to reach that `other' level they should have been aiming for.

It's a splendid album, but it's just lacking that special something for me.

And where is Damien? She really could have at least collaborated with him on ONE track!

So, I'll start with my favorites. Like I mentioned, `Sea Song' has that special something that makes it my favorite of the album. There is an edge here that is not really on the rest of the album; an almost sinister advance that entices me. `Keep it All' also has that vibe, but it is sharper, losing some of the melodic incorporations that made `Sea Song' so vibrant. The opening and closing tracks are also delightful; especially `An Ocean and a Rock', which just touches my soul with its soft embrace. `Lille', the albums closer, is perfectly simplistic. It may seem to be almost `too' simple to some, but it is within that simplicity that the song soars.

It is truly beautiful.

`Splishy Splashy' has warmth to it that I really like; something soft and tender and delicate on the ears. I love the execution of `Courting Blues'; an almost eeriness that corrupts (in a good way) the musical arrangement. The melancholy way in which `Teeth' is delivered is entrancing to say the least; and the track was one of my favorites upon my initial listen. It has fallen down a bit for me upon repeated listens, but it is still very effective. `Venn Diagram' has had the reverse effect on me, starting off very low yet rising with every listen. It has a buoyancy about it that I really enjoy. `Pistachio' is almost as delightful as the nut from which it borrows its name (no, I didn't just say that). Hannigan's sweet vocal's just swallow us whole.

`I Don't Know' reminds me of `Dogs' or `Coconut Skins'; light fare Damien Rice. It's a sweet and charming little ditty that doesn't carry the weight of her other work but it has a bounce that is sure give the listener a fun experience.

In the end `Sea Sew' is a very nice debut from a wonderfully talented artist who is sure to improve with each release. I hope that more and more people listen to and fall in love with this astonishing singer. I cannot wait for her sophomore release!

Sea Sew, the debut CD from Lisa Hannigan, is an interesting CD to me. Unlike many other CDs that I own, it is one that I have varied reactions to each time that I play it. There are times when I really enjoy it while other times I'm ready to pop it out before the first song is finished. I think that there may be a bit of an "acquired taste" element it as it. I will say that Hannigan has produced a CD that stands out in the very overcrowded female singer/songwriter genre. Her vocal delivery is fairly subtle. She has a thin, dusky alto that doesn't strike me as either really good or really bad, but it is the rest of the sonic experience that sets it apart. The instrumentation of Sea Sew sounds more like an orchestra or concert band than one for popular music - xylophone, upright bass, trumpet, violin, and cello to name a few. Don't come expecting any crunching guitar riffs or driving electric bass lines. No, Sea Sew is much more low key. I found the mellow trumpet tones on songs such as "Splishy Splash", "Ocean And A Rock", and Pistachio" to be refreshing and something that would benefit this genre a lot. Even though there's not a lot of big, electric instrumentation, Sea Sew still has some interesting rhythms. "Sea Song" is a track where one can't help but feel the movement of the catch rhythm while "I Don't Know" has a drum line that carries a different shuffle beat after the opening verse. Sea Sew also features a lot of strings. Usually these contribute to the low key mood as in "Sea Song" or "Lille", but on "Courting Blues" they actually build up the tension on the one song that stands out from the others in its mood. In the end, though, Hannigan's lyrics distinguish Sea Sew as much as anything you hear. She tends to favor more poetic and opaque writing over the simple drivel that you come across from many young singer/songwriters. Consider a few representative lines: from "Ocean And A Rock" - "I feed your words through my buttonholes/pin them to my fingerless gloves/green and prone to fraying", from "Venn Diagram" - "I have lost you to sleep again/sleeping as we do on opposite sides of a Venn diagram", and from "Pistachio" - "Sit down, and fire away. I know it's tricky when you're feeling low/when you feel like your flavor has gone/the way of a pre-shelled pistachio". If you ask me what these mean, I'll answer you with the name of another song title "I Don't Know".

Overall, Sea Sew is a fairly unique CD from Lisa Hannigan. I guess you just have to be in the right mood for it.

Download this: Sea Song

My son recommended this cd to me after seeing Lisa Hannigan on the Colbert show. The accompaniments are stellar- not like anything I've heard before. I really loved all the songs, except track 7, Courting Blues, which was a little dark for my taste. Lisa rocks!!! and I think my son is crushing on her (just kidding!) I hope we hear lots more from Lisa and all.

Being a fan of Damien Rice I have been hopefully optimistic for years that Lisa Hannigan would get a chance to put out her own work. This cd won't dissapoint you. Smartly written both musically and lyrically. Nice solid debut album. I think she must have learned a thing or two while working with Damien Rice. It took me the second listen to really appreciate it.