Self Help Serenade

Marjorie Fair | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 19, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B0009VBU6I
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,457 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Hailing from Los Angeles the four piece, have created an album that is as rich as it is beautiful, packed full of slow burning melodies & soul-inspiring songs. Tapping into the same vein as Mercury Rev, Grandaddy, Coldplay & Doves whilst drawing inspiration from Neil Young, John Lennon & Brian Wilson, they present a glorious vision of West Coast pop that deals as much with gentle melancholy as wide-eyed wonder. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Serenade us, July 19, 2005

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Self Help Serenade (Audio CD)

If Mercury Rev had a more intimate sound, and had a more melodious lead singer, they might sound something like Marjorie Fair. And this is only their debut. One can only imagine how beautiful their music will be in ten years' time.

The Los Angeles quartet creates a dazzling first impression in "Self Help Serenade," a polished indie pop album that combines slow, eerie melodies with panoramic sound. Like a strange dream full of stars and rainy spring forests, this album sticks to your mind even when you wake up... I mean, when it's over. Why did this languish in limbo for three years?

Faint sound effects and a guitar melody kick off "Don't Believe," a dreamy pop song that starts the album off on a dark note. "Don't believe a word they say/they're only there to take you away... don't believe a word they say/they're only trying to scare you away..." Evan Slamka sings in the opener, sounding like a cynical, sad young boy.

Things don't get much more cheerful as the album goes on, using the same kind of epic pop sound that Mercury Rev and the Doves made famous. But in addition to that, Marjorie Fair dips into catchier art-pop, murky ballads, and acoustic laments that are colored by ghostly keyboard.

The songwriting is even more tragic, with Slamka singing, "They found her in a plastic veil/with blood stained boots and glass in her hair." But it ends on a startlingly mellow note, with Slamka resigning himself to his girlfriend leaving. He sounds peaceful as he sings, "My sun is setting over her magic/equal parts caring and tragic/I'll be burning for awhile..."

Marjorie Fair is not just a talented bands. It's also one of the few bands where the musical influences aren't worn on its sleeve -- there are hints of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Flaming Lips, and others woven into these songs. But they aren't blatant hints, nor does "Self Help Serenade" ever harken back to other musical eras.

Nor does it succumb to trends, like stripped-down garage-rock. Its fours members manage to create unusually lush sounds. Usually the combined sound is uniformly smooth and sweet, but for example, "Halfway House" has a rich, gritty solo by bassist Scott Lord. "Waves" lets drummer Mike Delisa get to shine. Dain Luscombe' panoramic keyboard is a ruling influence in almost every song. Slamka plays guitar as well, adding a grounding acoustic note to the swirling music. He also sings each song, lending extra poignancy to the already sad songs. This guy has a beautiful voice, and he smears it all over the dismal words ("staring at junkies and cracks in the wall")

Originally recorded in 2002, "Self Help Serenade" was an album definitely worth waiting for. As smooth, rich and eerie as a dream, this may well be a future hit in the world of indie rock.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars truly an inspired album, July 25, 2005

By 

Andrew V. Napoli (Springfield, VA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Self Help Serenade (Audio CD)

This album sort of grew on me as I listened to it in my car. The strongest songs in my opinion are "Stare," "Waves," and "Empty Room," but the other songs are pretty good too. Clearly the lyrics are very introspective, and are socially relevant without being obnoxiously preachy. There's a sort of sadness and ennui that comes through most of the songs lyrically, but also an element of upbeat and sunny disposition where the musical influences of the Beatles and the Beach Boys poke through the music. This combination of happiness and sadness in the same song, at the same time, is pretty unique, and is certainly a credit to the lead singer/songwriter, Evan Slamka.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Serenade us, May 15, 2005

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Self Help Serenade (Audio CD)

If Mercury Rev had a more intimate sound, and had a more melodious lead singer, they might sound something like Marjorie Fair. And this is only their debut. One can only imagine how beautiful their music will be in ten years' time.

The Los Angeles quartet creates a dazzling first impression in "Self Help Serenade," a polished indie pop album that combines slow, eerie melodies with panoramic sound. Like a strange dream full of stars and rainy spring forests, this album sticks to your mind even when you wake up... I mean, when it's over. Why did this languish in limbo for three years?

Faint sound effects and a guitar melody kick off "Don't Believe," a dreamy pop song that starts the album off on a dark note. "Don't believe a word they say/they're only there to take you away... don't believe a word they say/they're only trying to scare you away..." Evan Slamka sings in the opener, sounding like a cynical, sad young boy.

Things don't get much more cheerful as the album goes on, using the same kind of epic pop sound that Mercury Rev and the Doves made famous. But in addition to that, Marjorie Fair dips into catchier art-pop, murky ballads, and acoustic laments that are colored by ghostly keyboard.

The songwriting is even more tragic, with Slamka singing, "They found her in a plastic veil/with blood stained boots and glass in her hair." But it ends on a startlingly mellow note, with Slamka resigning himself to his girlfriend leaving. He sounds peaceful as he sings, "My sun is setting over her magic/equal parts caring and tragic/I'll be burning for awhile..."

Marjorie Fair is not just a talented bands. It's also one of the few bands where the musical influences aren't worn on its sleeve -- there are hints of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Flaming Lips, and others woven into these songs. But they aren't blatant hints, nor does "Self Help Serenade" ever harken back to other musical eras.

Nor does it succumb to trends, like stripped-down garage-rock. Its fours members manage to create unusually lush sounds. Usually the combined sound is uniformly smooth and sweet, but for example, "Halfway House" has a rich, gritty solo by bassist Scott Lord. "Waves" lets drummer Mike Delisa get to shine. Dain Luscombe' panoramic keyboard is a ruling influence in almost every song. Slamka plays guitar as well, adding a grounding acoustic note to the swirling music. He also sings each song, lending extra poignancy to the already sad songs. This guy has a beautiful voice, and he smears it all over the dismal words ("staring at junkies and cracks in the wall")

Originally recorded in 2002, "Self Help Serenade" was an album definitely worth waiting for. As smooth, rich and eerie as a dream, this may well be a future hit in the world of indie rock.