Customer Reviews

Skyscraper National Park

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Its truly the only word to describe the songwriting involved with this recording. I fell in love immediately upon hearing this album. The country theme contained within the overall mood of the music is light, but detectable. In a way its a very quiet and soothing break from most of the subtle baggage that comes attatched to most singer/songwriter efforts. In a way, you can describe this as a very "no frills" record. His songwriting is sincere, honest, and at times very graphic, yet tasteful (for the best example of this, listen to track 8 "Bass Song" and you'll know my point exactly). As a whole, this album is not in any means a savior to a genre of mediocre country tinged musicians and their eager fans (hey maybe it is, but who am I to get one's hopes up too much), but its a great album for when you're out driving or sitting around on a rainy day. This is definitely ear candy at its finest, but with excellent messages to back it all up. Get into this, please. Then, get the live album. You will be in for a treat.
For fans of: Clem Snide, Wilco, Elliott Smith.

Hayden is a remarkable musician. I stumbled across the gorgeous "Dynamite Walls" on my new Dell computer. It has to be one of the most enveloping songs I've heard and I Loved it! Then I went and got the CD and was again stunned by the simplicity and beauty of the music. It was nice to hear the country tinges, as I am a country fan, among every other genre. I am surprised and happy that I found Hayden's talent and I can't wait to discover more!

SNP will give hope to anyone who thinks music is sliding forever into boy bands and the 'blonde of the week' singers. Hayden contines to write intensly personal songs, which allows the listener to relate both lyrics and tempo to their own lives.

This is quite possibly Haydens finest album, he hangs on to his old sound with tracks like Streetcar and Long Way Down, but also brings a new side out to his music with higher, lighter songs like Carried Away and All in One Move.

Anyone who is a fan of real, honest music will become a fan of Hayden, and this is the perfect album to start with.

I read a little about Skyscraper National Park online, and decided to listen to a sample MP3, just to see what it was like. It turns out that this album led me to a whole new world of music- contemporary folk and indie rock. Overall, this album is very strong, Hayden is a very talented musician.

"Street Car" is one of the best songs I have heard in a long while. The CD doesn't let down from there, a slow guitar, steady drums, lines of piano, and Hayden's pleasant voice guide you the rest of the way. I strongly reccommend this album to people looking for a new genre of music or already established "indie" fans.

Reminds me very much of the first American Music Club album: excellent songwriting, seemingly unpolished production that actually drips with "atmosphere", made for late night listening, singer sounds slightly haunted, etc. You could do a lot worse with $$$ than pick this up. Although I've only had it for a few days, I think this is an album that will wear well. Hayden throws in some sounds you wouldn't expect to hear in a bedroom recording, such as the string quartet that finishes "Bass Song", or the sombre horns of "Lullaby". And his lyrics can be unexpected as well: "I was only looking for sex, and I think you knew". He seems not to care if he sounds clever or says "the right thing", which earns him points in my book. You won't hear him on the radio, but if you get this, you may not listen to the radio for awhile.

I was listening to public radio at one in the morning when "dynamite walls" came on. To put my emotions in perspective, i was driving around after a tense day of melancholy and delusion when this song came on and it just clicked in my soul. I was driving to go... nowhere; which is just what this song expressed so it brought me somewhere. It fit me, and that made me happy. I called the radio station and found out who it was and two days later i have the CD. This is by far the best CD i have. I strongly recommend Hayden to anyone that needs to get away for a while.

Hayden's never really received much notice outside of his native Canada, and it's a shame because he's released some excellent music in his sporadic recording career. If you've never heard Hayden before, the best I could do is to compare him to a little Buffalo Springfield-era Neil Young, a sprinkle of Tom Waits, and a pinch of the Palace brothers, or Neutral Milk Hotel.

Skyskraper National Park is instantly recognizable to Hayden fans, as his slow delivery of trailer trash poetry is echoed by the often sparse production featuring Hayden's own slow, subtle guitar strumminz, shaded by an occasional piano or horn. Yet, this album also represents a bit of an evolution for Hayden, as he seems to have abandoned his occasionally surfacing throaty growl for a lighter, melancholy falsetto. I think it works wonderfully, and this albulm is one of those modern rarities whose consistency makes for an album you can listen to in its entirety without having to skip through (too many) tracks.

If you are looking to sample some of the musical honey before laying out the proverbial cheddar, my favorite tracks on the cd are 'Streetcar', 'Dynamite Walls', and 'Bass Song'.

What can I say? I was extremely impressed with The Closer I Get, an improvement upon the still engaging Everything I Long For, but Skyscraper National Park tops the list. I heard Dynamite Walls first (actually I saw the video) on MuchMusic a while ago and I thought it was a really nice song along the lines of The Hazards of Sitting Beneath Palm Trees, but the rest of the albumn is even better. In this effort, Hayden has taken his warm blanket on a cold and rainy day delivery and poured it into a cup of lovely melodies that hold you like your mother's womb. I can't describe the feeling any other way.

Finally, all of the Hayden fans of the world are rewarded with a third album by the talented Canadian singer/songwriter. I have been a huge fan of Hayden ever since his first studio album, "Everything I Long For" came out. There is something about the way Hayden writes songs. The point of view of his lyrics always seems like the average human being, and he does not attempt to dazzle an audience with anything but pure emotion, in the form of an acoustic guitar and poetic lyrics.

His comparison to all of the greatest singer/songwriters of the past (Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon) is more than justified on this album and has already been proven on his previous releases "everything I Long For", "The Closer I Get", and "Moving Careful" (EP).

If you are unfamiliar with Hayden's sound, this album is an excellent place to begin your journey. If, on the other hand you have experienced Hayden's genius, continue experiencing it with this album which is on par with his past releases.

Hayden makes a triumphant return to his classic 4 track sound. Quiet and honest as ever the disk is filled with mini-alt-folk beauties. I wouldn't say the disk is short though it runs under 45 mins - it is concise and filled with enough ambient warmth to keep you loving and enjoying it for a lifetime. It is classic Hayden. Think of his early disks and EP's when you pick it up - do pick it up you won't be disappointed if you're a Hayden or indie fan.