Customer Reviews

Slow Buildings

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

 

 

From the lush, reverb-laden pop-rock of "Fine Friend" to the heavy dirge/grunge-meets-Pink-Floyd sounds of "Henry" to the emotion-tweaking slow-building "Song of Solomon" and "Gesture of a Fear", this CD is much, much more than something to simply put on as background music. After a slow start ("King Fade", reminiscent of "Signs of Life" from Pink Floyd's "Momentary Lapse of Reason") the CD jumps right in, demanding the listener's attention with the upbeat "Angel (Would You Be My"). The musicians don't show off their "chops", but rather create dense, atmospheric sound textures. Meriel Barham's smooth vocals have an understated quality about them, and Colleen Browne sings nicely as backup while playing solid bass lines. She and drummer Chris Cooper form a steady rhythm section for Berham (who also plays rhythm guitar) and primary guitarist Graeme Naysmith. I don't know what happened to this band in this lineup, or why it didn't gain more worldwide attention. On record they have a mesmerizing, organic feel, as if they all got along well enough to stay together for a long while. This is a rare CD, one to which I return frequently! Very much worth buying.

This album is the best offering from the now defunct Pale Saints. Sure, Meriel Barham's writing style is different than Ian Master's, but the quality of work is just as good. Barham brought new light and killer licks to what ultimately became Pale Saints swan song. And as a vocalist, she surpasses Masters by miles. 'Slow Buildings' may not be the best rock album in the world but it remains one of the finest moments in music from the 1990s. 4AD fan or not, this record will appeal to anyone looking for great brit-rock from the last decade. It's still as refreshing as ever. I cannot get bored of this album. Highlights: Under Your Nose & Fine Friend.

To me this is "The Pale Saints" and the album that exposed me to this great band. Mariel Bonham has a wonderful and relaxed voice that really makes the songs shine. The guitar craft is the tightest the band has ever been and the songs contain just enough experimentation to make them interesting for many repeated listenings. Stumbling across this album was a defining moment in shaping my taste in music today and as a result it consistently is among my favorites. King Fade, Fine Friend, and Suggestion are my choice songs.

I saw Pale Saints play a concert in Florence, Italy in 1994. I had never heard of Pale Saints, but was certainly glad to be at that show. Pale Saints were SOOOO enjoyable on that night - much better than many other shows I've seen. All four members were really into the performance. They may have gone on to do other things, but they know (as well as many who saw them live) that they surely rocked. And that's that.

My favorite recording by them is the "Fine Friend" CD single. The album "Slow Buildings" is something I enjoy listening to. But after their concert, it sounds unnecessarily laiden with thick production. The songs, some of them their best, feel like their shellaced with audio 'stuff' when I hear them on this album. I get the same feeling when I listen to a This Mortal Coil record. This vice, however, is probably due to the producer, not the band.

Song highlights: "Under Your Nose", "Gesture of a Fear", "Always I" and "Fine Friend".