Small Town

Sky Cries Mary (Author) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• ASIN: B000V03VY6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,215 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The roots of Sky Cries Mary were set when a University of Washington theatre student named Roderick decided to unite the energy of underground music with the mystique of avant guard theatre. The experiment worked and Sky Cries Mary quickly generated a massive underground following. By 1993 the band boasted several of Seattle's best musicians, a signed deal with World Domination Records and the successful release of their first full length album "Return to the Inner Experience." Since Return the band has sold out countless shows in venues of all sizes, played internationally and released 5 C.D.'s including, "This Timeless Turning" released in 1995, 1997's full length "Moon Bathing on Sleeping Leaves" (Warner Bros.) and the 2005 live album "Here and Now" (HooDoo Music). Their new album "Small Town" is set to continue the phenomenon. Highlights ? Featured Musical Guests on the Conan O'Brien Show ? Featured Musical Guests on the John Stewart Show ? The song "Shipwrecked" featured on the cult classic film "Tank Girl" ? "The Elephant Song" featured in movie "The Harvest." ? The song "Cornerman" was featured on "Higher Learning" Discography ? "Until the Grinder Cease" (New Rose) EP ? "Don't Eat the Dirt" (New Rose) EP ? "Exit at the Axis" (World Domination) EP ? " A Return to the Inner Experience" (World Domination) LP ? "This Timeless Turning" (World Domination) LP ? 1997 "Moon Bathing on Sleeping Leaves" ? 1999 "Seeds" (Collective Fruit) EP ? 2005 "Here and Now" (HooDoo) Live Album New Album Small Town "Small Town" builds on the SCM tradition of creating lush soundscapes, rich with an array of influences from rock to folk music and electronica. 1 Small Town 2 Rainfall 3 You Are 4 Get Your 5 Find A Way 6 Hovering 7 Travel Light 8 Five Train 9 Heart Above 10 Land Of All 11 I'm Always Home 12 Missing 13 Your Head

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very welcome return for a great band, April 25, 2008

By 

Nobody - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Town (Audio CD)

Hey, these guys were suppose to be gone! After completing one of the best two album sets in music history to little commercial acclaim, that was a major tragedy. I knew they had messed around a little doing some live shows in the past few years, but this came as a complete surprise.

Of course, reformed bands after a such a long layoff can blow, going over old ground or more often losing the muse. Thank goodness the latter is not the case, few bands have ever come back to life with such success, this is really nice sounding music. Maybe a little too nice, that's where this falls back a bit. They were very challenging in "Timeless" and "Moonbathing", a completely unique sound that was going somewhere new, only we never found out where. "Small Town" is not that destination. It's ironic that they made their most commercial CD at a time when their commercial visibility is near zero.

Despite a certain amount of trademark quirkiness, it's much mellower and more melodic, almost mainstream soft rock, with syrupy strings, muted horns and synths in places. That's not a new selection of tools for them, but they're used differently here. Overall this is a very consistent and solid set of music, professional, accomplished, seamless. Nothing particularly stands out, but nothing really grates either (although "Missing" misses for me). "Five Train" is the brightest, but also the most conventional, the lyrics not very interesting until the last line. This CD appears to be a series of poems about their new home, New York City, and while there are some striking insights (the snow in "Small Town" for example), this inhabits a less interesting landscape than the strange other worlds they used to sing about, where icebergs were afire.

The sound and feel of the band is intact, the great Romero vocal weave, and the music is very fine. I hope they can make enough money doing this to spend more time in the studio, I'd take more of this, but . . . somewhere out there I believe it's possible they have that one huge album left in them, maybe they can complete that trip they started all those years ago. Possibly it lies along the direction of "Home", a kind of techno pop Sneaker Pimps type sound that fits their vocal style. It's never too late to explore the unknown, don't forget the sky.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Listen!, March 22, 2008

By 

Stephen L. Crist - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Small Town (MP3 Download)

As a longtime fan, I was excited when SCM brought forth the birth of their new musical child. The relaxed nature and fierce commitment musically of this group of fine people is played out for us in this work. Michael Cozzi's hard work and immense talent bring all of the best that SCM can deliver together throughout this recording. Between Rodricks beautiful sight written down for us and Anisa's beautiful voice carrying it to our ears and soul, It is their most polished work ever.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!!!, March 21, 2008

By 

Angela Gretchenuk "catsareus." (seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Small Town (Audio CD)

This CD is amazing! Check out Five Train in addition to Missing...I looked back into this bands past and all the rest of their CD's are noteworthy too!