Customer Reviews

Song Is a City

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

 

 

Never heard of the band before. Heard some interesting snippets in a surf shop. Bought the CD and fell off my chair listening to it. Fresh and Fantastic. Shades of Police. Move over the Strokes - these Aussie boys are going to take over New York! Hope the boys are not Pauline Hanson fans.

Eskimo Joe hail from the vibrant music scene in Perth, Western Australia, though they've been around for long enough that they've outgrown their roots. They've also grown up since their first album (Girl) and the music on ASIAC reflects that.

The older, more mature tone of the CD is demonstrated on the title track, which is probably my favourite - it's more experimental and it shows where Eskimo Joe could push themselves if they really tried. Unfortunately, the rest of the CD isn't as adventurous, most of the songs being quite straightfoward pop rock. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - Smoke, Older Than You and Seven Veils are heaps of fun and demonstrate the added focus which EJ bring to their new music. Don't Let It Fly and This Room are more rocky numbers, though they still pack a good punch with fine lyrics and strong hooks.

Eskimo Joe do miss a few boats - Carosel is jangly and discordant, and sounds very out of place, whilst a couple of the other songs don't work perfectly either (Car Crash, I'm So Tired). But when they're at their best, as they are on lead single (and comfortably the best track on the CD), From the Sea, Eskimo Joe demonstrate the ability to combine great pop music with some quite ambitious rock. In the end, that's enough to make what could have been a fairly average album into a very good one.

From the modest power pop of their first mainstream release girl, Eskimo Joe are certainly a band that have grown up in a hurry. A Song is a City includes some of the best material released by an Australian band in years, and is a sharp, melodic and cohesive album perfect for a drive along the ocean. Best song would have to be From the Sea - surely one of the best modern Australian releases. Just like the ocean, it draws you in, and then blows you away.

I had never heard of this band apart from a crazy friend who loved their early stuff. The latest offering from Eskimo Joe - "A Song is a City" is a fantastic album. The songs all contain soft melodic tunes, as well the necessary guitar riffs to make it easy on the ears. They sound similar to Matchbox 20, but with a bit of Radiohead attached.

The best songs on the album are: From the City, Older Than You, Car Crash, Smoke and the ultimate awesome song...Wake Up.

Eskimo Joe is an emerging alternative band, and I strongly urge you to jump onboard. Big things are ahead...

A couple of good tunes, but mostly forgettable. You'd have no idea this was the same band that made Black Fingernails.