Customer Reviews

Stranger Things (Dig)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Brickell calls this album, (the combo's first studio release in 16 years) a "true beginning," the one effort in which she and her original band-mates perform together as a bonafide group, without the addition of session players or too much production sheen. It's as close to the combo's live sound as a studio recording can get. Opening with an addictive little fuzz-toned guitar riff from guitarist Kenny Withrow on the title track, Stranger Things establishes a loose, playful and confident tone. "

Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians broke up 16 years ago after a long tour and at a tine when they forced to fire a teammate- they never got over it. The next year Edie married Paul Simon. During that time they all went their separate ways but kept in touch. Last fall they got together when Edie found a great producer to help them put their sound back together. Edie says that her husband, Paul Simon, is a role model. "He does what he wants to do, he finds a way to get things done" says Edie. And that is what this group has done they have put themselves back together again.

The 13 songs on this CD are well written and sung. They have a sound of rhythm and blues at times and then light and airy. My favorite is "Buffalo Ghosts" and then the title song "Stranger Things". "Early Morning Breakup" has the wistful, longong tones of a romance that could halve been. Al in all, the 13 songs are strong and this group has found their rightful place again. Edie's voice is as strong as ever and at times you wonder if the group ever left. My best friend and I remember Edie Brickell and are glad she brought back her musical repertoire.

Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians remember them? They are a more mature group but their early years are found in the lyrics and tones of love and loss. Highly Recommended prisrob 8-4-06

I have been a fan of Edie's since her popular debut album with the New Bo's "Shooting Rubberbands".

Natuarlly, I was a bit surprised at her reuniting with the New Bo's especially since I had no idea this new recording was coming out. However I did look forward to listening to the whole of "Stranger Things".

Let me say after repeated listens their album "Ghost Of A Dog" comes to mind...(If you'll forgive the comparision)
"Stranger Things" definetly picks up where "Ghost Of A Dog" left off. I thought these 2 albums sound a great deal alike.

But is that a good thing?

A majority of the songs are respectable, but not all that captivating. They obiviously don't measure up to "Shooting Rubberbands".

"Oh My Soul" has a catchy chorus and bridge but Edie sounds like she's trying to keep up pace of the rhythm section on her verses to this song.

The 3 Stars:
I did enjoy their slower grooves like "Lover Take Me" (I Love that bass line) and "Early Morning". "Early Morning" reminds me of Edie's solo material (Picture Perfect Morning) and the her vocal melody works quite well here. "Spanish Style Guitar" is an interesting experiment of the New Bo's and grows on you a bit.

However, I felt Edie and these guys should've worked on this project further before letting "this horse out of it's stall".

The production on the first 2 songs is lacking and though these songs: "Stanger Things" and "Oh My Soul" have good chorus'es/bridges I felt the music and verses were mediocre at best. There's nothing wrong with Edie's wonderful warm voice (she sounds as great as ever!) but the songwriting of this album is just so-so.

A majority of "Stranger Things" sounds like Ghost Of A Dog": Part 2. Not all that bad, but not all that great either.

However, if your a fan you'll want to own a copy, and "Stranger Things" is good enough for my purchase.

No, don't flip through the samples and make a snap decision based on fragments. Do it the old fashioned way... Just buy the CD! Now unwrap it and listen to it once, set it aside, then listen to it twice the next day and you'll be hooked!

However you get this CD into your collection, don't pass up this great little summer of '06 surprise from Edie and the boys from Booker T. Play it on your summer vacation. Play it on your way back to college. Play it on your back porch while you're sweltering in the record heat.

This CD is 100 percent real music from a genuine group who's been jamming together since they were teenagers. It drips with authenticity -- and it should -- because it's clear these talented musicians made this record solely because they want to make music.

Considering the musical ups and downs and sideways turns the members of this band have taken over the past 20 years, this CD comes across as the outward expression of a collective mellow epiphany, a six-way harmonic convergence (a full seven years before Earth is due to become the Galactic Seed, too!) Then again, it comes across even stronger as a bunch of musician friends -- exceptionally good musician friends -- who called each other up and said, "Hey, let's jam."

It's the original lineup -- free from the meddling hands of shortsighted record company pricks and impatient producers -- doing what they love to do in their own.. particular... idiom. Close your eyes and let the groove laid down by Brandon, Brad, and Bush on Mainline Cherry and others take you back to a breezy '80s summer night under the trees and stars behind Club Dada -- even if you'd never been there before.

As a bonus, they've added keyboardist Carter Albrecht, who's about to become a lot more well known than he already is around town. He channels the late great Billy Preston on 45 speed (that's a record player reference) as he barrels through Long Lost Friend, and adds rich, full-bodied flavor throughout.

I don't know how hard they plan to push this record into whatever the "music industry" has become. I gave up long ago trying to figure out what makes a hit record these days.

It seems more than one potential "hit" lurks within the bits of this CD. But if you just go ahead and buy this record you probably won't care any more than the band itself about hits and charts and all that crap. As long as you like the music, that's what they're after here. It works for me!

Check it out...

I see that after one month of release the new Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians cd hasn't garnered much attention. I'll bet most fans don't even realize it's out. It's been 16 years since the last Bohemians album, 1990's "Ghost Of A Dog". Since then, Brickell has released two solo albums, 1994's "Picture Perfect Morning" and 2003's "Volcano" with varying results, but almost always no publicity.

Why did Brickell feel the need to resurrect the New Bohemians moniker after two solo albums and 16 years time? We may never know. The question is whether this is a solo venture or a band venture, and, most importantly, is it good? The answer to the first question is yes, "Stranger Things" is definite a band effort, and this is refreshing. There are many aspects of "Stranger Things" that reminded me of the Bohemians salads days with "Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars" (1988). This is the most jamming I've heard from Brickell in years. This is great since her last two solo albums haven't really captured this live feeling. It does sound live, and underproduced for the most part, which is allows the music to sound as if it were made in your next door neighbor's garage.

So, is "Stranger Things" good? I liked it better than "Volcano" and "Ghost Of A Dog", but I don't know that it matches "Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars". There are several memorable tracks like the title track, "Oh My Soul", "Buffalo Ghost", "No Dinero", "Early Morning", "Mainline Cherry" and "Spanish Style Guitar". The rest of the tracks are decent. The album is a tad long at 56 minutes, but it is worth the price of admission, especially if you are like me, and like to listen to an album all the way through several times.

The only problem with Edie Brickell And The New Bohemians is trying to find a niche for them to fill these days. I don't think they're going to get much exposure with this music, though it would fit nicely on college radio (which is where the band began in the first place) and adult contemporary stations (but why do we have to have all these musical categories to box in and limit what we listen to?)

If you have always liked Brickell, then you will like "Stranger Things". I am curious to see what she will get up to next.

Core fans know this isn't the first CD since Ghost of a Dog. The band has been getting together on and off since the last studio album and a few years ago put out a small EP on an indie lable (The Live Montauk Sessions). This new studio album contains reworked tracks from that CD, plus several new songs that pick up right where Ghost left off. Incredibly soulful, funky, and energetic, this album has all that you've come to love about Edie and the boys and then some. The standout tracks are Stranger Things, Oh My Soul, No Dinero, and Spanish Style Guitar, but they all shine, keep you humming all day, and trigger images with every line. I purchased this the day it came out, and haven't stopped playing it since! IF all you know is "What I Am", you're missing all the fun...

I couldn't belive my ears when I heard there was a new album by The New Bohemians coming out. As it play it was as if time had stood still all these years ago and I was back in Deep Ellum at Club Dada all over again. Edie can still raise goosebumps with her soft sweet voice. And the band sounds as good as ever. I hope they do a homecoming with the new CD. Maybe I can get this one autographed like my first New Bo's CD.

This album is a great return to form for Edie and a nice welcome back for the New Bohemians. It's the most unpretentious and effortless record I've heard in a while. Like friends reuniting for a regular jam session the album is a display of how balancing skill and feeling make all the difference. Originally the songs didn't grab me immediately like those of 'Ghost of Dog', the album grew on me the more I listened. Edie has a way with words and the band has a way with music that while rootsy, still flaunts eclectism. From the latin percussive 'No Dinero', the closing arabesque guitars on "Wear You Down", Indian summer skies conjured by "Buffalo Ghost", The slinky funk of "Lover Take me" and "Main Line Cherry" and the great care free title track. While 'Volcano' was a good record with it's jazz leanings, it's with the New bohemians that she sounds at her best and most natural. It's music that you can enjoy driving, camping or doing just about anything. It's just fun. Welcome back Edie and New Bohemians!!!...you've been missed...

OK- I agree with the other reviewers to an extent- when did THIS happen? There certainly was no big media blitz to accompany the release of this new CD, which is probably a good thing since maybe they might be easily seen out on the road without a lot of chaos- which they seem to want to avoid anyway.

One reviewer asked why Edie felt the need to resurrect the New Bo's 'moniker'. Well- if you were paying attention, this IS New Bohemians. Not merely Edie touring on the name. Get it straight. They have essentially picked up here where they left off 16 years ago. They sound a bit more 'grown-up' on this record, but that's to be expected. This is good stuff, and I hope they stick to it. It sounds as if from what I just read from Edie on the New Bo's website, that this is musically where they all feel the most comfortable. It was the media and the industry that killed it the first time around for them personally.

For you Deadhead New Bo's fans out there- they haven't lost the vibe- check out 'Elephants and Ants' for a really neat keyboard feel that would be at home on 'Blues For Allah'.

Way to go guys. Hope to catch a show this year. Come EAST again!

I am so glad to see Edie Brickell back in the music scene again. Her last solo CD "Volcano" was probably one of the best I have heard in a long while. But also, it's nice to see her reunite with her old bandmates to put out another great album together. I hope to see them tour somewhere close to me. Go out and buy this record.

It's been 16 years since we last saw a New Bohemians official release and it's really awesome. Edie took a good amount of time off to raise her kids and joined up with the boys when she went back home. I'm really glad that over the years they put together some great material to put out this new album.

Edie's voice is as great as ever and she's as beautiful as she was 16 years ago. Kenny still plays great on the guitar. Carter was a great addition to play keys and backup guitar. Great to see Brandon back on drums. John and Brad are great as well. Edie is great solo, but they are so much more as The New Bohemians.

The title track Stranger Things is a great way to start this one off. You can't go wrong with any of the songs. Spanish Style Guitar just rocks and the No Dinero adds a little southern flavor to the song. My favorite of the bunch in A Funny Thing. The album has a lot of different flavor as these songs have been written over the past 10 years I'm guessing. You really can't go wrong with this one.

If you like this one - I would suggest looking around for a copy of a cd called Live Montauk Sessions that was put out by the band back in 1999 or 2000. They have been back on the road and hopefully will spend some more time out in the next couple of years. great to see them back!