Customer Reviews

Sunrise on Avenue C

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4 star:		(1)
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I was such a big fan of James Maddock's first record, Wood-Songs from Stamford Hill, that I bought a copy for virtually every friend I have, those who have any degree of taste. I've been waiting for a follow up album and I waited a long time, 10 years, but this record is certainly well worth the wait. There are a handful of people in the world who can craft songs at this skill level. Like early Jackson Browne, most of the tracks are emotional, melodic, melancholy, gorgeous.... Then there are a handful of pop gems mixed in. I've only had a few complete listens, but if there is a better song than "when you go quiet," in 2009, I'd like to hear it. All the tracks sound strong, it really feels like a complete record...which rarely happens these days. This record may just hold up as one of the best albums in 2009. Enjoy!

James Maddock has come a long way since the days of the pub gigs on Welford Road in Leicester, UK where his edgy vocal style drew inevitable comparison with Bruce Springsteen. The early promise of his band `Standing Room Only' never materialised, despite his obvious talent as both a performer and writer. When his new band `Fire Next Time' moved to Polydor, I felt sure his time had come - but despite the brilliance of `Stay With Me Now', James somehow still passed under the radar.

I lost track of him until 2004 when on returning from a business trip to New York and Los Angeles, I heard a track on a compilation cd by a band called Wood. I'd heard it several times, but suddenly realised the vocalist sounded like James Maddock. After discovering I was right, I had to cope with the disappointment of having missed him gigging in both of those cities while I was there.

The Wood album `Songs from Stamford Hill' was a truly excellent piece of work. He never forgets his Leicester roots, making passing references like: "When Harlow Town beat Leicester City ..." yes, thanks (?) for the memory of the soccer match I try to forget! `Could I be' was a particular gem worthy of public recognition.

Since then, he's had songs on film soundtracks and continues to raise the bar.

So after all this time I should be totally unsurprised by the quality of `Sunrise on Avenue C', while being totally mesmerised by his ability to `nail' a song through both the creative process and the performance.

James Maddock now lives in New York and has a maturity which shines through in all areas of his work. One of his greatest qualities is his ability to craft humour and positivity in songs. When it seems he is about to point the finger, he asks the question of himself - wholly unpredictable. He's clearly a guy in touch with his inner self and unafraid to express his true feelings.

I really enjoyed every track - several are radio-friendly and will hopefully (deservedly) attract airtime in the UK. The highlights are `When the Sun's Out' which carries a hilarious line about Nurofen which made me laugh outloud - and `Dumbed Down' which also has clever imagery, observations and humour. Equally, there can be few men or women who haven't experienced the emotions and feelings in `When You Go Quiet'. I have a feeling an established star will pick up this track and make it an enormous hit.

Anyone who has ever tried to craft music and aspired to high standards will appreciate there are times you have to sit back and admire those who genuinely have real talent. James Maddock has it in buckets - surely one day it will be recognised in his homeland.

Meanwhile, if you're searching for something new, fresh, and vibrant to take you away from a world of manufactured pop and rock, do yourself a favour and buy this album. You won't buy better - there's a new 'Boss' in town.

People just don't make records like this anymore.... A well crafted, diverse set of songs that just kind of blows you away. Ruins, Fragile, When You Go Quiet..., are as good as songs can get in my opinion, but the whole record is strong. I was a fan before, but James Maddock really delivered one of the great records of 2009. I just hope this guy gets the recognition he deserves.

What an album! I downloaded the album on a whim on the strength of hearing "When The Suns Out". I loaded the album onto my MP3 player, prepared for a vacation and forgot about it. Later listening to my MP3s at the airport, I heard the guitar-piano intro to "Sunrise on Avenue C". I thought "what song is that? Its fantastic". Over the next two weeks, this wonderful album unfolded for me as I travelled around Colombia. The overall craft is extremely high, interesting melodies, the nice turn of phrase with Maddock's own understated vocals. If you are a music fan who longs for the days where you could load an album and play it in its entirety, than this is the album for you! Standout songs include: the darkly beautiful "Prettier Girls", the heartbreaking sadness of "Fragile" with the great line - "I saw your best friend in the street, she said: Go home and forget her", and the upbeat optimism of "Chance". This was a brand new artist for me and I am so pleased with this discovery. Excellent album!

I've almost worn out the CD from playing it constantly! I'm a little embarrassed that I hadn't heard of James Maddock until last month. I was driving to work listening to WFUV in NYC when Morning Show DJ Claudia Marshall introduced "When the Sun's Out" by saying, "This album wasn't on my best of 2009 list, but it should have been." It was a bright, sunny winter morning and the song was just perfect for the moment. I quickly purchased the CD and haven't stopped playing it; there's not a bad song in the bunch. I recently had the great fortune to hear James perform for an intimate audience; in my 35+ years of concert going, that night is in my top five favorite performances of all time.

These songs come from the heart...listeners are sure to see themselves in the lyrics. This deeply personal collection reminds me of Joni Mitchell's Blue, i.e., James plumbs his heart and soul and puts it all out there for the rest of us, and I for one am very grateful. The man is an absolute artist; hopefully the rest of the musical world will notice and finally give him the recognition and exposure (and why not--a Grammy!) he so richly deserves.

Once you've listened to Sunrise of Avenue C you'll be craving more...Songs from Stanford Hill, James' previous project with Wood, will pacify you until his next CD is released.

It has been such a long wait for new music from James Maddock, the former leader of Wood, and I highly anticipated the arrival of Sunrise on Avenue C. The only Wood release, "Songs From Stamford Hill" had been my favorite cd of 2000 and it had been frustrating that there had never been a follow up. I was working from home, nursing a cold, on the first day I was able to sample "Sunrise", and despite my high anticipation, James did not let me down. As song after song played, I kept waiting for a clunker and by track 8 or 9, I realized that this was one of those rare, magical cds where every song was going to become a favorite. By the end of the third listen that day, I knew I had found my favorite cd of 2009. The arrangements are very simple, generally centered around piano (whereas Wood was centered around acoustic guitar), with acoustic guitar, bass and drums, and then the occasional strings coming in to enhance the emotion of the songs. There is an overiding hopefulness to the songs, as James obviously has battled through a difficult decade to find a gorgeous "sunrise" at the dawn of the new decade. My favorites are "Chance", "When the Stars Align, "Sunrise on Avenue C" and "When the Sun's Out" - just the titles of those songs suggests an optimism that really lifts the listeners spirits. I highly recommend this cd to fans who love a mellower pop/rock style, and fans of great songwriting. And as several of my friends suggest, if you like Rod Stewart, you will love James Maddock's voice. I rarely write a review for Amazon, but this cd deserves my time and deserves a wider audience.

I was in a record store for the first time in probably 15 years. Sunrise on Avenue C was playing. It is PHENOMENAL! Immediately, every song sounded great on the first listen. This album has stood the test of time with thousands of repeated listens by me and my family.

James Maddock really knows how to write vivid songs that touch your heart. I don't understand how it is possible that these songs are not played on the radio. This is a great album. Buy it now. You will not be disappointed.

I live in New Jersey. He is touring and playing at tiny venues. This is a chance to get behind a performer that we can all listen to. My favorite songs include Fragile, Ruins, When You Go Quiet, Sunrise on Avenue C, Prettier Girls, Together, When the Suns Out ... wait they are all great!

He has been compared to Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, if this helps people access his music, great. But I think the comparisons do James Maddock an injustice. As much as I love Bruce, Bob Dylan and Neil Young have been inconsistent. Try James Maddock this album is great. You will love it.

Música y letras bellamente engarzadas como un diamante a un soporte de oro. Todo encaja a la perfección y no hay nada que se deje al azar, sino que todo está cuidado hasta el extremo de no poder escaparse de la meticulosidad y buen hacer de a esa exquisita y magnífica pieza de orfebrería que compone el disco.

I first heard James Maddock on NPR and was blown away. I immediately bought and downloaded this album. This is one of the best records I have heard in a long time. Great music for grown ups! Beautiful, heartfelt, honest. Buy this album; you won't be sorry.

found this guy on NPR-- good source for new/different stuff--anyhow love the music--only down side of this purchase is that sound quality of the CD is not so different from that of the radio broadcast-I'd buy this again