Customer Reviews

Sunrise Over Sea

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...is Aussie slang for what we Yanks would call "the real deal". And these guys are it: a jam-band from Down Under that can deliver the goods. This CD was released in Australia in 2004 but is just making its way Stateside now, with the addition of the burgeoning radio hit "Betterman". As the cover suggests, this CD has a closely-miked, "live-in-the-studio" sound - an organic effect supported by some fine acoustic/electric musicianship: John Butler's guitar (including lap steel and bottleneck) and banjo, Nicky Bomba's drums, and Shannon Birchall's double (as in upright) bass. Stylistically, you'll hear elements of Dave Matthews, maybe a hint of Black Keys, and especially the bass-heavy funk of Red Hot Chili Peppers (Butler's vocals have been compared to Anthony Kiedas). But there's a satisfying mix of rock, funk, blues and even trad-folk (the lovely instrumental "Mist"). Several tracks here are radio-ready, like the aforementioned "Betterman", "Treat Yo Mama" and "Zebra". And the long closing track "Sometimes" signals that these guys can indeed jam. And at over 70 minutes, it's a heapin' helping of a bubbling, stick-to-your-ribs musical stew. Get it and enjoy.

John Butler is an amazing musician that has released some incredible c.d's. Sunrise Over Sea is certainly no exception. John Butler's twelve string classical acoustic guitar, slide guitar and banjo are accompanied by a deep sounding double bass and some really catchy drum beats. His lyrics are all meaningful, and even if you can't get into the political side of his songs, you'll still find it hard not to sing along and bob your head to these tunes. If you enjoy Sunrise Over Sea, you'll really enjoy his other c.d.'s.

I recently saw Johnny B perform live and was blown away... If you get the chance to see him live, don't pass it up!

Listen for these songs:
What you want (an extremely moving song- and even more so live!)
Company Sin (exremely catchy lyrics and tune)
Peaches and Cream (a very meaningful song dedicated to his wife & daughter)
Hello (catchy song with a moral!)

If you like John Butler Trio, chances are you'll like Xavier Rudd (another talented Australian guitarist)

The Good
"Treat Yo Mama" has a nice rhythmic bounce to it. Lyrically it throws you a curve ball because it's not about maternal love; it's about loving Mother Earth. The guitar tone in the solo is impressive. A funky bass line, soulful reggae vocals delivery, and simple acoustic lick embody "Company Sin". "Betterman" is a swampy acoustic blues rocker. Soft strings and acoustic chord patterns impose a tender emotional feeling on "What You Want", as do the touching lyrics.

Only faded vocals and a banjo make up the lyrically powerful "Damned to Hell". "Seeing Angels" is a ballad that John Butler wrote about is wife. His lyrical delivery is sincere and the music is poignant. The driving rhythms and commanding vocals of "There'll Come a Time" speaks of how our world will eventually fade away if we continue on our current path. "Mist" is an all-out acoustic/percussion instrumental assault. I picture someone running through the rain forest.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
Sunrise Under Sea is comprised of the John Butler Trio's expressions and views on the environment, spirituality, and love set to an acoustic rock back-beat.

Before I get started, I need to make one thing very clear, and that is that I generally dislike jam bands. When I say that, I don't mean that I'm opposed to their overall artistic goals; after all, the ability to give a compelling live performance is not only a good thing, but it's also gives music pirates a reason to give you money even after they've downloaded your songs. No, what I dislike about jam bands is that most of them have a tendency to play the same style of music (which I can't really describe, which is why I refer to it as "jam band" music), and I just don't like that style.

So when the John Butler Trio was described to me as a "jam band," I was expecting something along the lines of the standard genre-bending Grateful Dead knockoff that played really wimpy soft rock tunes that only sound decent in a live context. Boy was I wrong.

Much like I can't explain why I dislike jam bands, I can't really explain why JBT is different. For some reason, I found their particular mix of rock, folk, country, funk, etc. to be surprisingly accessible. Why? I think it may be the fact that I can actually pick out the distinctive elements of their influences in their music. Where normally jam bands mash genres together until it resembles nothing so much as a homogeneous musical Frankenstein that amounts to little more than an excuse for live improvisation, with the songs on SUNRISE OVER SEA, the average listener (me) is able to appreciate the massive variety that can be contained in a single song without the use of headphones, illicit substances, or live bootlegs for comparison.

It also helps that Butler has a knack for pop songwriting--nearly all of the tunes have that memorable quality that never mutates into stuck-in-your-head annoying. The production on this album is similarly well-done, providing a perfect mix of sparse minimalism and lush soundscapes. His lyrics are also top-notch ("Company Sin" is one of the best story songs I've ever heard), even if he sometimes gets a little preachy when he starts talking about "Mother Earth." This can be a little grating if you don't have the same opinions about environmental issues, but in most cases, the music prevents the lyrics from having a nasty political aftertaste.

Overall, the John Butler Trio seems to defy everything I've thought about jam bands, and SUNRISE OVER SEA is one of the best studio albums I've ever heard from a band in the genre. In fact, I hesitate to refer to them as a "jam band." I currently think of JBT as "a band that plays good music."

John Butler Trio's latest release is a great effort by Butler and his boys. This album is a more mellow effort from their previous effort, Three. The track that really stands out to me after several listens is peaches and cream which is a mellow tune with Butler on acoustic guitar. Zebra and What You Want are fantastic tunes as well. Overall the album has a great feel to it and touches on many different subjects including the abuse of the environment, love, family and even religous issues. Butler plays his trademark slide guitar as well as 6 and 11 string guitars and the banjo on the tune Damned To Hell. Butler also lives up to his jam band reputation on several songs on this album. Butler's song writing has improved on this effort compared to Three and he does a great job expressing thoughts directly and with metaphor. Butler is backed by several musicians who put forth a great effort as well especially the string section on What You Want. Butler is one of the new breed of soulful song writers including Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Tom Freund, Pete Yorn and Ellitt Smith and Jeff Buckley(God rest their souls). I would recomend the album to anybody who purchased Three and to those Harper, Johnson fans out there as well as any jam band fanatics.

I have never heard such an amazing band as John Butler Trio before. Butler is one of the most talented and orriginal guitarists ive heard yet, and his voice has a great funk to it with a true meaning. I think this band could be the next Bob Marley and the Wailers. Seriously, the song what you want might be the best song i have ever heard in my life. I would pay $30 just to hear that song. There is not a bad track on this cd... dead serious. This cd is worth every dollar... if you want to just mellow out and let the music enter your soul this is the best cd for you. They are my new favorite band

The John Butler Trio's album, "Sunrise Over Sea", fails to neatly fit within any musical category, though the Australian band refurbishes elements from blues, rock, and roots music to create a mother earth blues tinged sound. John Butler plays a range of stringed instruments with equal aplomb, but when he plugs in his amplified 11-string guitar, the band roars to life on tracks such as Company Sin, Hello, and Oldman. He is ably supported by Shannon Birchall on basses (love the double bass sound) and Michael Barker on drums and percussion. The more fevered the pace, the better the trio sounds in my opinion, though the longer tracks, such as the closing track Sometimes are also well-crafted, solid numbers.

The mid-tempo and softer tracks balance this CD, and the band sound cohesive regardless of whatever direction they pursue. In other words, there is no pointless jamming or noodling here. A recurring roster of guests shows up on various tracks to embellish the already nicely layered sound (the weird spoon solo will cause your ears to perk up).

Mr. Butler's vocals are not always easy to understand, some lyrics seem a bit "hippie trippy," the lyrics are reproduced in a hard-to-read scrawl, and not ever track is a four or five star selection, but the overall effort and delivery are solid and sometimes sublime.

I first heard of the John Butler Trio on KGSR, Austin. They've since played at the Austin City Limits Music Festival and South by Southwest. Their music is rock, blues and funk fusion with an Aussie twist. If you need music that's different, you will want this CD.

Sunrise over sea marks a great evolution in John Butler's music.
By the time i've purchased "three", I thought Now, that's a guy with lots of potencial, but he's not there yet. Maybe the point was the album sounds pretty much a long endless jam, and some tunes miss the point to put an end, the lyrics were somtimes very naif or poorly refined, although it is nice to have someone saying important things very straight, just like when he talks about Shell company.
Well, all these troubles were solved in this piece of gem here.
Butler improved very much his compositions, specially his sense of melody, his voice and guitar are mellower, without getting whimsical, fancy.
A ggod exemple of his development is "betterman". the song appears in both albuns, but it is more concise now, from 8 to 3 minutes lasting.
So now we have a guy strongly committed to MOther Earth (treat your mama), a family guy (peaches and trees), a political mind (company sin, damned to hell) a human being (betterman, zebra).
Sunrise over sea is one the greatest releases of 2005/2006 and i'm still digging this guy that reached much of his potential i believed he had before

First off, just as the John Butler Trio have been influenced by the legendary, southern blues artists we have come to recognize in the rock and roll geneagram (see: Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Muddy and Johnny Lee Hooker)it's easy to spot that John Butler has been also informed by the rich tapestry of the English Folk Tradition of the late sixties. In particular, John Martyn and Richard Thompson. Beyond the mere use of standup bass playing, Butler and co. rely on great songwriting, exploring the music in further depth by extending the songs through improvisation and incorporating a jazzy feel to the music. Guitar solos, rythmnic changes, textures and tones are skillfully mastered by these guys. Martyn and Thompson were exploring similiar territory in the late sixties - early seventies using the acoustic sound of a guitar as a pallette for exploration for sound. The John Butler Trio are following, as well as furthering, that tradition's footsteps.