Customer Reviews

Terra Incognita

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

 

 

Everyone has a couple dozen CD's in his/her collection that are no-fail, play-anytime faves, and Terra Incognita is one of those standards for me. The things I love about this album have to do with continuity--the songs are felt in the seat of the pants throughout!--and Chris Whitley's sinewy snake of a voice is mesmerizing. This is an ideal summer sundown groove album.

Whitley combines dissonant electric guitar with acoustic and his songwriting style is uniquely his own. "Automatic" is the best thing here, but you can't go wrong on any of the others. I prefer this more full-bodied work to his other stripped down acoustic affairs, "Living With the Law" and "Dirt Floor".

While Terra isn't Whitley's strongest work (see his Living With the Law or Dirt Floor for unparalleled, 5-star albums) that's like saying Michael Jordan had a mediocre game because he scored 40 points instead of 45. Tracks such as Weightless, Immortal Blues, Cool Wooden Crosses, Gasket and Aerial make this CD worth far, far more than the $$ you'll spend for it. Anything this guy does is worth owning; he's the most underrated artist out there. His talent for songwriting and guitar-playing goes unsurpassed.

He weaves the most spellbinding music I've ever heard. It is true, this is not his best album. But it is still amazing listening. I see it like "Led Zeppelin III". Not as good as "Led Zeppelin I, II or ZoSo(IV)", but still great, you get the picture. I love Chris' guitar work on "Cool Wooden Crosses" and "Immortal Blues". I'm shocked that "Automatic" wasn't a smash hit single and on VH1. I love the lyrics to "Alien". A true musicial genius and unmatched guitarist. His other 3 albums are better, "Living w/the Law", "Dirt Floor" & "Din of Esctasy", but if you like Chris Whitley, you should have ALL of his albums anyway.

this album should have been given a chance with alternative crowd. It's what we've been waiting for. The mix of deep delta style blues blended with "what is good" about straight rock music with the honesty of good old fashioned experimental punk rawness. It is misleading at it's first hearing. I thought "rock music; blah, blah, blah..." but this album has a refreshing point of veiw. Really soulful vocals (but honest, convincing soul; not syrup), no rock twit "solo's", and feels like Robert Johnson and the spider's from mars. The album lives in the world of Tom Waits's "raindogs" but with a whole lot more "mid-range" grind. Orgainic, genuine and feels like a p-90 feeding back.

"Terra Incognita" is a great record for a couple of reasons. # 1) It just sounds so damn good. # 2) It combines the airy, atmospheric roots-rock of his debut with the dirge of "Din of Ecstasy." Chris Whitley has been called a bluesman. Which he is. He always knows how to rock. Which he does. And he can just plain pick 'em with the best of 'em. No doubt about that. But more than anything else, he's an artist. And it began to become very clear with each one of his releases, that he answered to no one but himself. His emotions came out in his songs, his music & his amazing musicianship. I could rattle off a handful of songs off this, his 3rd release, that I think stand-out from the others but it would be a waste of time. Front to back. Side to side. Beginning to end. Chris Whitley's records need to be listened to from first track to last. Looked at from cover to cover. And absorbed right through the skin & straight into the soul. Chris Whitley, a poet that will forever be missed.

If you like anything Chris Whitley, you'll love this album too. Though a bit more rocky than Dirt Floor and closer to Living with the Law, it's not as heavy as "Din" but still has solid back up and a full sound. I think he may have invented blues/rock before it became a genre unto itself. This CD is slowly becoming my favorite of his works though I find little value in the "enhanced" version. I don't need all the old style flash animation, just give me the guts.

While some may feel the songwriting is stonger on the other albums, Terra Incognita stands well on it's own merits. You won't be disappointed, buy a used version if you're concerned. PJ

I am in love with Whitley's 3 other records. This was the first one where I was not moved by every song. So it still makes it a good record! Two thirds of it are incredible, there are several tracks that don't reach me. The rest of this CD features exciting music with some more of his best songs. A must for a Whitley fan, and some day soon I hope there will be many more of them. He's long overdue for a larger spotlight.

Terra Incognita is Chris Whitley's attempt at combining the folky sound of his debut Living With The Law and the dark grunge of his second album Din Of Ecstasy. While there are strong tracks here in both musical genres, what hurts this album is the songwriting which is not as stellar or consistent as his first two albums.

When this album is at its best is when it attempts to repeat the dour mood of Din Of Ecstasy through the hypnotic tracks "Gasket" and "Clear Blue Sky." The folkier tracks "As Flat As The Earth", "Weightless", and "Immortal Blues" are all very good, but not among his best work. Other strong tracks here include "On Cue" and "Cool Wooden Crosses." The rest of the tracks are okay, but don't reach the high standard of his other albums. The decent track "Automatic" is an obvious attempt at a hit single that clearly sounds out of place here. If you like his other albums, you'll like this one. Newcomers would be best to start out with either Living With The Law or Din Of Ecstasy.

actually, I also adore CW himself beyond all reason. But this CD is terrible. I mean, it's really bad. With the exception of the spooky and powerful Clear Blue Sky and the funky and original Aerial, these songs range from the unlistenable to the merely OK. My life is no different for having heard Cool Wooden Crosses (unlike the case with, say, Dust Radio or Frontier or Scrapyard Lullaby) while Still Point is just monotonous.

As to the one song everyone seems to like: Automatic has some wonderfully intense and vivid lyrics but the music is so bone-chillingly radio-oriented that it's one of the most off-putting songs I've ever heard by any artist. Nothing wrong with radio-friendly tunes--they help sell CDs and keep artists afloat. But Automatic's music is pop-ish in a hostile way. Maybe a way to give the finger to a record company that wanted, like so many fans, just a rehash of Living with the Law? Maybe that's what this whole CD is about. Just a guess.