Customer Reviews

The Movie

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

 

 

This is among the best releases I've heard in the past 5 years. With it's soaring vocals, full string section, harmonies rarely heard anymore and a guest appearance by Sufjan Stevens this album is sure to find it's way into a few best of 2007 lists. I recommend this one highly.

Clare Muldaur has knocked it out of the park again. CD #3 and she gets more creative every time. Filled with great songs. Along with her husband & the Reasons they make an incredible ensemble. I just wish they would come to Canada sometime. Make that Toronto.

You can hear the influences from across a number of decades but that's almost irrelevant. No one is making music so completely original yet natural sounding. Sweet: yes. Saccharine: never.

Great songs, gorgeous vocals, highly original string arrangements. RIYL: great, heartfelt music with brains!

The whole CD is excellently conceived and executed. Very smart and clever. Influences from Beatles, Beachboys, et al. Gorgeous vocals. The singer reminds me of someone from the 1970s, but I may like the sultry, sweet top of Clare's voice even better. I am bowled over by this CD, and listen to it over and over.

Clare and the Reasons create a kind of pop music that is complex and subtle, but at the same time highly approachable. The composition is remarkable throughout - the unique harmonic motion and carefully constructed orchestral arrangements suggest a strong background of musical training. I was a little put off by Muldaur's unusual vocal timbre at first, but her level of technique shines through - she has a way of gliding effortlessly through the most difficult passages, giving the whole album a kind of quirky charisma. If I had to make one criticism, it would be that there were a few too many ballads for my liking. One or two more upbeat numbers would have gone a long way to round the album out. Still, this is clearly a highly talented group of musicians and well worth looking into.

With so much music in the world, it can get tedious. This record is different, I listen on repeat... The orchestrations and the songs are like a warm bath. This is a brilliant debut, one people should pay much attention to. Pluto is an instant classic.

I seem to be the minority opinion here but I find this cd irritatingly cute and vapid, full of faux-winsomeness and self-indulgence. The players are excellent but the songs go nowhere and Clare's voice is just too weak and soul-less for me (and then she whistles!). I saw them live and the only thing that kept me there was the prospect of Van Dyke Parks who was headlining. I know he also can divide listeners into the love/hate categories but at least there is something there to react to - with Clare it's like being smothered in a marshmallow.