These Were the Earlies [Import]

The Earlies | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Wea
• ASIN: B0002FCZEC
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #623,155 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. In the Beginning...

2. One of Us Is Dead

3. Wayward Song

4. Slow Man's Dream

5. 25 Easy Pieces

6. Morning Wonder

7. The Devil's Country

8. Song for #3

9. Lows

10. Bring It Back Again

11. Dead Birds

Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.co.uk

These Were...The Earlies is that rare sort of album that defies easy categorisation, embraced by fans of both indie music and dance music. The Earlies' music is a hodge-podge of sounds and influences, combining subtle electronics and clever samples with lush instrumentation--from oboes and flutes to pianos and cellos--and layered vocals. But the album is no overblown experiment in studio magic. The four members of the Earlies, with a huge, revolving roster of musical co-conspirators, combine all of these things into beautiful and affecting pop, though of a slightly skewed variety. The influence of both Brian Wilson and early, pre-breakthrough Mercury Rev looms large over These Were..., mixed with a more contemporary awareness of the electronic music of Boards of Canada, Manitoba and Mum. The overall effect is an album that is wholly exhilarating, with songs that both soothe and soar, ranging from the blissfully chilled "One of Us Is Dead" to the country psychedelia of "Morning Wonder" to "The Devil's Country", which sounds like a spaghetti-western collaboration between Giant Sand and Ennio Morricone. This is organic chill-out music, to be sure, but the Earlies are never less than totally engaging. --Robert Burrow

Product Description

The Earlies are an American/English collective who produce the kind of music you’d expect Brian Wilson to create if he was just starting out today. Their 2004 album ‘These Were The Earlies’ is a sumptuous trawl through dreamlike soundscapes that recalls Spiritualized, Neil Young and even Phil Spector at their most blissed out. A mesmerizing record from a truly awesome band. . Names/Warner. 2004.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Year's Best Debut?, August 2, 2004

By 

Alaskajosh "tastemaker" (Juneau, Alaska United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: These Were the Earlies (Audio CD)

After hearing a few songs on the BBC, I decided to take a gamble on this "hotly tipped" band from Texas and London, and boy howdy- what an album it is! The Earlies defy easy classification, though "folktronica" seems most relevent. After a few years of so-so product from some of my favorite bands (Spiritualized, Mercury Rev, Chemical Bros.), this album represents a welcome addition to my catalogue. Absolutely stunning- think "Pure Phase" meets "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and you're half-way there. I wouldn't even wait for a domestic release (which I've heard nothing about BTW)if I were you... buy it on import- you won't be disappointed!

5.0 out of 5 stars just great!, March 8, 2007

By 

Enrico Simone "rere simone" (london, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: These Were the Earlies (Audio CD)

I have to admit. I never heard of them before reading a review on some music magazine. and I was nicely surprised. they are great. psychedelic music has always been one of my things and they are certainly psychedelic. they remind me of Sun Dial, a band I have once seen live in Italy and loved since. can't tell you much else. I learned to trust reviews a bit more.The music industry is at times behind all of them but still...

5.0 out of 5 stars Far Out, January 28, 2006

By 

alexander laurence (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: These Were the Earlies (Audio CD)

This is a psychedelic band that is from both Texas and Manchester. The Earlies released a bunch of far out singles and LSD-inspired EPs. They had a love for the Beatles and Brian Wilson and anything trippy. There are four core members but sometimes they have a lot more people playing with them. It often reminds me of how Mercury Rev's Deserters Songs hit me eight years ago. These songs are just simple ballads and blues that spiral out of control. Hopefully the Psychedelic/Prog Rock revolution takes hold of the imagination this year. I thought that since Mars Volta and Secret Machines had some success that we were experiencing a full-fledged movement. While there are a few of these bands on the margins, it is still an underground movement, with the exception of Mars Volta, who seem to attracted a bunch of emo punks and casual drug takers, who have chosen them erroneously. The Earlies are a step in the right direction.