Customer Reviews

Three Flights from Alto Nido

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD improves with repeated listening. Several pieces tend to begin quiety then increase to a larger sound. I like it better every time I play it. The pieces definitely pick up towards the end, from track 7 -10 particularly. Singer/songwriter Laswell plays piano, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonium, bells, organ and bass -- variety of talents, huh?

Tracks:
1 -- It's been a year: mellow acoustic guitar 7/10
2 -- That it moves: has a radio play sound, many instruments with some sweeping melodies 8/10
3 -- The one I love: Reflective lyrics with slow, driving melody 8/10
4 -- Comes and goes: gentle acoustic guitar, piano mixed in, love the lyrics (this one's for the lonely/the ones that seek and find/only to be let down/time after time/this one's for the torn down/the experts at the fall/common friends get up now/you're not alone at all...)Molly Jenson accompanies Greg's yearning tenor in a soulful mix 9/10
5 -- How the day sounds: syncopated piano chords opening, has a ColdPlay sound to it 8/10
6 -- Sweet Dream: some strings accompany his voice, gentle piece, quite short 8/10
7 -- Days go on: faster, driving rhythms, hypnotic song 9/10
8 -- I'd be lying: one of the longer pieces at 4:45, swells to a haunting chorus 9/10
9 -- Farewell: piano, guitar, banjo w/background Molly Jenson 9/10
10 -- Not out: my favorite!! soothing lyrics and music to start then at 2:34 mark builds into a fine, sexy sound 10/10
11 -- And then you: melancholy, simple guitar with piano 8/10
12 -- (hidden track)That it moves: acoustic version 7/10

If these tracks sound vaguely familiar it may be because some of Greg's music is on tv soundtracks such as Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill. Many of the songs have an intimate, brooding quality that indie rock enthusiasts will enjoy.

Ok. So.

Greg Laswell is amazing-ness. His last record blew me away and was on repeat for about 2 months. This album delivers the same response but at a slightly higher level. His lyrics just know how to describe exactly what you can't and his harmonies hook you into a more beautiful world.

I can't believe they are selling "genius" for $1.99. It's like a gift for the summer. "Sorry you lost your job, but here...now you have more time to listen to beauty at the beach."

Greg Laswell has made my days brighter and more brilliant. He is every kind of good any one has claimed him to be and then some. Three Flights has proven to be a collection of music that music should be. Each track sparkles like the gem it is. Greg knows how to give the entire package, gifting us with his accessible and smart lyrics and melodies. Unpretentious and endearing. Inspiring and Refreshing. Brooding and sweet. His spring ep release of "How the Day Sounds" EP was all too exciting, and Three Flights From Alto Nido is more than just a bonus. I can't even describe how unprepared I was for "I'd Be Lying." And I'd be lying if I told you you this album isn't magical. The same goes for hearing his music live. A witty, gentle, soulful man. Obviously, I'm a huge fan of honest music. But, of all the music I'm so fortunate to experience, Greg's is at the top. A gift! Happy listening and living.

The title of my review is somewhat deceptive, but my first impression upon hearing Mr Laswell suggested the drama and changing dynamics of many of that band's tunes, particularly the vocals. I first heard Laswell on satellite radio where I work, and I always looked up to check the screen to see who was singing. More often than not, it was him.

But this record is a more accesible, less bombastic version of that particular style, which makes the comparison a slight to Laswell. I wasn't expecting to listen through every song start to finish the first time, but indeed I was hooked from the first note, wanting to find out where each song would go. The arrangements are purposeful and elegant, the vocals just the right mix of melancholy and hope.

Chris Martin sings "When I Ruled the World". Laswell's lament is much more personal, his goal less ambitious. He just wants to get through the day in as high a place as possible.

Got this a while back and still listen to it. Has a definite Coldplay influence in the music. Especially his vocal melodies that he uses. Not a bad song on here. Get this if you want some awesome chill acoustic tunes.

Excellent recording. I'm enjoying immensely the songwriting and musicianship. Real enjoyable vocals. (Jonathan Richman if he was raised in the midwest?) The rhythms are moving; the beat has drive. I have my tickets for the Saint Louis show!

I generally like more upbeat music. But this album, and his first, are so haunting and wonderful. I just love them. Exquisite. Thank you, Greg, please keep making music. Your albums are such gems in my massive music collection.

Greg Laswell has one of those voices that I could listen to for hours. He sings his own songs very well, of course, but I'd love to hear him sing just about anything. When he performs live, his version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (which he says is a sad song, and he proves it) is simply incredible. I think he could sing just about anything well.

But here on his second full-length CD, "Three Flights from Alto Nido," is where he really shows his talent. From the songs he's written to the way he performs them, it's a delight to listen to from beginning to end.

Laswell tends to write and sing songs about the ups and downs of love and relationships. Many are heartfelt remembrances of relationships at the end, after most everything has been said and done. One of my favorites - "That It Moves" - is about a song that he was going to write with his girl, but he's finishing it himself because it's over. "It finishes itself, I regret," he says in the song's first verse, but then goes on to ask her if she likes the way it moves. "The One I Love" is a song along similar lines, about a man running away from his love and unsure why.

Not all the songs are about heartbreak, though. In "I'd Be Lying" he sings to a girl who he wants to be with, describing how he wants to help her shoulder her burdens and walk with her side by side. "Days Go On," which Laswell described as a "happy little guy" in a live show, is a deceptive number about a man who misses the woman he loves.

These are complex songs, all of them, speaking of sensitivities and the ins and outs of romantic love, and they each have a personality. Carried by Greg's smooth-as-silk vocals and music that accompanies it well on acoustic guitar and piano, these songs speak in a soulful, strident voice. They call out their messages and they sing of love's happiness and sadness in perfect measure.

Put simply, these 11 songs are not to be missed, and Greg Laswell is a talent to be watched.

Yes, this CD is really this good. Laswell has a great voice and great musical intuition. I've really enjoyed listening to this CD over and over again. Keep in mind this is a CD where all the tracks are good, not just one or two.

Greg Laswell is really everything I love about music. He is original, his songs are amazing, and they sound pure and brand new. I love the sound he has and his voice is great. All these songs showcase his talent and originality. I have been looking out for new music from him for a while now and I have to say that he has been getting better with time. This cd is proof that he has what it takes to make an impression. Buy it now and immediately enjoy the fresh sound of Greg Laswelll. :)

If you don't believe me, just listen to "How The Day Sounds." It is beautiful and the sound he has is amazing.