Customer Reviews

The Throne of the Third Heaven of the N

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

 

 

Wow, I think 2007 marks the return of great music!* (Or, at least, I've found a lot of great music this year, after losing faith over the past few years.) I got this album today, and it's a new favorite. I think the music defies categorization, so I won't even try to describe it except to say that it's consistently beautiful from beginning to end. Check out the samples, and if you like them, then buy it, because the whole album really is that good! In fact, it's the kind of classic album that will probably be one of my favorites for a long time to come.

*(See also: Arcade Fire, Patty Griffin, Akron/Family, Parenthetical Girls, Handsome Furs, Yeasayer, Bat For Lashes , Metallic Falcons)

By the way, I like to give credit where it's due: I don't know what's in the water at Amazon, but they've really mastered the science of product recommendations. This is just the latest in a long line of great bands I've found because Amazon has recommended them to me. Kudos!

Le Loup is as good as/better than everything else that you've ever known. Fantastic song-writing, instrumentation, rhythms, recordings, mixing, etc. The acoustic/electronic blend is phenomenal. The lyrics are intriguingly bizarre and the intertwining vocal melodies are catchy as all hell. A and five plusses.

If you are looking for a fresh sound, look no further than Le Loup. I got hooked on this band from the start and I'm proud to say that I was at their first show and have an original Le Loup t-shirt from that night. I've been to quite a few first shows that never materialized into a second or third show and I was blown away by these guys. The place was packed and they played like they've been playing together for 25 years! And then they went on to win Battle of the Bands for their second show ever! I've seen them about 6 or 7 times since then and they get better and better each time. It's a rare moment when you get to ride the trail of a shooting star and this is one such moment. I can guarantee if you like the album you'll be blown to smithereens by their live show. Ahwoooooooo!

In addition to etching the mesmerizing simplicity of the banjo phrases that are the album's signature, this group can pump out the driving extravagence that propelled Pink Floyd to the stars (listen for the Floydian in the refrain of "We are gods! We are wolves!"). This band knows how to go big AND to go small. Let's hope that this is the beginning, and not also the end, of the beauty they have to express.

I discovered Le Loup after buying some PJ Harvey on Amazon. I'm an over-60 baby boomer who has been searching for something as musically compelling as classic rock. Some of these indie groups seems to be it. Le Loup's first album at first seems a little repetitive, but it is compiled as a thematic album. When I crank it up with my (almost vintage) Infinity Modulus / Carver Sonic Holography stereo, the range and depth of voice and instruments draws you into their world. The rhythms and melodies are unique and harmonious. It is the most-played album of my 635 CD collection this year -- I rated every track on the album as 5 stars.

Update: Finally, the long-overdue sophomore album, Family, is out. It took me a little longer to warm up to, but now, it also is a favorite. Some trivia that also relates to the attraction of the Le Loup sound: in July of 2010, I was watching a new Blackberry ad on G4TV and the background music (Morning Song from Family) is Le Loup. If RIM thinks that helps sell smartphones, Le Loup music must be compelling!

Solid debut from Le Loup. "The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' General Assembly" lands them almost in their own category. The instruments are used rather sparingly as Le Loup focuses their attention on large, unison vocals, sparse drum beats and tinkering banjos.
This is a very unique album with extremely catchy melodies. Highly recommended for people who enjoy music a little off the beaten path.