Customer Reviews

Tickets for a Prayer Wheel

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

 

 

I'm thinking that the reviewer who didn't care for this disc just doesn't understand the music. Fact is, it's got elements of trance (what the kids today are calling techno with few words, repeating melodies, and a constant soft beat). So if you're looking for straight-up rock 'n' roll, this isn't it. What it is is what says: meditative music (not Tibetan, but Christian). Sure, most of the songs do have lyrics, but the instrumental cuts are truly inspired. Get this disc or the mega-three set for revelatory spiritual communion--I'd sell my tickets, but I want to keep this disc. Oh yeah, "Carry You" is awesome, with just the right blend of vocals and instruments for such a prayerful piece. God Bless SNTR!

P.S. I saw this band in ABQ, NM on 8 Sep 01--they were awesome, and the set they played from their finally (2 yrs late :-( upcoming album "Divine Discontent" was great!

Possibly one of the most finest musical EP's ever released. From the beginning to the end, one is surrounded with a musical work of art. Many of the cuts on this one can also be found on _This Beautiful Mess_, a later release, with a few only appearing on this EP. Be sure to let the disc continue to play after the last noted song, for a special surprise version of a great song, "Love, Salvation, The Fear of Death". 5 stars still falls way short of this release!

This EP consists of the demo version and a remix version of "Within a Room Somewhere" (one of the best songs on "This Beautiful Mess"); two songs that didn't make it onto "TBM" ("Healer" and "Dresses"); two cover songs ("Love Letters in the Sand" and "Carry You"); and two instrumentals ("Alisha's First Step" and "Solomon the Mystic"). It tells you a lot about a band when the songs that didn't make it are still good. The best songs on this EP are the two outtakes and the two instrumental songs. "Solomon the Mystic" really showcases the talent of Matt Slocum; Dale Baker and former Sixpence bassist J.J. Plasencio. Two thumbs and two big toes way up!!

None of this music is going to make anyone sit up and take notice, since the big singles on it have been offered elsewhere. But I find it fun to listen to, even if I mostly just use it as background while I'm doing other things. I've always loved listening to good musicians just messing around, and that's really what this is. (Perhaps the best example of that is Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's monster hit "Beautiful World", which he recorded as a gift to his niece!) To me the best feature is the variety--and the best track is "Carry You", which sticks with me for a while after I listen to it, and builds my faith. I just listened to it while I was folding laundry, and it does grow on me.

This is one of thier more instramental pieaces. Its like standing underneath the midnightsky and looking at the stars , and this is the music that you want to hear at that moment.

"Tickets for a Prayer Wheel" is a 10 track "EP" single, which at 44 min. playing time, gives us an album's worth of hits and misses. Built around the single "Within a Room Somewhere" (off of the "This Beautiful Mess" 1995 album), this is truly a mixed bag of some great and not-so-great Sixpence tunes.

The single itself "Within a Room Somewhere", a great tune, is served up twice, in a Radio Edit and a Demo version. So far, so good. "Healer" is the best track, the upbeat Matt Slocum song that defines the Sixpence sound we all love. After that, it's up and down, quite honestly, with several instrumentals, "Solomon" being the best of them. The 2 "hidden" tracks make me scratch my head, in particular the closer, which is some super-charged techno-beat track, unlike you'll ever hear from Sixpence ever again I'm pretty sure!

This is a nice addition, but not necessary addition to the Sixpence catalogue. If you are a Sixpence die-hard (and you know who you are!), buy it. If you are not, go instead to their 1997 self-titled album, still their best to date.

Don't waste your money on this EP. (...) The only good song on it was Within a Room, Somewhere, which I already had on This Beautiful Mess. Healer and Dresses are alright but sound unfinished and too much like other Sixpence None the Richer songs. Love Letters in the Sand and Carry You are just plain obnoxious, and the two instrumentals are evan worse. Lastly, the techno version of Love, Salvation, The Fear of Death is the most disgusting piece of "music" I've ever heard. (...)