Customer Reviews

Til the Medicine Takes

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

All cliches aside, this really is an excellent effort for the boys from College Station Road. Don't talk about a sell-out! This just re-enforces their unparalleled musical ability. We all know and love them as a jam band, this is just a refreshing divergence. You can't keep yourself from listening to "One Arm Steve," "Party @ Your Mama's House," "Christmas Katie," "Nobody's Loss," "Blue Indian," and the new CLASSIC "The Waker," over and over again. It just makes you wanna curl up with your favorite beer and watch the world go by. Go see them live, please. If you don't like WSP, then you just don't get it.

i thought this album was pretty darn good. if you liked bombs and butterflies, then you'll probably like this. it is very much similar, but it has a more trippy twist to it. they incorporate new sounds into their allready excellent rock style, which i think produces an excellent sound. so yeah, i'd say it is their best album yet.

When I first discovered Widespread Panic back in 2001, this was the album I listened to. I was blown away with the first and second tracks, "Surprise Valley" and "Bear Gone Fishin'". It just got better and better as the album went on. Panic might take some cues from their rock n' roll predecessors, the Grateful Dead, Allman Bros. and Talking Heads, etc., but they mix it up into a sound that's all their own. After putting this album on repeat for about a month, I finally got to see them live for the first time in Jackson, MS. I was so impressed with them that I went to the next show in Little Rock, AR and I've been addicted ever since! These boys know how to make music from their hearts and souls(which is rare in this Brittney Spears plastic world)!! Some may say this type of music draws the "neo-hippie" crowd. All I know is that you meet some of best and kindest people in the world at WSP shows. Cheers to friends so near!!

This album truly makes you feel good.. with a little jazz, rock, folk, and awesom lyrics that soothe the soul. WP could never be considered "sell-outs" because no one does what they do and they don't do anything that anyone else does. Climb to Safety and One Arm Steve are HIGH rollers and classic WP. Space Wrangler is what got me hooked, but TTMT will keep me addicted. It will definatly make you want to leave whatever you are doing the moment you hear the opening jams and head for the nearest live show. You have to see them live to truly appreciate what WP is all about- could I suggest Red Rocks in Morrison, CO. It will open your mind up to all kinds of new things. WP is a way of thinking and living... a laid back attitude laced with love and harmony and this CD epitomizes that spirit. Keep jammin' guys! I love this CD.. it's your best yet!

Like the reviewer said earlier, I mainly just wanted to try and get the rating up. This disc DOES deserve the full 5 stars. An excellent mix of originals and cover tunes, with Climb To Safety doing ample justice to Jerry Joseph's original version. Also, blending the classic Panic sound with some new, adventurous slants, namely the turn-table skills of Colin Butler, from Big Ass Truck (find their mp3's. they're worth it), on Dyin' Man. Starting off with Suprise Valley, this CD is top-quality beginning to end. Four Years after its initial release, this one still spends a lot of quality time in the CD player.

Has this group ever produced a more compelling, brilliantly uplifting tune than "Climb to Safety"? No matter how many times I play this album (which is a lot - more than every other WP disc I have), track 3 always captivates me with its bright chorus and irresistible melody. It's everything Panic is best at, rolled into 4-1/2 flawless minutes; a perfect topper to the killer almost-funk of "Bear's Gone Fishin'" and the soaring groove of "Surprise Valley." Wonderful stuff.

Beyond that tip of the iceberg, Till the Medicine Takes is still stuffed to the gills with excellent songwriting and hearty deep-fried rock. I haven't heard another WP album yet that's this consistently well-written, outstandingly performed and perfectly recorded. They've figured out how to walk that line between concisely melodic songs and long jams - there are plenty of blistering (not overreaching) solos, but no extended wanderings to put off the more casual fans. A couple new tricks pop up too: some gospel singing, a touch of banjo scattered around "The Waker," some prominent slide guitar coasting through "Blue Indian" and "You'll Be Fine." "Party at Your Mama's House" (apart from having a pretty cool title) is one of the most accomplished instrumentals they've done; it's smooth-flowing yet strong and exciting, the kind of stuff that makes Panic so perfect for sunny highways and cheerful days outdoors.

If I can nitpick on a couple small points (and why not, it's my review), I'll mention that there are really only two things I'd change here. One: "Christmas Katie." It's quite a good tune and not even necessarily tied to the holiday, but to me it always seems out of place since I consider WP to be prime spring/summer listening material. Two: the placement of "Nobody's Loss," a hearty Southern ballad that winds everything down slowly and quietly before the disc fades into silence. It works very well.. but after a whole album's worth of cheery hard-rocking sunshine, I don't want it to end on a slow quiet note. I much prefer to finish with the wonderfully spirited "All Time Low;" it builds through a sinuously funky verse to a gospel-chorus finale bursting with pure energy. Now *that's* the right way to top off a Panic record.

Mind you, that's just my preference. For my money TtMT is probably the most essential studio work they've put out yet.. a fantastic introduction for those merely curious, and a wonderful treat for any rock lover, Panic fan or not. Spread the word.

What a classy album! A very different outing from the boys on this their 6th studio release. The songs are tight and the jamming is condensed compared to past efforts, which may or not appeal to you. I think the fellas rose to the challange of doing shorter songs (most are under 5 minutes) while throwning tons of raw emotion into their playing. The material spans straight ahead rocking jams ("Surprise Valley", "Climb to Safety", "One Armed Steve"), New Orleans influenced "Christmas Katie", Bluegrassy twang ("The Waker"), mellower tunes ("Nobody's Loss", "You'll be Fine"). Til the Medicine Takes also comes across as a true group effort with Mikey, JoJo, and Todd taking on some lead vocal roles to compliment JB's gravelly howls. You just can't go wrong with this CD (probably second best behind their self titled album): the playing is undeniably top notch and the songs are great. See 'em live and you'll be forever hooked.

WOW! That's really all I can say about this album. I've been an R.E.M. Fan since '91. I've heard a lot of things about Widedpread Panic, but never sat down, and listened to one of their Albums. I'm SO glad I finally did! And, that I started with this one. It really is amazing! It's very refreshing to hear some "Real, Good" Music for a change! I don't bother with the radio, or pay attention to who's at the top of the Billboard charts. It doesn't even begin to compare to this! (The same goes for R.E.M) I'm pretty picky when it comes to music. There aren't very many Albums that I can listen to, without skipping a song or 2. This one is pure perfection! I'm going to be listening to this thing for a good, long while. Until I decide to get more of their stuff.

So nice to hear a sweet album like this, again. This is my fav since Everyday came out. If you've slowed down on WSP the last few albums, this is one to spur your re-interest. Also would be a good choice for a 1st-timer. My girlfriend listens to Latin music and even SHE thinks this is a great album.

A GREAT USE OF MUSIC AND WORDS COMBINED BRING THIS WHOLE DISC INTO A MELTING POT OF EVERYTHING WIDESPREAD PANIC HAS EVER DONE. THIS IS A DISC THAT ANY FAN WOULD ENJOY BECAUSE OF THE LOYALTY THE MUSIC KEEPS TO THE FANS AND BECAUSE OF THE NEW SOUND THEY BRING TO THEM IN THE SAME BREATH.