Customer Reviews

Trouble Is Real

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With an impressive 16 tracks the album you can't help but be taken on a journey across a vast amalgamation of musical styles and influences; listening to the album as though your ears were tuning into a number of different radio stations as each track progresses. The lyrics themselves could be bound and published in their own entity; insightful, expressive, emotive, reflective and sincere.

My fave tracks changes everytime i listen because each is so different its hard to compare them.

Would definitly reccommend this album to music lovers. Music has become so expansive over the last decade that it can no longer be neatly slotted into a genre. So, Johnathan Rice: alternative rock, folk, country, all of the above? Quite possibly so.

First off, I don't understand why Johnathan Rice isn't receiving more attention and praise, he's amazing!
Yet, I can't help but hear an overbearing John Mayer quality in his voice. If John Mayer weren't as produced and afraid of taking chances (by the way, I'm a huge fan of his, so this is not meant to down play him at all), he would be Johnathan Rice, if not lyrically, vocally.
Lyrically, Johnathan is very mature and thought provoking.
I hope his career goes far because he has the talent to go as far as he wants.

For a debut album, this is extremely strong. Johnathan's lyrics are far more mature than his 21 years. He has the amazing capability to weave interesting melodies and harmonies along with those lyrics. He can tell a story in a 3 minute song that takes most people a whole album to convey. Excellent first album.

The first thing that is obvious about Johnathan Rice is that he has a lovely and distinctive voice. It is incredibly deep and rich without suffering from the crackling or shrillness that plague other distinctive voices. He's like if Bob Dylan had a smoother voice.

There are a lot of beautiful songs on this album, "Mid November" (also the Short Songs For Strings which blends with it), "The Acrobat," "City on Fire," and "Break So Easy" are my personal favorites, both being folk ballads that are wonderfully uplifting, well written and melodic. They both show his great potential, but some of the other tracks a much less spectacular. "Kiss Me Goodbye," "So Sweet," "Leave the Light On," and "Salvation Day" are pleasing upbeat rock tunes that bear a certain amount of originality and make up the group of songs I'd rank as my second favorite. "Lady Memphis" is a foray into country/blues that suffers from trying to be a little too gritty and "real", which is a problem that "I Wouldn't Miss it for the World" and "Behind the Frontlines" suffer from as well. However, in terms of esoteric and truly gritty styling, I love "Put me in Your Holy War," an all too short Americana style song. "My Mother's Son" would be a nice folk ballad, if it didn't have an overbearing orchestral background. "Stay at Home" was another track with an overbearing background, this one being in the cirsusy vein with odd trumpets and a children's chorus.

Rice has some really good songs here, but others could use some tweaking. I certainly have enjoyed listening to it, as the best songs here certainly are really very good.

I found Jonathan Rice quite accidentally in the college radio station...and I like having my own little secret. He is now one of my favorite artists. He receives sero publicity as far as I can tell, but songs like "Acrobat," and "Lady Memphis" sound like Indie sleeper hits to me. Once he breaks on the music scene, he'll fly off the shelves.

Johnathan Rice is one of my favs musicians. I really enjoy this CD and not only did I get this fast from the seller, I received it in excellent condition as described.

Johnathan Rice's first full-length set is a great CD with melody, exquisite musicianship and thoughtful lyrics. "Kiss Me Goodbye" is my favorite with its insistent pop melody and Rice's hushed vocals like an energized Nick Drake, "I heard you call my name from the top of the stairs, It'll never be the same, You know it's so hard to let you go." "So Sweet" is another standout with Rice's passionate vocals and the addictive chorus, "You're so sweet it makes me cry." "Salvation Day" boasts thundering guitars and Rice's airy vocals that float above the storm. "Break So Easy" is a soft acoustic folk tune that offers hushed Nick Drake-style vocals that also can recall Elliott Smith or David Gray at times. "Leave the Light On" is another strong track, "Fell out of love with rock & roll, left a hole in your radio." Rice who graduated from high school in 2001 and was raised in Glasgow, Scotland turns in an excellent effort on this Reprise CD. Enjoy!

The long awaited album is finally here, and it doesnt let down. there is a great mix of music here, slow/fast, loud/quiet, folk/rock/pop. but it all comes together really well. if you've heard the ep the sames songs can be found here. pick this album up!