Customer Reviews

Waltzing Alone

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pretty, laid-back sound debut from Ireland. Harmonies are a cross between CSN and Simon & Garfunkel, but musically more upbeat & modern. Great, original production of some true talent. One of KCRW's top picks, and for me one of the most enjoyable releases this year.

Stand-outs:
'Philosophia'
'Told You So' (Great single material)
'Wonderful Wizard' (Contains Title lyric)
'Rosanna'
'Ozymandias'

CD comes in a quality book-style packaging with great notes.

Outstanding CD

I had heard of this album by reading a Paste magazine article in which David Dye (I think) of WXPN radio recommended it. I really respect WXPN and their hosts, so I though I'd give it a chance, totally at risk and unheard.
What a nice surprise. I use the word album for a reason to describe this CD. It is packaged in a CD-sized hardcover booklet, with excerpts from what appears to be a weblog or chatroom discussion on the demise of album art. This discussion carries through for several pages. There are also the song lyrics, a small graphic story that parallels one of the songs, and also some assembled notes and quotes from the band for each song. The packaging alone is enough to make you rejoice. In the age of digital downloads, this album is a treat for people who want to get to know the artists and the songs, for people who appreciate the craft of music.
Now, for the tracks themselves. Another pleasant surprise. Mature lyrics, good beat and creative production overwhelmed me from the start. I knew just a few notes into the first song that I was listening to a quality product I was glad to have purchased. Only Carencro by Marc Broussard has made a stronger first impression.
These guys have their own sound. It's mature, causes one to stop and listen, yet is delightfully youthful as well.
Keep your eyes on these guys. You'll be hearing more of them soon.

These guys are a great gem waiting to be discovered. I'm convinced it's only a matter of time before they hit it big.

As musicians, these guys are extremely talented, showing mastery as multi-instrumentalists and writing beautiful songs the way it seems like no one writes them any more: songs in 3/4, songs with bridges, etc. (Great live shows, too.) Top that with some beautiful lyrics courtesy of lead singer Kevin May.

"Told You So" is a perfectly crafted pop song. "Portmarnock Beach Boy Blue" is a boogie-fest that ends before you want it to. "I Think I Love You" is a cute country-tinged song about the excitement of new love. "Cold Truth" has to be one of the most beautiful break-up songs ever written. And "Tromboner" sees Mick Lynch, usually the back-up vocal, singing the lyric exactly as a trombonist might play it.

Pure genius, in a beautiful faux-leather cover. Don't wait, buy it today.

The elaborate liner notes contain (typically) the lyrics and (not so typically) a song-by-song band commentary. The band also includes a blog excerpt in which contributors wiegh in on the loss of the album "experience" in this age of digital downloads. Guggenheim Grotto counters with one of the classiest CD packages I've seen, right down to the textured and bound, red-and-silver CD booklet case. This coffeetable CD doesn't disappoint musically, either. GG's acoustic approach melds subtle harmonies, delicate fingerplay, and rich layering, evincing influences of Simon & Garfunkel, the Kings of Convenience, Fleetwood Mac, and, yes, Nick Drake. Reviewed elsewhere as one of the most beautiful albums of 2007, Waltzing Alone will whisk you away to a neverland for no one else.

The first time I heard the song Philosophia it literally made me stop everything and just listen and in this day and age that's a big deal. But even more enticing is the fact that when the song ended I was left hungry for more. That's the kind of music Guggenheim Grotto creates. One song is just as powerful as the next. Intelligent, soul gripping lyrics and fantastic music combine to make this an album you have to own. The US is just discovering this incredible band so it may be hard to find in your local store, however, I do not believe that will be the case for long. If you like to have the actual CD ordering online may be your best bet for now or you can go to Itunes. I can not wait to see them live. A+++++ from me.

The Guggenheim Grotto is going to explode into mainstream music in the near future. The album is a phenomenal combination of traditional folk, "I think I Love you" and "A Lifetime in Heat", with the catchy cross over ballads of "I Told You So" and "Wonderful Wizard". Every track is brilliantly written, very accessible, and melodically inviting. After "I Told You So" was the free single of week on itunes in April, I've been hooked, and don't envision my love for this band to fade any time soon.

These guys are simply brilliant!!! This album is unique, and has so many different sounds.
They each play several instruments and coninually switch up what they are playing.
Check them out live if you get the chance!

Mezmerizing...the application of old-fashioned discipline to natural musical talent has yielded some of the best music to come along in decades! Mellifluous harmonies, exquisite lyrics, perfect diamonds of songs! Kudos, gentlemen!...(perhaps if GG wore tuxedoes people would pay more serious mind to this sparkling duo..)

When iTunes had "Philosophia" as a free song, I downloaded it because the 30 second sample sounded interesting. It wasn't long before I realized that I'd listened to the song more often than music I had paid for. Still, I didn't follow up with any other tracks until this CD showed up as an Amazon recommendation based on my purchase history. I sampled all the tracks and decided it was worth an $8.99 download. If I'd known how much I would end up loving it, I would have saved the cost of the download and ordered the CD instead, which is what I ended up doing.

Other reviewers describe the lyrics as "earnest", and at times they can seem a bit overly earnest, but the music is so beautiful and flawlessly performed that it really does not matter. In fact, this is one of those cases where the music is so captivating that you end up surrendering to it, singing along to lyrics that under less capable hands might make you cringe just a little.

The other major strength of this CD is the amazing variety in musical styles. These guys are incredibly talented and the CD is a classic in every sense of the word. It has earned a permanent place in my car CD changer and also gets lots of airtime on my iPod and home system.

Intelligent lyrics, haunting melodies, impeccable musicianship, catchy hooks... I would have given five stars, but the cuts take a bit of a down-turn on the latter half of the CD. Wonderful Wizard and Rosanna are the standouts for me. Great packaging too. Song commentaries and lyrics are always welcome. Don't miss this one.