Customer Reviews

War and Peace

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

 

 

In War and Peace you get Syd Straw's terrific singing voice backed by the Skeletons, a bar/garage band that rocks loud (much better here, I think, than on their own CD)and often. It's a great match. Straw rangs right up there with Amy Rigby and the Go-Go's in picking jerk boyfriends, but the music she makes of these broken relationships is often superb. The Toughest Girl in the World, Million Miles, CBGB, and Madrid are the best cuts, where her longing, anguished, and plain furious vocals soar against the rousing Skeletons guitars and drums to project a party-through-the heartache determination. All Things Change, Howl, and Black Squirrel fall considerably short of the rest of the 14 cuts, however. The latter two are particularly overwrought. Leave them off and you've got an eleven track 5-star classic. As it is, War and Peace is still powerful evidence of rock's ability to make even the bad times something good.

I found this CD in a cut-out rack and bought it, unheard, on the strength of Syd's work with the Golden Palominos. It took a couple of listenings for the songs to sink in . . . but I haven't been able to rotate this out of my car CD player now in nearly a year! Her lyrics capture well the rough road of relationships (love, and the lack of it) and set forth vignettes that are almost video-like in nature. Highly recommended (although I agree with another reviewer that the album would've been perfect if Black Squirrel and Howl were left off . . . oh well, just skip those two and repeat!).

although War and Peace doesn't have the slick production of Surprise, Syd Straw's first solo album, this one is much truer to Syd's live shows. Pure honest American garage rock with excellent songwriting and memorable tunes that get under your skin. Syd is as funny as she is talented as a singer and the humor shines through on many songs. Once you get to know her music, you can't help but love this very talented highly under-rated singer/songwriter. If you're lucky enough to catch one of her rare live shows, you'll be hooked. Check out her records with The Golden Palominos as well.

Syd's voice is the real engine of all her work. On WAR AND PEACE, it's culling innumerable moods in each song, from ecstasy and celebration, to some of the most naked and vulnerable melancholy that has been trapped on a CD in years. "CBGB's" is probably the finest song about lost youth written in twenty years, and as with Van Morrison's best work, the poignance is both in the song as a whole and in the smallest morsels of phrasing. Syd is an example of what the human voice, in song, can do when it has the room to do so, and the fact that more of us don't know it is only the fault of some record company creeps. Hope they sleep well. In the meantime, we should all cleave to the flame.

I absolutely LOVED every song on this album. I will buy everything this girl records. What a strange voice, unique style, and such originally odd ways of phrasing-it totally works! Hope she puts out another album soon!

Syd Straw has one of the great voices of rock n' roll. Her songwriting is at its best in this collection of memorable heartfelt songs. She rocks out on some numbers and breaks your heart on others. She sings with a combination of wit and sincerity entirely unique. The backing musicians and Straw's own guitar playing are excellent. A great record.

Syd Straw has an amazing voice and sings unforgettable songs about love and loss and all the rest with lyrics that are smart and true. I defy you not to find the joy in "CBGB's" or "Water, Please." If you love Lucinda Williams' new album, you'll love this one, too.

I absolutely LOVED every song on this album. I will buy everything this girl records. What a strange voice, unique style, and such originally odd ways of phrasing-it totally works! I've bought 3 copies, 2 for loaners. Hope she puts out another album soon.