This Is the Sea

The Waterboys

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1985
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B0000089BG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,335 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not U2, January 22, 2000

By	Patrick F Clifford (Columbust, OH) - See all my reviews

When this record came out, many critics placed it in the same category as bands like U2 and the Alarm. Well, yeah, the band was from the same part of the world, but they have as much to do with U2 as the Velvet Underground did: distantly related cousins.

This is still one of my favorite albums. Each song is visceral and emotional. "Don't Bang the Drum" is intense and driving in a "Big Music" kind of way with Anto Thistlethwaite's saxophone, the pounding rhythm, and Mike Scott's constant yelping; "The Whole of the Moon" is one of the most heartfelt and direct anthems of all time (anchored down by Kurt Wallinger's piano and Anto's sax); "This is the Sea" literally overwhelms with the multitracked guitars and the, again, anthemic theme.

This was an important album at the time of its release and remains so. It was more organic than bands like U2 (although "The Unforgettable Fire" and parts of "The Joshua Tree" come close thanks to the incredible production of Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno) or the Alarm (lyrically, and musically) and the directness of the message ("The Pan Within", "Spirit") read to an audience numbed by Duran Duran like no other band at the time. Unfortunately, Mike Scott, completely wrapped up in the spirituality hinted at by his lyrics, left the "Big Music" for the simplicity of more traditional musics (Irish) only to return in a different world, handicapped by over-production and the pressures of the music industry.

This record has withstood the test of time and for those so let down by the overly corporate U2, this album still satisfies the spiritualness and honesty so ignored by virtually every band out there. This is one of the most important musical and spiritual documents of all time.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars flight manual, September 20, 2004

By	~g. (Rattlesnake Ridge) - See all my reviews

You know that part of you that thinks you can fly? That same part that makes it hard to look at the sky when it's full of stars, or makes you feel the depth of everything when you are watching a huge storm down by the ocean? This is the album to speak to that part of you. WARNING, though - after listening, you might just find yourself a little discontent with the office and may even be tempted to run away to Ireland where melancholy and passion are just little more normal.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Water, please!, July 29, 2000

By	Bart Cabezas (Sydney, AUSTRALIA) - See all my reviews

This is seemingly the first thought that comes up my mind after listening to an album by this group, particularly This Is The Sea. I yearn for water because it actually seems as if I came from a long journey. The Waterboys' music is sort of like arranged in epic proportions and they are very keen on using "special" musical instruments. I will actually never forgive myself if I don't do a review of this album because this somehow affected my growing life one way or the other. Outstanding cuts for me are The Whole of the Moon and The Pan Within but the rest of the cuts are equally dramatic. I was introduced to this music during the 80s British New Wave invasion and was particularly struck by Scott's voice specially in The Pan Within where he sounded as if indeed he was doing a "journey under the skin". It is just sad that they weren't that much recognized but hey I am not complaining because it is usual that brilliant music and musicians are remembered for quality not quantity as opposed to those "highly commercial" ones. Even the layouts on the inner sleeve of the discs speaks of so much mystery of the group's music and image but now I can only sum them up in one word - fantastic. "Close your eyes...breathe slow and we will begin......"