Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Both the Rise & Fall of Love & Rockets, February 12, 2004
"Earth Sun Moon" is a classic work of 80's alternative (for lack of a better term). The music was strange enough not to be mainstream, but catchy enough to get some airplay and build a following. It had a left-of-center mega-hit in "No New Tale to Tell" that gave them their first-ever MTV exposure. It finally broke the band out of the long shadow of Bauhaus establishing them as a sovereign musical force rather than just the stepchild of an ancestral giant. The only song that truly recalled the past was the masterful "The Light", dreamy and foreboding. The overall sound progressed from faster, feedback-filled alt-psyche rock to well-produced acoustic, atmospheric fare that had only been hinted at previously. Love and Rockets had made it, but how long could they exist in the spotlight. The self-titled follow-up album was the band's huge financial break into the U.S. mainstream but clearly cost them their loyal following; the album was good but much had been compromised. Beyond that the band members, in an effort to stay creative and progressive, stayed true to their goal of not reverting back to Bauhaus/Tone On Tail rehash, but had trouble writing original songs. For a brief moment on ESM they had forged their own identity but could not hold on to the momentum. Still the album remains a classic and a triumph. Their earlier works are excellent despite the obvious connections to their past.ESM compares quite well with The Church's "Starfish". Both had very similar artwork with simple B&W lettering and imagery; oddly both groups were coming off of albums featuring red & black psychedelic artwork. Both albums marked a shift to a sparser acoustic sound, less about rock & roll and more intent to create mood; the 2 groups had just previously released faster, fuzzier, feedback-laden albums that pushed them to the brink of major success (The Church "Heyday" and L&R "Express"). Each album had the breakthrough hit that got them North American and worldwide acclaim: L&R's "No New Tale to Tell" and The Church's "Under the Milky Way" were smash hits well remembered to this day - the songs actually sound a bit alike too. Both albums had secondary follow-up hits: L&R's "Mirror People" and The Church's "Reptile". Each album also featured less heralded tracks that may have actually been the hidden gems: "North South East West" for the Church and "The Light" for L&R. Another point of note, each band had a long, proud underground history prior to these breakthrough albums. For scholars of post-punk and 80's, it is very interesting to place these 2 works side by side - both are must-haves!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
viva nostalgia!, August 5, 2005
love and rocket's 'acoustic' album, 'earth, sun, moon' was quite a departure from densely sonic and chugging 'express.' tracks like 'kundalini express' and 'holiday on the moon' were replaced with tracks like 'waiting for the flood' and l&r's signature track, 'no new tale to tell.' the album is wrought with emotive acoustic arrangements, accentuated by daniel ash's and david j's dichotomous vocals. david j had the more deadpan delivery while daniel ash had the more melodic voice and more range. that, however, made the band that much better.
'earth, sun, moon' was arguably l&r's artistic peak, demonstrating a range previous unseen in earlier albums. it walks the fine line between artistic credibility and commecial success. 'no new tale to tell' proved to be a massive college hit, and understandably so. the 'wooo wooo WOOO wooo' intro is a definite ear-catcher and strangely appropriate intro. 'no new tale to tell's' outro is one of the finer outros your likely to hear, especially with daniel ash's trademark guitar burning up the background: 'when your up, it's a long way down, when you're down, it's a long way up. it's all the same thing, no new tale to tell.' existentialism, for some reason, always sounds better in a catchy melody.
a few of 'express'' crumbs landed on 'earth, sun, moon's' table. the album's first two tracks, 'mirror people' and 'youth' are awash in the same fuzzy, psychedelic sonics that made 'express' such a standout album. based on these two tracks, the listener might think he or she is on her way to 'express' part ii. however, 'welcome tomorrow' dispells any notion that this is another 'express.' the following tracks, 'no new tale to tell,' 'here on earth,' 'waiting for the flood,' and 'rainbird' (the exception being the rawkish 'lazy'), and 'everybody wants to go to heaven' see l&r leaning towards more pastoral/spiritual plains, and asking questions about life, religion, god, family, etc. and it succeeds fabulously.
'earth, sun, moon' saw the band pull the reigns in on their trademark sound without abandoning their identity, all the while expanding their pallet and creating their definitive album.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
LIke the Revolution of Celestial Bodies - Timeless!, April 23, 2004
This may be their best album, although I still prefer EXPRESS which rocks out quite a bit more. Overall, it's quite a departure from their goth roots ("The Light" is the big exception here) and even from previous L&R albums.
In my book, goth music is comparable to horror movies: I really like the genre, but so much of it (stinks). I really liked what Bauhaus was trying to do with their music, but they didn't always pull it off and much of it just wasn't that good. Since singer Peter Murphy (who was likely part of the problem) split to go solo and Bauhaus eventually became Love and Rockets, I have enjoyed their music much more even though it's quite a bit less gothic. ESM boasts a wide variety of songs, mostly on the softer side of the fence. In truth, some of their best songs ever. This band is a joy to listen to!
"Mirror People" - sports quasi-staccato guitar figures and a rumbling beat. The song seems to teeter on a top while Daniel Ash contemplates an alternate 2-dimentional reality. ****
"The Light" - Gothic heaven. Otherworldly feedback. Dark and sexy. *****
"Welcome Tomorrow" - a upbeat, whimsical song dominated by briskly strummed acoustic guitars. I think I hear a pedal steel in there, too. ****
"No New Tale To Tell" - "You cannot go against nature/ Because when you do/ Go against nature/ It's part of nature too." A righteous hit, this one has a killer groove with (of all things) a crazy flute that's totally off the hook. *****
"Here On Earth" - one of my favorites. A spacey yet sincere examination of life on earth. *****
"Lazy" - This is the last song on the 1rst side of the original LP. Sometimes I used to listen to this side at bedtime and if I fell asleep, "Lazy" would always wake me up. The song begins in a directionless void, suddenly explodes in a clamor to announce its presense, then proceeds to chug along to an old-school bar band beat. Towards the end, glass is broken to a remarkably musical effect. ****
"Waiting For The Flood" - a gorgeous, majestic atmosphere pervades and you can almost smell the rain in the air. ****1/2
"Rain Bird" - a lighthearted, equisite little slice of acoustic guitar heaven with an underlying statement about conflicting desires. ****1/2
"The Telephone is Empty" - absolutely mesmerizing. Should be heard with headphones or in between 2 speakers to fully appreciate the occilating effect of the backwards guitar drones. Great lyrics about escapism and a truly killer sax. *****
"Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" - Possibly the best track on ESM and that's saying a lot. A grand, straightforward, cleanly strummed and poignant observation on human life. *****
"Earth Sun Moon" - another beautiful song, this one alludes to the 3 members of the band. *****
"Youth" - another contender for best. Brilliantly strummed and picked acoustic guitars provide the backbone of this heartfelt tribute to youth that really soars. "We are the energy/ Don't wanna believe in ghosts no more." *****
"Mirror People (slow version)" - This one didn't appear on the original LP, but I like it here. This version is totally drug out and trippy which is right up my alley (as is "The Light"). I like the way these 2 versions of "Mirror People" frame the album. ****1/2
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