Mutual Admiration Society

Mutual Admiration Society | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 13, 2004)
• Original Release Date: July 13, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sugarhill
• ASIN: B0002ABUXE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #101,201 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This collaboration between former Toad the Wet Sprocket front man Glen Phillips and Nickel Creek's Sean and Sara Watkins and Chris Thile was rehearsed and recorded in six days in 2000 and is the result of a true mutual admiration between the parties. Some of the eight originals bear a connection with Phillips's erstwhile band, especially a song like "Somewhere Out There" with its lilting rhythms and dreamily atmospheric chordal structure. What's most telling is the breadth that this new context allows him as a songwriter. The rootsy Americana, subtle voicings, and front-porch settings seem hundreds of miles from the more urban character of Toad. It's nice to see Nilsson's "Think About Your Troubles," one of a handful of covers, emerging as a contemporary standard in new acoustic circles (having also been released this year in a version by the Asylum Street Spankers). MAS's version of Jon Brion's "Trouble" shows the ease with which these players blend pop sensibilities with the resilience of tradition. --David Greenberger

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bad Mix, Slow Temp but Good Idea, July 19, 2004

By	Greg Carpenter (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have to agree with a previous reviewer who said that the mix on this CD is a major detractor from enjoying the performances fully. Glen's vocals, while very good, are way to high in the mix. It is very hard to discern what instruments are being played at times, and some of the instruments are just so low in the mix, they might as well have been left off. (i.e. There is organ on the album, but you would be hard pressed to hear it.)

The harmony vocals on the album are also mixed too low. Both Toad and Nickel Creek have trademark harmony vocals, and it's a shame that this element was under-used and mixed too low. Also, there should have been a duo between Glen and Sarah. This should have been a no-brainer, and while were on the sujbect of vocals, Sarah should have sung "Trouble" as Glen had to strain a little on that one.

Also, the overall album is too slow. Notice, I'm not using the word "mellow." The tempos are all slow, even the mid-tempo tracks are too slow (all 3 of them). It's as if every member of the band took a valium before recording, or if they were using a click track (since there is no drummer), the person setting up the click track popped a valium. While Nickel Creek can get away with not having a drummer due to the percussive manner in which they play their instruments, there is a lot of guitar strumming on this album, and it's slow strumming a lot of the time. They need to hire a drummer or let Chris Thile dictate the pace. The little bit of hand percussion on the album just doesn't cut it.

Finally, this album was recorded 3 years ago, and the relatively young members of NC have matured by leaps and bounds. I'm sure that if this is not a one-off project, the next MAS album will be a true collaboration. What we have with this album is a Glen Phillips solo album recorded in 6 days with Nickel Creek serving as session musicians. I'm sure the next album will be given more studio time and hopefully, the production and mix will be kinder to the band as a whole (and producer Ethan Johns is no hack, not to mention he is a drummer which makes the album being so slow even more an enigma, but I guess you can't get it right every time).

This CD was a good idea. You take Glen Phillips who ushered in the whole folk meets rock meets California sunshine vibe of the 90's and you cross it with Nickel Creek's newgrass meets folk meets California sunshine vibe of today. The subsequent live performances of the quartet (expanded by two members for the official album tour) have shown the growth of the group, and I am looking forward to the next MAS album.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Touches of things familiar, July 28, 2004

By	M. C Rogers "Creekhead" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

On first listen of this album those of us that are "creekheads" that are expecting the excitement simliar to the first time we listened to "This Side" will be sorely dissapointed. Please keep in mind though that this is not a nickelcreek album! Mutual Admiration Society (MAS) is the blended of artists that before their respective individual success admired one another. Those of you who have seen glenn or creek in person will be happy with the studio version of "decompsing whale song" (live concert title - Last track - renamed) and "Trouble" (with Drums .... YEAH!) Newbies include "Sake of the world" and "Be Careful".
I beg that before you toss this cd aside give it a full listen twice (which will take you all of an hour and a half) during the second time around you will here the true hybrid of amazing talents! FYI - Don't be so fast to stop the cd at the end you never know when these guys will surprise you with a tiny tasty morsel of goodness!

32 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I'm sure there is a beautiful album under there . . ., July 13, 2004

By	Ryan Moulton (Cincinnati, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

... but unfortunately you can't hear it. This CD is just not mixed well. Glen Phillips' voice, while great, drowns out everything else on the album. I have to strain to hear the instrumentation on the excellent audio equipment in my home, and you can absolutely forget about hearing any of it in your car. In order to keep Glen's voice at a reasonable volume, the rest of it becomes inaudible. Its a horrible shame because I can tell that underneath there is an absolutely beautiful album, and I'm sure they will be excellent on tour this summer, but I can't justify recommending this CD. Even in the sections in which Glen isn't singing, there is far too much of a gap in volume between the different instruments for them to blend effectively.

Added to these complaints is the length of the album, 41 minutes and 7 seconds. I've gone through half of it already while writing this review.

I am a huge fan of both Nickel Creek and Glen Phillips. I had the highest of hopes for this album. But from the sounds of it, they should have spent more than 6 days recording it.