Take Fountain [ENHANCED]

The Wedding Present

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 15, 2005)
• Original Release Date: February 15, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Manifesto Records
• ASIN: B0007IO6XC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #152,404 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Somewhere it’s raining, and a heartbroken teenager listens to the Wedding Present on headphones while staring out at the raindrops sploshing against the earth outside. Formed in Leeds in the mid ‘80s, this "miserabilist" pop band was huge in the U.K. back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, though they never approached the charts here. In 2005, the Wedding Present is David Gedge plus whoever he wants in the band. In fact, Take Fountain, the first WP album in 8 years, allegedly started out as a new record by his post-WP orchestral pop act, Cinerama. Gedge has always demonstrated very Catholic indie-rock taste. His band covered Pavement’s "Box Elder" -- a song off their first single -- before most knew who they were. And here he re-enlists versatile veteran Steve Fisk as the producer. There are poppy mid-tempo dirges ("Don’t Touch that Dial") and vaguely detuned, mopey but not emo anthems ("Mars Sparkles Down on Me"). The now-Seattle-based Gedge has made another Wedding Present album filled with pretty songs that gracefully shout to the heavens, "Woe is me!" --Mike McGonigal

Product Description
Take Fountain is the first Wedding Present album in nine years, The last one Saturnalia, released in 1996 went Top Forty. The band's singer, David Gedge has spent the intervening years releasing Cinerama albums. Scopitones. 2005. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Stuff, but file under Cinerama , April 26, 2005

By	MEWZIK - See all my reviews

This of course is a 5 star record, best David has done in ages.
I respect Cinerama a lot and think the idea of coming back to the orignal WP group name is pointless when both bands sound so similar towards Saturnilia to current Cinerama. Maybe it is for the financial attention that he totally deserves, selling his own shirts after every show. I once saw them perform. David saw this one kid sing every word to every tune from the stage. The kid asked for two shirts and David said 'it was on him, cheers'. I'll never forget how in touch he was to his following. In any case, if you like later WP, this is such an easy one to throw on. Very Recommended! I also recommend British Sea Power's Open Season. They have a lot of WP's energy on the slow ones, as well as Julian Cope and early Echo. Cheers.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best TWP in Years, March 20, 2005

By	Glenn Richards "Glenn" (Anaheim, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was a little anxious to find out how this album would turn out and have been anticipated it's release for some time now. I have not been disapointed in fact very impressed with Take Fountain.

This albbum is better that anything Cinerama released (although I though Torino was a great record) and some of the last releases that TWP where a little dissapointing for me. This record makes up for this and is well worth to buy.

The album is a strong set of songs and a solid releases from start to finish. InterState 5 is a powerful pounding song (a great driving song)that shows TWP at their best. The extended mix breaks into a south western/blueman group type instrmental that is brilliant. There is likely a short movie to made just for this song alone. It really gets your imagination pumping.

Further north than you is a great pop song well wriiten and catchy all the way through. Mars Sparkes down is a downbeat song remins me a bit of the seamonsters record. Don't touch that dial is also a great downbeat song with strong emotional drives.

Track 7 It's for you sounds like it came straight off the Bizarro record and is a lively bit of fun.

Even if you have been dissapointed with TWP or Cinerama in the past this is the time to make ammends. TWP have delivered a solid album that will be memorable. I recomend to buy this record.

Also the good news is the US tour and they have been plying alot of oldies including My Favorite Dress, Once More, Kennedy, Brassnect on the European circuit so I expect that we will receive the same here. The US tour dates are.

Apr 14 2005 8:00P
Troubadour Los Angeles, CA
Apr 15 2005 8:00P
Slim's San Fransisco, CA
Apr 17 2005 8:00P
Neumo's Seattle, WA
Apr 18 2005 8:00P
The Red Room Vancouver,
Apr 21 2005 8:00P
400 Bar Minneapolis, MN
Apr 22 2005 8:00P
Luther's Madison, WI
Apr 23 2005 9:00P
Double Door Chicago, IL
Apr 24 2005 9:00P
Double Door Chicago, IL
Apr 25 2005 9:00P
Kraftbrau Kalamazoo, MI
Apr 26 2005 9:00P
Lee's Palace Toronto, ON,
Apr 27 2005 8:00P
Cabaret Music Hall Montreal, QC,
Apr 28 2005 8:00P
Middle East Underground Cambridge, MA
Apr 29 2005 8:00P
Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Apr 30 2005 9:00P
Maxwell's Hoboken, NJ
May 1 2005 8:00P
Black Cat Washington, DC
May 2 2005 7:00P
Andy Warhol Museum Pittsburgh, PA
May 3 2005 9:00P
Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
May 4 2005 8:00P
Little Brothers Columbus, OH
May 5 2005 8:00P
Southgate House Newport, KY
May 6 2005 9:00P
The Patio Indianapolis, IN
May 8 2005 8:00P
Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
May 10 2005 8:00P
Bluebird Theater Denver, CO
May 12 2005 9:00P
Plush Tucson, AZ
May 13 2005 9:00P
Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach (San Diego), CA
May 14 2005 8:00P
The Roxy West Hollywood, CA

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glorious, June 23, 2006

By	Steven E. Wilson "plasticsoul2001" (San Gabriel, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I started listening to the Wedding Present with Seamonsters and followed them through the wonderful Hit Parade CDs but then sort of lost touch with them. About a month ago I found WP on a friend's Top 8 List on Myspace.com and thought I should get out the old CDs and see how they had aged. After listening to them all multiple times I figured I needed to see what Gedge was up to now and ran out to buy Take Fountain.

As Interstate 5 kicked in my first thought was that they still manage to get some of the greatest drum sounds ever recorded. As a musician/producer I live for killer recordings, especially drums, and WP have never dissapointed. The second surprise was Gedge's voice. If I didn't know it was WP that I was listening to I may not have recognized him right away. He seems to have shed a bit of his accent and now, where his voice used to be somewhat buried on previous albums, his vocals are pushed forward in the mix. He's voice has matured wonderfully and the listener can now hang on every one of his excellent lyrics. And speaking of lyrics, I noticed that a previous reviewer here at Amazon was struck by the same line as I - "how can I just shake his hand when it's been all over your skin". When I heard that for the first time it was like a knife in the chest. Even now after the 10th listen it still causes brings an ache.

I could sit here all night and write praise for Take Fountain. The production is amazing, the songs are fantastic, the musicianship is beautiful. It's a glorious album and I'm sure I will be obsessed with it for quite some time. Do yourself a favor and buy a copy. You won't regret it.