East of the Sun

Tuatara

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 12, 2007)
• Original Release Date: June 12, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fast Horse Recordings
• ASIN: B000P28SW0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #253,751 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

What started as an occasional collaboration has evolved into an ongoing supergroup with ten years and four albums to their collective credit. With their latest effort, Tuatara expands its pedigree, adding some big name singers like Mark Eitzel, John Wesley Harding, Dean Wareham, Victoria Williams and Gary Louris to this Peter Buck/Scott McCaughey/Barrett Martin amalgam. It also marks a distinct change in tactic; where earlier albums dabbled in cinematic soundscapes and an eclectic fusion-esque stance, the new effort takes a more conventional approach via traditional song structures. That's not to say they've abandoned their eccentric ambitions altogether. Given that the album's concept is centered on Eastern philosophy and spiritual musings that involve reincarnation, the circle of life and a journey to the hereafter, their high-minded intents ensure an upward glance. With three spoken word narratives to provide the psychedelic spin, Dave Carter's muted trumpet, Jessy Greene's seductive violin and guest Ottmar Liebert's flamenco guitar ground the proceedings with their seductive embrace. The Olson/Williams duet on "All The Colors In The World" recalls the mournful balladry that characterized Olson's stint with the Jayhawks, while Harding's duet, "Orpheus Must Die," provides the most emphatic refrain. An intriguing indulgence, repeated listens are deemed mandatory. --Lee Zimmerman, Amplifier

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Change of direction, October 4, 2007

By	Hannie (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

I really love the previous Tuatara cds - I enjoyed the combination of percussion, horns, guitars and no vocals. But East of the Sun is a real change of direction and includes vocals from some accomplished musicians. At first I was disappointed, but the cd has really grown on me. The tracks featuring Coleman Barks really stand out.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Different Tuatara, June 27, 2007

By	Felix the Cat (NY) - See all my reviews

Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and Barrett Martin come together to create a different Tuatara release with this beautiful, well produced collaboration of great singers/songwriters and musicians. Songs by vocalists such as Dean Wareham, Gary Louris and Victoria Williams, just to name a few, are interspersed with spoken word poetry by Coleman Barks, the Rumi translator and poet. This is an interesting and thought provoking cd, and I look forward to hearing West of the Moon.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome New Direction For Tuatara!!!!, June 22, 2007

By	James Wainright (Seattle) - See all my reviews

I absolutely love this album! It is rooted in classic songwriting and production and features some of the greatest singer-songwriter-poets in America today; i.e. Dean Wareham (Luna), Mark Eitzel (American Music Club), Scott McCaughey (REM), Gary Louris and Mark Olson (The Jayhawks), Jessy Greene (Geraldine Fibbers), Victoria Williams, John Wesley Harding and the great Sufi poet Coleman Barks. Even though Tuatara has made instrumental soundtrack music in the past, this new album shows how they can take that musical finesse and add vocals to it with astounding success. It's like a great western film soundtrack with singer-storytellers providing the narrative. Ignore the small-minded pessimists who only understand simplicity, and explore this new direction in the band - it is well worth the journey.