Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply Gorgeous Album, February 3, 2009
Lisa Hannigan's first solo album, and what an amazingly beautiful freshman effort.
Lisa played with Damien Rice for some time, in fact Volcano is probably one of my favorite songs because she, Damien, and the cello all sounded like perfect musical instruments. It's a shame that Rice asked her to split off onto her own. She appears with him on these two Damien Rice albums O,9 - both are masterpieces when she sings.
Sea Sew is one of those delicate beautifully mixed clear albums that is just a pleasure to listen to. Lisa's voice and phrasing shows a number of influences, but she is never derivative of their music. She has a unique style that is very easy to recognize. On different tracks, I'm reminded of Jane Birkin (ex fan de sixties), Edie Brickel (shooting rubber bands at the stars), Bjork (her early work, maybe even sugar cubes days), Her Irishness comes out frequently, just enough pleasant lilt.
Her voice has a wonderful range, from whisper quiet with a the tiniest bit of rasp to clear clean beautiful full singing. Notes are always hit perfectly (no pitchiness here dog). The recording has wonderful imaging. The mix is well balanced, Lisa's voice is crystal clear backed by musical instruments at exactly the right volume.
The packaging is worth mentioning - all paper and paper board. The disc fits in a slot just inside the front cover. The 10 page stapled insert includes the musician credits, most of the song lyrics (a few are missing), and the standard thank yous at the end. The cover is a photograph of a knit and stitched piece Lisa and Frances Hannigan did.
Ocean and A Rock - beautiful violin accompanies her voice starting off with a low intimate whisper. Slowly builds through the song to include a nicely played trumpet. The volume of this song stays constant, there is none of that annoying very quiet first one minute of the song and then blarring sound at the end.
Venn Diagram - oh such a beautiful singing of something so mathematical. There is an interesting drum beat driving through this song. Lisa's ha ha ha's are, well a bit exciting.
Sea Song - The cello back drop on this song is wonderful. The tone of her voice works very well with violin and cello. This song is a bit weaker compared to the rest, a little sing songy.
Splishy Splashy - beautiful guitar opening. This song seems like it should be silly, but in fact has a melancholy tone in contrast to the words. "Have your coffee splishy splashy" imagine those words sung slightly sad, each word emphasized. It's remarkable how she can use her voice so well to make words and music sound sad (there is a xylophone made to sound like a child's toy).
I Don't Know - another track with a driving drum and trumpet. It's probably the most radio playable song of the disc. It's a sweet song.
Keep It All - has almost a Cowboy Junkies vibe to it. A standout on the disc. Driving drum beat, bass line, cello, and guitar. Where the lead singer of Cowboy Junkies always sounded like she was on Qualueds, Lisa Hannigan has all her senses and hits perfect notes. One of my more favorite cuts on this disc.
Courting Blues - the only song Lisa did not write, and my least favorite. There's a fair amount of dissonance, not unpleasant.
Pistachio - a cute song. Probably sounds the most like Bjork mixed with Jane Birkin. A few times the singing rolls off to almost speaking. It's an interesting enjoyable effect. The lyrics are just so much fun and oddly have an exciting side to them.
Teeth - Almost hate to say it this way, but it's sort of folk music meets a movie soundtrack or show tune (without all the horns and huge orchestra). The song is just fine, not a standout.
Lille - the most Irish folk song of the disc. Just a beautiful song.
Overall, this is a very solid disc. Personally I would purchase the CD for the lovely packaging. There's maybe one or two tracks that I might not download, if I were picking and choosing. A case of very well done mix, recorded lovingly, and with care.
Lisa was a standout to me on the Damien Rice albums. She demonstrates that she is not a one trick pony, or the background singer. She is a solid artist in her own right.
|
|
|
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful breakout album from a shooting star, November 26, 2008
Coming off a musical breakup with the amazingly talented, Singer/Poet Damon Rice, Lisa Hannigan finally launches a full album under her own name, and the result is nothing short of amazing. Hannigan likely has the best voice of any folk singer of her generation, and she is probably the most beautiful too. For anyone who appreciates time on his or her own, or just wants to unwind while listening to an amazing CD, break out a candle and let Lisa take your hand and guide you on wonderful journey.
|
|
|
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
At last!!!, February 7, 2009
I first came across Irish Singer Songwriter Lisa Hannigan when she accompanied Damien rice on "Don't explain" from Herbie Hancock's "Possibilities" CD. Ethereal, with weeping Cello and Hancock's delicate tinkling of the ivories perfectly accentuating the pairs delicate vocals, it made me long for more and so I got Damien Rice's brilliant CDs "O" and "9", both brilliant. Lisa's vocals accompanied Rice's on quite a few tracks and people wondered what she would sound like away from his shadow.
Well, here we get to find out. "Sea Sew" is Hannigan's debut which originally came out late last year in her native Ireland. Comprising just 10 melodic but tender Folk-y songs with clever and intelligent lyrics, they sound as lovingly put together as the photo of the quilt on the CD cover.
With a spare sound (piano, cello, guitars, some tinkling/chiming glockenspiel here and there) with her hushed elfin vocals floating delicately above, every song is a standout really. I must say, her songs don't sound as bleak and melancholic as her former musical partner's. My favourites are the upbeat pair of "Sea song" and "Keep it all", the waltz-like Bluesy "Courting blues", the lovely piano-driven "Pistachio", the ethereal "Teeth" (which just builds and builds), and closing lullaby-like "Lille".
This reminds me of another stunning Folk-y CD which came out last year, "Me and Armini" by Emiliana Torrini. Much like that effort, "Sea sew"'s idiosyncratic charm is not immediately apparent but takes you over slowly but surely. Classy and beautiful!!
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
by Lisa Hannigan 
