Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Differn't Direction... But not all who wander are lost..., May 13, 2007
I have been a big fan of JBT for many years and was ecstatic that they were finally doing a worldwide release instead of the altered American export versions they have released in the past. That being said, I think it is interesting that they decided to announce themselves worldwide with this twist from their traditional style. I grew to love JBT for the heavily acoustic driven politically charged songs that inspired me to take a good look at myself and the world we live in. This album does maintain some of this through the excellent "Fire in the Sky" and "Used to get High", but the general theme of the album is definitely more funk then fight. While this does make the album a little more radio friendly, many of the loyal JBT fans that I associate with seem to miss the "in your face" lyrical style of the past 10 years or so. I also think this album does not showcase John's amazing 12(or 11)-string guitar talent as much as JBT has done in the past, but rather incorporates much more of the other musicians providing for a much more mature sound overall at the cost of some of JBT's traditional flare. This is not to negate the albums positive attributes. This album has definitely been in my rotation since the day I purchased it and will certainly be one of my feel good discs of the summer.
Bottom line: If this is your first JBT experience then you are certainly getting a wonderful start, but please don't stop here because you will be missing out on some of the most amazing music of the past decade.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"The band's most eclectic album yet", March 27, 2007
John Butler's sound continues to evolve, and Grand National features the band's most eclectic album yet: from the Bob Marley-esque vibe of "Groovin' Slowly," to the hard rock of "Devil Running," to the smooth ballad of "Losing You," and even the beat-boxing and turntable scratching of "Daniella," John manages to squeeze as many styles of music as possible into one album.
It's also great to hear the band incorporating more elements into their music, such as the horn section in "Gov Did Nothin'" to signify the music scene of New Orleans (in a song referring to Hurricane Katrina), or the harmonica and turntables in "Daniella" and ukulele in "Groovin' Slowly." While fans typically cringe at first mention of an artist trying to expand their sound, John stands true to his roots as a musician interested in talking about important issues--singing about the senselessness of war in "Fire in the Sky," loving his wife in the beautiful "Losing You," his naivety as a young man in "Used to Get High," and teenage suicide in "Caroline."
The only area I think the album falls short is in the inconsistent production of each track; some tracks sound over-produced, while others have that "indie" feel of an amateur recording. That aside, the album is amazing, and definitely worth you taking some time out of your day to listen to.
Key Tracks:
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Used to Get High
Losing You
Fire in the Sky
Better Than
Gonna Take It
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Could they really have gotten better?, May 31, 2007
I first heard the John Butler Trio on KGSR Radio in Austin, TX. They played at SXSW Music Conference and the ACL Music Festival after that. They've got a funky Aboriginal sound that's totally their own. I honestly didn't think I'd like anything more than "Sunrise over Sea" but I obviously was wrong.
There aren't any political statements here, just good, solid rocking fun. If you haven't heard them, start with this CD.
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