The Joy of Sing-Sing

Artist: Sing-Sing
Label: Manifesto Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Enhanced
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 767004350127
EAN: 0767004350127
ASIN: B00006GOEK

Release Date: 2002-09-03

The Joy of Sing-Sing

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Tracks:

Everything
Tegan
I'll Be
Me And My Friend
Far Away From Love
Panda Eyes
Command
Feels Like Summer
Emigre
You Don't Know
Underage
I Can See You

Similar Items:

Sing-Sing and I
Ciao! Best of Lush
Split
Lovelife
Spooky

Product Description

1. Everything
2. Tegan
3. I'll Be
4. Me And My Friend
5. Far Away From Love
6. Panda Eyes
7. Command
8. Feels Like Summer
9. Emigre
10. You Don't Know
11. Underage
12. I Can See You

Format: CD

Amazon.com

The presence of ex-Lush guitarist-vocalist Emma Anderson on Sing-Sing's debut guarantees a certain polish. The ghosts of the Cocteau Twins can also be heard around the edges, mixed with slightly retro '80s electro. Unfortunately, the songwriting here shares another trait of Anderson's former project: inconsistency. For every well-executed melody or hooky chorus, there's a clunky transition or an idea left to dangle and die. "You Don't Know" rips right along, offering a melting guitar line and a catchy (if rather unoriginal) hook, while "I'll Be" wanders over familiar, forgettable terrain before redeeming itself with an oddly touching wisp of birdsong. The limited vocal range and long, swooping phrases of singer Lisa O'Neill, while creating an interesting cabaret quality, ensures a rigid texture and tempo from track to track that derails variety and momentum. Despite it all, the record sounds great; producer and instrumentalist Mark Van Hoen keeps tracks like "Panda Eyes" humming with great swaths of windy synths. <I>--Matthew Cooke</I>

Customer Reviews:

Sing Sing for joy joy........2005-04-17

Like most people, I was lead to this album by my fondness for Lush. And while this is good, and similar in many ways to Lush, it just doesn't quite compare. "Joy Of Sing Sing" is good alt-pop, but where's the elements of shoegazing, where's the rock, and where's the fun? I know it's a different band, but still. Emma's presence isn't strong enough to make it obvious, and if I didn't know she was in the band, I'd probably give this even less attention. BUT again, it is a nice play, just nothing really stands out besides "Everything" and "Feels Like Summer". There is a hidden track also.

Experience the Joy.......2003-06-13

I call it the "Wings effect," after Paul McCartney's exceptionally unexceptional post-Beatles outfit: the tendency of spin-off bands to be drastically inferior to the great bands that spawned them.

In any case, I had been wondering what the surviving members of Lush were up to since they amicably disbanded following drummer Chris Acland's tragic suicide (which led me to wonder about Split's darkly hypnotic "Undertow" ever since). Then lo and behold, I saw a poster for an upcoming concert by Sing-Sing, featuring Emma Anderson of Lush. Would Sing-Sing fall prey to the dreaded disease? Soon after popping The Joy of Sing-Sing in the disk drive, any such notion disappeared into a cloud of heavenly dream-pop bliss.

Expertly produced by Mark Van Hoen, this album features consistently first-rate songwriting by Emma and singer Lisa O'Neill. The music is ultra-melodic, atmospheric, bright, and multi-faceted: with a swirling mix of musical influences, leaning toward dream-pop, with elements of electronica, 60s pop and lounge music, 80s synth-pop, psychedelia, and even a bit of progressive rock in the mix. Some might find the girlish vocals a bit too cute, but I think they complement the music just fine. Each song has a very distinct sound, and there's not a throwaway among the lot.

One standout track, the driving & catchy "Tegan" - which, according to what I've read, means "beautiful little thing" in Cornish - is quite beautiful, with a driving rhythm that really moves it along. It would be a perfect radio-friendly pop song, except for the ripsaw backwards guitar solo that would fit right in one of Lush's edgier pieces.

Interesting twists and turns abound, e.g., the accordion-synth break in the beautifully dreamy "I'll Be" that evokes a French café ambience; and the well-crafted backwards (?) choral vocal interlude in "Me and my Friend." Such pop artistry brings to mind Elvis Costello's similarly brilliant worst-seller, Imperial Bedroom, albeit with less lyrical emphasis and a sunnier disposition. Not to say the lyrics are weak, by any stretch: they're intelligent and well crafted in an understated way; but the heavenly melodies are what make this album truly stand out.

This album lives up to its name and then some. If you seek dream-pop bliss, experience The Joy of Sing-Sing.

Worth your money..........2003-04-15

Sing-Sing is a partnership between Emma Anderson from Lush and Lisa
O'Neill, who's vocals are reminiscent of Toni Halliday from Curve. I
never much cared for Curve (but I *loved* Lush), so I had a bit of a
chip on my shoulder when I bought this CD.

Bottom line is - the partnership works. Emma shows the spark that
gave Lush it's one-of-a-kind sound and there are two songs on this CD,
namely "Tegan" and "I Can See You" which stake out some really new
sonic territory just like Lush did (note that I did not say they sound
like Lush - they are more in an Industrial mode, you really have to
hear them to understand).

The remainder of the CD has a few good tracks, some of which will
remind you of early 90's shoegazing and others like "Panda Eyes" are a
shot of pure 80's synthpop nostalgia. Hope you get the point, this CD
is a mixed bag, a bag of tricks for those of you who like this sort of
thing... You know who you are...

Not brilliant, but a damned fine album........2003-01-16

I've been a Lush fan for years and dig Emma's voice and sensibilities. This album shows a completely different--and to me, quite superior--side of her songcraft.

Also being fan of the Cocteaus, Cinnamon, Ivy, Cranes, and other groups with sweet-sounding female voices up front, I assumed I'd dig this CD from the start. I was wrong. While I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa O'Neill's voice (breathy, child-like, playful...fun), only one or two of the songs herein grabbed me from the start. I found myself rather disappointed, having expected more in the trip-hoppy sort of vein. Though there were a couple of slow, trip-hoppy numbers, a lot of it was more pop-sounding stuff with drum machines here and there.

After giving it a couple of days, catchy melodies and harmonies slipped through and caught my ear. Before long, I was digging five or six of the songs. I listened on, and before too much time had passed, the WHOLE ALBUM was, if not excellent, pretty damned catchy and sing-along. Each tune differs quite a bit, stylistically and rhythmically, from the next, giving the album a somewhat thrown-together sound. I suppose I was expecting more conformity of style: this initially threw me off, but I climbed back on, slowly, and it was all so very worth it.

The bottom line: This album, while not being brilliant (but how many albums are truly "brilliant"?) is an excellent, fun, happy, bouncy pop disc with lush (not Lush) instrumentation, sweet voices and sentiments, and melodies you'll sing over and over again. Very summery and sunshine filled, and I highly recommend it. For a real treat, listen to it through a good set of headphones--that's when the songs and their layers of instrumentation and vocals REALLY spring to life.

4.25 stars. Well worth the price of admission for sweet tunes that'll roll around in your head and make you smile and sing along for quite some time.

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