Somewhere Left to Fall

Artist: Amelia
Label: Slow Down Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 619981091923
EAN: 0619981091923
ASIN: B00008DKC0

Release Date: 2003-02-25

Somewhere Left to Fall

Related Categories:

Alt-Country & Americana

| Country | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock

| Pop | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Wings
Marigolds
No Valentine
False Start
Make Believer
Safe And Sound
Come Clean
Edison's Last Breath
Stranded
Linger
Gone For Good

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Customer Reviews:

Haunting, melliflous, introspective, calming, magnificent.......2006-01-13

Amelia's music is its own genre'...lyrical, moody, sophisticated and gliding across a timeless plain of serenity dotted with a tree or two of sadness and want. Its folkountry with Spanish overtones. Think Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot and Jose Feliciano jamming in a progressive Bohemian bar.

All the music is imbued with a gravely bluesy feel thanks to the smoky tenderness of singer Teisha Helgerson's earthly voice. What makes this band a touchstone of Indie brilliance are the lyrics. Scott Weddles' thought-provoking strings of poetry are an elixir for those who crave a world in which words and language are integral, not antithetical to the music.

Broad brush strokes of lithe and supple melodies become more focused by the finer details of Weddles' brilliant metaphorical prose. In the short and haunting gem of "Edison Last Breath" we are intrigued by the Spartan spin of these lyrics:

"Take the bottle off the shelf, my sweet Elizabeth
And trap the life that's left inside like Edison's last breath.
The big hand points at seven, the small hand's on the ten
Tomorrow's here but may not come again
It's cooler than a killers heart as gentle as a sigh
Promises to never leave your side".

In "Marigolds", the combination of Hedgerson's pleading voice and Weddles' wistful lyrics create a triage for the fickleness of love. A story of suitors not willing to stay:

"The seesaw sky and the merry moon go round
The swing set chains in the breezes blowing down
Penny drops and finds her feet but could have used a hand
Not marigolds and maybes from someone flashing in the pan"

Ameila's originality may be its own governor. Music this lyrically interesting is alas, not accessible or understood by the masses. Then again neither is most great art and that certainly does not make it less important. In fact, music this terrific stands like a monolith of stalwart sturdiness, unyielding to the pop retch that so much music has become.

Real Music.......2005-05-18

I somehow got my hands on a free copy of this CD, and after listening to it I almost wish I had paid for it. The songs are expertly written, and Teisha's voice is perfect for this type of music. The lyrics are exotic and thought-provoking. Very soft and soothing music, especially "Marigolds" and "Gone For Good"-- but there isn't a single bad song on this album. This band really knows what they are doing.

Insidious.......2004-06-23

... adjective; 2a : having a gradual and cumulative effect.

Amelia makes such subtle music. On the first listen it sounds pleasant enough, but doesn't jump out and grab you by your shirt and shake you like some monsterous rock hit. Instead it sneaks up on you when you aren't looking.

These are mostly down-tempo songs, which means stretched out. What you didn't notice, perhaps, at first, is that the instrumentation is dead-on rock-solid and everything is there that needs to be there. At first Teisha's vocals sound gentle, easy on your ears, but then you begin to notice the phrasing complements the timing of the music and that there are subtle hooks in there.

It's hard for me to express how surprised I am that I like this style of music. I've been into European electronic/techno music, after having burned out on vintage Led Zeppelin, Ramones, New Order, Wire, Tangerine Dream, Depeche Mode, onward through Enigma, Delerium, Jaurim (Korean band), Banco de Gaia, etc. Amelia sounds nothing like these bands, except perhaps some of the moods of certain New Order songs.

How did I connect into Amelia's music? I got addicted to one of their songs available on the Seattle radio station KEXP. The live recordings section has an interview with Amelia and four songs. I was almost immediately hooked by the song "False Start". About five listens later I found I was hooked even more on the song "Stranded". Apparently Amazon doesn't like web links in reviews, so you'll have to find kexp dot org yourself. Since Amazon didn't bother to host sound clips, I highly recommend you give the performance a listen, and repeat five times to let the hooks sink in.

Another reviewer describes Amelia's songs as sad. Some of them are sad, but I think a better description is studiously restrained. I can imagine standing on a porch on some old house in the country watching the sunset over the hills with Amelia's music wafting out the door. It calms you down like a back-rub.

Why 4 stars? I like it enough to play it over and over, and enough to buy the second album. But I believe they will grow, and I'd like to hear a less restraint sometimes.

Wonderful band........2003-10-03

Amelia is an incredible band. The music is beautiful, haunting, and unique.
These guys will be very famous soon. This CD is well worth the cost.

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