Self Help Serenade

Self Help Serenade
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Format: Import
Media: Audio CD


UPC: 946332190210
EAN: 0946332190210
ASIN: B000AA4HPE


Release Date: 2005-08-02

Self Help Serenade


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Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Serenade.......2005-08-03

If Mercury Rev had a more intimate sound, and had a more melodious lead singer, they might sound something like Marjorie Fair. And this is only their debut. One can only imagine how beautiful their music will be in ten years' time.

The Los Angeles quartet creates a dazzling first impression in "Self Help Serenade," a polished indie pop album that combines slow, eerie melodies with panoramic sound. Like a strange dream full of stars and rainy spring forests, this album sticks to your mind even when you wake up... I mean, when it's over. Why did this languish in limbo for three years?

Faint sound effects and a guitar melody kick off "Don't Believe," a dreamy pop song that starts the album off on a dark note. "Don't believe a word they say/they're only there to take you away... don't believe a word they say/they're only trying to scare you away..." Evan Slamka sings in the opener, sounding like a cynical, sad young boy.

Things don't get much more cheerful as the album goes on, using the same kind of epic pop sound that Mercury Rev and the Doves made famous. But in addition to that, Marjorie Fair dips into catchier art-pop, murky ballads, and acoustic laments that are colored by ghostly keyboard.

The songwriting is even more tragic, with Slamka singing, "They found her in a plastic veil/with blood stained boots and glass in her hair." But it ends on a startlingly mellow note, with Slamka resigning himself to his girlfriend leaving. He sounds peaceful as he sings, "My sun is setting over her magic/equal parts caring and tragic/I'll be burning for awhile..."

Marjorie Fair is not just a talented bands. It's also one of the few bands where the musical influences aren't worn on its sleeve -- there are hints of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Flaming Lips, and others woven into these songs. But they aren't blatant hints, nor does "Self Help Serenade" ever harken back to other musical eras.

Nor does it succumb to trends, like stripped-down garage-rock. Its fours members manage to create unusually lush sounds. Usually the combined sound is uniformly smooth and sweet, but for example, "Halfway House" has a rich, gritty solo by bassist Scott Lord. "Waves" lets drummer Mike Delisa get to shine. Dain Luscombe' panoramic keyboard is a ruling influence in almost every song. Slamka plays guitar as well, adding a grounding acoustic note to the swirling music. He also sings each song, lending extra poignancy to the already sad songs. This guy has a beautiful voice, and he smears it all over the dismal words ("staring at junkies and cracks in the wall")

Music Album:

  1. Immediate Hits & Mod Rarities ~ The Small Faces
  2. No Stranger to Shame ~ Uncle Kracker
  3. No Stranger to Shame (Clean) ~ Uncle Kracker
  4. No Stranger to Shame ~ Uncle Kracker
  5. On the Job ~ Dr. Feelgood
  6. Another Sweet Mess ~ Kirstin Candy
  7. Feelgood Factor ~ Dr. Feelgood
  8. Chopping Block Blues ~ Blood feast
  9. Live At The Spirit
  10. Down at the Doctors ~ Dr. Feelgood

Music Album

Music Album

Music

Call Me Al ~ Alain Caron

State of the Art ~ Bob Florence

Long Journey ~ Largo, Gast Waltzing

Ocean Machine/Biomech ~ Devin Townsend

King of Oud ~ Farid El-Atrache

Reason ~ Nami Tamaki

Mugam d'Azerbaidjan ~ Aqakh%C3%A2n Abdullaev

Starlight Ep ~ Scarlet

L' Eau ~ Madilu System

The Best Arabian Album in the World...Ever! ~ Various Artists