Search - Crimea :: Tragedy Rocks

Brilliant alt/indie rock

sxt1962 | OKC | 10/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After hearing the Lottery Winners On Acid EP, I had to get Tragedy Rocks. Four of the five EP tracks are on this album. Although Tragedy Rocks has a later release date than the EP, I'm guessing the overlapping tracks are older than the EP versions. The production here sounds slightly rawer, not that it really matters. Anyway, I haven't been this excited about a new band in a long time. The rich textures and diverse range of tempos are impressive. There's no gimmick or formula here, just talented musicians making great rock music. I can't wait for more."

Already one of my favourite albums

S. Denyer | UK | 11/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In answer to another reviewer, the tracks here are re-recorded versions of those on the LWOA EP and more recent. The band were aiming for a more 'live' feel, I think, and after a few listens I reckon it works well. You're getting three more songs than we are in the UK (Howling at the Moon, The Great Unknown and Here Comes the Suffering), which is why I've ordered from Amazon US.



Short review: fantastic stuff, and well worth importing.



Longer review: the biggest draw of The Crimea for me is Davey's lyrics -- acerbic, witty and pragmatic words set to cheerful indie pop. The most poppy songs here are Girl Just Died (a wonderful guitar-driven tune) and Lottery Winners On Acid, although tracks such as White Russian Galaxy, Baby Boom, Miserabilist Tango and the Beach Boys inspired Bad Vibrations also bounce and glide along smoothly.



It's the recently-written numbers such as Losing My Hair and Gazillions of Miniature Violins that are a particular draw for fans who've been following the band for a few years, though. They stand as evidence that the band have plenty more to give after this album.



One last thing... at the time of writing, the album hasn't been given a label-promoted release (that's due in 2006) so the copy I got from a Marketplace seller is a promotional copy in a card sleeve. If you absolutely can't live without a jewel case, check with the retailer before you order.



You certainly won't be disappointed with the music, though!"

Unusual, varied, experimental, and delightful.

Stephen M. Vakil | Madison, WI United States | 01/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard of this band upon hearing Baby Boom on XM Radio's XMU station. I enjoyed the humor and the harmony of that song enough to gamble on this CD. It didn't disappoint.



The songs have a sort of unpolished feel to them, which works really well in this case. Each song has a slightly different mood and feeling to it, and the style wanders around a bit from mellow to heavy.



The lyrics are interesting, though not as complex or deep in some songs as in others. The lead singer's voice often dips into a humorous crack at times, as if he is an actor on an after-school special. It somehow works, though, because the album never takes itself too seriously while still presenting some interesting ideas and a variety of music styles.



This is definitely not an album that will have wide appeal. The listener has to be willing to put up with a somewhat experimental style and put aside some traditional expectations. I've had friends describe some of the songs in different ways, from cute, to intelligent, to a little too weird. That suits me just fine."