One of the three best bands in the world
Justin Garoupa | Madera, California United States | 04/20/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...The arrangements work amazingly well, the lyrics are amazing, insightful, and progress from the dichtomies of "The Light Before We Land" and "Hate" toward more balanced and sarcastic takes on loss such as "If This Is A Plan." There is genuine growth, beauty, and pain on this record. The previous album, The Great Eastern, was beautiful in how alive and surprising it was where as this album is a much more deliberate beauty. At first the more controlled sound took some getting used for me, since I enjoyed the nakedness of The Great Eastern so much, but after a few listens I find myself constantly amazed by how beautiful a work of art it is. There are very few bands in the world that do anything that even makes gestures at being significant, and this band has been one of the handful I've ever come across to make the leap. Everything they've done is amazing. It's a testament to the narrowness of the American mind that this is a band that is relatively obscure in the U.S. Rolling Stone gave this album three stars, then in the very next issue put it on the list of the Editor's Hot picks. Go figure. I guess it takes a little more sensitivity than most people are capable of to love delicate music."
Also check out "Gunslinger Girl" too..
H. A Huffman | Mt. Prospect, IL USA | 02/07/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Now I get the tie-in, why the makers of the Anime series "Gunslinger Girl" used The Light Before We Land as its theme song. Just like the Anime, this album is dark but impossible to resist.
These songs are simply amazing, grand sweeping orchestra-esque movements contained within a rock framework. Plus, any band that composes in 3/4 or 6/8 time gets my attention.
Check this one out."
Depressive and beautiful
lialind | Perugia, Italy | 10/06/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Despite the title, Hate, the album is made of sweet and tender melodies.
The first song, The Light Before We Land, is the most impressive and that's the one who can really express the mood of this band. But lyrics don't talk about love or passion, maybe the opposite. Here you can find terror, hate and death...here, melody and lyrics are terrible enemies...
Unforgettable..."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1