Search - Kip Winger :: Songs from the Ocean Floor

Very Well Done

11/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is no really good way to introduce this album to someone who isn't intensely interested in finding great music. That is the only good way to describe it - great music. Kip Winger is simply an outstanding song-writer, singer, and musician. The lyrical content clearly deals with the loss of his wife and his struggle to overcome that grief. That in itself makes this a hard CD to get into unless you really WANT to get into it. Songs... doesn't simply lay out ordinary pop tunes or mindless alternative drivel. Rather it clearly states the pain and process of recovery that Kip went through. This could scare some listeners away, but for intense fans of musical art it should be a welcom alternative to mainstream rock music. Musically there should be no worry by anyone about hearing Kip's 80's sound. There is some similarity to Winger's excellent and underrated album Pull, but largely the music is very fresh and challenging. Listeners will find lots of strings, multiple acoustic guitars and pianos, new age percussion, and eary backing vocals. The sounds are deep and intreaging for anyone willing to sit and listen. There are a lot of sounds that most people won't pick up on the first listen. This makes the album something great to come back to over and over again. Every song on this disc is excellent and well placed. You can listen to it front to back, or split the songs up. It sounds great both ways. Although much of the album is dark and moody, several tracks like "Cross" offer inspiring lines like, "You're not alone when your heart is strong", and the last two tracks offer a thrilling conclusion to the pain and darkness of this album. Songs... doesn't contain the ultimate in progressive instrumantalism or production (sometimes the guitar is annoyingly low in the track), but it is a great CD. Even the two really popish songs "Everything You Need" and "Ressurection" are incredible songs which make you wonder why pop music is so shallow when there are able artists like Kip to be filling the airwaves. Don't be afraid to try this CD. I can guarantee that anyone who really tries can understand and enjoy this album."

Dark and moody

Dr Nick | Sheffield, S Yorks United Kingdom | 05/29/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is Kip's third solo release, if you count his acoustic stuff, and the first one with new material written after the tragic death of his wife in a car wreck. And it shows. The whole feel of this CD is somber and dark, not exactly heavy (the distortion on the guitar is fairly light), but minor keys and reflective lyrics reflect Kip's mindset at the time.He can still pen a good tune, and the songs are mainly strong. I especially like Cross, Crash the Wall, and there's a fantastic instrumental track as well I just love. The mid-tempo tracks are sometimes similar to Winger's third and final CD Pull, but there are also a lot of slow songs, very reflective.I knocked off a star due to the lack of any upbeat material, but to be honest that's just my opinion, and this CD remains a very strong release."

Songs from the Ocean Floor was cathartic for me

Susan Tudor | Montgomery, AL USA | 02/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I discovered Kip Winger's solo work only recently after seeing him featured on a VH-1 "Where Are They Now?" episode. When I got this cd, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of his work. Not only is he a very talented musician and vocalist but he is able to communicate his feelings through his lyrics very well. I think it's sad that many people will only associate him with songs like "Seventeen" from his Winger years because he has so much more depth than that. Having gone through a tragic loss myself, I found his songs cathartic to listen to because he expressed feelings in such a way that I could not even begin to verbalize. While my heart goes out to him in his pain, I found comfort in knowing someone else understands those feelings and is able to put them in words where I could not. To me, when an artist can connect to their audience on that level it shows their maturity and range of expression. Kip Winger is no longer the hair metal pin-up from the 80s but has demonstrated on this cd, as well as others, that he has a lot to say and says it well."