Search - Sean Watkins :: Let It Fall

Great news for Nickel Creek & acoustic guitar fans!

03/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of Nickel Creek already know that Sean Watkins is a monster acoustic guitar player and songwriter. Chris Thile has the mandolin monopoly in Nickel Creek, so it may be less well known that Sean also does wonders with the mando, as well. "Let It Fall" is a wonderful display of Sean's diverse talents, and it's a work of tremendous beauty. All the songs are written by Sean except one -- a lush version of "Over the Waterfall," played much more slowly than usual, an approach which allows the listener to savor it fully. As for the songs written by Sean -- lots of acoustic treasures there! The title song, "Let It Fall," has lead vocal by Glen Phillips (formerly of Toad the Wet Sprocket). It alone is worth the price of this CD. As for the other musicians on the CD, they're the best: Jerry Douglas on resonator guitar, Stuart Duncan, Sara Watkins & Luke Bulla on fiddle; Chris Thile on mando; Todd Phillips on bass... All in all, it's a great solo album from one of acoustic music's most interesting innovators."

This is a masterpiece

roislecxe73 | Roswell, NM | 07/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Obviously if you like Nickel Creek, you'll absolutely love this. Sean Watkins is really an amazing artist. His talents weren't revealed as much as I would have liked on the Nickel Creek CD, but here he's had the chance to really shine. I would recommend this to anyone of any age. My personal favorites are Let It Fall, Cloudbreak, and January 2, but every one of his songs holds so much beauty and magic. With a mesmerizing blend of different instruments, there are highs and lows, exciting climaxes and soothing lulls. These songs tell stories, even without words."

A great shapshot into the rise of a great artist

James Hymans | Muncie, Indiana USA | 03/08/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Stepping outside of Nickel Creek between their debut and This Side seems to have done a great deal of good for both Chris Thile and Sean Watkins. But, while Chris Thile made a tour-de-force album that I personally consider to be one of the best "New Acoustic" albums ever made, Watkins gives us a more focused, restrained look at his growth. Unfortunately, it is so restrained in places that it veers dangerously close to New Age territory. The playing on this album is impecible all the way across the board, but the song-writing leaves a little to be desired in places, as a few of the pieces end up being little more than atmosphere and are ultimately forgettable. The real value of this album comes across when it is viewed as a bridge between the work that Sean did on Nickel Creek's debut, and the supurb songwriting that he did on This Side. When you look at the album from that perspective, you can see him developing his songcraft, moving beyond the blandness of The Hand Song toward far superior material like This Side or Speak. And none of what I've said should be misconstrued as me saying that there's no memorable music on this album. As a matter of fact, the good far outweighs the forgettable on this album. Neo's Song shows Sean really flexing his muscles and turning in some first-rate flat picking, while Let It Fall brings together great music and great lyrics (not to mention great vocals c/o Glen Phillips) for the first time we've really heard from Sean. Interestingly enough, the short bonus track turns out to be one of the most interesting tunes on the album, as it shows off Sean's versatility and virtuosity in a very different setting than you would expect. Overall, this is a good album that shows a tremendous amount of growth from the artist. While it's not as good as it probably could have been, it's worth a listen, if for no other reason than to hear the promise that this young man displays. This album may have been a slight (very slight) disappointment, but if he follows the path he has laid out on this album, which he already appears to be, his future albums (I'm eagerly awaiting 26 Miles) will be forces to be reckoned with."