Search - Shipping News :: Very Soon & In Pleasant Company

Boston Phoenix review by Tristram Lozaw

02/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mixed at Boston's Sonics Studio, the second full-length from this Louisville crew is shot through with jarring shifts in emotion. There are no gentle modulations here. One minute, Shipping News are pounding out angular Jesus Lizard-style clang, looking to see where the chaos theory of math rock will take them ("The March Song"). The next, they're neck-deep in devastation ("Actual Blood"), with darkly hued chamber strings carrying their beautiful mourning to the netherworld. Then the proceedings fracture into a sparse, dead-rock nothingness, where the singing, what little there is of it, strains to underline the pent-up futility in the music ("Quiet Victories").Bassist Jason Noble (also of Rachel's) and guitarist Jeff Mueller (also of June of 44) inject some of the dynamics and experimentalism they honed together in Rodan. Drummer Kyle Crabtree (of Metroshifter) pushes nihilist beats like those on "Nine Bodies," which sounds like malicious prog-rock fed through the Vincent Price Fly setting on a minimalist filter. But it's the textures supplied by slowly chiming guitars and Rachel's pals Christian Frederickson (viola) and Edward Grimes (vibes) that lift this dementia and allow it to succeed, despite long stretches of seeming aimlessness.-- Tristram Lozaw"

Sorry guys..

afsd | mass | 02/01/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"sorry but I loved the first album, couldnt wait for the new one, but was disapointed when I finally got it. The first album was catchy, rockin, and grooving, while some tracks were simplistic and aestetic, some insanely complexe and very interesting. This new album is polor opposite. slow, not very toe tapping at all. Out of 7 songs i would only say 2 or (maybe) three tracks are worthy of purchase. the first track has some AWESOME bass work, and the 4th track is cool in its minimalist/indie vibe. Im putting this album into permanent light rotation in my collection. disapointed, but the first album nearly makes up for it. Save your money. has anyone read the book called "the shipping news"? thanks for listening, rock on."

THIS IS INTELLIGENT MUSIC!!

Pablo Jiménez | Madrid, SPA | 09/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I could reduce all my Cd's to three categories: the stupid, the funny and the intelligent. "Very soon & in pleasant company" is set in the third group. "Actual blood" is one of the finnest and saddest ballads I have ever heard. "Quiet victories" is, maybe, the greatest song of the year; it's absolutely mavellous hoy it goes "in crescendo". "Contents of a landfill" is beautiful and poetic. And "how to draw horses" is the ideal music for a greek tragedy. Let me tell you this is not an easy album, but if you listen to it with patient, you will fall in love with it."