Out of print in the U.S.! Originally released in 2004, Weightlifting was the fourth Trashcan Sinatras studio album and their first in eight years. This album shows the band's knack for Pop-with-a-twist - delicate acoustic ... more »guitars vie with electric riffs and atmospheric percussion, songs rich with lyrical invention and sublime melodies. A pure, imaginative outfit with three talented vocalists and a thing for perfectly-wrought tunes. Picnic.« less
Out of print in the U.S.! Originally released in 2004, Weightlifting was the fourth Trashcan Sinatras studio album and their first in eight years. This album shows the band's knack for Pop-with-a-twist - delicate acoustic guitars vie with electric riffs and atmospheric percussion, songs rich with lyrical invention and sublime melodies. A pure, imaginative outfit with three talented vocalists and a thing for perfectly-wrought tunes. Picnic.
CD Reviews
Mature, mellow, and beautiful!
James Oberacker | Los Alamitos, CA USA | 04/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Scotland's best kept secret is back, and better than ever! I can not stop listening to this CD, as each song quickly moves to the top of my iTunes list of most frequently played tracks. As wonderful as "Cake," "I've Seen Everything," and "A Happy Pocket" are, this is not like any of those three albums. "Weightlifting" is so much more mature, more soulful, more deep, more mellow, and more beautiful than anything they've ever done before. Why these guys aren't bigger is beyond me.
This CD isn't just for the 30/40 something age group which has been following the TCS since 1990. After listening to the album in my classroom, one of my high-school students has, in her own words, "fallen in love with the Trashcan Sinatras!"
My personal favorites: "All the Dark Horses," "Weightlifting," "Got Carried Away," and "It's a Miracle." That said, I never use the skip button when this CD is in the player - every track is worth a listen.
A recommendation: If you love this CD, try "Keep Going" from Stephen Duffy and the Lilac Time."
A rare five-star album in these tragic one-star times.
Timothy Karlberg | Minneapolis, MN | 06/10/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The fact that these guys are still as underrated as they are is one of the American music industry's biggest faults. The fact that so many of their albums are so inaccessible is another. Of course, the Trashcan Sinatras' relative anonymity only lends to the immaculate charm of their diamond-in-the-rough musical styling. Songs ranging from the buoyant "All the Dark Horses" and "Freetime" and the delicately sober "Usually" and "A Coda," for example, represent everything that's right about solidly constructed pop music. There isn't a single throwaway tune in the whole masterpiece--sure, masterpiece--of "Weightlifting." Organic and believable, from beginning to end this is a lesson in potency, understatement, and the craft of aural architecture."
Quintessential Pop
Robert J. Howal | Nowhere USA | 01/11/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you have never heard the Trash Can Sinatras you have never really heard pop music - as it could be. Frank Reader's sweet voice traversing the cascading chords of melody drenched guitar compositions is a true joy to behold. Every TCS album is a gem - packed with not just lovely tunes but literate and witty lyrics. Weightlifting continues the tradition. Witness here the merit of quality far outpacing quantity. Not even the Scots west coast delta blues could put a damper on the good feeling these lads deliver."
Welcome back ... better than ever!
Andy717 | Charlotte, NC USA | 09/15/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Like the proverbial Phoenix from the ashes, the Trashcan Sinatras are back with a great collection of songs that prove they have evolved but thankfully never really left us.
I've been a fan since their debut "Cake" and have always loved the witty intelligent songwriting and complex, yet smooth melodies. After 8 years, many trials and tribulations and a bit of luck, amazingly enough, TCS picks up right where they left off. It's almost as if you can sense the karmic sensibilities of their return in the echoes of each song. These guys have put together a beautiful piece of work that I would agree with the band as being their best ever. The sound is more mature and maybe a bit more subdued, but the vocal harmonies and musicianship are as gorgeous as ever. In this age of either overproduced or gratuitously raw music, "Weightlifting" evokes an overall "live life in earnest" feeling that comes across as remarkably genuine."
Trouble Sleeping ?
Bonnie Buellis | 09/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"They're back stronger than ever. A little more Mature,and a little more Mellow. I have to say since Michael Head's song,"Something like You" I have not heard a song that could make me weep more than the Trashcans"Trouble Sleeping"....as soft as a kitten's kiss, the Horns whisper perfectly. One breathtaking song after another.Amazing velvet Strings,and Horns make this long awaited effort....simply flawless.
I look forward to seeing them perform Live again...It's been awhile!"