"English lacks the superlatives to describe this album. In today's pop culture, in which crass commercialism crushes originality, Fruit of Life stands out as a perfect jewel. The depth of their lyrics astounds. The range of their vocals intrigues. The purity of their harmony amazes. All in all, the best CD in years. No wonder the big labels ignore them!"
13 years and still one of my favorite albums
C. Goodwin | 10/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It sickens me that people are selling used copies of this CD for less than a dollar. I feel compelled to buy all of them and hoard them in a bank vault on the off chance that this CD becomes unavailable at some point in the future. I bought this CD back in 1994 because one of my college professors (a recent transplant from L.A.) recommended it, and I have loved it ever since. If you listen to it and do not become obsessed with it, then there is something seriously wrong with you."
Fantastic voice and sound
C. Goodwin | 04/12/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"By accident, I discovered the Wild Colonials live at a hole in the wall in Boise, Idaho. The intensity of the music, the variety of sounds, the violin and the vocals were so compelling I bought both of their albums. The music is truly fantastic and every track on this CD is worth your time. The lyrics tend to be reflective, in some cases sad, but always comforting. This is not to say the music is slow - there are some very lively songs and some truly remarkable violin playing. "Alice" is the best "fast" song on the CD; it begins "The feeling was strong/when it came up tonight/you looked at your life/and nothing seemed right..." You'll feel the energy in the song.
Although the Wild Colonials are not really similar, I know many who like them who also like Sarah MacLachlan, Sinead O'Connor, Dave Matthews Band, Cowboy Junkies, etc. The Wild Colonials manage to be both soft and intense. I also recommend their other CD, This Can't Be Life; equally good."
I am still riding on a rainbow...
queenruckus | SoCal, USA | 03/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Now here is a band that not only is timeless, but also remains vital to the survival of modern music as we know it. From their days at Largo to motion picture sound gems, the Wild Colonials have mangaged to amaze and attract even the most jaded of music fans. That is very hard to do, especially from a band that was formed here in good ol' L.A. Their sound is hard to describe and catagorize, which is a very good thing! :) If you like great uplifting music that won't get on your nerves, then they are the band for you. This album is a great place to start. The songwriting is amazing and so is the talent from everyone; from Angela's unique Scotish voice to Shark's beautiful accompaning guitar, to Paul's classical violin, to Scot's versital instrumentations. The great thing about this album is the fact that Matt Tillman, the Swedish classical cello player graces songs like, "heaven and hell" and "Alice in wonderland." Not only are they a great band, but really down to earth, just like their music. Check this album out. ... Of course, the greatest payoff is to see them live. AWESOME!!! ... GET THIS ALBUM!!!"