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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
At first glance, it’s a bizarre pairing: Isobel Campbell, formerly of Scots twee-popstrels Belle and Sebastian, and Mark Lanegan, the giant redwood who towered at the microphone of Seattle’s Americana demi-legends Screaming Trees. But on Ballad Of The Broken Seas, we see not only many points of conciliation between these two diverse vocalists, but learn a little more about each in the process. Lanegan’s last few albums have been dour, zombified affairs, but on "(Do You Wanna) Come Walk With Me" his rich, lightning-scarred vocal sounds warm, revitalised--romantic, even.
Campbell, meanwhile, is anything but a wallflower: it’s her understated, siren-like vocals that define numbers like "The False Husband" and "Black Mountain", fragile, tremulous but exquisitely orchestrated numbers that hark back to classic British folk touchstones like Vashti Bunyan and Nick Drake. Most importantly, however, when they sing together, there’s genuine chemistry: see the magical "Revolver" or a cover of Hank Williams’ "Ramblin’ Man", which mark out Lanegan and Campbell as something of a Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra for the modern freak-folk set. --Louis Pattison
Product Description
Limited special offer. Collaborative 2006 album from the ex-Belle & Sebastian songbird and rogue Queens Of The Stone Age member! A captivating marriage of two odd souls : for fans of Nancy Sinatra 'n' Lee Hazlewood's darkest duets.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Who would have expected it in 2006 Belle & Sebastian and ex-member of Belle & Sebastian Isobel Campbell both release albums and the one that grabs most attention is Campbell's. This girl used to be written off as twee but there's nothing twee about this record. From the cover photos and through the songs Isobel twists and plays with the normal preconceptions of male-female roles in music and relationships. Her unexpected partner for this project Lanegan sounds like a younger and sexier Tom Waits and allows Isobel to call the shots and pull the strings.
Okay you can say it's all just an imitation of Nancy & Lee and be cynical if you want but it goes somewhere else. It succeeds where Nick Cave and Kylie's bad Nancy & Lee pastiche failed because the songs are good enough and there's something new here. It's a darker and dirtier take on what Hazelwood did with Sinatra.
Isobel's take on Hank Williams's Ramblin' Man is up there with the best and most unexpected versions of the king of country's songs. If you want a cute little summer day record this is not for you but if you want a record that is darkly sexy, inventive and unexpected you should grab hold of it.
Okay you can say it's all just an imitation of Nancy & Lee and be cynical if you want but it goes somewhere else. It succeeds where Nick Cave and Kylie's bad Nancy & Lee pastiche failed because the songs are good enough and there's something new here. It's a darker and dirtier take on what Hazelwood did with Sinatra.
Isobel's take on Hank Williams's Ramblin' Man is up there with the best and most unexpected versions of the king of country's songs. If you want a cute little summer day record this is not for you but if you want a record that is darkly sexy, inventive and unexpected you should grab hold of it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
When this first came out it seemed a bit odd - Young Scottish folk star Campbell paired with Seattle Indie veteran Mark Lanegan? Not a natural pairing. But the music they have produced is superb. From the pen of Campbell, we are presented with deep and moving tales of people and lives broken by love. Campbell's voice floats and dances ethereally around Lanegan's gruff, worldly rumblings, with a spare backing that gives this a timeless, otherworldly atmosphere.
Atmosphere is the word. It is so thick you could cut it with a knife at times. Dense and smokey, with an aftertaste of whiskey and a feeling of regret.
This is a great record of slow burning blues/soul with a jazzy/folky tinge. Thoughtful music, made with conviction by two people who clearly enjoy working with each other and creatively sparking off each other. An album for those long nights alone with painful memories and a bottle of something that burns the throatand dulls the pain of the broken heart.
A classic album, if you like this then check out the follow ups `Sunday At Devil Dirt' and `Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart'. Here's hoping that there's more to come?
Atmosphere is the word. It is so thick you could cut it with a knife at times. Dense and smokey, with an aftertaste of whiskey and a feeling of regret.
This is a great record of slow burning blues/soul with a jazzy/folky tinge. Thoughtful music, made with conviction by two people who clearly enjoy working with each other and creatively sparking off each other. An album for those long nights alone with painful memories and a bottle of something that burns the throatand dulls the pain of the broken heart.
A classic album, if you like this then check out the follow ups `Sunday At Devil Dirt' and `Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart'. Here's hoping that there's more to come?
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Isobel Campbell has presented a selection of songs that echo of open plains and small town mentality and has teamed up Mark Lanegan to deliver them like this years Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons. The songs range from catchy sing-a-long of true alt-country in Ramblin Man and (Do you Wanna) Come Walk with me to the delicate wordplay and melody of Honey Child. Lanegan's vocals are every bit as vital as Rain Dogs era Tom Waits whose influences are also heard in the production of some of the songs. This wide landscape provides the perfect spoil to the urban life obsessesives of 2006 a'la Lilly Allen and the Arctic Monkeys but stands tall on the quality of musicianship and apparent bond between the two protaginists. This is a record that you'll be playing to your grand children.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Belle's best yet
I can only agree with the earlier reviewer, the pairing of Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan is a match made in heaven. Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2008 by Stephen Cooper
Nu folk-ish melodies with lovely voices
The Ballad of the Broken Seas is a collaboration between American Mark Lanegan and Scotswomen Isobel Campbell (of Belle and Sebastian). Read more
Published on 2 July 2007 by Jaybird
Dark brilliance
Mark Lanegan has already proved his worth collaborating with QOTSA on one of the standout tracks on their 'Lullabies' album and on the rather excellent solo album 'Bubblegum', so... Read more
Published on 12 Mar 2007 by Mr. M. A. Watson
a rant
1st of this is for "andrew".yes you are very right,don't buy this album expecting pretty belle and sebastian sounds,it's not anything like them. Read more
Published on 17 Jan 2007 by K. groves
One of THE albums of 2006
Ok...so being ignorant I had no idea who Isobel Campbell was until I delved into her past. The Screaming Trees "Dust" was a fantastic release but I had always found Mark Lanegan... Read more
Published on 10 Dec 2006 by Viper
Disappointing
Unlike the other reviewers here I found this album very weak, humourless, lacking any nuance and pretty derivative - nothing new - as one reviewer says "good driving music" -... Read more
Published on 6 July 2006 by Andrew
My New Favourite Album
A huge Belle & Sebastian fan, my girlfriend bought this album by ex-B&S member Isobel Campbell and when we both heard it for the first time we weren't that keen. Read more
Published on 28 April 2006 by Sock Monkey
Even better than the sum of its parts
If you initially think about this album as a sum of the two known artists; think again! The contrast in the shared vocals only adds to the enjoyable overall effect, quite different... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2006 by Mr. J. L. Boutcher
This one will last
I'm not as keen on reviewing music - it really is a personal thing. "Finest album ever" - "Complete waste of time". Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2006 by totnes_nigel
This is an Isobel Cambell solo album really
As I have remarked in the title of this review this album is, regardless of the official artist description, an Isobel Cambell album. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2006 by Toby le Rhone
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