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Amazon.co.uk Review
Insignificance sees Jim fronting what is effectively the O'Rourke Allstars: a band made up of ex-Uncle Tupelo and Wilco man Jeff Tweedy, Tim Barnes of The Silver Jews and long-time collaborators Darin Gray and Glenn Kotche. It's a rockier album than Eureka, the occasional musical arrangement (see the chugging "Therefore I Am") more reminiscent of fellow Chicago musical auteur Smog. But O'Rourke's genuinely sweet songwriting shines through the distorted crunch of "All Downhill from Here": just check the lush middle-section, where the cranked-up feedback dies away, just for a minute, and a swell of rolling piano and chiming xylophone blossoms into life. Meanwhile, the gentle thrumming bass and lazily-plucked guitar of "Get a Room" leaves O'Rourke plenty of space to weave the most devilishly wry lyrical vignettes. The Chicago-based experimental-rock composer has done it all. From the depths of avant-garde noisemaking as part-time member of po-faced guitar-benders Sonic Youth, to the pinnacle of bright-eyed Burt Bacharach-style pop--which he near-perfected, solo, on his glittering '99 masterwork Eureka--his musical CV is long and glittering. Truly, he's a jack of all trades. It seems he's a master of a fair few, as well. --Louis Pattison
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
not content with being one of the best producers currently around (see stereolab, smog or high llamas)jim orourke made one of the most suprisingly beautiful and lasting albums of the 90's with his last record, eureka. however his latest offering ups the ante even further. ditching the van dyke parks 'song cycle' of the previous record for a fuller more 'live band sound' above all else there is a real joyous quality to most of this album (in fact close your eyes and you could be hearing the best smog album never recorded). from the snarling guitars of opening track 'all downhill from here' through the bowie/velvetsesque melodic minimalism of therefore i am - there's to many highlights to mention. this record really deserves to catapult jim orourke to great fame - but inevitably will find a small but devoted following amongst those willing to seek out a gem.
if you've ever thrilled to the likes of the above mentioned artists or like your music to challenge and cajole try this you really will love it
if you've ever thrilled to the likes of the above mentioned artists or like your music to challenge and cajole try this you really will love it
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've not long heard of Jim O'Rourke, the man first came to my attention upon the soundtrack to 'LOVE LIZA'. But ever since I've become one of the man's biggest fans.
When I got this album I couldn't stop listening to it for weeks, it seemed so beautiful and so intimate. I listened to it as I walked through parks, as I sat on buses, as I lay in the bath. I took it everywhere with me and told eveyone willing to listen about him.
Normally I'm into angry fast music, my favourite band are the Clash, and I'm a massive Wire and Gang of four fan, so soft, sensual and intimate, aren't usually what I look for in music. But Jim O'Rourke has the power to convert, with an overwhelming sense of quality and brilliance to his music that can't be overlooked, not even if you're an avid dancehall fan.
He's just been made an honourary member of Sonic Youth for God's sakes! What more needs saying.
Buy this album if you have any taste, if you've even heard of him in the first place you're bound to be a person who's a little more switched on then all the Dido and Norah Jones fans of the world, and the kinda person who's gonna be looking for quality music. This is of the highest quality.
When I got this album I couldn't stop listening to it for weeks, it seemed so beautiful and so intimate. I listened to it as I walked through parks, as I sat on buses, as I lay in the bath. I took it everywhere with me and told eveyone willing to listen about him.
Normally I'm into angry fast music, my favourite band are the Clash, and I'm a massive Wire and Gang of four fan, so soft, sensual and intimate, aren't usually what I look for in music. But Jim O'Rourke has the power to convert, with an overwhelming sense of quality and brilliance to his music that can't be overlooked, not even if you're an avid dancehall fan.
He's just been made an honourary member of Sonic Youth for God's sakes! What more needs saying.
Buy this album if you have any taste, if you've even heard of him in the first place you're bound to be a person who's a little more switched on then all the Dido and Norah Jones fans of the world, and the kinda person who's gonna be looking for quality music. This is of the highest quality.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Vinyl
Eureka two years ago sure was something even O'Rourke can't redo. His style in combining acoustics to electronics and really inventive arragements were something that made Eureka a really sympathetic album. It contained absolute hits and slow yet beautiful movie soundtracks.
Insignificance doesn't beat Eureka, but gives it a good opposition. Well, actually you can't even compare Insignificance and Eureka, since electronics are mainly forgotten on Insignificance and distorted guitars have a bigger part. That isn't a bad thing at all. Jim O'Rourke sure is at his best when he takes a guitar and leaves his Powerbook alone for a second.
The songs of Insignificance aren't as strong as on Eureka -- yes, the same comparison again -- but you can't deny that such songs as "Therefore, I Am" and "Memory Lane" wouldn't be the best stuff Jim has put out so far. They are based on one or two riffs, but O'Rourke's style in arranging makes them really delicate pieces. Not to forget Jimbo's guitar work on the opening track "All Downhill from Here," which sounds a really folkish (sic) considering his earlier works. Nothing wrong there, vice versa, the loose feeling in playing asserts the listener that this isn't a tight artistic album. No, it's not at all. This time Jimbo has forgotten all his expectations and made an album he wanted to.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Kelly Jones should be whooping with childish glee
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Published on 26 April 2003 by Stanley B.
Originality to the fore
Ditching the song cycle style of "Eureka", JOR has come up with an album of tight solid songs with an always intriguing, original sound. Read more
Published on 20 Feb 2002 by Darryl Still
Already contender for album of the year!
2002 is shaping up to be a great year- new releases from Silver Jews, Papa M, Shelley-Devoto, Sonic Youth (with O'Rourke on board), Tanya Donelly, Wilco (hopefully) and, of course,... Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2002 by Jason Parkes
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