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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Hadn't heard of Windmill until it was flagged up as an Amazon recommendation. Sometimes they come good so did a search to see what was on Youtube and stumbled across Tokyo Moon. I realised the tune was banging away at the back of my head for several days afterwards, which is always a good sign so took the plunge and handed over my sterling for this album. Money well spent, not a weak track on it, original tunes, lyrics, and dare I mention it, vocals. You have to take time with it, another good sign, but this is an excellent debut by any standards.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The reviewer who likened Windmill to Neil Young fronting the Flaming Lips ,or something like that, is spot on because that is exactly what Windmill sound like. Matthew Thomas Dillon who to all ends and purposes is Windmill has a voice , like a more fragile on the edge James Blunt ,that will alienate a lot of listeners-as another review proves- but if you can get past that there is plenty on Puddle City Racing Lights worth paying attention to. Just don't try singing along .
Most of the songs are centred around plangent piano but that is only a framework on which a fulsome array of instrumentation is draped. Thickly corded strings ,keyboards, brass , harmonium , guitars , fleshy percussion and intermittent vocal backing give most of the songs a staunch structure. Some nice tunes help as well.
So when it all gels like on "Asthmatic", "Tokyo Moon", "Boarding Lounges" or "Fluorescent Lights" the album has a slightly quirky dynamic quality . The melodies are all slightly off kilter and their skewed appeal may prove elusive at first but persevere and a song like "Plasticine Plugs" with its stop/start percussive arrangement starts to approximate sense. Some songs however , and they tend to be the more sparse tracks like "The Planning Stopped" or "Tilting Trains", lack the sonic invention and vigour of the rest of the album. It doesn't help that these songs tend to highlight Dillon's vocal limitations either.
"Puddle City Racing Lights" is a wonderfully idiosyncratic album with an emotional magnetism helped by some clever arch lyrics. There are also traces of Mercury Rev, Plush(Another hugely individual singer .songwriter) Arcade Fire...you could even make a case for Joanna Newsome. What is under no doubt that here is an artist very much standing apart from the usual raft of troubadour singer songwriter types and that alone makes him worthy of attention.
Most of the songs are centred around plangent piano but that is only a framework on which a fulsome array of instrumentation is draped. Thickly corded strings ,keyboards, brass , harmonium , guitars , fleshy percussion and intermittent vocal backing give most of the songs a staunch structure. Some nice tunes help as well.
So when it all gels like on "Asthmatic", "Tokyo Moon", "Boarding Lounges" or "Fluorescent Lights" the album has a slightly quirky dynamic quality . The melodies are all slightly off kilter and their skewed appeal may prove elusive at first but persevere and a song like "Plasticine Plugs" with its stop/start percussive arrangement starts to approximate sense. Some songs however , and they tend to be the more sparse tracks like "The Planning Stopped" or "Tilting Trains", lack the sonic invention and vigour of the rest of the album. It doesn't help that these songs tend to highlight Dillon's vocal limitations either.
"Puddle City Racing Lights" is a wonderfully idiosyncratic album with an emotional magnetism helped by some clever arch lyrics. There are also traces of Mercury Rev, Plush(Another hugely individual singer .songwriter) Arcade Fire...you could even make a case for Joanna Newsome. What is under no doubt that here is an artist very much standing apart from the usual raft of troubadour singer songwriter types and that alone makes him worthy of attention.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I don't write reviews very often but this album is as good as any i have heard in a while. I stumbled across this gem in a blog and without knowing a great deal about the artist i can highly recommend this material. "Fit" as previously mentioned is a great little song and the tenderness of "newsflash" and "planning stopped" add to the mystery. For me the undoubted highlight of this album is "flourescent lights", it builds into a fantastic piece of work. Well done Mr. Dillon.
As for the style, i am not overly familiar with the Flaming Lips but initially heard a touch of Supertramp at the beginning and glimpses of Antony And The Johnson's, particularly when the violin kicks in. Also, the massively underrated Morning Runner came to mind, when Dillon's voice gets to stringent almost breaking point it reminded me of the desperation of Morning Runner's beautiful B side "Frayed Edges".
Enough talk from me, this is a great album.
As for the style, i am not overly familiar with the Flaming Lips but initially heard a touch of Supertramp at the beginning and glimpses of Antony And The Johnson's, particularly when the violin kicks in. Also, the massively underrated Morning Runner came to mind, when Dillon's voice gets to stringent almost breaking point it reminded me of the desperation of Morning Runner's beautiful B side "Frayed Edges".
Enough talk from me, this is a great album.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Something different, for a change
I first heard Tokyo Moon and was absolutely blown apart. I thought Windmill must have been American, due to the completely different sound that they had created, and I was... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2008 by J. Youell
Best and most original CD of 2008 so far.
Idiosyncratic, quirky and utterly beguiling. Once you get past Matt's unique vocals you will fall deeply and completely in love with the fabulous tunes and heartfelt nature of... Read more
Published on 4 May 2008 by A. Grant
Unfortunately....
despite the lovely original music, the man who is singing the songs sounds like James Blunt has taken helium and transformed into a chipmunk who has smoked 60 a day for 10 years. Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2007 by bluemyself
A Stunning Debut!!!
Having known Matt for a while now, I've seen the early stuff, and heard it too. I've seen this force known as Windmill grow into what it is today!! Read more
Published on 22 May 2007 by S. Schirmer
Just lovely
This album is just lovely. Its a very mature album for a debut. I first heard a few of the songs from this album on the myspace page and the rest are just as good, which means they... Read more
Published on 16 May 2007 by J. WILSON
Breathtaking!
Windmill, AKA, Matthew Thomas Dillon, has created a majestic other-worldly, ethereal album. Sounding like a mish-mash of The Flaming Lips and Neil Young. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2007 by The Boy
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