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Review
The Gun Club, in their time, were an uncomfortable sounding band, too ramshackle to be swamp blues, too emotional to be goth. Singer Jeffrey Lee Pierce was an impassioned figure, wild and long-haired, howling songs called She’s Like Heroin to Me and Death Party.
Respected by their peers, The Gun Club to most sounded like an uncomfortable midway point between The Cramps and The Bad Seeds, but their influence has grown since Pierce’s death in 1996. Now we have this collection of songs demoed by Pierce and collaborator Cypress Grove, and enhanced and re-interpreted by artists as diverse as Nick Cave and Debbie Harry. Former Cave associate Lydia Lunch is here, as is Bad Seed Mick Harvey, and a duo who rarely stray far from the same influences as Cave, Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell.
The results are, unsurprisingly, all a bit Nick Cave, which is not a bad thing, as these days his mixture of Lee Hazlewood, Muddy Waters, swamp rock and country death songs is pretty much a genre of its own. So Cave’s excellent version of Ramblin’ Mind may be somewhat mirrored by Lanegan’s take on Constant Waiting, but it makes for a consistent album. Debbie Harry is excellent on Pierce’s almost chirpy Lucky Jim, and The Raveonettes go all Mazzy Star on Free to Walk.
A (sensible) insistence on keeping the covers related to the sessions project combined with the fact that there aren’t that many songs here means that some people may feel a bit short changed, but as an introduction to Jeffrey Lee Pierce, as well as a whole chunk of American-esque music, We Are Only Riders is a very good record indeed. --David Quantick
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CD Description
A band project of a stellar cast of musicians to honour the late great frontman of The Gun Club. Cypress Grove, his former bass player worked his way through his private archive, finding lost songs, lost tapes, lost lyrics and over the past 13 years he got together with a lot of musicians who were friends with JLP, influenced by him or simply fans. He was able to get them working on the fragments he had and over the years an album came together
which will drive you to tears of its sheer beauty and intenseness.
which will drive you to tears of its sheer beauty and intenseness.
Nick Cave duets with Blondie's Debbie Harry on 'Free To Walk'. Both singers also contribute solo tracks to the collection & Cave also plays piano on Harry's track "Lucky
Jim". This Glitterhouse compilation features Mark Lanegan and Isobell Campbell, Mick Harvey, Lydia Lunch, The Raveonettes and Barry Adamson.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I must confess my knowledge of Jeffrey Lee Pierce starts and ends with Mark Lanegan's wondrous cover of Carry Home. My interest in this was sparked initially only because it has 2 new Lanegan songs ( 1 solo and 1 with Isobel Campbell). I'm currently listening to the album on streaming from the label web site and this is going to be a strong contender for my favourite album of the year.
It seemed an odd decision, and one that could easily backfire , to have 3 songs covered 3 times but it really works. For example there's the Campbell/Lanegan version of Free to Walk , the Nick Cave and Debbie Harry one and The Raveonettes. 3 very different interpretations. In the first the dominant partner is Lanegan ;it's he who is "free to walk ", Isobel sounds like a woman cowed and submissive and going along, reluctantly with this view. Nick Cave and Debbie Harry treat it as a meeting of equals. Lord knows what the sexual politics are in the Raveonettes' version .They turn it into a doomy, gloomy, swirling vaguely Cocteau Twins affair.
Debbie Harry's Luck Jim is just gorgeous. I'd never have recognised it was her.I don't mean this to be in any way insulting to her, but her voice here has a depth, richness , solemnity and maturity I'd not have credited her with.
I could go on, but really want to get this review out there. The sales for this will be miniscule and if I can do anything to make 1 person buy it I'll be very pleased.
One consistent factor is that this is labour of love for all concerned.It's clear considerable thought has gone in to this. The production quality and musicianship are superb. Buy it, you won't regret it.
It seemed an odd decision, and one that could easily backfire , to have 3 songs covered 3 times but it really works. For example there's the Campbell/Lanegan version of Free to Walk , the Nick Cave and Debbie Harry one and The Raveonettes. 3 very different interpretations. In the first the dominant partner is Lanegan ;it's he who is "free to walk ", Isobel sounds like a woman cowed and submissive and going along, reluctantly with this view. Nick Cave and Debbie Harry treat it as a meeting of equals. Lord knows what the sexual politics are in the Raveonettes' version .They turn it into a doomy, gloomy, swirling vaguely Cocteau Twins affair.
Debbie Harry's Luck Jim is just gorgeous. I'd never have recognised it was her.I don't mean this to be in any way insulting to her, but her voice here has a depth, richness , solemnity and maturity I'd not have credited her with.
I could go on, but really want to get this review out there. The sales for this will be miniscule and if I can do anything to make 1 person buy it I'll be very pleased.
One consistent factor is that this is labour of love for all concerned.It's clear considerable thought has gone in to this. The production quality and musicianship are superb. Buy it, you won't regret it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I knew nothing about Jeffrey Lee Pierce, before I bought this CD, it was purchased on th strength of contributions from Nick Cave, Mark Lanegan/Isobell Campbell.
I totally agree with all the previous reviews, this is a fantastic album and is a MUST purchace for anyone interested in good Indie/Americana music.The Roots of Nick Cave
I totally agree with all the previous reviews, this is a fantastic album and is a MUST purchace for anyone interested in good Indie/Americana music.The Roots of Nick Cave
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A truely amazing album, and a fitting tribute to one of the great flawed geniuses of our time. To Cypress Grove, this was so clearly a labour of love, love for both the man as well as for his music. Reading the sleeve notes with the album playing, I cried, just as I did when I heard Jeffery Lee had left us behind. Cypress Grove played with Jeffery Lee on the excellent "Ramblin' Jeffery Lee" album, if you haven't heard that yet, give it a go, the blues as only Jeffery Lee Pierce could play it. In his notes, Grove mentions the solo album "Wildweed" & remarks that probably few people remember it; well they should, and some of us do, and we won't ever forget! The triumph of "We are only Riders" is to capture so much of the pain of Pierce's soul, but also the vast sweeping beauty. The assembled cast seems to me about perfect, all with a deep conection to Pierce's music & memory, and its great to hear Kid Congo Powers guitar on several tracks. Debby Harry is a revelation (Jeffery Lee was once head of the blondie fan club, and Chris Stein produced the Gun Club's Miami back in the day). As the first reviewer said, this album will probably be missed by many who would fall under its spell, and thats a crime! This is music with genuine emotional depth, and that, sadly is all to rare. Cypress Grove, thanks man, if it made me cry, lord knows how hard it must have been for you to bring this album to us, Jeffery Lee would have been proud of you!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good idea well executed
I bought this as a fan of Crippled Black Phoenix more than one of Gun Club and it was great to hear this side of CBP and shows what a versatile bunch they are especially as they... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Wendy W
WHEN'S THE FOLLOW UP BEING RELEASED????
I had never really listened to JLP before the media buzz which surrounded the release of this album. Now I intend to. This is a beautiful, well-crafted piece of auditory heaven. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2010 by sparklemouse
Absolutely fabulous!
This album is perfect on so many levels. From the concept through to the performances and the very obvious dedication and passion that each artist has brought to this project. Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2010 by lmf2010
Cool Drink of Water
Most tribute albums are uncomfortable pastiches of a more famous artists oeuvre. They rarely work, apart from the occasional gem of a track. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2010 by Dr. Delvis Memphistopheles
RIDING HIGH!!!
It was back in the early 90's when I first discovered Jeffrey Lee Pierce,when I bought a highly recommended blues album called 'Ramblin' Jeffrey Lee',and I absolutely loved it! Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2010 by C. T. Gordon
Long For The Ride
Every once in a while an album comes along out of leftfield which leaves listeners at once covered in goosebumps, utterly exhausted, and with a big grin plastered over their faces. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2010 by S. N. Corry
Harry's on Top!!
I bought this album being a fan of JLP & was blown away by the two tracks that Deborah Harry sings on. Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2010 by M. Bell
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