- Audio CD (13 Jan 2008)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: B-Unique
- ASIN: B0001A7TXA
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 58,410 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
One of British pop's new breed of moody and introverted post-Thom Yorke baby boomers, Still Life finds Southampton's classically trained Matt Hales--Aqualung's songwriter and frontman--succeeding in selling both himself and his omnipotent piano as a more erudite and self-absorbed version of Coldplay. Beginning with the mitigated optimism of "Brighter than Sunshine"--a gloriously simplistic pop song spruced with cloudy strings and therefore redolent of a more sullen ELO--and climaxing with the muttered, moribund lulling of "Good Goodnight", Still Life frequently attains levels of mumbled intensity via songs as alluring and bitterly withered as "Easier to Lie" and "Extraordinary Thing". The latter not only utilises a harpsichord and paraphrases one of Churchill's famous wartime speeches but goes on to satirise Radiohead's oevre with the classic--and practically comedic--opening line "Cheer up, it may never happen". It was always going to take something special to trump Aqualung's eponymous, Ivor Novello nomitated debut but Still Life really does do the job in atypically melancholic fashion. --Kevin Maidment
Review
Aqualung follow their successful debut eponymous album with a sublime new record titled Still Life. The music here is as melodically mellow as ever and the lyrical content a similar mixture of odes and epitaphs to love.
"Brighter Than Sunshine", the current single, starts the ten track feast for your ears. Your winter blues will be banished as you bask in this triumphantly uplifting anthem.
Although Still Life never quite reaches such dizzy heights again, the remaining songs are still better than your average album fodder. Another high is reached with "7 Keys" as its trombone bass-line swoop in and out of the track.
A wide range of instrumentation is employed ranging from the regular strings to the more exotic harpsichord and the downright bizarre 'frog' and 'bowls'. However this wide assortment is blended together so seamlessly you'll hardly notice they're all there.
It would be no surprise to find Coldplay, Radiohead and U2 amongst singer Matt Hale's music collection. His voice is often reminiscent of Thom Yorke's and the general Aqualung mood is very similar to that of the Oxford quartet. On the other hand the intro to "Listen Again" is a dead ringer to the start of Coldplay's "Politik", whereas tracks such as "Take Me Home" put me more in mind of U2's more introspective moments.
By the end of the album the down-beat tempo can become rather dirgeful but if you're rejoicing in the fact that cannabis has been downgraded you'll probably appreciate Still Life all the more.
Aqualung became successful after "Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)" was used in a car advert. It wouldn't be a surprise or a shame if we found any more of their tracks appearing in such commercial breaks. Whatever it takes to spread the word and spread some aural happiness! --Niky Daley
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow, what a difference in sound...,
By Stuart (Canford Heath, Dorset) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Still Life (Audio CD)
I bought Aqualung's follow up LP expecting it to be merely an extension or olive branch from what the debut gave us - melancholic, reflective and beautiful piano melodies. Of course, it delivers perfectly once again in this area of the album structure but there's certainly a difference in the sound of the two albums. 'Still Life' sounds like Aqualung from the core elements of the music, but its clear Matt Hales has decided to tinker with his winning formula by adding a bigger sound scope. More guitar elements, drums and other instrumentation help make this a much more diverse record than the first. I never thought they'd better the self titled debut, but they've quite possibly exceeded all expectations by delivering something fans of the old material will love whilst attracting a new legion with the progression they've made.'Brighter Than Sunshine' is the perfect opener, a great pop song which has a great chorus and extemely uplifting. 'Left Behind' is perhaps the loudest part of the album and its here where you begin to see the diversity on offer. Matt sings the chorus here very passionately and its a song which develops to a mid-pace rock out. 'You Turn Me Around' and 'Easier To Lie' are next up, and in my view the best two tracks on the album. You Turn Me Around brings the sound back to a softer tone and features quite possibly the best lyrics on the enitre record. It's a beautiful, powerful piano led song and needs to be heard to be beleived. Easier To Lie however will lift you back up, it has a wonderful sweeping chorus and melody that just has the ability to make you feel good. '7 Keys' and 'Breaking My Heart Again' are the other stand out tracks and see the tone return once more to where Aqualung feel most at home. The rest of the songs are by no means average, but perhaps slightly lacking in quality to grab you like the others mentioned above. I gave this 5 stars because its an album which will certainly have you coming back time and again. Also, in my opinion, it's a record in which Matt Hales has successfully moved Aqualung forward in their search for new ideas. It's their creativity and ability to use a range of different sounds successfully which makes this essential listening for music fans who like blissful, easy listening piano led melodies. It still sounds like much of their earlier stuff, but its much glossier, and full marks to them for not resting on their laurels and honing their sound. This ain't far off perfection.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heart meltingly stunning!,
This review is from: Still Life (Audio CD)
This album is absolutely stunning! I have not heard anything quite like it for some years and is some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard, it is quite staggering. What this music has in abundance is power, beauty and ambience with astounding songwriting, intelligent lyrics and sublime production. Songs such as "Brighter Than Sunshine" are so poignantly heartfelt, striking and wonderful on their own but the best way to enjoy this album is to sit back and listen to it in it's entirety, sit back and drift away, and when it is finished play it all over once more. This is quite exceptional. It's one of those that grows and grows the more one listens to it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Every bit as good as the first album,
By A Customer
This review is from: Still Life (Audio CD)
I think this is every bit as good as the first record, in fact I prefer it. Yes it's different in places, more upbeat at times, but the space is still there and the songs are still beautiful. I agree It doesn't slap you around the face the first time you play it quite like the first one did, but it does on the second play. I really wish some of the reviewers here had taken time to give this a good listen to instead of judging it on what I suspect was a quick listen (probably in order to get their reviews on here asap).
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