Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Powerful Sound, 15 Mar 2007
Kristin Hersh, lead singer and guitarist with both 50 foot wave and Throwing Muses is perhaps one of the most underrated musicians of all time. Not only has she written all of the lyrics and music for both bands, but she has sang those lyrics, too, whilst playing guitar. There are very few people in the music business who have tackled lyrics, music and voice AND managed to not only pull it off, but pull it off with gusto AND make it look easy.
For this reason, I consider her one of the most important frontwomen ever, and this 50 Foot Wave EP proves that she goes from strength to strength. Gone is the subtle, understated, laid-back music characteristic of Throwing Muses, in favour of a harder, edgier and much more powerful sound. The guitars are louder and the riffs are longer, whilst the drummer is working overtime to provide drumbeats which sound larger than life itself. To top all of this, Kristin's voice has changed too. It is now a throaty yell, charismatic and powerful.
'Clara Bow' in particular is fast-paced rock which is reminiscent of the grunge era, but distinctive enough not to be completely retrogressive. I also found it to be rather moreish, until eventually my play count of this song reached the hundreds. 'Lavender' and 'Dog Days' are both the same - growers. 'Dog Days', however, contains a riff which sounds utterly iconic, urging me to ask the question: "why aren't this band more well-known?" The answer, I think, lies in the fact that Kristin Hersh has never pushed for major fame, which is admirable. I am certain that many musicians owe her a great debt for the many years of skilful music she has written. This, her latest offering, can only add even more credibility to the entire Kristin Hersh body of work.
|
|
|
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE FEMALE ARTIST OF ALL TIME, 11 Jul 2004
This album for me will go down as the album of 2004 already (ok mini album). This album chucks out some seriuos rock power, with crunching guitar riffs, and drumming comparitive to Dave Grohl's on Nirvana " In Utero". The pace doesnt relent throughout and that's probably the reason for the length of the album, if it went on for any longer at the volume I play it I'd be deaf!
There is no stand out track as all are of the highest order, ther is no room for fillers here. The amazing thing is that if you bought this and Kristin Hersh's " Hips and Makers" made back in about '94 you wouldnt think the same artist could make music so different yet equally breathtaking.
Go and buy it and earn yourself some indie credibility!!!
|
|
|
7 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kristin gets dirty, 9 Jun 2004
Musicians in their late thirties are usually re-hashing, revisiting and rewriting their former glories. Lyrically spent, the best we can hope for is an odd swipe at the ravages of fame and some whining about what a disappointment life is. The audience settles down and waits for the botox, box-set, rehab and re-issues. New material, when it appears, is like a post coital cigarette - satisfying, but nothing compared to what preceded it. So it would appear that Kristin Hersh is growing up backwards: at the age of nearly forty, this mother of four has made a record that sounds like lustful, youthful f**king.The acoustic guitars of her solo material have stayed in storage, as have the tricky arpeggios and weird chords of Throwing Muses. She's dispensed with foreplay, and, without even buying dinner, slams straight into "Bug" with an invitation to "play the goddamn music". This is ferocious stuff, six breakneck songs hurled out breathlessly
one after the other. The orgasm finally comes with "Dog Days", the closing track in which 50 Foot Wave lash vicious, coruscating guitars to a brutal, driving rhythm, with its reminder that "this is life, and we didn't miss it". Too right, Kristin. This record is the perfect synthesis of excited teenage fumbling and the expertise of an older lover pressing all the right buttons at once. It's the feeling of a one-night stand with a partner of fifteen years. It's a quickie against the car-door after a night out round at the in-laws'. Exciting. Loud. Dirty. This is 50 Foot Wave, your best shag this year. The love affair starts here.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
~ 50 Foot Wave
~ Kristin Hersh
~ Kristin Hersh
~ Kristin Hersh
~ Throwing Muses
With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is). 
Amazon Home