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| 1 | Horatio's Last March | | 2:21 | | 2 | Great Joy & Great Sorrow | | 2:52 | | 3 | A Sailor Contemplates His Drowning | | 3:02 | | 4 | Lights or the Enlightening | | 3:29 | | 5 | Wounded, Fearless Temeraire | | 3:16 | | 6 | Villeneuve's Oratory | | 4:02 | | 7 | I Have Made a Home | | 2:36 | | 8 | Fifty Ships | | 4:40 | | 9 | Moments in Age | | 3:49 |
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MacDougall
[Rating12659224]
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Well this is a suprise. A good one at that.
Took me aback from the opening note. I love it. It sounds like everything I wish I was in a musician.
Track 1 is amazing as is 3, 6, 8 and 9. |
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Michael_M
Digital
[Rating9721117]
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One of the better straight concept albums I have heard. Get it now, and share it with everyone you know. |
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BradL
[Rating9660206]
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The best history lesson you'll ever hear. |
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JE_Androcoen
 poltergeist
Digital
[Rating2636787]
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What a nice surprise. I listened waxwing first, and i liked it. I was waiting an album like it. But this album is really GOOD. One of the year's bests. It isn't an amateur record. There is a lot of good songs. Post-production is good in this one. |
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tobeanecho
Digital
[Rating2632286]
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This is my first Pickering Pick album, after reading several glowing reviews on RYM for the last eight or nine months, however long it's been since I first wondered, "What the hell is Pickering Pick?" Since I'm finding so little to really care about in music in 2005, I decided it was time I finally take advantage of the very generous offer to download some of this stuff.
I don't really know Sam, so my only reservation about reviewing the album at all is that I'm pretty sure he will at least skim over it, and that's somewhat intimidating. If I shit on Nickelback, I'm rather certain they don't care too much. If I say the new White Stripes isn't very good, I doubt Jack White is going to message me and argue. And I also doubt Sam is going to message me and argue if I say he's not very good, but the chance of it happening is certainly more likely than Jack White or Bruce Springsteen doing the same. And it's not that I wonder what right I have or anything, because as a (very) amateur critic I believe I certainly have every right to an opinion on something offered for consumption, but still, really, what do I know? I can sort of play a harmonica and one time I played a xylophone, that's really about as much musical ability as I have.
But anyway. And I'll admit it - at first listen I was thinking I was going to say this wasn't very good, and that everyone was being nice because the artist is a smart, seemingly very friendly person. But I got further along, relistened, relistened, relistened... and the thing is, he's pretty fucking good.
I liked the instrumental "Horatio's Last March" immediately, as it's almost perfectly constructed. Very simple, a little unorthodox, and quite sorrowful-sounding, and if there's one thing that'll hook me in every time, it's sorrow. "Great Joy & Great Sorrow" did not get me right away, despite its title (maybe I hate joy), and it's still not one of my favorite tracks.
But then came "A Sailor Contemplates His Drowning." I'm thinking, "What a silly song title, but also pretty fantastic." The song reminded me both of Elliott Smith and The Decemberists, as far as more contemporary artists go, and was when I was really struck by how accomplished this music truly is. The lovely "Villeneuve's Oratory," three tracks later, was the second time, and by then I was pretty well sold on the album.
"I Have Made a Home" and "Fifty Ships" hold their own as follow-ups to "Villeneuve's Oratory," and "Moments In Age" is a strong closing note, not really a great song so much as a solid, effective bookend.
I don't think the star rating is all that important, but then I never really do think it's the most important thing. I got something out of this album; not anything deeply affecting or personal or something I know I'll be going back to in two years. It may well wash right over me after a few more listens. I wouldn't call this a genius work or brilliant. But it's very, very good, and I appreciate having the opportunity to hear it. There is absolutely no good reason that the artist isn't making money off of this music, and if there's any justice, he soon will be. This is clearly a labor of love for him, and that seeps through the recording from start to finish, making it sound a little special for these days, as it's becoming increasingly rare that you hear an album and know that it really mattered to those that recorded it. |
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King_Fahtah
 Cement Gillespie
Digital
[Rating2199351]
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A gentle, moody and reflective folk piece reminiscent of 70s singer song writers like Don Mclean, David Gates and possibly even John Denver in quieter moments. Although Sam Pickering seems to offer a little less joy and warmth and a deal more navel gazing than those old craftsmen. Have said that, there is an undeniable talent for expressing a still, accepting melancholia even if the songs for the most part have a sameness to them, the exception being the accordion instrumental intro 'Horatio's Last March' a kind of sea shanty come requiem perhaps.
Other highlights for mine where the stark beauties 'Fearless Temeraire' 'Villeneuve's Oratory' and 'A Sailor Contemplates His Drowning'.
I can't say I've really taken to this artist in a big way, but he's worth a second listen and I get the feeling there may be better to come. Especially if he cheers up a bit |
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DarkLegato
CD
[Rating2169581]
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Not nearly as good as The Attic Tapes which is my favorite Pickering Pick album. |
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Jock
[Rating2124815]
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This guy needs a deal! This is truly wonderous music. |
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YotRoaxer
Digital
[Rating2119168]
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I got this free from RYM. Great deal! It suprisionly really good. I wasn't expecting much from this but someone said its kinda like NIck Drake. That was all i needed. Well, its not Drake. But its damn good. "Villeneuve's Oratory" reminds me of Paul Simon, but beside that this sounds very fresh and original. The opening track is possibly the best. The accordian of "Horatio's Last March" caught me off guard, and I liked where it went. A good album. Good job CravenMonkey. |
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w00dchaz1965
CD
[Rating2118613]
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Not the kind of thing I usually listen to, but so far I'm liking it. Kind of reminds me of Bobby Birdman and some of the other folkish artsts on the Hush Records label. I have a feeling it's going to be a grower. |
distribution | 2.0 | | 2 | | 2.5 | | 3 | | 3.0 | | 10 | | 3.5 | | 14 | | 4.0 | | 20 | | 4.5 | | 12 | | 5.0 | | 7 |
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The Sound and the Fury | | |
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Grey Goose | | Digital |
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Excellent | | |
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2.0: Fair. | | CD |
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Bueno | | CD-R | |
distribution | CD | | 5 | | CD-R | | 13 | | Digital | | 48 | | Other | | 1 |
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rym
