Search - Boo Radleys :: Giant Steps

ONE REVIEW?!!?? ONLY ONE?????

moody blue | Redding, CA USA | 03/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You have got to be kidding me! I NEVER write reviews on AMAZON, but seeing this album with only one supporter, well, I just had to get my 2-cents in.

For you aging sixties hipsters, remember the first time you heard Pet Sounds? Or perhaps LOVE's Forever Changes? How 'bout Tommy?

For you seventies burn-outs, remember Led Zep IV? Wish You Were Here? Bowie's LOW?

How about all you eighties 'wavers' (including myself!), do YOU remember the first time you heard Joy Division's Closer, Pornography by the CURE, or Laibach's Opus Dei?

In the early nineties, you had Screamadelica by Primal Scream, which drastically changed the sonic landscape by melding stonsey-type rockers with house and ambient music.

And you had the Boo Radleys GIANT STEPS, which combined the shoegazing sonics of My Bloody Valentine with Brian Wilson style harmonies. But that was not all. One listen to Lazarus (in an abbreviated version here, unfortunately) and you will become a fan. As my brother would say, "it's a dubtastic psychedelic trip, maaaaaan!"

Every track is a psychedelic standout, the best of the best being the afore mentioned Lazarus, Rodney King, Butterfly McQueen and Best Lose the Fear.

If you buy this album and have never heard it before, your first listen should be on high quality headphones, lest you miss the little gems of musical wonder hidden in each track.

Bottom line: everyone with even a passing interest in quality music should own this. Yes, it really is that good, it stands the test of time by sounding both nostalgic and twenty years ahead of it's time."

That's One GIANT STEP to Delight All Senses

Chris G. | IL USA | 10/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
GIANT STEPS ('93)... definitely one of my favorite albums of all time - TOP 3 (if I sat down & made a list in order) for a while now. It didn't take me long to figure out this. Believe me, this is Bliss all the way through - laughter, wind chimes ringing, just warm summer sun tunes!

This was my very first Boo Radleys album and the one that inspired me to buy them all. Just like the title says this was a "giant step" for the band. Their album before "Everything's Alright Forever" (1992),although good- isn't nearly as memorable. Most of the bands most wonderful pure songs make it onto this release, "Thinking of Ways" which Sice kind of sounds like Brian Wilson, originally from the Beach Boys.

"Butterfly McQueen" - Acoustic strum into the words- "I finally broke your Cool in a delicate 'not a care in the world' type manner. A guitar solo blast soon follows - kicks the melody up a couple notches in Sonic-flare- Singing : "I feel you Rising - Butterfly McQueen!" feels like 'Jets flying' vertical off into space. At the end of this song - "Rodney King": Begins w/ a sweet new wave Female vocalist, takes the lead for this one track, singing: "Do you know know my name."(Do you know me! by, Sice), please tear me apart - Do you Care?" - another shorter song about 2 and a half minutes. Main Lead Sice takes background vocals.

Next up is the gorgeous Brian Wilson nod- Opening w/ just a sweet voice & no added sound you know accapella style! "Step on the gas, Go Miles" & "...with a head full of beer- I will try and tell someone tonight"

"If You Want It, Take It" - probably my second fave, on this- Guitars glisten on throughout in a Revved up, but structured stream all while Sice's sweet voice shines in a Clear soothing way- all in under 3 minutes including a mini-guitar solo EPIC towards the end.

Lead-single "Lazarus" which has a reggae good vibe feel to it.

All 17 tracks are wonderful-ranging from a vast array of musical genres such as pop grunge tunes like "Take the Time Around"- EXPLODES in a Grunge metal sound! w/ Beatle-esque swoons. An absolute triptastic, kaleidoscopic, orchestrated but melodic at times journey from "I Hang Suspended" (track 1) on through the last track "The White Noise Revisited". Some may say it's noisy, but I think that adds to the beauty of it all(noise in a good way). It's got so many top-notch choruses and I feel this album goes above and beyond the shoe-gazer scene. One track melts or bleeds into another w/o missing a step. It goes on through w/ a more structured sound then later releases. Very Pleasing sounds Shine through while C'mon Kids & others seem to go to a higher level of scope & sound. Not that this is a bad thing. Sice's vocals sound a bit friendly and inviting on GIANT STEPS. Maybe quite a bit of fuzz to a 'newbies' ear, but it just sounds normal since I play it quite a bit. Seems like 100s of times could be more.

My favorite song is "Best Lose the Fear" -

"You would like to disappear

You would like to Lose the fear

You Dream the Love

You have is Near"

Just flows - you know? Showcases the Fun chorus theme throughout. Pure songwriting. Very mature at age 23 (he lets u know) - lead singer.

Not many people at least that I know here in the U.S.A. have heard of this band and I have made a few burns for Cd. Truly a timeless masterpiece on the British indie label Creation. What a record, even the colorful cover sleeve-design is inviting!

"C'mon Kids" (1996) a couple albums later after "Wake Up" (see my later reviews) is to me anyways, the Boos second(close) Best, but Giant Steps is their FINEST Achievement!



..."Hey What's that noise, Do you Remember?" - closer,(The White Noise Revisited)

-5 stars!

"

That's One GIANT STEP to Delight ALL Senses

Chris G. | IL USA | 03/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"GIANT STEPS ('93)... definitely one of my favorite albums of all time - TOP 3 (if I sat down & made a list in order) for a while now. It didn't take me long to figure out this. Believe me, this is Bliss all the way through - laughter, wind chimes ringing, just warm summer sun tunes!

This was my very first Boo Radleys album and the one that inspired me to buy them all. Just like the title says this was a "giant step" for the band. Their album before "Everything's Alright Forever" (1992),although good- isn't nearly as memorable. Most of the bands most wonderful pure songs make it onto this release, "Thinking of Ways" which Sice kind of sounds like Brian Wilson, originally from the Beach Boys.

"Butterfly McQueen" - Acoustic strum into the words- "I finally broke your Cool in a delicate 'not a care in the world' type manner. A guitar solo blast soon follows - kicks the melody up a couple notches in Sonic-flare- Singing : "I feel you Rising - Butterfly McQueen!" feels like 'Jets flying' vertical off into space. At the end of this song - "Rodney King": Begins w/ a sweet new wave Female vocalist, takes the lead for this one track, singing: "Do you know know my name."(Do you know me! by, Sice), please tear me apart - Do you Care?" - another shorter song about 2 and a half minutes. Main Lead Sice takes background vocals.

Next up is the gorgeous Brian Wilson nod- Opening w/ just a sweet voice & no added sound you know accapella style! "Step on the gas, Go Miles" & "...with a head full of beer- I will try and tell someone tonight"

"If You Want It, Take It" - probably my second fave, on this- Guitars glisten on throughout in a Revved up, but structured stream all while Sice's sweet voice shines in a Clear soothing way- all in under 3 minutes including a mini-guitar solo EPIC towards the end.

Lead-single "Lazarus" which has a reggae good vibe feel to it.

All 17 tracks are wonderful-ranging from a vast array of musical genres such as pop grunge tunes like "Take the Time Around"- EXPLODES in a Grunge metal sound! w/ Beatle-esque swoons. An absolute triptastic, kaleidoscopic, orchestrated but melodic at times journey from "I Hang Suspended" (track 1) on through the last track "The White Noise Revisited". Some may say it's noisy, but I think that adds to the beauty of it all(noise in a good way). It's got so many top-notch choruses and I feel this album goes above and beyond the shoe-gazer scene. One track melts or bleeds into another w/o missing a step. It goes on through w/ a more structured sound then later releases. Very Pleasing sounds Shine through while C'mon Kids & others seem to go to a higher level of scope & sound. Not that this is a bad thing. Sice's vocals sound a bit friendly and inviting on GIANT STEPS. Maybe quite a bit of fuzz to a 'newbies' ear, but it just sounds normal since I play it quite a bit. Seems like 100s of times could be more.

My favorite song is "Best Lose the Fear" -

"You would like to disappear

You would like to Lose the fear

You Dream the Love

You have is Near"

Just flows - you know? Showcases the Fun chorus theme throughout. Pure songwriting. Very mature at age 23 (he lets u know) - lead singer.

Not many people at least that I know here in the U.S.A. have heard of this band and I have made a few burns for Cd. Truly a timeless masterpiece on the British indie label Creation. What a record, even the colorful cover sleeve-design is inviting!

"C'mon Kids" (1996) a couple albums later after "Wake Up" (see my later reviews) is to me anyways, the Boos second(close) Best, but Giant Steps is their FINEST Achievement!



..."Hey What's that noise, Do you Remember?" - closer,(The White Noise Revisited)

-5 stars!"