Search - Clearlake :: Cedars

Gets better with every listen

Joshua Eyre | Chicago, IL | 08/16/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First time I listened, I was not so impressed. Clearlake seemed to be a run of the mill British rock band. I let "Cedars" sit for a week or so and came back to it. The first song that grabbed me was "I'd like to hurt you" which is such a sinister, but beautiful song. After I warmed up to that song, the rest of the album quickly followed. I'm quite taken with it now! I can't remember getting a similar vibe of darkness that doesn't make me want to run, but "Cedars" wraps me up in it like a warm blanket and makes me feel at home. This album is hardly "garbage" as one of the reviewers put it. Compare "Cedars" to "A rush of blood to the head" and you'll see really quickly where the true garbage lies. "Cedars" is a well played, well written, sincere album that is one of my personal favorites this year."

Strictly from britpop fans

watership down | Pacifica, CA United States | 09/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i heard about these guys through pitchforkmedia.com as well. truth is, if you're looking for an "indie" record, you won't find it here. there's nothing alternative about the record except for (maybe) it's dark lyrical undertone. if you're looking for a classic britpop album along the lines of blur with a hint of doves and/or elbow, this album is for you. matter of fact, there isn't a song on this album which i didn't like. better than elbow's new album IMHO."

"Cedars'" greatest value lies in what's under the surface

Emily Foster | MA, USA | 01/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This very well may be the best album I have ever listened to. Much tighter and more musically refined, it shows a development of the talent evident in 2001's "Lido." If you're looking for some pop-ish background music, don't waste your money; this album plays like a symphony. For those familiar with clinical depression, you'll notice that each song builds on the theme of that disease, focusing on its individual aspects, rather than just vague alt-rock expressions of mopeyness. And as each song encapsulates a specific moment and idea, their careful order creates a broader emotional understanding of the artists' message as a whole, the tracks receding in volume then rushing back like a wave. It culminates in a three-song opus: beginning in quiet dispair ("It's all too much"), building to the emotional climax of "Treat yourself with kindess," and concluding an otherwise very hopeless album with the thoroughly cathartic simplicity of "Trees in the city." Whether the chords are complex or simple, the instruments on "Cedars" are pared to their most minimal, each note ringing true, clear, and adding a vital aspect to the song. Yet, like a classical composition, its many layers combine seamlessly so it can also be appreciated purely as a beautiful work of music. I recommend listening to this the first couple of times alone in a quiet room with your eyes closed. I continue to discover additional nuances of the music with each listen."