Another great, dreamy New Zealand kiwipop gem
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 10/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Another winning sleeper album by New Zealand kiwipop legend David Kilgour. In some ways, Kilgour's lyrics seem as distant and detached as his nation: while thousands of miles away the world falls apart, he sings of obscure emotional issues that have their own odd logic. Usually he's singing directly to the listener, with a mild reproach in his voice... but what the issue is, or what incident spurred his gentle chiding is almost impossible to decipher through the lyrics. In the world of indie rock, this brand of non sequitur-heavy obliqueness and self-absorption is hardly unique to Kilgour; what is striking, though, is the particular dreamy, resigned, forgiving tone of his delivery... His albums often seem like one big, good-natured shoulder shrug, as if he were saying, well, that's cool man, if that's what you wanna do. You still get the feeling that mistakes were made, but no one's gonna give you a hard time about it. Meanwhile, the melodies and textures drift by, recalling the waves that slap on New Zealand's shores... Surf's up, and David's going to ride the next song, straight into your earlobes. This isn't, perhaps, Kilgour's strongest or most striking album, but it's way better than 91.2% of anything else you're gonna hear out there these days... It's a keeper, as far as I'm concerned."
Kilgour's Most Accessible Recording
Crumbly | Madison, NJ USA | 06/29/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Although I enjoyed the diversity and experimentalism of Kilgour's last release, Feather in the Engine, it wasn't solid like David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights, magical like Here Come the Cars or hummable like Sugar Mouth.
But along comes Frozen Orange. This is the album that first-time listeners should start with. Frozen Orange has a cohesive, polished sound that leaves David's charm unfiltered. The album is an excellent listen from start to finish: ten of the eleven songs are winners, a ratio unattained in many of his previous recordings.
Highly highly recommended. Frozen Orange offers a welcome marriage of the songcraft from Here Comes the Cars and the studio polish of later albums. If you familiar with DK or his work with The Clean, this recording should rejuvenate your enthusiasm for the artist."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1