One of the great recordings of all time
R.J.Parnell | Scotland | 06/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...For many folk, I'm sure, life begins with Through the Trees, the album that won such well deserved acclaim and took off in the UK after a track featured on 'that' Uncut sampler. If you were worried that the Handsome's previous stuff wouldn't live up to that, or their most recent, glorious 'In the Air', then fear not, for this is every bit as good. There are no poor tracks, but some deserve a special mention. Sway along together to the lilting cowboy paean 'Drunk by Noon' - possibly the all time anthem to mediocrity with the deeply affecting chorus "Sometimes I flap my arms like a hummingbird, just to remind myself I'll never fly: Sometimes I burn my arms with cigarettes, just to pretend I won't scream when I die." Thrill to 'The House Carpenter's salutary tale, show-casing of Rennie Sparks seldom heard voice. 'Amelia Earhart vs. the Dancing Bear' is an upbeat sing-along recalling the last moments of the famous aviators life. Great poetry! However, your price of admission would be a bargain were it only for 2 tracks that I believe should take pride of place in the esteem of anyone serious about this music/life business. First, the instrumental 'Puddin' Fingers'. No words of mine are sufficient to the task of describing this; its just magnificent. And then, on to one of, if not THE saddest, darkest, most tragic song ever written (and believe me, I've heard most of them!) 'Emily Shore 1819-1839' has been coughing up blood since the dogwoods bloomed. Join her, propped up on pillows, watching the snow fall, and trying, from her brief 17 years of life, to picture an end to it all. She does. The result is a song that seems to encapsulate the deepest essence of what the Handsome's do best. Bretts voice is perfect and this, to me, is just about the best thing Rennie has ever written. 'Twisted' is a word that frequently comes to mind when considering the songs of the Handsome family. This implies deformity, but the songs on this album and all those subsequent to it, are perfectly formed and shot through with a unique clarity that is a rarity indeed. The Handsome Family and their friends deserve to be fabulously rich. Please buy this stonker of a CD and help make this a reality."
An all-time great
R.J.Parnell | 07/06/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"even though a little twangy for me at times, this one has remained in heavy rotation in my collection for years. there are some great tunes and even better lyrics here. even though you can't buy it new, i often see it at used record stores (e.g. amoeba in the haight - San Francisco)."
A 3-legged dog?
Richard McGeough | Hong Kong | 02/26/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Starting with this album and running through to 2001's 'Twilight', The Handsome Family were, in my opinion, at their peak. This one may not be their best, but it's by far their most eclectic as they navigate all points between clippity-clop, darkly-themed Country (Lake Geneva) and 'Ragged Glory'-style grunge (Winnebago Skeletons).
Two of their very best songs are on this album: Lake Geneva and Amelia Earhart vs. The Dancing Bear both have some beautiful imagery: Here's Lake Geneva - "Raccoons in the darkness drag off your hot dog buns. But, you're happy just to lie there in a plastic tent from Wal-Mart like sticks and fallen dead leaves to feed the fire of the world." And here's Amelia Earhart - "Amelia Earhart, after her plane was torn apart and bursting through the trees, she remembered picking lemons with William Randolph Hearst and how a spinning plane propeller turned liquid in the sun." Both songs also see the HF picking up the science vs nature themes that keep them occupied today in 2007. Tin Foil, The Dutchboy and Drunk by Noon are other highlights. Personally, I don't find Emily Shore or Puddin' Fingers especially gripping, both of which another reviewer raved about, but - hey - it's just a question of taste.
Like all HF albums, a handful of songs fail to engage me musically, which is all the more the shame because Rennie Spark's words are consistently beautiful. It's a bit wobbly in places, not unlike a 3-legged dog, but well worth hearing."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1