Search - Loretta :: The Translation

Just the first step...

Troy F. Brownfield | Plainfield, IN United States | 10/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Loretta has built a strong following with poweful melodies and finely-honed musicianship. Their stellar live performances have garnered them an amazing reputation. Fortunately, "The Translation" captures the essence of what makes this Indianapolis export such a fantastic band. Stand-out tracks include "The Fire" and the epic "Foe". The sheer brilliance of this debut is underscored by the fact that the band is still relatively young; this is just a launch pad for a galaxy of potential just waiting to be mined. Grab this now so you can confidently say: "I was there when Loretta took off.""

Exceeds expectation

eBayer from ATL | Atlanta, GA | 10/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Loretta's sound is akin to acts like Radiohead and U2 rather than anything Midwestern (the band calls Indianapolis, IN home).
It feels like there are two distinct sides to The Translation. The opening half contains the songs that will catch the ears of first-time Loretta listeners. To again dredge up their influences, the opening seven tracks find their closest spiritual touchstone with U2's The Joshua Tree."1000 lbs" starts with a creeping, Jane's Addiction-esque bass linebefore succumbing to the spooky harmonies of vocalists Jason and Damon Weidner. The track follows the blueprint of the Loretta sound with emotional swells and soaring vocals that give the listener a good sampling of what's to come. Sure-fire single "The Fire" follows with an opening guitar line reminiscent of U2's "Red Hill Mining Town." "Slow Down" has the record's strongest melody and may be a stronger candidate for a first single."Collide" takes the record into moodier territory with a slower tempo and woeful verses that blossom into another soaring chorus. As the mournful tune fades out, "Adonais" immediately kicks in with a joyful, even danceable, groove.The "hits" side of the CD closes with the two most straight-ahead guitar rockers on the album, "Stolypin Neckties" and "Sinking Ships."The final four tracks on the record find a new spiritual relative in Radiohead's "OK Computer." These songs take on a different vibe as the band makes full use of studio effects and sound trickery to add a new twist to the production. "The Morning After" opens with keyboards taking the lead instrument role under a schizophrenic vocal effect chanting "I want it/I need it/So badly/Completely." "To The Knife" catches a loping rhythm early and never lets go. The change is a nice break as the song allows the players and vocals to provide the emotional peaks of the song rather than the arrangement."My House" delivers the band's boldest production and arrangement as they make full use vocal, guitar, and recording trickery to give the song a desolate feel. "Foe" closes the record with its near-Gregorian chant vocal opening and various tempo and mood shifts.I would've been disappointed had this record not sounded amazing. Again, I wasn't let down. The layers of vocals, instruments, and sound effects prove that the band and producer Lewis put much thought into how to make the most of the songs. The Translation is an album that was a long time in the making, but the result was well worth the wait. For the first time Loretta has translated their live sound into recorded form and poised themselves to win over fans that have seen the band's live performances. While The Translation does nothing to distance the band from the influences that reviewers (including myself) have hung on them over the years, I don't see any hassle in being linked to some of the most critically and commercially acclaimed acts of the last 15 years.-- Steve Hayes, Indianapolismusic.net"

THAT LAST GUY IS DUMB

eBayer from ATL | 05/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not in Indiana. I'm in Oregon. I think this CD rocks. When are the powers-that-be going to release "Slow Down" as a single? I defy you to listen to this CD and not walk away with one of the songs in your head (not in a bad "I've got that god-awful Kid Rock remake in my head" way). A true album... and a great one."