Search - Paco :: This Is Where We Live

Solid pop music and experimental loop-y tunes

06/08/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Paco is two thirds of the band Ivy (vocalist Durand and engineer/multinstrumentalist Chase) plus Michael Hampton. So far, Ivy's oeuvre consists of three superb albums, a magical EP, and one good but unremarkable CD of cover songs. I am not familiar with Hampton's other work. Perhaps the high bar set by Ivy's previous efforts has raised expectations for this new Paco project beyond what this group can deliver. The weakest of the material here tends toward the experimental. There is an instrumental named after Erik Satie (but bearing no relation that I can detect to that composer's work musically) and two compositions, Thin and Never, which are anchored on loops of percussion and vocals -- very little lyrical content. For my taste, these are experiments best left on the computer disc, or perhaps incorporated into more complete works at a later time. The best track, Lie, is a repeat from an earlier EP release by Paco, which I believe is only available from the record company's website (Unfiltered Records). It is composed by Hampton, and has the best lyrical content and the best arrangement. In addition, it is punchiest song here, and would be at home on an Ivy album but for the slide guitar. This song is so far above most of what passes for a pop hit these days, why oh why can't it break through the barrier of today's limited radio playlists and the narrow ideas of what kind of acts should appear on television shows like the Today show, the Tonight show, or Conan O'Brian? Then again, I could say the same thing about half the songs on Ivy's delectible Long Distance CD. Adore and Promises are both slow, lush, sweet songs about love (lost). The words are ordinary, but performed with such sincerity and lack of affectation, they ultimately win the listener over. Coupled with great production, these tracks are more than the sum of their parts. The rest I find pleasantly listenable but unexceptional. If you are an Ivy fan, you may want this to tide you over until their next major CD release. Some of the compositions seem a little thin, a little half-baked, though the production makes the most that can be made out of them, I suppose. If this group decides to record again, I hope they will take the time and effort to write a more engaging group of songs."

A fantastic debut

Eric Milliken | 07/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Despite the fact that Paco shares Andy Chase and Dominique Durand with Ivy, Paco is not looking to replicate what Ivy has done. In fact, Paco side-stepped Ivy?s pop elegance and made an album that is much more ethereal and atmospheric. Some of the great pop qualities of Ivy are there (?My Love? has a chorus that just won?t quit,) but Paco focuses more on the mood and tonality of the music.

The album opens with the instrumental ?Satie? which is supposedly named after composer Erik Satie. Whether or not there is a connection to ?Satie? the song and Satie the composer is unknown to me. However, ?Satie? expertly sets the mood for the album that is to come. It is lush, melodic, and builds at a leisurely pace.

The rest of the Paco album shares the lush nature of ?Satie,? and is fantastic throughout. Songs such as ?My Love? and ?Lie? are up-tempo numbers that are a great compliment to a warm summer day. Other songs, such as ?Thin? and ?Never? are more atmospheric, and less lyrically driven. These vocals in these songs are used as another texture for the song. The tonality of the voice and Dominique?s delivery are far more important than what the words actually mean.

The album?s most poignant moment, for me at least, comes during the chorus of ?Let it Go.? While Dominique sings the chorus, Andy joins her by singing a counter melody that dances underneath the lead vocal. It is a moment that hints at their relationship outside the studio. It also shows the full possibility of what this band is capable of.

Overall, ?This is Where We Live? is a strong debut by a band that is sure to only grow better over time. It?s a great album to listen to on a rainy night while you lay in bed with your lover (as long as you don?t pay too much attention to the lyrics about love lost.)

"

All Music Guide Review

Eric Milliken | 06/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ivy's Dominique Durand and Andy Chase hold up their elegant indie-pop stride for just a moment so that Paco's foxy strut can catch up. This Is Where We Live is a rock record. Of course Chase's signature studio tweaking is up to par and exactly polished. Durand's sophisticated vocal style couldn't be any more clear and crisp, so the dynamic that is This Is Where We Live is fully fashioned with temptation, mystery, and free of Ivy's classic pop sweetness. Having composer Michael Hampton and instrumentalist Gary Maurer walking close behind allows This Is Where We Live to settle in without any nerves or doubt. Their instrumental tribute to the French composer, Erik Satie, on the album opener is the perfect introduction. Soft-hued electronic pearls slowly mesh with layered electric guitars during sultry moments such as "My Love" and "Adore," but with a dash of brassy appeal. The playfully snooty "Lie" shimmies, girl group style, with its seductive tale of deceit. Durand's smooth presentation maintains a lead in this bewitching game, eventually landing her bait on the string-synth laden "Who Do You Think You Are?" Undoubtedly Paco's slickest moment of the album, the lyrics play on ABC's "Poison Arrow"-"You think you're the only dart/who's been thrown into this heart-and its '60s-like cinematic surroundings floating above uphold Paco's post-rock/experiment overall. This Is Where We Live is a clever escapade in song and craft, so ready yourself to play again. - MacKenzie Wilson"