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~ ALBUM: COMA
Enhanced CD-Rom Features: Short
film, "Lowlight", by Jen White;
lyrics, and personal thank you notes from Stewart, Spencer,
Glenn, and Luis Guerrero.
Bonus MP3s: Hidden recording of "Complicated" -
recorded the day it was written, and complete with incomplete
lyrics!! Also 3 (unhidden) versions of
"Blown Away" - standard recording, stringed, and original
demo version.
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Produced by Fresh Ears and 54 Seconds
Recorded and mixed at
Lowlight
Sound, Austin, Texas by Spencer Gibb and Luis Guerrero.
Mastered by Jim Wilson @ Yes
Mastering.
All songs written and performed by 54 Seconds,
except where noted.
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Tracks:
Click titles for lyrics
Buy It: @
CD Baby
MP3s:
* Download "Meaningless
Conversation" live at the Mercury, April 13th, 2003, from 54SecondsFan.com
* Four samples are available from 54seconds.com
More Reviews:
Wanted;
54Secs
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My Thoughts:
[as of September 2005] I deliberately did not listen to this album for
the last few months, as I thought I needed to hear it with fresh ears.
As most other 54 fans might know, I rave a bit about 54 Seconds, so I
wanted to see if my raves were really justified. Well, my results are
not surprising to myself. This really is a fantastic album!!
Silky. Slick.
Dreamy... and a few other choice words from fellow fans - very melodic, intimate,
ambient, and seriously creative. Songs
that continue to linger in your head long after the spinning stops. The beautiful
lyrics are high quality - a little bit of everything sinister,
inspiring, sad and mind-numbing, with that lick of sugar that creeps
into their songs without drowning you like other bands. Lots of airy, soothing harmonies, strings, trumpets, and quirky effects
in between every song to "gel the album into a moving
experience" (I think Heather Howe said that). I loved this album on the first
spin, but I love it more now!!
Watson 349 is thick with slow dark bass and electric guitar,
trickling streams of piano, and trumpet solos. Very chaotic, but all
slow moving.
Both Better? and Complicated are knee
weakening to say the very least! SO beautiful! So beautiful!
Soap Opera
is driven by piano, strings, and quiet backward guitars. It's such a beautiful song, and I "think" maybe my
favourite. The intro in particular has me smirking. Think typical TV
soap theme, with dark sarcastic under tones. Possible lyrical reference
to some sicko 54 internet fans or something *wink*, I don't know. The
trick to good lyrics, is that every listener hears what they want to
hear, and I'm no different.
Difference Between is very
beautiful, and emotional. It starts with strings tuning, and goes into a steady,
strong melody, excellent chorus, and bridge!! Nice low sexy harmonies
adding depth. Choppy guitars moving the song along. I love this
one!
Elephants is
probably the coolest and quirkiest song on the record. The truth is out
there. I have no idea what it means yet. But I can tell you, it is slow, and
beautiful. It's starts and ends with distant piano chords, then old
record static from one of those old record players from the 20s, mixed
with all other effects. There are 2 beautiful guitar solos. The first
one is plucked heavily. Creative... and then some!
Meaningless
Conversation is very marketable!! This is Pop, the 54 Seconds way! Definitely the highlight on the
album!! Just so sweet, and you just want to run up and hug Spencer, and
say, forget that bitch. I'll look after you. You know, 'cause he's singing
the words and all... er, and because I hear what I want to hear... Okay
Back to serious stuff: The backing
vocals are airy, and full of body. Fantastic song!! Sing it in the
shower (or bath), or in the corn field (which I might have soon) - with
or without :54 there. It's that kind of melody!!
You Are Not Me,
is the slowest and saddest song on the album, and very surreal. The
vocals are enough to bring anyone to their knees. Very touching. Very
emotional. Very beautiful! The hypnotic break is the highlight for sure.
Wait for it!
(Wireless) has such a catchy chorus,
and I don't know if this is coincidence, but the chorus comes in at
exactly 54 seconds. :o) The lyrics are kind of sad really, or more
bitter, but the music is very
uplifting. An excellent balance, and another of my favourites.
Coma is pure emotion. This song leaves a mark.
The vocals are breathtaking (with guest vocalist Patty
Griffin), and the bridge is wicked! The souring
guitar outro is magnificent to say the very least!!
The album finishes with a child singing "I could be
someone". I really can't say which song is my favourite, as I love every single one of them -- some a tad more than others, but to pick one song out would mean the others didn't affect me as much, and that is just not how it goes.
There are hardly any breaks between songs, hence the "gel and
flow" feeling. It's like one big symphonic segue. GET THIS ALBUM!!!
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Promo copy (back cover)
(with thanks to
Heather Howe)
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Promotional Copy
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