Sean Watkins - 26 Miles
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Sean WatkinsEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2003-04-08
Music Label: Sugarhill
Soundtracks:
- On Ice
- Chicago
- Letters Never Sent
- N.M.I.
- Hiding
- Through the Spring
- Chutes & Ladders
- Take It Away
- Locking Doors
- 26 Miles
- Creeping Beauty
- Brick Window
- Carousel
Free Music Notes for 26 Miles
Free Music Review: Brilliantly Put Together
Hit: 4 Stars
Sean Watkins is already known for his musical abilities, being one third of the Grammy-winning group Nickel Creek. However, with this release Sean shows off his other talent, as a songwriter of incredible skill. There wasn't one track on this disc that I didn't enjoy, some were simple in their composition, others were much more complex, but they all had one thing in common: they were solid and provided a great listening experience.
Sean began with the piano when he was only six, and took years of classical instruction. He found the guitar a little later, and at the tender age of 16, he made it to the final round of the National Flatpicking Guitar Championships in 1993. Bluegrass was one of his first loves, and still means a great deal to him. However, Sean wanted to explore other avenues and genres, and has set out to do just that. Releasing his first solo album in 2001, an instrumental work, Sean has progressed to adding some fine vocals to his composing.
His interests take him through numerous genres, and that is reflected in the compositions on this release. 26 Miles is a testament to talent and what can happen when an artist doesn't get stuck into a genre, but explores what each has to offer. Each track is a work of art, and combined, you get a CD that you can listen to for years to come and not tire of. Although, I do hope that there will be a great deal more to come from this incredibly gifted musician.
On Ice begins the experience that is Sean Watkins. This song was one of the Game songs, that is, it was written in one day. This is an exercise Sean and his band developed to pass the time. They had to write one song a day, then play them for one another. The title was thought up the night before and they all had to write something suitable for it. While Sean didn't expect anything worthwhile to come of it, this is a track that contains the valuable "hook." The beat is fairly simplistic, but the lyrics hold worlds, and Sean's voice is the perfect vehicle to convey them.
Out of the thirteen songs on this release there are three instrumentals. N.M.I. (New Medium Instrumental) is one of them. It is a fast paced jazz kissed track that makes you stop and pay attention to it. This isn't a song to fade into the background in an elevator or office, like so many instrumentals are, this one delivers itself with a potency that is rare and wonderful to behold. Sean put a soprano sax and a fiddle together, and they fit like long lost lovers.
The title track, 26 Miles has a hint of hip-hop within its rhythm. It's a catchy piece, and started while Sean was walking on the beach. He'd apparently heard that if you stand next to a large body of water, you can see only 26 miles before the horizon bends. I love the oceanside, so this became a quick favourite.
All thirteen tracks are brilliantly put together, and you won't be disappointed in this CD. Even the accompanying booklet is filled with some great touches, pictures and brief explanations for each track, as well as the lyrics, and a look at some of the musicians and at Sean himself. 26 Miles is a must have for any music lover.
Review Originally Posted at http://www.linearreflections.com
26 Miles Poster
On his second solo release, Sean Watkins tones down the flatpicking guitar fireworks to focus on the kind of acoustic-based pop song craft that his band, Nickel Creek, has explored so successfully since its self-titled 2000 release. On 26 Miles, Watkins's songs recall the British-flavored folk-rock of Beck's Mutations and, especially, the softly soaring melodies of alt-rock troubadour Elliott Smith. As a lyricist, Watkins has a long way to go to match these songsmiths, but he proves himself to be a graceful and inventive composer, and his smooth voice is well matched with the material. Balancing the vocal tracks are three fine instrumentals, notably "Chutes and Ladders," on which Watson's guitar and Trip Sprague's saxophone chase down a quicksilver bebop melody. Overall, the production style is poppier than what we've heard from Nickel Creek to date, with drums (live and programmed), keyboards, and a smattering of electric guitar alongside the acoustic instruments. --Jeffrey Pepper RodgersCountry Music CDs
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