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Sycamore Meadows
by Original Signal Recordings/Power Ballad
| List Price: |
$13.98 |
Unavailable for
purchase at this time |
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Audio CD
Walker
Publisher: Original Signal Recordings/Power Ballad
Sycamore Meadows, the street where acclaimed musician Butch Walker lived and worked in Malibu, CA has drastically changed as a result of the massive wildfires that destroyed much of the area last November. And like many other Southern California residents, Walker lost his entire house and all his personal possessions in those fires, including his studio and every master recording he s ever made. But inspiration sometimes comes from tragedy and so it became that this event incited Butch Walker to create music unlike anything he had ever done before. The result is his fourth album entitled Sycamore Meadows.
Always known to change up his musical styles, Butch Walker trades in his smart-glam, David Bowie-Marc Bolan sound heard on the previous solo album - The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let s Go Out Tonites (July 2006/Epic) - for a classic and introspective sound highlighting his poignant lyrics and unforgettable melodies. Walker wrote and produced the entire album, which ranges from the uptempo, anthemic jam that launches the album (first single The Weight of Her), to the deeply personal ballad Ships in a Bottle.
| Customer Reviews: |
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| Butch Rocks |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Butch Walker is the real deal. This latest release really shows that Butch still loves to write, record and perform music that he really believes in. Get this CD, you will love it!!!
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| Butch Can Do NO Wrong |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Butch always writes from the heart and in his latest album, he does not disappoint. After hearing about his tremendous loss in the California Wild Fires, there was only one thing he could do, write about it and create beautiful music. The album is heartfelt, compelling and passionate.
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| Butch Walker - always a treat |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I Loved the Marv 3... and when Butch went out on his own, I was nervous but ended up LOVING Left of Self Centered. It is probably the most listened to album that I own. I went on to buy Letters and BW and the Lets go out Tonights, though both were good neither had the power the drive that Left of Self Centered had.
Sycamore Meadows is a fantastic CD. I particularly love the song Atlanta, and the obligatory "hidden track". Though the CD doesn't have the raw power of Left of Self Centered - it is probably the most autobiographical of all of his CDs. The emotion, the catchy fun lyrics, and the excellent musical work are all reasons why Butch Walker fans obsess over him. This CD has all of it.
My only complaint - and I hate to say anything negative about B-Diddy, is that there are times when his vocals dip so low that you can't make out what he's saying. Add to that the lack of an album insert with the lyrics and one will find themselves looking up the lyrics online. Still that's no reason NOT to buy this CD. I have to admit that this is probably my second favorite CD by him since he went solo. It will be very hard for him to ever top Left of Self Centered in my mind... but there is always hope.
Honestly - you either love Butch Walker, or you've never heard Butch Walker.
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| Where Will He Go From Here? |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Sycamore Meadows...Where to begin? I found it funny that another reviewer alluded to the idea that Butch has abandoned his "core" audience with this release. I find it funny to think of Butch as even having a specific "core" audience. If you have ever been to a Butch show and had a look around you can see you are surrounded by people from every age group and walk of life. The last show I was at I was standing beside a nurse in scrubs on my left and a biker dude in leather on my right. They were both yelling and singing along the entire time with the equal enthusiasm that the college kids in eyeliner on the front row brought along. Butch is an artist, he knows how to connect with people, its both his job and his passion. The fact that on any given night at his show you might stand beside a physics major or a drag queen is just a testament to his talent and greatness.
The production on SM is as stripped as it gets, a few times I felt like it could have been a little better constructed. If you have his "Justified and Stripped" EP you can expect a similar raw sound for a large amount of the album. At times the record almost sounds like a collection of B-sides until you think of the past year in Butch's life which led up to the album. The songs are a mixture of bright highs and dark almost bottomless lows that Butch has alluded to in the past but never explored on such a detailed level. The craftsmanship of the songs and lyrics are again on a masterful level rarely reached by his peers and acquaintances. The music on this disc I have to say is great (when it was there), but at times I felt is was a little too stripped down in places where it should have had a little more substance (As I said before). I understand this was to help build the "mood" but sometimes I felt like it was a crutch. I still have to highly recommend it both to fans old and new, It is a incredible record that belongs in everyone's collection.
Here is a track-by-track review.
The Weight of Her:
This track has a really great vintage vibe to it like the "Damn the Torpedoes" era of Tom Petty. I have to say it is one of the best songs Butch has ever written, you find yourself replaying it over and over again without realizing you are hitting the repeat button. It gives you a clear view of the reach of Butch's musical prowess of recent years. It's mixture of two parts comedy one part tragedy is more fun to sing along to than anything you could hear on the radio any hour of the day or night.
Going Back/Going Home:
Butch comes off sounding like a wise and humble Rod Stewart starting the track with a Faces style reminiscence of things lost in the fire and found on the inside. The track ends with a brilliant Butch ramble that sums of the story of his life in 45 seconds making you laugh, cry and think of better days. When the song ends you find yourself wondering how the hell anyone could fit all of that into a song and made it listenable. Then you remember who is singing. Brilliant.
Here Comes The...:
This track is one of the many darker tracks on the album where Butch embraces the pseudo-country-alt-rock sound he has been dabbling with for the last two albums. Pink sings back-up vocals and for once sounds like she isn't trying to be a bloated over-hyped rock star. It is a track you can close your eyes and hear echoing off of the walls of the Exit/Inn in Nashville (A great venue to catch Butch at if you get a chance). The chicka-chicka of the guitars and the playful patterns of the drums keep the tempo upbeat but the lyrics let you know loneliness is anything but fun.
Ponce De Leon Ave:
If you don't live in Atlanta then you might not have had the experience of being lost on Ponce De Leon at night watching people stumble home from parties until the wee hours of the morning. The street has a great retro feel to it with a hint of old spanish decor, at any given time you can see things that remind you of your childhood if you grew up in the South. This track has a great Seals & Croft 70's summer vibe to it, the horns in the background and the off-color rhythm section make it a stand out track on the album.
Ships in a Bottle:
A classic "Butch" track which could have been on any of his albums in the last decade. The point is its on this album and for a good reason it's the pivotal track that glues together every song after it. When the chorus rolls in with it's bittersweet wave of minor keys and brass instruments you understand the feeling of always being on the wrong side of the glass. Butch plays the role of the ship in a bottle, nudging forward at the emptiness of life after love, knowing that the glass/circumstances around you keep you separated from the life you want. At the end you almost feel like the track is too short and should go on, truly the mark of a great storyteller.
Vessels:
Again, Butch channels a vintage feeling opening the track with a set of chimes that could have fallen right out of the 60's. The lyrics lead into a dark and resolute chorus with Butch stating "We don't get along anymore/ Saw his name and number by the door/ You just take the bed i'll take the floor/ We don't get along anymore." The song has those dark tones like bands like the Hollies, the Animals and even the Rolling Stones used to make "Pop" songs in the 1960's. There is a feeling of foreboding at the idea of seeing a crumbling relationship manifest before your eyes knowing all the promises you made to each other have turned into lies. Butch knows this and lets the lyrics go where they want to travel, exploring the things that once made the relationship happy that are now the scene of the battleground. The song is powerful and so catchy it almost makes the misery of separation feel like a heroic achievement for anyone who has survived it.
Passed your place, Saw your car, Thought of You:
A very low key track that almost sounds like an after thought until you hear how Butch strings the lines "There's never been a pill strong enough to make me feel / Like all your fingers do" into a chorus so heart wrenching that you won't be able to get it out of your mind for days. M3 fans will find it similar to "Let Me Go" from the "Hey" album. The track is one part misery, two parts old memories and feels like finding a photo album of your grandparent's wedding day in a dusty attic years after they have passed on. I can't say I cried but I may have wanted to.
The Three Kids in Brooklyn:
After three heavy tracks leading you through heartbreak-ache and isolation this track offers a well needed diversion. The horse-trot of the drums and somewhat humorous and autobiographical lyrics bring a smile to your face long before the one kid in Atlanta at the end tries to make an escape. It's Butch doing what he knows how to do best, giving you a somewhat elusive tale of happenstance and slamming on his guitar until the fade.
Summer Scarves:
Butch shows his fascination again with the past and channels the 60's this time opening with a very Velvet Underground-esc flute and low key lyrics that sound like they were recorded in a dark basement with a wall tapestry. By the time the steel guitar brings you into the burnt-umber chorus of late summer, memories of years past will begin to make you feel the heat of the sun and the promise of something better to come.
A Song for the Metalheads:
A weird off-beat Dylan like track that really sounds like it was written and recorded in one take. It is both a sign of the times and a message to all the fake people currently making our society a joke.
Closer to the Truth and Further from the Sky:
A weird ditty about organized religion that feels cool but a little half-a**ed in terms of production. If you have ever gone to church and felt more lonely inside with all the people around you than you did before you walked in the doors it will bring a smile to your face. The chorus is a bird trying to soar with a broken wing but it makes it to it's destination.
ATL:
This track is an absolute masterpiece of song writing that puts Butch in league with the likes of Gordon Lightfoot, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison and Cat Stevens. If you have ever for one moment doubted the validity of Butch Walker being an artist this track will force you to put up or shut up. The haunting flow of the piano leaves you with chills long before the story of the lyrics begins to sink in. It has the vibe of the song "Joan" from the "Letters" album but shows his personal and artistic growth since that time. A modern masterpiece.
Untitled:
A very emotional and raw letter being sung to the fans. Sounds like something you would find on a mix tape in a shoebox under Butch's bed.
That Side of You:
At the beginning of this album there is a tone that is set by "The Weight of Her" that has a bright and wreck-less-happy feeling. As we move along the tracks the tone darkens and becomes much more serious, so at the end we are left wondering "What else does he have left to finish with?" Ladies and gentlemen I give you "That Side of You." For a track that closes out the album you would be hard pressed to find anything that is better written, produced or musically sound. It has that Beatles/ Hey Jude vibe that you just can't shake that leaves you feeling like you have been through it all but it's going to turn out ok.
Thanks for another great musical journey Butch.
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| See this guy live!!! |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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I must admit that despite Butch Walker's very long career, I never heard of him until I saw him live in Orlando at the end of March this year. I was going solely because a friend of mine was playing guitar in his band and really had no expectations whatsoever other than to visit my friend. This guy is a phenomenal showman! The songs are great and he connected with everyone at the show. I went home and downloaded this CD and I've been listening to it ever since. Because of this CD, I actually feel like I know Butch Walker, like he poured his soul into a CD and handed it to whoever would listen. Awesome! Buy this CD; you won't be disappointed.
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Weight of Her
Going Back/Going Home
Here Comes the...
Ponce de Leon Ave.
Ships in a Bottle
Vessels
Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car, Thought of You
3 Kids in Brooklyn
Summer Scarves
Song for the Metalheads
Closer to the Truth and Farther from the Sky
ATL
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