Soulsavers - It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land
Indie / 2007 / mp3 192 kps / 61mb / RS This rain beats down like death.
You turn your eyes to better men.
Before I go I'm hangin' a cross on the nail
I hung one for you in there.
Soulsavers are an English production and remix team comprised of members Rich Machin and Ian Glover.
They have released two albums,
Tough Guys Don't Dance in 2003 and
It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land in 2007 - a truly great album the details of - and the download for - which you can get right here;
Mark Lanegan has had a noteworthy career as a solo artist. However, until quite recently Mark was best known for his tenure as the lead singer of Screaming Trees, a band that were categorised within the Seattle grunge phenomenon of the 1990s but who made some great albums which in reality were bigger and better than - and indeed defied - the limiting label of ‘grunge’.
This second Soulsavers album features renowned American singer Mark Lanegan as vocalist and also as co-writer for five of the album's songs.
This record proves a significant addition to Lanegan’s considerable body of work, which includes his work as a solo artist and also variously as part of the Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age - as well as recently the wonderful ‘Lee and Nancy’ type collaborations with Isobel Campbell, in the albums Ballad of the Broken Seas and 2008's great Sunday at Devil Dirt (both will be posted here real soon .. I can't fucking believe I didn't post em before!)
In October 2006, Soulsavers announced on their Myspace site that they were putting the finishing touches to their new album "It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land", which featured Mark Lanegan on 8 of the albums tracks.
Although the album is not credited as
Soulsavers And Mark Lanegan, Mark did have a very significant input. As well as appearing as vocalist, the tracks
"Revival", "Ghosts Of You And Me", "Paper Money" and
"Jesus Of Nothing" are credited as
written by Mark Lanegan and Soulsavers.
The album also features a re-working of the truly magnificent "Kingdoms Of Rain", which featured on Lanegan's second excellent solo album, "Whiskey For The Holy Ghost".
Soulsavers recorded the tracks in England with Lanegan recording the vocals at Conway Studios in Los Angeles.
The album also features guests the great Will Oldham as well as Jimi Goodwin of Doves and PW Long.
The great opening track "Revival" has been released as an EP and has received very favourable critical response.
"Revival" is an uplifting sway of gospel-like chorals below Lanegan’s gruff idiosyncratic vocals singing of forgiveness and the greatest sin of all, lust (well it's my favourite anyway!).
This magnificent musical and lyrical piece sets the tone for the entire album.
You can find details of, and the DL for, the
Revival EP and loads of other Lanegan stuff here;
MARK LANEGANHere's the post on
Soulsavers - Revival EP
TracklistingRevival (4:11) (Lanegan, Soulsavers)
Ghosts Of You And Me (4:19) (Lanegan, Soulsavers)
Paper Money (3:19) (Lanegan, Soulsavers)
Ask The Dust (4:17) (Soulsavers)
Spiritual (5:34) (Haden)
Kingdoms Of Rain (3:52) (Lanegan, Soulsavers)
Through My Sails (3:27) (Young)
Arizona Bay (4:59) (Soulsavers)
Jesus Of Nothing (4:13) (Lanegan, Soulsavers)
No Expectations (5:38 / 8:26) (Soulsavers, Jagger, Richards)
VerdictIt's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land is a truly excellent piece of work and without doubt up there with 2007’s best offerings.
The key figure is Lanegan and here he finds musically and texturally a perfect match and also an ideal backdrop for his troubled lyrics of religious fervour, black little sins and dark devouring desires.
The musical styles are very varied and complex, varying from gospel sways to moody techno dirges which, along with Lanegan’s unique vocal style and tremendous lyrics, takes us on a fascinating, complex, multi-faceted journey to somewhere dark and beautiful.
After the wonderful recent collaboration with Isobel Campbell, Ballad of the Broken Seas, and now this, it seems Mark Lanegan is on one hell of a roll! Hopefully, this will help bring him the level of widespread recognition his troubled genius deserves. The other band members ain't too bad either!