Album Rating: 2.5

Roomex and iAGRIOS: Sorry to let you down in such a manner guys, but I think this album is basically Lisa Hannigan copping out/selling out on us (if a pop artist could do that lol). It's a shame. Sea Sew was so awesome. Ah well. Let me know what you think about the album Roomex, if you ever get around to it. Cheers and thanks for stopping by!



Hans: Indeed - old age should burn and rave at close of day.

Album art couldn't be more polar opposite

great read Irving

Album Rating: 2.5

Thank you Skimaskcheck! Hope this review was informative!

Album Rating: 4.0

Hi Irving, I've been listening to the album for a couple weeks now, and I disagree with a lot of this review. I initially

wasn’t sure about the album, but now I think the album is very good.



I think on the whole I like the first album better, but I’m not sure how much of this is a product of expectations,

and not 
really about the quality of songs. I had zero expectations for Sea Sew. I first found Lisa Hannigan on

youtube, of all 
places, with a video of her singing “I don’t know” in a pub, and then I heard Sea Song, and then Lille,

and I decided I 
had to buy the album even if the rest of it was crap. As it turned out, the whole album was wonderful,

and discovering 
the album that way makes for a delightful experience. For those of us that felt the same way as I did

about the first 
album, you can’t help but have a lot of expectations for the second album, so that changes things. It’s

behind 
even before it starts.



But as I keep listening to it, it has been holding up very well. “Knots” is probably my favorite song on the album (I

take tremendous issue with your characterization of it as “not bad”). It’s a thumping good time. I really like “A Sail,”

“Paper House,” and “Little Bird.” I initially thought “What’ll I do” was quirky, and suspected it would get old soon, but

actually the more I listen to it the more I like it, and it sounds like it would be lots of fun in concert. I think the

album is definitely worth “bothering with,” as you put it.



I also really like the lyrics of the new album. A lot of very nice turns of phrases and intriguing lines. For instance,

from “Paper House”: “You would ask for truth / and I would look for something to burn.” It sounds grim, and yet

somehow strikes me as comical. I’m rarely sure what she means, but it’s always fascinating.



Considering the big shoes it had to fill (for me, anyway), I'm very pleased with it. All I care is that I've thoroughly

enjoyed listening to Passenger on long trips, around the house, and sharing it with friends and family. Can't ask for

more.

Album Rating: 2.5

Fair enough Christianmc - to each his own. At any rate I'm glad that you derived more enjoyment out of this than I did. Who knows - maybe I did miss something in the midst of it all. In any case, I'd recommend Zee Avi's Ghostbird to you if you thought this was any good at all. IMHO Avi's record is much superior.



Cheers mate.

Album Rating: 4.0

Just listened to a few tracks from Zee Avi -- not bad. I'll give it a listen! About it being superior, afraid we disagree there still, but I'll give it some more time.

Album Rating: 2.5

Haha, again - to each his own!!



Dude I would love to read a review of Passenger - from you - sometime. It sounds like you have a lot of positive things to say about it, and a different opinion always helps out here on this site.



What about it, eh? =)

I'm not one to read too deep into things as you did with your review (not that I disagree, just saying), but I wasn't totally crazy over her second album either, to be honest.

I personally think, the main reason why it was kind of disappointing, was because it lacked happy songs, as well as sophistication/prettiness in her lyricism.

I guess in this album, Passenger, she was going more for an ambiance kind of feel rather than... poetry and melody?

I wasn't a big fan of the melodies of Passenger, either - the whole old southern folk sound's just been too common with artists (Laura Marling, Zee Avi, etc.), I wish she'd come up with better ones.

My favourite song on there was What'll I Do.

Another problem was that she used too many familiar terms and metaphors. The song Passenger felt like a much, much weaker version of Ocean and a Rock.

Sea Sew got me literally smiling the first time I heard it, whereas the first listen on this album is kind of... well, again, disappointing.

I'm rambling just a tad, but to summarise what I'm saying, basically, the lyricism was disappointing (in comparison to the previous album) and there were too much gloominess in Passenger, not enough happy songs, and not enough of an "original" feel in the melody.

Album Rating: 2.5

Nothing wrong with rambling, mrcuriosity - especially when your comment ends up being quite the analysis! =) I have to say I really agreed with that "the whole old southern folk sound's just been too common with artists" bit. The genre's really getting quite stale.



Anyway, hope to see you post more around here mate.

Really?

I mean if you personally didn't like the record thats fine, but calling it impersonal and
emotionally distant is quite possibly the biggest misinterpretation I've ever heard of.

Lisa Hannigan said herself that Sea Sew, looking back, was her trying to come across as optimistic
and really happy (which is natural considering everyone was as pre-occupied with the reasons for her
leaving Rice's band as they were with her debut, if not more) and that in Passenger, she's much more
honest, which I definitely think came across subtly yet has strong presence throughout all the songs
on the album, I prefer this album a lot more than Sea Sew. I think you've quite mercilessly taken
apart the entire thing...

Album Rating: 4.0

Delayed response, I know, I’ve been busy. Irving, as for writing a whole review of Passenger, I don’t have much else

to say, but thanks for the interest! Also thanks for the Zee Avi recommendation.



Actually the Zee Avi comparison might help illustrate why, in my opinion, you underrated Lisa Hannigan’s album. The

thing that keeps me listening to Lisa's music is depth. You can sense that there is a well of experience behind the

words and the melodies. Her music can be happy and playful, and yet tinged with sadness, which only makes it more

beautiful. Or in such songs as “Little Bird,” you get the sense of softness and gentleness on the outside, but

strength underneath. Watch this performance, and then say she is selling out! Impossible.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAbC56IbnUM



Zee Avi is quite talented and nice to listen to. But I don’t get the same sense of depth in her songs. For instance, on

“Just Me and You,” she throws out the name “Kierkegaard,” but I get the sense she is doing that just because that’s a

name hipsters like to throw around, not because she reads Kierkegaard. Maybe she does read Kierkegaard, I don’t

know. But most of the songs feel that way to me – very nice, though not much there but what is apparent on a first

hearing. Lisa's music just has a lot more depth.

The last paragraph here could have been the whole review, it sums it up so perfectly. Loved Sea Sew, for exactly the reasons you mentioned.

I was thinking of Lisa Hannigan this morning and was wondering about her 2nd album being as lovely as her first when I found this discussion. While I am certain to still purchase "Passenger", I thought I might suggest another artist to everyone here: Basia Bulat. Her first album "Oh, My Darling" is similar to "Sea Sew" in that its raspy, scratchy, warm and every bit as charming as Hannigan's first endeavor. One of Bulat's songs was featured on a commercial (years after she arrived on the music scene, of course), but don't let that fool you -- someone in commercial America just happened to have an ear for great music for once. I've heard tell that Bulat's 2nd album is even better, but if you like the warth, atmosphere, and lilting melodies of "Sea Sew", you're sure to enjoy Basia Bulat. Just thought you should know

Album Rating: 3.5

hello 2012

Album Rating: 3.5

and i say oooooh eh eh ehhhh ah ahhhhhh eh eh oooooooooh what'll i do withoutchou

Album Rating: 3.5

WITHOUTCHYOU!!!

Album Rating: 3.5

oooooh oh oh oooooooooooooh

Album Rating: 4.0

whatever happened to lisa? knots is still goat

Album Rating: 3.5

man the 3rd lp still has no review shame