Echo and the Bunnymen

[Paper Hearts]

Reviews-

(Scenestars website)

Echo and The Bunnymen have gone nowhere. For the last 26 years, they have provided anthems of anguish and love influencing three generations of artists, their music appearing prominently in film soundtracks and consistently standing the test of time and circumstance. In a culture that is so driven by youth, it's easy to see bands like this become swallowed by all that they have created. Some bands in the years now facing Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant would be resting on their laurels, content to have been consistently critically lauded, to have brought pricelessly memorable songs like Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon, "The Cutter", "Lips Like Sugar" or "Bring On The Dancing Horses" to life. If Siberia, the first release from E&TB in four years, is any indication, the grace with which their music and songwriting has aged is clearly unmatched by any of the young guns and hipster bands whose sound bears allegiance to them.

These 11 songs showcase the places where time has worn itself into the golden voice of it's lead singer, but not with the swan song staccato of several of his contemporaries. The sandpaper harmonies come pouring out with a ferality, an aching warmth and immediacy paralleling their best work. The quality of the songwriting has never been more razor sharp, the rhythmic neo-psychedelia of the arrangements as clean as if they were laid on the self-titled 1987 release Echo & The Bunnymen.

Of all the albums that will be referred to this year as "comeback" albums, none are as deserving of your full attention as this one. Echo and The Bunnymen have never left us, but I have not listened to an album this consistently listenable from them since that 1987 release. If you've ever been a fan of this band, you will not only not be disappointed, you'll be filled with an unmistakeable sense of reverence for just how far they've come when you listen to Siberia. You absolutely must buy this CD.

Guitarist Magazine Review

Bands who reform rarely win - there's usually too much baggage and too few ideas. And that was the case when Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant reactivated The Bunnymen back in 1997. Now, when major labels have dumped them, they're rediscovered their powers.

Veteran producer Hugh Jones returns, but mostly Will Sergeant's razoring, gliding guitar is really back, Parthenon Drive has the guitar / bass tango of debut Crocodiles, In The Margins reminds how they were once (sneeringly superior) peers of U2 : Scissors In The Sand is a hard - Edged guitar rave - up. McCulloch's voice is always good, but Sergeant is in charge here. Who'd-a-thunk-it? Siberia really is the Bunnymen's best album since Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain.

Channel Four Teletext

Just down to Mac and Will from the original line-up, the last two Bunnymen albums have felt like they really are just half a band.

Now, reunited with original producer Hugh Jones and with bands like Editors in thrall to their monochrome drama, it's as if they're determined to show the young upstarts how it's done.

Mac's lived enough that his Sinatra croon is convincingly wise. Will's guitars spiral gloriously and the songs area as urgent as the '80s. Superb. 8/10

http://www.bunnymen.com

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

Wow.... have not listened to them in a while.... I spent years trying to get their cover of Paint it Black... it sucked LOL. I really liked most of their other music though... Ill probably have to pick this one up.

[Paper Hearts]

I cannot wait to have a listen.

[phee]

Jeez... they are anceint.... I bet they like money though

[Black Sunday9]

how is it a comeback album? they had their comeback in 1997 and have had 3 albums since. 'FLowers' (2001) was very good in my opinion. Ian's solo album from last year sucked though.

[Msterbeau]

I'm up for giving it a try... I liked the early stuff beaucoup.