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"a
self-released record, that sounds as lush and gorgeous
as a big budget allows. don piper adheres to the open-strum
pop of the crowded house school and some of the emotionalism
and sadness of american music club and its ilk, throwing
in some badfinger for the kind of album that has enough
gloss and hooks to keep your sister interested without
boring you. frankly, it's a complementary mix. just as
the long, repetitive and slightly rocked out coda of "go
free" jibes with the acoustic tenderness of "start again,"
the classic power-pop song structure of "just checking
in" -- with perhaps, the best falsetto in recent memory
-- meets them in the middle with acoustic strumming and
a gorgeously powerful chorus. by sounding simultaneously
old and new, saturate delivers one of the surprise pop
records of 2000"
magnet
"purveying a profoundly melodic combination of power-pop
and atmospherics, these memorable songs (saturate) at
times recall the airier spots in bends-era radiohead,
jeff buckley's ethereality, and alex chilton's more coherent
moments; there's also an element of neil finn in the poppier
tracks. throughout, piper's beautiful high voice gives
the songs a deceptive fragility. it's truly depressing
to think what might have happened had this album been
"officially" released. but hey, that's showbiz. but does
it have to be?"
cmj
"this album (saturate) is a highly enjoyable collection
of tunes, ranging in style from mournful love songs to
jangly power pop. don piper sets himself apart from the
masses, both in his compelling songwriting and in the
outsider's standpoint. it's listening to albums like this
which makes one lament the position of unsigned bands
in a britney world. piper's voice is clear and vibrant,
making this record a standout in today's pop climate of
false sentiment and overblown production values."
bust
"they're good. damn good. the guy's got a way with melodies,
and his vocals are smoooooooooth. get in on something
before it becomes something"
babysue
"guitar-based pop that shouldn't be considered quirky
except that i've never heard anything quite like it before.
it takes a few listens for the melodies to stick, but
once they do, they do it hard"
amplifier
"don piper takes the chipper sound of the british
invasion and makes it gentle and folky. the saccharine
tones of toy piano and triangle play off of piper's wistful
strum and pining vocal. these intimate ditties aren't
designed to grab your attention at first. the subtlety
of a don piper situation is part of what makes you want
to listen to the band's music over and over again"
philadelphia city paper
"his melodies seem instantly familiar and his lazy phrasing
has the sweet quirkiness of victoria williams. the words
just seem to go with the music, and you don't really care
what they mean; you just go along for the ride"
instant album review
"you're about to hear 'a hitchhiking david bowie getting
picked up by the flaming lips on their way to a zombies
fan convention' so make yourself at home because you will
remember this music until you die"
the commentator
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"don't
let the acoustic guitar, sensitive melodies and boyishly
yearning voice fool you - don piper isn't just another
coffeehouse drivel merchant. on his one-man-band indie
ep, piper flexes his pop muscles in a host of styles:
john lennon balladry, harry nilsson show-biz flourishes,
unhinged alex chilton rock"
rolling stone
"released from their capitol contract without releasing
a record, this IS the record (saturate) that the merger
crazy major label world decided not to bring into our
lives, shamefully. housed in a slip-cover case and hand
printed by the band, this band not only is great, but
have their own sound, certainly appealing to many power
pop fans. its evocative natures, wistful strummings
and purity of unique vision makes this a band that capitol
should regret not pursuing."
pure pop music store
"this collection of tunes (saturate) is rather spectacular.
these fellows display a rather impressive maturity in
their songwriting. the guitars ring loud and true...and
the vocal melodies are truly super. no easy gimmicks
and overused formulas here. these tunes are intelligent,
thought provoking, and very entertaining. we particularly
love "just checking in"...wow"
babysue
"the high quality of this ep insures that attention
will be paid to the group"
option
"one of the finest powerpop songwriters in town. his
best songs (played with his crack quartet, a don piper
situation) achieve a perfect balance of harmony, texture,
dynamic variation...and rock, rock, rock"
new york magazine
"a versatile pop quartet led by austin transplant don
piper, whose gimlet-eyed songcraft sparked a justly
deserved big-label bidding war in 1997"
the new yorker
"don piper's got a truckload of amazing, silly love
songs that are just dying to replace every piece of
crap on modern rock radio right now"
philadelphia weekly
"new york's favorite singer-songwriter, don piper, mixes
the poignant sensitivity of sister lovers era alex chilton
with some wilco-esque alt country. this is a hard sound
to describe but is a great find for fans of the aforementioned
acts or for fans of elliott smith, nick drake, etc"
insound
"a mellow poet capable of crossing styles, putting a
psychedelic spin into the current fad du jour of alternative
country"
grip magazine
"five songs is not enough... haunting, evocative, gorgeous
and not for parties"
pure pop music store
"a confectionary, smartly crafted bit of soulful pop"
cmj
"these are stunning, winsome songs"
magnet
"this ep deserves recognition for its sheer beauty and
pop pedigree. a breath of fresh air in these distortion-heavy
and sample-happy times"
mode magazine
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