Customer Reviews

Hallucinations

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When David Usher left Moist I thought to myself, "So what?" He is a singer who's voice is good with or without a band to back him up. His voice is that of the wind, it can be both calm and chilling at times and for that I love his music. David Usher is truly the most talented Canadian songwriter and singer not because he is representing 'Canada,' but because he has truly found his calling and soul searching in his new CD, Hallucinations. On it twelve new songs that break through the darkness of 'pop' singers like Avril Lavigne, Shania Twain, and many others, who think they have what it takes, but none go to a new depth and height of Usher's music as he can take one's soul to the end and back again. All of his songs are from the heart and I can honestly say that there is not one song on this CD I do not like, will get sick of, and all tweleve songs could be released as singles and be very successful in doing so. If I were to pick one song that sticks out at the moment though I would have to choose, Numb, as it did just that to my body. The relaxing, yet soulful play of the song just runs through the mind as smooth as silk and leaves you in awe afterwards. So what happens after this CD for David Usher? Well whether he chooses to make another or not as time goes on is up to him, but it does not matter as if he were to leave this as his last CD it would be a great legacy for other Canadian artists or any music artist in general to strive towards. This is the perfect CD in everyway possible and I now plan on buying his other solo CDs as well and if you don't, well you will be missing out on one of the greatest musical singers of a lifetime to grace Canada or the world for that matter.

well simple as the songs maybe, they all hold a secret and sometimes mysterious story. Of course this album is rather soft compared to Morning Orbit, but I love it anyway. it isn't a kinda album to play at a party (unless it's a private party for 2 ;) ) but it brings peace to your soul at hard times. There are some peaceful songs that makes you think like "Devil By My Side" and "I'm Coming Down" and some upbeat pop-rock songs like "Hallucinations" and "Time of Our Lives". I think that this album is perfect. Of course, most of you won't think the same thing and will think I'm sadly mistaken but I find this album very relaxing and makes you wanna smile. I hope you buy it cause I did and I loved it...never stopped playing it.

This album is some of the best efforts by David Usher so far. His experience and skill at music are evidently clear. A melodic blend of artistic imagery, musicianship and atmosphere. For those looking for pop songs like Morning Orbit, you may disappointed, however this album deserves and second and third listen to really understand and enjoy. I enjoy it more and more with each listen. THis is a deep album with many subtle nuances. With help from Moist band members Kevin and Jeff, this album is a worthy addition to any Moist/Usher fans collection.

David Usher's 3rd solo CD builds on his previous two releases and is simply some of the most moving, brilliant music you will hear. Although darker and a bit more of a spark plug, it's Rufus Wainwright that he increasingly reminds me of with his experiment with melody and diverse instrumentation on the arrangements. On the opening title track he sings, "Standing on the top looking down, thought it'd be so damn easy," as the guitars fire with staccato breathiness in the bridge. Five of the tracks on the disc rate classic status, which is an incredible percentage of truly great tracks on any one non-greatest hits release.

On "I'm Coming Down" David as a vocalist expresses such desperate discontent with normalcy as his voice hits the upper registers with an incredibly dramatic music, "I thought you should know that inside I've grown cold, and I fight every day to lose control." "Time of Our Lives" is currently #1 in my own personal top ten. From its opening line, "I once saw a man on fire staring out of his window," we hear the urgency of emotion that is a hallmark of classic Usher and the guitars chime like they were spark plugged from the Allman Brothers, "Who of us will tell what these dark days will bring?" It's a breathtaking track worth the price of the CD. "Message Home" has another startlingly original melody with Usher's piano creating urgency, "If we never try then we'll never take, If we never bend then we'll never break, if we stimulate & we sexualize, will we need it more." The guitars swirl like smoke up a chimney. Another breathtaking track. "Surfacing" is another amazing melody with lyric and vocal creating urgency followed by peace, "The picture perfect life is fading out of view & high above me I can feel the world, but I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it ... I just need you." The final hidden live track that's not listed is also incredible. I don't know what to call it other than the first few words of the lyric "Smells on the Air," "Caught in the rage & the fire of things, all the brightness that burns is fumbling through, like a child in the dark, when her nakedness comes, I'm shocked by the color, the glorious weight of your skin comes alive." Usher simply marries melody, lyric, arrangement, powerfully emotional singing, and sterling musicianship on a par with almost no other musician. This is music that is urgent, unique and unforgettable. Seek & you shall find! Bravo!

Little Songs may have been the title of David Usher's quietly stunning solo debut, but in Hallucinations, his ambitions are revealed to be anything but unassuming.

Less intimate than Little Songs and more ethereal than Morning Orbit, this breathy third offering from the lead singer of cult alt-rock band Moist is a different beast indeed, lacking depth and substance as its title intimates. The squeaky-clean, commercialised compositions and trite emotions that form the core of this narcissistic album will irritate diehard fans while seducing new ones.

Devil By My Side is just plain lazy: it's all ooh oohs, back-up choruses and "believe in hope, believe in faith, believe that hate will never die". Usher says he'd never sung falsetto in public until I'm Coming Down, where he whispers confidingly, "I thought you should know that inside I've grown cold" followed by an unholy wail. Oh, please. There's nothing more pathetic than a 37-year-old man writing angsty teenage poetry in an attempt to seem profound. Especially when said man is capable of better. Much better, as evidenced by the unlisted bonuses which are easily the best tracks on the album: live recordings of earlier efforts Saint Lawrence River, Butterfly and Forestfire.

Flashes of inspired songwriting do compensate somewhat, such as the unreasonably infectious Numb and the urgency of Message Home. His dainty, froufrou rendition of the Manic Street Preachers' If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next makes me wonder: can this really, truly, be the same David Usher who birthed the evocative Saint Lawrence River and the anthemic Push?

Maybe I'm just hallucinating.

What I like about David Usher is that, while his albums are never quite the same, he is consistent. This new one is a great follow up to Morning Orbit. It's reflective and poignent. My favourites would have to be "I'm Coming Down", "In This Light" and "Message Home". I agree with others, though, that you may not think much of the album after hearing it a first time, but it just keeps getting better and better with every listen. This is an artist that you must listen to the entire album to really appreciate it.

Yeah,another review about David Usher.The title track Hallucinations is the first track on the album as well as the opening song for his recent concert which I went to.It's really an aggressively sounding song!As for the rest,what I can say is great.It's well balanced!Too bad this record is currently underrated,hopefully as times goes on,it'll deserve more attention.Highly recommended!

Please note that this album is not available in CD format. Instead, it is a proprietary CD-like format. Despite claims to the contrary, it would not play in my Windows laptop and even if it would, this format prohibits me from exercising my fair use and converting it into a format suitable for playback on my iPod MP3 player.

It is a shame that EMI decided not to release David Usher's latest album in CD format. As a result, I am unable to listen to this music and had to return it.