Customer Reviews

Exile and the Kingdom

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

After seeing what happened to some Canadian bands such as I mother earth and Moist and almost to our lady peace, it was just matter of time seeing Tea party split up. It didn't look like they had much creativity left.
So Jeff decided to follow in foot step of Edwin and Mathew Good and go solo. Many were left wondering as if Jeff's solo will be any good and he has not disappointed. Though album is not rocky as old TP albums, it still has old TP sound in it. First track "world is calling" defiantly reminds fans of old Middle Eastern sound from TP. And rests of the songs are more acoustic rock mix with blues.
I definitely recommend it even if you never heard of Jeff martin or TP

Jeff did a great job on this album.. and it sounds great with some real diversity in musical influences. Jeff Martin is a brilliant musician and a guitar player that leaves the competition far behind. The first song is a tease however. The Radio single (The World is calling) gives the impression that Jeff has returned to the sounds of early Tea Party with deep heavy sounding progressive rock (ie Sister Awake / life line / Halcyon Days) that TEA PARTY fans will appreciate. But that's it. For those who love The Tea Party, this album will leave something to be desired..(like the other two members). I couldn't help but think while listening to the CD "This song could use better drumming or a more agressive baseline.." Ritash Das is amazing and the fact that he's playing the final song not on TABLAS, but on a table... Yes a table! is VERY COOL ! Jeff's influence of Jimmy Page are apparent in several songs especially STAY INSIDE OF ME and ANGELDUST which sounds alot like "Going to California" DAYSTAR is very melodic and has great potential but doesn't go anywhere... BLACK SNAKE BLUES is a traditional blues song believe it or not, Better than SUN GOING DOWN. Although not as heavy.. THE KINGDOM is a perfect example of a good song (similar to Heavens Coming Down) which just seem like it's lacking something.
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.Not sure what market demographic this album is trying to reach, but JEFF MARTIN fans will love it and TEA PARTY Fans will like it..
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Overall VERY GOOD !

I work at a sunrise records store in toronto and we've played this album numerous times. I wasn't a huge fan of him or The Tea party mainly because I wasn't familar with their music... but let me tell you..... Its amazing!!! Jeff is wayyyy better off without the band and bringing back his old theme to his music really makes u wanna say" Thank-God". If you like the orchestrated, middle-eastern sound.... then why are you still reading this??? Get out there and buy it... You won't be disappointed. What can I say... He's Canadian..hehehe... Keep It up Jeff!!!

I'm one of the many huge tea party fans who was disappointed to hear of the break up, but thrilled to hear about a solo project. And I love it! Jeff Martin is exploring new sounds and styles that he couldn't do with the tea party. He is expressing new artistic style. Reading other reviews, people have been disappointed because it doesn't sound like the tea party, which is the POINT! If Jeff wanted to continue sounding like the Tea Party, he'd have kept the band together. If you're looking for a Tea Party sound, buy a Tea Party cd. If you're looking for a new musical experience ranging from the prog. rock we've all come to know from the TP, to the Blues to something completely Alternative, this is definetly the album for you. So much range. So much story telling ability. And something new from one of the darker voices of Rock. If you enjoyed the Tea Party, and want to hear the broad spectrum that Jeff Martin is now free to express, and a new artistic merit this is totally the album for you. But again, if you're looking for him to play more TP style rock, then listen to a TP album!

i work around crappy music all day and its so nice to have something to flush that all away when i get home. i really enjoyed the whole album. its really a return to early acoustic tea party which is great by me. its definitely a good album and well worth buying.

Sounds very much like Jeff Martin if Jeff Martin was aping his own previous style. It's not that the music has changed - after all, Transmission was a significant change and a great album - it's that it's changed into an echo of former glory. It's like a Tea Party cover album - except the Tea Party wrote better songs!

Skip this unless you're into maudlin, whiny faux-indie elevator music. No soul, no strength, no vigour at all.

I do like the album, and welcome the return of the Eastern influences that were at the root of so much of Martin's work with the Tea Party, but I can't help but think that having achieved domestic bliss with wife and family, the dark angst that drove so much of Martin's work with the Tea Party has lightened somewhat, and for me, has made Exile and the Kingdom slightly disappointing.

I found there was a little of everything in this album -- but not in extremes. (It doesn't go from "Winter Solstice" to "Temptation" for example) But you get a good mix of slighter harder rhythms and a neat intro to his blues with "Black Snack Blues". (Personally, I thought the 'in and out' echo effects were a bit distracting on that track, but that's just me.)

I (personally) love the melodies and layered tracks found in "The World is Calling" and "The Kingdom" (my two favourite songs from this album), and if you get a chance, see if you can find "Jeff Martin: Live in Dublin"--there is a gorgeous acoustic version of "The Kingdom" on that record that you NEED to compare this disc's version to. I've had both albums on repeat since I received them. ;) (Really, Jeff Martin could read the telephone book in that captivating, audio-sex voice of his and I'd be thrilled to pieces, but weaving in the guitars and other string instruments he's so fluent and deft at playing to accompany the lyrics, and you can't go wrong.)

I found this album really came back to the middle-eastern/Indian beats and instruments, which I was happy to rediscover through Jeff's (and his accompanying team-members') interpretations, and the lyrics were as mystical as ever... though perhaps a bit too mystical at times?... (Again, personal preference.) Sometimes I wonder if Jeff goes a bit overboard. ;)

Overall, pretty solidly ranked in my 'Jeff Martin' top albums. ;)

Hope you enjoy it, too!

For the most part, this CD was amazing. A couple of the songs were a little bit on the hard to listen to side (Angeldust) but songs like The Kingdom, Daystar, and Black Snake Blues make the not-so-good ones not matter. Hate to see the Tea Party finish, but this CD blows away Interzone Mantras and is easily almost as good as Seven Circles.

It sounds like the other members of the Tea Party might have written some of these reviews! You ask yourself should I buy this cd? You already know the answer! So just do it.Philip