The Unbreakable Chain, a tribute to Daniel Lanois

Editorial Reviews
The Daily Page, August 4, 2000
...a lovingly crafted tribute to Daniel Lanois...already-brilliant songs that elevate this project to that rarest of tribute discs...(

The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday, July 12, 2000
Most people, when they like a musician, will play that person's music often. Alan Houser will make a whole tribute album, simply because he can...

Album Description
The Unbreakable Chain is a Tribute to Daniel Lanois, featuring 13 bands performing tracks written by Daniel Lanois. The eclectic mix of artists (from 7 countries) add thier own touches to already-perfect songwriting.

This project is 100% internet based, meaning that without the web, this CD wouldn't exist! All communication was done via a project website & daily email updates. Truly a global project, the CD features artists from Germany, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Spain, The Unided Kingdom & the USA.

25% of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will go to The American Cancer Society.

The Unbreakable Chain, a tribute to Daniel Lanois

The Unbreakable Chain, a tribute to Daniel Lanois
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Don't listen to that fool below. This is a Tribute...
  • Don't waste your money; does not do Lanois' music justice
  • Lanois CD -- Variety Vs Quality: BOTH WIN!
  • Not Simply Another Tribute !
 The Unbreakable Chain, a tribute to Daniel Lanois

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004VXBD
Release Date: 2000-07-01

Tracks:

  1. Still Learning How To Crawl (Violet Says)
  2. For the Beauty of Wynona (Tunes For The Takin')
  3. The Unbreakable Chain (Ekot)
  4. Rocky World (Fear of Lemmings)
  5. St. Ann's Gold (Cheryl Bliss with Phil Keaggy)
  6. Where the Hawkwind Kills (Empty Grave)
  7. The Collection of Marie Claire (Chris Lane)
  8. Fisherman's Daughter (The Distance Project)
  9. Lotta Love to Give (Jordan)
  10. For the Beauty of Wynona (Anomaly)
  11. The Messenger (Peo Hedin)
  12. Still Learning How to Crawl (Richard M Smith)
  13. Golden Dreams (Monica Penn)

Album Description

The Unbreakable Chain is a Tribute to Daniel Lanois, featuring 13 bands performing tracks written by Daniel Lanois. The eclectic mix of artists (from 7 countries) add thier own touches to already-perfect songwriting.

This project is 100% internet based, meaning that without the web, this CD wouldn't exist! All communication was done via a project website & daily email updates. Truly a global project, the CD features artists from Germany, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Spain, The Unided Kingdom & the USA.

25% of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will go to The American Cancer Society.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Don't listen to that fool below. This is a Tribute..........2002-03-04

This is a warm release, with honest music... I am an avid music collector -- I have ALL of Lanois' music...

This is one release that you will cherish -- the artwork is incredible too.

1 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money; does not do Lanois' music justice.......2001-08-11

This tribute is basically an unimaginative collection of mediocre bands attempting to exactly recreate songs whose recordings by Lanois DO NOT need improvement. I had hoped it would feature creative interpretations of his incredible songs... the best moments are those that are truest to the original recordings. ....

5 out of 5 stars Lanois CD -- Variety Vs Quality: BOTH WIN!.......2000-09-29

Truly an amazing collection, and a fitting tribute to an amazing artist.

The variety is inspiring, and the loving care the artists have put into their works is incredible.

Particularly striking are ANOMALY's (Canada) version of "For the Beauty of Winona" and Empty Grave's (USA) take on "Where the Hawkwind Kills". Both capture the dark and forboding character, the claustrophobic feel of the two tracks, while not merely aping the original versions.

As an added bonus, I was happy to have 25% of the price go to the Cancer Society.

So if artists from seven countries and myriad styles paying tribute to an underrated genius doesn't pique your interest, it's time to open up.

There is more than enough variety for almost all tastes: Fem friendly and psychedelic mix equally with Folky undertones and hard-music overtones -- an inspiring blend.

PEACE! RESPECT!

5 out of 5 stars Not Simply Another Tribute !.......2000-09-16

Usually when I hear tribute albums, which I try to avoid if it's an artist I truly respect and admire (there's only so much you can take of someone hacking away at a song that represents something of emotional importance in your life), they're so-so at keeping a consistent strain of quality and respectful spirit.

Let's just throw all of this out the window right away and let me tell you that even if you're scratching your head right now wondering who Daniel Lanois is (and tisk tisk if you DON'T know, or have been under a rock for the last decade and a half), this is a great introduction to his songwriting gifts to the world.

Daniel Lanois, for a brief background, is a French Canadian songwriter/musician and producer who has not only worked with some of the most respected artists in the business, but has, in the process, become one of the elite himself. Lanois is most assuredly the best there is among a pool of selective producers. He is responsible for many pivotal albums over the last decade and a half - U2's Joshua Tree, Peter Gabriel's So, Willie Nelson's Teatro, Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind, and Emmylou Harris' Wrecking Ball, to name a few. His resume is amazing, including other artists such as co-conspirator Brian Eno, the brilliant Robbie Robertson, and the now-defunct Luscious Jackson.

In short, Lanois is a natural at listening, taking it all in, and filling out the sounds of the greats.

But what about his own recordings? Well, it's about time, frankly, that someone put this together. While his own records remain much too few and far between, 1989's Acadie and 1993's For the Beauty of Wynonna, are some of the most over-looked albums, both critically and commercially of past years. It's no accident that all of the aforementioned artists have the signature stamp of sound that only Lanois can add to the mix.
In other words, Lanois' own music is just as riveting, fluid, and inspired as his counterparts, and it remains as timeless as proven with the recording of this tribute album.

There are thirteen tracks in total included on this disc, from artists that span the United States, and contributions from Sweden, Finland, Germany, Canada, and the UK. If nothing else, this proves the powerful effect that Lanois' music has on his fans.

And for those that grew up in my generation, it's actually harder to think of an artist who he DIDN'T influence rather than listing those that he did, directly or indirectly.
There are simply some outstanding versions of songs laid down here, and they all possess a unique, but respectful interpretation of the originals. There are actually two version of "For the Beauty of Wynonna" included on the disc - one from Ontario's Anomaly and the other by Germany's Tunes For The Takin'. Both are skeletal, but lush, but there is a very different vibe coming out of each version. And they're both very good.

And it's nice that the producer of this album, Poetic Wax's Alan Houser (who is also featured in the Indie-Music.com review section), included them both to show the range of interpretation that Lanois' music can conjure up.

The whole disc really is a marvel - with artists of such different backgrounds and styles being melded together to create what is a flawlessly fluid offering all the way around. Houser has taken a page from the Lanois producing book on this one. While I truly don't have a bad thing to say about any of these tracks, I was most impressed with these highlights - Ekot with "The Unbreakable Chain", Chris Lane's instrumental "The Collection of Marie Claire", The Distance Project's "Fisherman's Daughter", Peo Hedin's "The Messenger", and Monica Penn's "Golden Dreams".

This album is a bright and shiny tribute to the man himself, Daniel Lanois. His music, and these versions of his songs, possess a tidal, atmospheric, gorgeous approach to simple, expansive music. It's about doing the most with the simplest of sounds and tools and creating a world of sound that envelopes the soul.

Music:

  1. They Stood Up for Love Pt.1 [CD-single]
  2. They Stood Up for Love Pt.2 [CD-single]
  3. Threaphurst Lane
  4. Today Was Different
  5. Tomorrow Is Now [CD-single]
  6. Velvet Underground
  7. Very Special Forces
  8. VU [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]
  9. White Light/White Heat (Limited Edition)
  10. whitechocolatespaceegg [Explicit Lyrics]

Music

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Reed Alleman

Fran Waterloo Till Duvemala [Import]

Rumba Collection: 1992-1997

Songs From Big Sur

Monteverdi: Vespers/Bach: Cantatas

Roots of Rockabilly [Import]

My Tribute to the King [Import]

Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Song Book

Sorcerer [Import]

Lo + Vendido de la Cumbia

Schubert Symphony 9 in C / Leonard Slatkin / St Louis Symphony (BMG)

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of David Benoit