Weightlifting

Amazon.com
On Weightlifting, their fourth album, Scotland's Trashcan Sinatras tackle love, loss, and personal triumph with beauty and maturity--no easy feat in a culture teeming with cynical alt-rockers. This is a record founded on earnestness and sky-parting melodies, as the driving, anthemic "Welcome Back" makes clear: it's a song of survival from a quintet that has fought tenaciously to sustain a career while keeping its quaint musical ethos intact. Weightlifting may not be the group's masterpiece--that would be its previous album, 1996's A Happy Pocket--but this is far and away the Sinatras' most accessible album, their most carefully crafted, their prettiest. Indeed, crooner Francis Reader and company seem most at home in quieter tunes like "Leave Me Alone," "Usually," and "Weightlifting," knee deep in delicate textures, lush harmonies, and nuanced phrases. With strings and occasional horn parts, the Sinatras harken to music of bygone eras without a trace of kitsch or irony, never losing sight of the importance, in rock music, of catchy grooves and searing guitars. --Michael Mikesell

Pop Matters, April 12, 2004
The new songs went over like gangbusters...

Weightlifting

Weightlifting,The Trash Can Sinatras,Spin Art,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Alternative Pop/Rock,Indie Pop,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Weightlifting

Average customer rating: understated, rediscovered, reappreciated and brilliant for it Nice. Quintessential Pop Nice wha?!!!!!!....where was I?!!!!!

Weightlifting The Trash Can Sinatras Manufacturer: Spin Art ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britpop | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Cake I've Seen Everything High The Cake Hats ASIN: B0002T7YFI Release Date: 2004-08-31

Tracks:

1. Welcome Back
2. Got Carried Away
3. All the Dark Horses
4. What Women do to Men
5. Freetime
6. Usually
7. It's a Miracle
8. A Coda
9. Trouble Sleeping
10. Country Air
11. Leave Me Alone
12. Weightlifting

Amazon.com

On Weightlifting, their fourth album, Scotland's Trashcan Sinatras tackle love, loss, and personal triumph with beauty and maturity--no easy feat in a culture teeming with cynical alt-rockers. This is a record founded on earnestness and sky-parting melodies, as the driving, anthemic "Welcome Back" makes clear: it's a song of survival from a quintet that has fought tenaciously to sustain a career while keeping its quaint musical ethos intact. Weightlifting may not be the group's masterpiece--that would be its previous album, 1996's A Happy Pocket--but this is far and away the Sinatras' most accessible album, their most carefully crafted, their prettiest. Indeed, crooner Francis Reader and company seem most at home in quieter tunes like "Leave Me Alone," "Usually," and "Weightlifting," knee deep in delicate textures, lush harmonies, and nuanced phrases. With strings and occasional horn parts, the Sinatras harken to music of bygone eras without a trace of kitsch or irony, never losing sight of the importance, in rock music, of catchy grooves and searing guitars. --Michael Mikesell

Customer Reviews:

understated, rediscovered, reappreciated and brilliant for it.......2006-07-25

I bought this album on the strength of the reviews and the not forgotten pleasure of listening to them some eight years ago. The first track i heard was the title track and it seemed a little too immediate in its' pleasures; a little too polished. Where was the TCS sound of old? However, after the nth listen the rest of the album began to reveal its' understated, nuanced brilliance and the unmistakable sound of TCS came cascading down like a sun shower. I keep revisiting and reappreciating this album. To me that's the hallmark of a great album. While comparisons with the Smiths hold water TCS stand firmly on their own ground. The older you get the harder it is to appreciate a new release. I'm seeing them live in a week...too good!!!

Nice........2006-06-18

I really haven't listened to anything else by TCS, so I can't compare this cd to their earlier stuff, but I really like Weightlifting. If only all pop sounded this good, maybe the genre could redeem itself. My favorite songs are "Got Carried Away" and "Leave Me Alone." The best thing about TCS are Francis Reader's vocals. I can think of only a handful of bands today that have lead singers with as good of a voice as he has. I reccomend buying this cd if you enjoy mellow pop.

Quintessential Pop.......2006-01-12

If you have never heard the Trash Can Sinatras you have never really heard pop music - as it could be. Frank Reader's sweet voice traversing the cascading chords of melody drenched guitar compositions is a true joy to behold. Every TCS album is a gem - packed with not just lovely tunes but literate and witty lyrics. Weightlifting continues the tradition. Witness here the merit of quality far outpacing quantity. Not even the Scots west coast delta blues could put a damper on the good feeling these lads deliver.

Nice.......2006-01-08

I saw the video of "It's A Miracle" at www.video.google.com and found it to be a catchy one indeed!

wha?!!!!!!....where was I?!!!!!.......2005-10-21

I'd virtually written this band off after Cake came out. And now this.
What a fantastic recording! The music is best described as lush. Whether fast or slow, it's lush.

The band has grown and only added to it's already strong songwriting skills. The instruments come and go throughout the songs, the vocal melodies are distinct, memorable, and strong, harmonies soar, and the production is alive, warm, and vital to the overall sound. The vocals, at times sound like they're whispered and at other times they're just plain strong. The tunes bring in string sections, vibes, wah-wah'd guitar, numerous percussion, and some other kitchen sink instruments. But it's definitely a guitar album. The uptempo songs are uptempo, the ballads sound like ballads. There is no guessing as to what's what.

If you like really good, solid Brit Pop, this is a great place to end up. It has essences of the Smiths, Travis, Echo and the Bunnymen, Stone Roses, and a few others without sounding like imitators. They are definitely their own men.

I'm having a very hard time writing this review because it really comes off as a fan letter, which it's not.

Some favorites include, "Freetime", "All the Dark Horses" (check out the almost Hawaiian/mandolin-like guitar work at the end), and the opener "Welcome Back", with it's fitting title and great guitar work.

Walk, jog, run or whatever you need to do to get ahold of this, but for God's sake, if you love Brit Pop (okay, they're Scottish, I apologize)just get this!

Average customer rating: More weight, less lift I'm Just Mad I Didn't Hear About Them Sooner welcome back, indeed. Still the Best Pop Perfection!

Weightlifting (Bonus DVD) The Trash Can Sinatras Manufacturer: Spin Art ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britpop | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Fez The Cake I've Seen Everything Cake Waterworks ASIN: B0002T7YFS Release Date: 2004-08-31

Tracks:

1. Welcome Back
2. Got Carried Away
3. All the Dark Horses
4. What Women do to Men
5. Freetime
6. Usually
7. It's a Miracle
8. A Coda
9. Trouble Sleeping
10. Country Air
11. Leave Me Alone
12. Weightlifting
13. All the Dark Horses (acoustic vrsion - bonus track)
14. Weightlifting (acoustic version - bonus track)

Tracks:

1. Got Carried Away
2. It's a Miracle
3. A Coda
4. Leave Me Alone
5. Weightlifting

Amazon.com

On Weightlifting, their fourth album, Scotland's Trashcan Sinatras tackle love, loss, and personal triumph with beauty and maturity--no easy feat in a culture teeming with cynical alt-rockers. This is a record founded on earnestness and sky-parting melodies, as the driving, anthemic "Welcome Back" makes clear: it's a song of survival from a quintet that has fought tenaciously to sustain a career while keeping its quaint musical ethos intact. Weightlifting may not be the group's masterpiece--that would be its previous album, 1996's A Happy Pocket--but this is far and away the Sinatras' most accessible album, their most carefully crafted, their prettiest. Indeed, crooner Francis Reader and company seem most at home in quieter tunes like "Leave Me Alone," "Usually," and "Weightlifting," knee deep in delicate textures, lush harmonies, and nuanced phrases. With strings and occasional horn parts, the Sinatras harken to music of bygone eras without a trace of kitsch or irony, never losing sight of the importance, in rock music, of catchy grooves and searing guitars. The bonus DVD includes five songs from Weightlifting culled from the band's performance on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic." Sadly, it's not the whole show, but all 17 minutes are excellent: passionately played, well recorded, and tastefully shot on video. --Michael Mikesell

Album Description

Deluxe Version CD includes a DVD of live performance on KCRW, two extra tracks, and special packaging/artwork. The first 5,000 copies of the deluxe version are hand-signed by all band members.

Customer Reviews:

More weight, less lift.......2006-06-14

I'm biased. I think this is about the best band I've ever heard or seen. And they could have put anything out after an 8 year hiatus and I would have been applauding. Folks, this is a really really good album, from a band that has been absent far too long.

WEIGHTLIFTING has great songs and a great collective sound that can only be described as Trashcan Sinatras. Their guitar and vocal layering are immaculate and textured, and even more confident and refined.

However, here's the rub: it ain't quite like the old stuff. Now before I get to sounding too trite, let me explain why. I miss the old lyrics. Songs from their previous 3 albums were littered with precious word gems. The Trashcans had no equals when it came to turning a phrase, finding both the comedy and the tragedy in a single line from a song. You can't listen to "Obscurity Knocks" or "Hayfever" or "Twisted and Bent" or "The Best Man's Fall" or "The Safecracker" or virtually any other song of theirs without being knocked out by the genius of their lyrics. I am still knocked out by their wit and wisdom as songwriters.

WEIGHTLIFTING has wonderful melodies and very emotional songs, but it just isn't poetry. And maybe that's okay. It's a more grown up album from a band that has taken some knocks and has aged. I can still listen to WEIGHTLIFTING over and over and enjoy songs like "A Coda" or "All the Dark Horses", I just don't get much more out of them on repeated listens. The cleverness and the depth is gone. And I have always considered that one of their trademarks.

Nevertheless, the album is still brilliant in terms of sheer musicality. They truly have come into their own as a band and as musicians. The DVD shows us just how intricately they weave their instruments and their voices. It's amazing how they can make so many instruments and voices seem so effortless and uncluttered.

Welcome Back, indeed!

I'm Just Mad I Didn't Hear About Them Sooner.......2005-08-12

They've been around since they early 90s and I just recently heard about them. It's amazing how little recognition they've gotten. I saw them in concert and I totally fell in love with their soothing, earnest, and melodic style. This album is a good contender for best album of 2004 in my opinion.

"Welcome Back", although a good song, really doesn't belong on this album. They definitely aren't rockers, they're troubadours. "Got Carried Away" is definitely more representative of their emotional and intimate music. Francis Reader's tenor voice and smooth singing really amplify the messages in these songs. It's important to take a close listen to these songs and notice the layered melodies and vocals. It's definitely one of their strong points. "What Women Do To Men" is an absolute jaw-dropper. I can't recall a more chilling and beautiful tribute to women. "It's a Miracle" is a bouncy pop tune with an absolutely chilling chorus. The title track really reinforces the newfound sincere and overall positive leanings of the group.

The included DVD has little material but is a nice bonus. Hearing the albums is nothing compared to seeing them in person.

welcome back, indeed........2005-07-23

i, like most people to review this album, fell in love with the sinatras back in the early 90s. tracks like 'obscurity knocks,' and 'only tongue could tell,' 'best man's fall' (my personal favorite), and 'hayfever' were little nuggets of pop perfection, and perhaps an unintentional reaction to baggy madchester beats (which i love) and the growing 'grunge' (i hate that word) movement.

the sinatras primary strength lays with vocalist francis reader, owner of one of the finest set of pipes you'll ever hear. after recently seeing them live, a friend of mine was amazed by his vocal clarity. he was certain his voice was the result of studio trickery. not so. as with their former albums, the musicianship is top notch. the sinatras never had to muscle their way into a song; each track was a revelation of shimmery guitars, stready beats, walking bass lines and sparkling vocals; all of which are in abundant supply on 'weighlifting.' some standout tracks include 'got carried away' with it's clever lyric, "is that a knock on early grave;" the bouncy 'freetime' and 'it's a miracle;' 'country air' and the title track, 'weightlifting,' which has nothing to do with free weights or exercise machines.

one minor quibble with 'weightlifting' is the relative sameness of a lot of the tracks; but if a bands going to mine and cultivate a sound, they could do much, much worse. the sinatras have fallen a rung or two lyrically. what made 'cake' so incredible and enjoyable (aside from the flawless melodies and musicianship) were they lyrics, especially 'obscurity knocks.' reader's clever wordplay, insight, and obversations would've made oscar wilde green with envy.

the sinatras won't necessarily challenge you, but i don't think that's the point. in an age where 'critics' laud those who 'push the envelope,' sometimes it's just nice to get lost in a beautiful song--and that's what the sinatras do best.

Still the Best.......2005-02-09

I've been listening to these guys religiously since 1990 because they are just the best, and this album re-instates them as The Little Scottish Band That Could... The Trashcans create a lush landscape of soothing sounds on each carefully crafted song here. It's almost as if each song breezes in through the front door, stays for a cup of tea, and leaves you with a different piece to the puzzle of life, love, loss, pain, and renewal. After a few listens you will welcome them back often. Frank Reader has one of the more brilliant voices in all of popdom; Paul Livingston has the jangled guitar sound under his careful control, and John and Stephen Douglas and Davey Hughes keep a rhythm going that plays smart rather than playing hard. Everything fits together just right and the bonus DVD is great as well.

The Trashcan Sinatras easily outshine the likes of Doves, Coldplay, Travis, Belle & Sebastian, and Embrace at their finer moments, and fans of those bands would surely do best to order 2 COPIES of Weightlifting, so that an extra is readily available in case of emergency.

Pop Perfection!.......2005-02-03

These days it seems like the whole world is looking for something meaningful in pop music. Unfortunately everyone tends to overlook the Trash Can Sinatras. Here they are in all their splendid glory. A shining example of perfection, complete with shimmering guitars, beautiful melodies, and perfect harmonies. It's amazing what can be done with guitars, bass, vocals, and drums. Alternative rock fans continue to buy Morrissey records or records of newer bands in a search for a fleeting glimpse of nostalgia and melancholy. Why do they do this when there's something much more tangible and much more honest in the music of the Trash Can Sinatras. This music harks to the beauty and innocence of the past generations. They are steadfast in continuing in the long tradition of Scottish bands who have been extremely influential but often overlooked (except for Franz Ferdinand). In case you need to be reminded here is a list of Scottish bands,The Jesus and Mary Chain, Teenage Fanclub, Travis, Belle and Sebastian, Primal Scream, Cocteau Twins, and Franz Ferdinand.

Average customer rating: Musically Complex and Satisfying. And Its Still Rock! Wonderful music to lift the spirit A Sign of exciting things to come.

Weightlifting Ep Trashcan Sinatras ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britpop | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B00022W4RI Release Date: 2004-04-20

Album Description

This release features three previously released songs, 'All the Dark Horses', 'Usually' and 'Weightlifting' from their 2004 album of the same name. Also included is a full live show (11 tracks) from a concert at Le Bataclan in Paris in November 1996. Originally planned as a standalone live cd, Francis in Paris (Paris Is in France), this soundboard recording is now available as a 'bonus track' on this EP. Highlights of the live set include, 'How Can I Apply', 'The Safecracker', 'The Main Attraction', 'I've Seen Everything' and much more. Bo Bame Records. 2004. * Please note the bonus live tracks are not listed on the artwork!

Customer Reviews:

Musically Complex and Satisfying. And Its Still Rock!.......2005-04-03

The Trash Can Sinatras were unknown to me until I heard them perform in studio on Sounds Eclectic. I was taken by the rich, musical, and contemplative style of their songs, which still did not loose the soul of rock and roll (which so often seems to happen with more musical and contemplative groups). I then bought the weightlifting e.p. CD and was not dissapointed. This is a wonderful offering with 3 studio songs which are all good and a recorded live concert from several years ago. This material works well together. This group is tremendously talented, with good musicality, playful lyrics, a lush sound, a contemplative mood, but with the underlying drive and energy of classic rock and roll. I also think they must be one of the more underrated groups, now that I have heard this offering. If this type of music appeals to you this CD is a great find!

Wonderful music to lift the spirit.......2004-08-22

I lived in Australia at the (previous) height of the trashcans' popularity and consequently heard little of them. And then recently, by chance encounter, I was introduced to 'A Happy Pocket' and immediately bought the 'Weightlifting' EP.

This EP is one of the most stirring music collections I have heard in many a long year.

Visit www.trashcansinatras.com for more info - including sneak previews.

Enough said.

A Sign of exciting things to come........2004-07-19

The Trash Cans were magnanimous in giving us a whole concert in addition to the preview of their coming album. The concert is a perfect collection of the previous albums and the three new songs complement the past very well. "All the Dark Horses" sounds like the breezier songs on "Cake." Yet the troubles of the past seven years since the last album and overall growth since their first lp colors "Dark Horses" and the other two songs, "Usually" and "Weightlifting," with an extraordinary depth.
I recommend this ep definitely to any longtime fan curious about the Trashcans and their dealings over the past several years. In addition, fans and newcomers alike should check out the webpage www.trashcansinatras.com for more available rarities and knickknacks from the most fan-friendly band I've ever known. The new album will be legendary. Based from this ep and the live tracks and concerts I've enjoyed over the past year, the Trash Cans deserve their label of world's most under-appreciated and perfect band. They do no wrong.

Average customer rating:

Weightlifting Trash Can Sinatras Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000N0UM6O Release Date: 2004-09-14

Average customer rating:

Weightlifting Trash Can Sinatras Manufacturer: Cutting Edge ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0002L4DVO Release Date: 2004-09-20

Tracks:

1. Welcome Back
2. Got Carried Away
3. All The Dark Horses
4. What Women Do To Men
5. Freetime
6. Usually
7. It's A Miracle
8. A Coda
9. Trouble Sleeping
10. Country Air
11. Leave Me Alone
12. Weightlifting
13. In Capitals

Album Description

Japanese edition of 2004 album from the Scottish indie stalwarts. 13 tracks including a Japanese only bonus track, 'In Capitols' (Studio Version), which the band has sometimes played in concert over the course of the last few years.

Album Details

Japanese Release featuring a Bonus Track

Rap Music:

1. Where to Now [Original recording remastered]
2. World Machine
3. You Broke My Heart, So I Busted Your Jaw [Original recording remastered] [Import]
4. You're The One
5. And I Know You Wanna Dance/Whisky a Go-Go Revisited [Original recording remastered] [Import]
6. Beware of Darkness
7. Booth and the Bad Angel
8. Breathe [CD-single] [Import]
9. Castles
10. Chicago VIII [Original recording remastered]

Rap Music

rap music

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So