Vanderslice, John / Cellar Door
Album: Cellar Door   Collection:General
Artist:Vanderslice, John   Added:Feb 2004
Label:Barsuk Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2004-03-22 Pull Date: 2004-05-24
Week Ending: May 16 May 9 Apr 25 Apr 18 Apr 11 Apr 4 Mar 28
Airplays: 1 1 1 1 3 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Jun 23, 2009: I once was Canadian (Last Show Retrospective)
Up Above the Sea
4. Mar 06, 2007: The Witching Hour
My Family Tree
2. Jan 15, 2008: I once was canadian
Pale Horse
5. Nov 21, 2006: What's in the Ice Box?
Up Above the Sea
3. May 02, 2007: I once was canadian
Up Above the Sea
6. Sep 06, 2006: I once was canadian (with the Light Footwork)
Up Above the Sea

Album Review
Katie P.
Reviewed 2004-03-08
John Vanderslice "Cellar Door" - Another great solo pop album by John Vanderslice (former member of MK Ultra). This is full of beautiful lush arrangements, some more simple piano and guitar tracks, and his great vocals. He has a very distinctive voice and delivery style. Lyrics tend to be poetic and intelligent creating moods that are only enhanced by the music. This album leans more towards the sad and lonely. Each song is great and worth checking out. You should also check out his other albums in the library. Highly recommended if you enjoy pretty pop music.
My Picks: 1, 2, 8, 12
Katie P. 3/8/04

1) Starts with some electronic percussion and then acoustic guitar comes strumming in. Sound is distorted and overblown. Nice solid midtempo. Really nice vocals. Strings are added in as the song continues to build. Then horns are added. Wow.
2) Starts with electronic percussion and keyboards. Pounding and deliberate. Creates this paranoid mood that goes great with the lyrics. Whoa.
3) Piano with vocals on top. Slow midtempo and pretty. Nice background sweeps of vocals of "oh-oh" and such.
4) Solid midtempo beat. This one feels more indie rockish. Lyrics about being trapped by your family situation. Nice orchestration parts. Fcc: says "fuck."
5) Guitar, keyboards, and some overblown percussion. Abrupt midtempo with layered vocals. Kind of upsetting lyrics about being a millitary person in war situations. Fcc: says "fuck."
6) Acoustic guitar, quiet, soft, and slow. Sad lyrics about having no more family left.
7) Midtempo with a nice solid beat. Guitar and piano. Almost a happy feel but with sad lyrics.
8) Starts with quiet bells. Pretty. Guitar strumming fades in with vocals. Beautiful vocals layers and nice orchestration build the song. I may be wrong, but the lyrics seem to be analyzing the Lynch film "Mulholland Drive." Weird.
9) Keyboards, guitar, and a solid midtempo beat. Sad lyrics, but with a little bit of an agitated and fearful feel. Has nice builds and falls.
10) Fades in with electronic sounds then piano comes in. A slower ¾ time waltz. Cute and pretty.
11) Solid midtempo with a full sound. Sad lonely lyrics.
12) Soft quiet guitar layers. Slow midtempo beat with what sounds like a flute in the background. Again gives you a real feeling of loneliness and sadness. Really beautiful.

Track Listing
1. Pale Horse   7. White Plains
2. Up Above the Sea   8. Promising Actress
3. Wild Strawberries   9. Coming and Going on Easy Ter
4. They Won't Let Me Run   10. Lunar Landscapes
5. Heated Pool and Bar   11. When It Hits My Blood
6. My Family Tree   12. June July