Blue States

I hesitated before pulling the trigger on this one because of my disappointment with their previous, post-first album efforts, and my fear of disappointment wasn't disappointed: This is not a very good effort.
If you haven't listened to Nothing Changes you should definitely buy it and listen to it, for it is one of the very best albums of any genre that I've owned. I pull it out from time to time to listen to it and have yet to be disappointed. It is just so good that it holds up over time.
Many music groups do this; put out one super, super good album and then struggle to live up to that initial flash of brilliance. This group is one of those.
The problem with this album is that the style is so radically different that one has difficulty believing that it was produced by the same outfit. Also the music compositions are morose and cause one to feel like moping. There seems to be a lot of moaning and wailing set atop the plastic drudgery of an electronic beat. The sound lacks the lush and quirky nature of the very first album done by this lot and it suffers for that.
One recognizes that many music groups die from releasing the same set of music over and over just slightly rearranged and crew of Blue States is to be commended for trying to do something different and original. In other words they get an A for their effort to change. Unfortunately their new sound is not a pleasure to listen to.

I don't know how this band keeps producing such consistently rewarding music while completely avoiding sounding stale.

Bravo, Blue States, on producing some eminently listenable music that is perfect for dancing, whistling, and just listening to throughout the day.

Also, here's a suggestion to anyone reading this review: I've found that all of Blue States' music to be perfect makeout music. :-)

Blue States returns with their (his) last album in the past 3 years. And it's been nothing short of a journey for Andy Dragazis. Starting out with 99/00 with "Nothing Changes Under the Sun", I wasn't immediately turned onto the sound. But the more I listened to the album, the more I loved it and it's one of my top 10 albums I own - maybe because it feels so simple and light. "Man Mountain" followed up and it was released state-side on ESL's label (as was NCUTS), but I thought that one was a slight step back from the first. "The Soundings" followed up a few years later in 2004, and I didn't get into the sound. A lot of people really liked the album but to me it was a bit too much of a departure from the sound I enjoyed from Blue States. But now we have Andy D. back "First Steps Into...", and it's on Memphis Industries, and the sound is vintage Blue States!

You wonder how Andy D. does it with all of the instruments - he really does have limited help with this. Coming Home seems to be the apt title here. "Allies" starts out with neat key work and a nice build - it's an unmistakably Blue States intro. There's some slight, very airy vocals layed over the rhythm and hte journey begins. It's followed up with "First STeps... Last Stand", a song that gives you all types of images in your head whether you're travelling or seeing something for the first time. Great guitar, great keys, percussion. It's an awesome rhythm and pure melodic. "The Electric Implement" will remind you of a few tracks from "Nothing Changes Under the Sun", like the light "Spit & Soar". 100's & 1000's is cool too - builds nicely. But one of the highlights to me has to be "Look To Your Laurels", very catchy, very neat. A bit of both of his first albums.

I liked this album - it was very very true to the older Blue States albums. So if you were more so a fan of Nothing Changes Under the Sun and some of the melodic touches of "Man Mountain", this album's for you. Granted, this album won't grab everyone and there were some songs on here that I didn't really get on with. And the vocals really are just instruments on their own since it's near impossible for me to follow them. That's not the real bad thing though because I didn't talk about all the good songs. The downer is that the domestic release (this one) is missing a good song for who knows what reason, so it gets a solid 4 stars. I could never really define a genre for Blue States... it's not really chill-out, not all electronica, not alternative, not industrial... it is its own sound. Check this one out!

Great music. Even if your not an electronic music aficionado like I am. Great relaxing, moving, very cool melodies. Layed back, yet exciting. Very good album.

Pablum! And just a so-so recording. There are ALOT better Chill CD's out there. Try Zero 7's Simple Things. Don't waste your money on this one!

I recommend sampling "Your Girl". a chick on chicks. "If you want me for your girl,... all you have to do is say,... that you're not the boy for me..." typical.

anyway i liked the stylings. you could probably license it for an underwear add.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this album but let me assure you that its now one of my all time favourite chill albums along with 'Premiers Symptomes' and 'Talkie Walkie' from AIR. The live instrumentation really adds a beautiful and layered texture to the electronic production. I like almost all of the tracks except for maybe Elios Therepia and Cherio Manou which I think take away a certain flow from the album. Although its hard to just pick a couple of my favourite tracks i'd say Diamente , The Trainer Shuffle , Your Girl and Heroes Elegy are the ones I constantly put on repeat. Get this album if you're looking for under appreciated talent thats better than 90% of what you hear on the radio.

Whenever I listen to any of the Blue States albums I feel like I am traveling... Traveling away from my worries, leaving them behind to new beginnings. If you love the open road you must buy this album... Very liberating. It has a vintage 70's classic rock music made for film vibe. 10.

This is Blue States, aka Andy Dragazis, first album. It was released around 2000 in the UK and was later released and distributed in the United States thanks to Thievery Corporation's ESL label. Andy's no stranger to capturing a vibe, and this realy is one of my all time favorite albums. But definitely take notice that there is a big difference between the Blue States album here, the more expensive import, and the one released in the USA on ESL Records.

Describing the sound was a bit challenging before. It's very airy and light, but it's far from being redundant or dull. "Nothing Changes Under the Sun" is loaded with spacious and unique instrumentals that somehow manage to capture you. There's sampling on the songs, but never too much, and the album simply glides. This album starts out with "Arion", a track that just sort of crashes open the doors of freedom... every-bit as open as the blue sky in the background of the cover. That's followed up by "Diamente", a track that's part 'spy theme' with the orchestration and other part cool vibes. Neat keys and production follows with "The Trainer Shuffle", a song that makes you close your eyes and escape to another place. Those are just the first three songs on this album that I loved. I also liked "Spit & Soar", "Golden Touch", and "Stereo 99". "Cherio Manou" is a great song too - I love the guitar work featured here mixed with the organ... fantastic stuff that is the perfect wind down to the album.

I definitely recommend this album. I've had it for years and still regularly listen to it. It's the perfect music to listen to during the day, on the drive, whatever. But you have to make sure that you're listening ot it with a decent stereo, otherwise this probably won't wow you. And admittedly it took at least 2-3 listens for me to realize how special this album really is. Blue States released another album in 2002 titled "Man Mountain", which was in a similar mold to this one, only it featured far more vocals and IMO wasn't as strong. Finally, they seemed to go in a different direction altogether with "The Sounding", so needless to say "Nothing Changes Under the Sun" is a one of a kind. But if you enjoyed this, you might also like music by Kinobe and The Dining Rooms' "Numero Deux" too.

Finally... the difference between the import and the version released by ESL records is that the import has two other tracks - "Daystar" and "Walkabout". This is pretty significant because both are pretty good songs and if you don't have the import version you'll be very hard pressed finding those two tracks on the ep vinyl they featured on. I'm a bit Eighteenth Street Lounge fan and like Thievery Corporatoin, but if you can, try to get the import version for the full package.

I cannot believe how awesome this album is!!! I just recently finished my first season training for a triathlon and I have Blue States to thank for it! I cannot believe how they chilled out my runs and smoothed out my bike rides for the countless hours I trained. Now, whenever I hear the song, "leaning in", I just think of my memorable summer of running for hours and hours along the streets and paths of my town.

By the way, the stand out track on this album is "Leaning In"...if you haven't figured that out already. No lyrics, just beautifully spun music that puts a smile on your face from start to finish. I really wish I could see these guys jam out to this song; when are you coming to America? How about a new album? You're one of my fav chillout bands of all time!

Final Flight, another gem, has all the ambience of coming straight from a 60's television show with a modern edge. I love this song!

Get this album...you won't be disappointed!!!

NOTHING CHANGES UNDER THE SUN is a fantastic album. MAN MOUNTAIN is a total bore.
Its as simple as that.
I even find the vocals floundering and a total distraction and irritation.
Even if MAN MOUNTAIN were their debut album, I wouldn't give it a second listen - so its not simply that it doesn't live up to the first.
Its just not a good album.
I paid almost $30 for it on vinyl and ended up selling it for around $10 just to recoup some of the money I wasted.

Too bad, I absolutely LOVE the first album...

First, let me say this is my first BS CD, I love it! I know other reviewers rated it slightly less than 5 stars based on their other album. Of course, now I've gotta have it since it's suppose to me so much better, though I don't see how. Anyway, I loved almost every track and have played nothing else since it arrived a week ago. The cool instruments mixed with the unforgettable vocals make this a must have for anyone who loves music.

I first heard the album "nothing changes under the sun" and i found it awesome! the songs where so great putted together. The emotion of every track and the mood youll get in is great a good cd! But when i listened to man mountain i was a bit disapointed by how ordinary it sounded it was less intrumental and more 'band' like. But after a while i loved the songs metro sound and seasong song.. but i never bought the record. Why cause i was infected by the first and best album released by BS! If i discovered man mountain as my first blue states album id never write a review like this.. so dont get me wrong, because the cd is worth a 4! because its great altough i dont like it that much.. can you still follow me ;-]
..ive spoken.

I loved "Nothing Changes Under The Sun" and this one is a little different but every bit as good. More ambient, less vocal, still trippy and descriptive. Blue States is making some of the most beautiful and hypnotic stuff in electronic music today. I say buy it.

"Nothing Changes Under the Sun" was a journey through exciting soundscapes accompanied by the undoubtable musical skills of Andy D. Only on the vocal tracks did the album occasionally dissapoint and sound bland and uninspired.

Great was my surprise then when I picked up a copy of "Man Mountain" just to find it a complete reversal. Here, the vocal tracks are melodious and haunting, downright beautiful in places. The instrumentals on the other hand sound dull and flavourless compared to the excellent work on his debut. Only occasionally do they hint at greatness. Ultimately, this album makes you yearn for his next release, because you can feel that there's another gem lurking beneath the surface waiting to emerge.

Mind you, it's still a decent album and the tracks "Only Today" and "What We've Won" are worth the price of the album alone.

I cannot believe how awesome this album is!!! I just recently finished my first season training for a triathlon and I have Blue States to thank for it! I cannot believe how they chilled out my runs and smoothed out my bike rides for the countless hours I trained. Now, whenever I hear the song, "leaning in", I just think of my memorable summer of running for hours and hours along the streets and paths of my town.

By the way, the stand out track on this album is "Leaning In"...if you haven't figured that out already. No lyrics, just beautifully spun music that puts a smile on your face from start to finish. I really wish I could see these guys jam out to this song; when are you coming to America? How about a new album? You're one of my fav chillout bands of all time!

Final Flight, another gem, has all the ambience of coming straight from a 60's television show with a modern edge. I love this song!

Get this album...you won't be disappointed!!!