A blistering, cello-laced, art-rock album reflecting influences as diverse as The Cure, Freddy Jones Band, and Iron and Wine.

11 MP3 Songs in this album (42:29) !
Related styles: Rock: Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Rock: Album Rock, Type: Acoustic

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Details:
"Nothing Else So Sweet" is the second self-released album to come out of Adrian Otterman's studio nestled in the mountains of Vermont. Otterman's first album, "Floating in the Whale" (also available at cdbaby.com) was a dark opus gathering unto itself and unleashing upon the listener a barrage of emotions ranging from wanderlust to apathy. This new work finds Otterman moving in a different direction lyrically as he embraces the joy of parenthood, the love of a spouse, and the exhilaration of playing with a tight-knit band. The entire album reverberates with a sense of love.

The title track leads the way and sets a tone of Robert Smith-like passion as Otterman's voice soars over the bass-drums combo, dancing with Nyquist's cello. It is followed up immediately by a pounding version of "The Best of Me". These two opening salvos demonstrate that Over Orange Heights is not to be ignored, not to serve as mere background music. By the time the band rolls into the third track, "A Man Without a Nation", the listener should be seated and holding on to something.

"A Man Without a Nation" is, in fact, "The Star Spangled Banner". Otterman has completely re-worked the melody of our national anthem and has added his own chorus, in which he laments the growth of the police state, the power of the pharmaceutical industry and the destruction of our currency by international bankers. As the band pounds through the anthem and the tension grows it sounds as if Otterman, a former U.S. Marine, is disavowing his loyalty to a broken nation. However, just when all hope is lost, the fourth track begins!

Track four is nothing less than Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address", given by Otterman in it's entirety. As the band settles into a marching cadence, Otterman launches into one of the greatest speeches ever given. By the end of the speech it is clear that, although Otterman is at the edge of despair over the state of his nation, he holds out hope for a return of "...government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

The fifth track, "California Nights" gives an emotionally exhausted listener the chance to recuperate with a mello, jazz infused song, followed up with a fun studio version of "No Tears", during which the band takes on a modern Phish sound. Not to let the fun end, track number 7 finds the band in a live setting, rocking though an instrumental ending to "No Tears" while Otterman introduces each of the band members. By now, we are prepared for some real fun, and the band brings it on at track eight, with their cover of Davy Knowles "Roll Away". The song is the title track to Back Door Slam's first album, originally recorded with a mandolin. Over Orange Heights has done to "Roll Away" what Jimi Hendrix did to "All Along the Watchtower"! Otterman sings this track, not as a ballad, but as an anthem and Andy O'Connor provides two blistering guitar solos that would give even Davy Knowles a run for his money.

The album winds down with a recounting of the fall of man in "Fall Down on Me", and the tongue in cheek "Over Orange Heights". But the icing on this cake is the final track, "Little Blue Bird". Otterman recruited the aid of Martin Weidinger on the flute to give life to this song for his children. As he sings about his children growing like little birds, the flute appears to speak back to him, creating the illusion of conversation between father and child. During the crescendo , Nyquist's cello begins to weep with sorrow as it is apparent that the little birds are leaving the nest. Meanwhile, the flute dances with excitement as the little birds leap into the air. The song is a pure joy and capped off with a surprise appearance at the end.

If there is anything in Vermont as sweet as the maple syrup, it is Over Orange Heights.