Dopamine

dopamine

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Suppose you threw a party and everybody came. That's pretty much what's happened to Mitchell Froom, record producer (Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello) turned performer, who put together this weird pastiche of Tom Waits-esque instrumental music, bizarre pop songs, and atmospheric singer/songwriter tunes (courtesy of former clients Mark Eitzel and Ron Sexsmith) with a cast of too many to count. Individually, certain tracks are quite effective and the instrumentation is nicely varied (Indian banjo, oscillator, button cinema organ, and optigon are among the listed). For "Overcast," Sexsmith matches the title with his wispy voice. Froom's wife Suzanne Vega sounds skittishly enthusiastic for the title track. But overall, the affair is choppy. Ironic, since Froom's calling card is his singular, cohesive production style. --Rob O'Connor

New Musical Express
Froom assembled his own tribe of sympathetically competent plinkers and parpers, orchestrated a bunch of Euro-jazzbeat cinematic [experimentations], played a few notes on his collection of obscure keyboards, and nailed down vocals from his famous chums on each song. The result is this oddly beguiling LP

Dopamine,Mitchell Froom,Atlantic / Wea,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Experimental Rock,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

Dopamine

Average customer rating:

A wonderful soundscape

The Four Trees
Caspian
Manufacturer: Dopamine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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You Are the Conductor
Young Mountain
The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore
One Time For All Time
Four Months of Darkness

ASIN: B000O3C5AG
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

Moksha
Some Are White Light
Sea Lawn
Crawlspace
Book IX
The Dropsonde
Brombie
Our Breath In Winter
The Dove
ASA
...Reprise

Album Description

"The melding of bombast and beauty, this is what Caspian does best. On their first release You Are the Conductor, perhaps the best instrumental EP of 2005, Caspian maintains a firm melodic foundation while not forgetting to bring the rock. This record displays maturity well beyond the band's years. The songwriting, cohesiveness, and grandiose sound all point to a promising future. If Caspian progress from the admirable debut of You Are the Conductor they could easily become a powerhouse in the post-rock scene." -- Delusions of Adequacy

Caspian's first full-length album for Dopamine Records finds one of instrumental rock's most promising young bands rising to new levels of creativity, execution, and sonic prowess. The Four Trees is a majestic journey deep into the imagination--the kind of record that won't quit until it has carefully probed the parts of your soul that delicately ask to be understood and discovered for the very first time. This is sonic storytelling at the height of its powers.

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful soundscape.......2007-04-14

If you've heard Caspian's first EP, The Conductor, then you probably don't even need to read this because you know how talented this band is. For those who haven't, this is instrumental post-rock at its very best. Ever single song meshes together until the entire album forms a towering wall of sound, and the result is absolutely beautiful. "Moksha", the opening track, sets the mood for the entire journey, and the ride doesn't let up. However, simply listening to the 30 second preview clips here won't do any justice to this kind of music. I suggest buying the first couple tracks on iTunes or even the band's whole first EP if you want to get more of a feel for their music. Or you could just take the advice from everyone who has heard them and get this album NOW!

Average customer rating:

It's like i just got kicked in face by the instrumental gods
caspian will cause the evolution of your heart.
Shining with Hope
absolutely sublime!
Truly well made music

You Are the Conductor
Caspian
Manufacturer: Dopamine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Young Mountain
The Four Trees
The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore
Enter
Luck Will Not Save Us from a Jackpot of Nothing

ASIN: B000BO8840
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Quovis
Further Up
Further In
Loft
For Protection
Last Rites

Customer Reviews:

It's like i just got kicked in face by the instrumental gods.......2007-03-06

Now, typically I would write a pretty extensive rant about what I had just heard, but to be honest, it's nearly impossible to review this powerful piece of work, just wow. The continuity speaks for itself.

Do yourself one better and just buy it. If you're a fan of Explosions, Pelican, This Will Destroy You, etc, you'll understand why this is a must.

Eagerly awaiting April 10 now.

caspian will cause the evolution of your heart........2006-10-19

caspain is not only a breath of fresh air in the instrumental post-rock scene; they are indeed the pioneers of the next permanent fixture of music. their sound is not predictable like so much post-rock can be. they rely on their current and potential creative ability, not predetermined structure or thought processes. the first three tracks of this EP are simply three different moods joined by one key of music. they relate directly to the listener and cultivate a sense of longing, freedom and like others have said, hope. i'd take "Last Rites" any day for best track on the album. it encompasses what the entire album strives to do in one song. it shows the emotional content, the spiritual lift; the sad, almost heartbreaking melodies; the insane, skull-crushing heaviness; and finally, the touch that i love so much, a perfect resolution in the last series of notes.

buy this album now if you like feeling emotions. you will most certainly feel them all with one spin.

Shining with Hope.......2006-09-27

This is the debut EP by the Massachusetts, USA based post-rock band, filled with light, bliss, hope, and shimmering with potential. This band's style is extremely similar to Explosions in the Sky, with vivid, colorful guitar melodies sprinkled upon thick percussion and a prominent bass line, forming a vibrant landscape of sound for your ears to savor. The songs portray extremely joyful, playful, and innocent sounding melodies and visions.

The first four songs may lead the listener to think the band never really dulls down to build up crescendos, like post-rock often consists of. It's strange how the album actually starts out with the most intense, passionate, most layered portion of their music, and near the end becomes much more ambient and settled. It's kind of the opposite of how most post-rock songs are structured but it somehow works. By the way, the album is very much like one long song, they flow seamlessly into each other and seem like separate tracks are simply different sections of the song. Hearing one song may give you an idea of their sound but it is not a complete thought with a start and finish.

I really can't wait for this band to get a full-length out there because I believe this is just a nibble of what is to come from the most promising outfit in the post rock scene.

absolutely sublime!.......2006-01-03

How glorious! Here's a pretty good description of their sound:

"When drowning in the appropriate sound, you find yourself achieving the same fundamental effects in your soul as coming up for air has on the body. Caspian is that appropriate sound. An instumental rock band from Beverly, Massachusetts formed in Autumn of 2003, these four young men have crafted a sound that is immediately riveting, emotionally devastating, and achingly passionate. Characterized by towering walls of sound, oceanic guitar work and viscious rythymic elements, Caspian is a band that knows how to imbed itself within the part of you that refuses to easily surrender. Take a walk around the bands home co-ordinates and you might find some clues. Tan stretches of sand and the infinite blue horizon of the Atlantic might be bigger influences here than anything else. The jam packed seasonal cycle might explain the bands desire to cover everything from gentle and placid to furious and destructive, all while maintaining a unified musical sensibility, and a fierce sense of adventure. Live in an area like this and you,re bound to create something hopeful, inspiring and downright massive. Caspian wants to bring you to places like this and to places we all havent seen yet. Let them take you."

It kinda sounds like the album EITS is going to make. Essential for any fan of that band or of instrumental soundscapes!

Truly well made music.......2005-11-02

An excellant debue from a band that promises to deliver great songs for a long time. The walls of sound that hit the listener are very powerful and indeed, 'transcendent'. This is especially apparent on teh song "Loft". However, "Loft" would not have the intensity it does without the previous songs "Further Up" and "Further In" getting things moving. I do not think I have heard a better three song combination anywhere. The rest of the tracks are quite good as well, but those three are certainly the highlight.

Average customer rating:

Elephantine
Akimbo
Manufacturer: Dopamine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Forging Steel and Laying Stone

ASIN: B000BO8836
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Golem
Delilah
Bane Of The Ancient Whales
Harpoon
Cavernous Black Eyes
Kiss The Sun
Far Out Trip Through A Hard Rock Tunnel
Bitten From The Thigh Of Zeus
The Art Of Asphyxiation
Vassal of the Phallus Crown
I'm A Fucking Ice Giant

Average customer rating:

It's only rock `n roll, sort of, and I like it
Each track stands on it's own.
Aweful
poly-musical
Cult CD

Dopamine
Mitchell Froom
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000062SA
Release Date: 1998-05-19

Tracks:

Tastes Good
The Bunny
Kitsum
Dopamine
Watery Eyes
Monkey Mind
Noodletown
Wave
I'd Better Not
Permanent Midnight
Overcast
Fruta Prohibida

Amazon.com

Suppose you threw a party and everybody came. That's pretty much what's happened to Mitchell Froom, record producer (Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello) turned performer, who put together this weird pastiche of Tom Waits-esque instrumental music, bizarre pop songs, and atmospheric singer/songwriter tunes (courtesy of former clients Mark Eitzel and Ron Sexsmith) with a cast of too many to count. Individually, certain tracks are quite effective and the instrumentation is nicely varied (Indian banjo, oscillator, button cinema organ, and optigon are among the listed). For "Overcast," Sexsmith matches the title with his wispy voice. Froom's wife Suzanne Vega sounds skittishly enthusiastic for the title track. But overall, the affair is choppy. Ironic, since Froom's calling card is his singular, cohesive production style. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

It's only rock `n roll, sort of, and I like it.......2005-07-29

Imbalanced dopamine activity can cause brain dysfunction and disease, and is linked, at least theoretically, to a host of conditions---in this case art imitates life on "Dopamine." Mitchell Froom, although better know as a prolific producer and sometimes session player, crafted quite a collection of tunes on his first CD release.

An array of guests (no point running them down here because, for the most part, what you hear here is not what you would expect from most folks in this crew) take the spotlight on each track---some sing, some play guitar, some play other instruments.

The results cry out for adjectives: loopy, eccentric, tribal, bizarre, funny, and disturbing . Songs zigzag from one extreme to the other, threaten to melt speaker coils, or lull one into a false sense of security. It's as though Mr. Froom has chosen to unleash some suppressed forces that he keeps in check during his typically well-mannered and orderly productions for others.

Clearly this CD is not for everyone and depending on one's mood and setting, possibly for no one. But it's only rock `n roll, sort of, and I like it.

Each track stands on it's own........2005-01-09

This album should be looked at as collection of tracks that would be best listened to by their lonesome than as a pack, which is a problem because the majority of the record buying public likes to hear an artist's album that flows in some sort of manner. I found that by throwing these songs in a mixtape that they wonderfully contrasted the other material, and at times turned out to be among the favorite songs for my friends.

I can agree that others may find this music messy and/or uninspired if taken in as a whole (even though the thing is only like a half hour), but try to peep them as singles and hopefully you'll dig it more.

Aweful.......2004-02-10

Why is the worst album Mitchell Froom has made the only one available? He should have re-released the classic "Key of Cool" album on CD.

poly-musical.......2003-10-18

This is a cd that I keep coming back to- creative, reaching music with a simplicity that makes it all even more complex.

Cult CD.......2003-05-27

It grows on you. It's wonderfully weird. I wish Mitchell made more of these thingies. Don't look at the average rating, look at the spread. You either love it or hate it.

Average customer rating:

3 1/2 stars - good but with flaws

Dopamine
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Zero to One Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Dopamine

ASIN: B000294TLA
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Tracks:

Dopamine - Eric Holland, Andy Leverett, Lauren Elaine Newhart, Esther Reyes, Eric Schopmeyer
Kevin the Dealer - Eric Holland, Andy Leverett, Lauren Elaine Newhart, Eric Schopmeyer
Jay Bee Club - Jessica Congdon, Dustin Donaldson, Bill Gould, Mark Parsons, Eric Schopmeyer
Sarah #1 - Jessica Congdon, Eric Holland, Mike Morasky
Three in the Office 'One' - Bill Gould, Pat Kadyk, Eric Schopmeyer
Car on a Bridge - Jessica Congdon, Eric Schopmeyer
Dopamine Cello 'A' - Lauren Elaine Newhart, Esther Reyes
Hitching Post - Not from There
Lightning Bug (Intro) - Eric Holland, Andy Leverett, Eric Schopmeyer
Lightning Bug - Anagram, Jessica Congdon, Eric Holland, Eric Schopmeyer
Apartment 'The Beginning' - Andy Leverett, Eric Schopmeyer
Two on the Pier - Eric Holland, Esther Reyes
Sarah #2 - Jessica Congdon, Eric Holland, Mike Morasky
Apartment - Anagram, Jessica Congdon, Eric Holland, Andy Leverett, Esther Reyes, Eric Schopmeyer
N [Eli Janney Mix] - Not from There
Slow Nacht - Eric Holland, Esther Reyes
Guardian - Anagram, Jessica Congdon, Dustin Donaldson, Bill Gould, Andy Leverett, Mike Morasky, Eric Schopmeyer
Top Down - Eclectic Electric
Three in the Office 'Two' - Bill Gould, Pat Kadyk, Eric Schopmeyer
Dopamine Cello 'B' - Lauren Elaine Newhart, Esther Reyes
Critical Mass - Eric Holland, Andy Leverett, Lauren Elaine Newhart, Eric Schopmeyer
Russian Mafia - Hog Molly
South East - Camilo Landau, Mark Parsons
Rand Is Sad - Andy Leverett, Eric Schopmeyer
Slow Twist - Milk Cult
Interlude [*] - Ds
Lighter Shade of Koy Koy - Andy Leverett, Eric Schopmeyer
Sweep [*] - Anagram

Customer Reviews:

3 1/2 stars - good but with flaws.......2006-10-12

As movie soundtracks go, this one was interesting but had a few flaws.

First, the good: It has the full song versions of a lot of the background music from the clubs, parties, etc. of the movie, as well as the longer instrumental pieces. Since a lot of the music is not mainstream, it was good to see it on the soundtrack.

Now, the bad: two things.

1. there are a lot of 15-to-30-second musical pieces which, yes, were in the movie but do we really need to hear them, especially since most of them are part of longer instrumental pieces already on the CD?

2. The biggest flaw: I'm guessing that it's a licensing problem but the end title version of Bob Dylan's "Sarah" by Tim Hockenberry is *NOT* on this CD. That was a big disappointment when I got this CD because that song is, for me, the ending note (literally) of the movie and a fine version of the song in its own right.

Overall, not bad but I can't give it more than 3 1/2 stars.

Average customer rating:

Slow Distractions
Eyes Like Knives
Manufacturer: Dopamine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BO884K
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Like A Ghost
Walk With Me
Segue
Summer Song
Time Sinks In
Drone
Reduced To One
High Rise
Slow Distractions
Reprise
Time For Sleep

Average customer rating:

Wow, what a trip

Black Presence
Bluebird
Manufacturer: Dopamine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Singlefin: Yellow

ASIN: B000BO883Q
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Black Presence (Prelude)
Future Burn
In The Presence Of Opposition, Persistance Prevails
Physical Education
Wounded Kids
Nocturnal Plants
Christmas
Way Beyond
Heaven's Dust
Black Presence
Elegy For A Friend

Customer Reviews:

Wow, what a trip.......2006-05-09

Completely different for this hardcore band that usually cranks out tunes more akin to Foo Fighters rather than a psycadelic ride to realms so estranged. The music on Black Presence feels exactly like its title: Mercurial but some of the most esoteric alternative tunes to come along in years. Thick guitars and pounding bass provide an album that's chock full of feedback, distortion and reverb. This album takes Bluebird to few places its been before or since. The use of the vibraphone is scattered throughout the list of songs and the title track is about a 10 minute romp in an adrenaline-fueled blast furnace. Many of the tracks on Black Presence gained notariety in the 2003 cult surf film SingleFin Yellow. If you liked that at all, there's even more deliverance on the entire album. Trippy at times and acutely reminiscent of some of the more meandering ventures of Pink Floyd, Bluebird's Black Presence is one of the greatest albums to listen to while on a long journey or just enjoying a bottle of wine at home. Bluebird's best work, although a radical departure from their fan staples such as Hot Blood or The Two. Look for more Black Presence-esque riffs on the upcoming Stylemasters album set to be released in June 2006. While I haven't heard that album solely, I have heard it as the score to yet another hot film within the surf community, Stylemasters. It's a historical account of the transitional period of shortboarding in Hawaii's powerful surf influence during the 1970s. The music scored by Bluebird is similar to Black Presence, but oh, it's so much more of the great drive and exceptional and unique use of the vibraphone again. I can't wait to get it. Bluebird has crawled way up on my favorite band list not only because of their more crunchy punk sounds on their more familiar albums, but specifically because of their adventurous and completely original efforts on Black Presence and Stylemasters.

Average customer rating:

Dopamine
Workhorse
Manufacturer: Overcore
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005JQ0
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Last Outpost
Leg
Chakra
Seventh Layer
Subterranean Love Song
She Cry'd
Buried
Holy Moses
Fistful of Sunshine
Planet of Possession
Sub Love [Live]
2nd Messenger System [Live]

Average customer rating:

Experiments with Truth
Dopamine
Manufacturer: Emotion Sickness
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000HC2PHC
Release Date: 2006-10-02

Tracks:

Experiments With Truth
Who Are You
Too Late
Colour Of Comfort
Still Hiding
I Disappear
Ghosts In The Machine
Circles
Just Like The Sun
Call To Arms
New Hope

Album Details

The Press Rave About this Group from South Wales..."This Quartet Crackle with that Special Something that Separates Gifted Songwriters from Second-rate Plagiarists" (Kerrang! March 2005). "a Commercially Viable Clash of Contagious Choruses, Gargantuan Hooks, Accessible Vocals and Heart-warming Harmonies" (Metal Hammer April 2005). " Full of Sparkling Melodies, Biting Riffs and Harmonised Vocals that Makes for an Instantly Memorable Listen". (Big Cheese April 2005). Limited to 1,000 Copies!

Average customer rating:

Please enter a title for your review

Auditioning My Escape Plan
Dopamine
Manufacturer: Golf Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007WL7F8
Release Date: 2005-06-27

Tracks:

Destroy Something Beautiful
Laruso
Save Yourself
Six Miles South Of Home
Lifeline Exercise No.1
This January
United By Fear
Failing Amber
Il Faut Tuer Les Passions
30 Seconds To Choose Your Fate
Murder On Miracle Mile
Once For Us

Album Details

The Band have Played all Over the UK, Performed Sessions for Radio One, and Received Great Press. After the Success of their Stunning EP, "a Lesson in Dying", We Finally See the Release of the Band's Full-length Album.

Customer Reviews:

Please enter a title for your review.......2005-08-19

I thought this band had gone to generic commercial emo hell when I heard their new single which was a new ruined version of a good old song, so I listened to this album with low expectations, fully expecting to hate it, but the new songs are totally well written and creatively catchy. They have the melodic pop-punk urgency of Rufio and New Found Glory, but balanced out with the more solid rock of Jimmy Eat World and older Finch. The intricately melodic closing ballad, #12, sounds like it could even be an outtake from JEW's Clarity, until the last 2½ minutes which consists of a surprisingly clunky powerchord rock outro.

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