Ohio

A great, great album.

And now it becomes clear - the very good (though inconsistent) Films for Radio was a transition piece...a time for Karin & Linford to redefine what/who OtR is. They came up with some intriguing potential answers to that question on that album, but here the perhaps ill-advised experiments have been almost completely shelved in favor of focusing on their strengths - great songwriting, beautiful singing, acoustic instruments, and a wide stylistic approach that touches on much of the most important American popular music of the last fifty years. Shades of folk, country, blues, gospel, even jazz and a light sort of funk imbue this superlative collection of songs. There are heartbreaking ballads and straightforward rock songs. There are songs with just voice and piano as well as quite orchestrated pieces. It rambles a bit on the second disc, and a few tunes sorta feel like above-average genre exercises. But then - even acknowledged double-album classics like the White Album and Songs in the Key of Life are not 100% golden, and somehow their flaws make them more approachable, less like a too-much-of-a-good-thing greatest-hits sort of listening experience. The ebb and flow of listening to a great double album is part of the charm, as some songs grab you immediately, and others take root more slowly, revealing their charms gradually. That is the territory we are in here - like the albums mentioned above, it manages to attain a unique sort of coherence despite its stylistic variety, an it ends up feeling like a victorius affirmation of their artistic vision. Taken as a whole, this is a pretty astonishing album, the best album of their career thus far and able to hold its own with some of the great double albums of the rock era. You need to hear this album.

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One of THE best albums. Period.

From silky sway to emotive ballads, OTR has launched a double album on the same level as "Good Dog. Bad Dog." Karen's vocals are as crystalline as ever.... one of the great voices of our time. But the real gem continues to be their lyrical expanse through a solid Christian worldview... in love with life, in joys and struggles, in yearning for completeness, of which we only see through this glass dimly. Artistic expression with content! Don't miss this!!!! This will remain high on your playlist.

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A great hidden Gem

I just recently discovered OTR and this band is a must listen for anyone hwo loves music or has ever been away from the surety of mainstream faith. If you have eve rlloked in the mirro and wondered why or what you should do, OHIO is an inspiration and a question. Listen with both sides of your brain!

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A Must for Over the Rhine Fans

If you have followed Over the Rhine, or even if you don't, you will be inspired by this latest project. Even though it is a double-CD, the quality of the songs is not diminished by its quantity. It's great music to play in the background on a quiet evening.

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