Posted on: August 29, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Columbia Records will release “It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land,” the critically-acclaimed new album from Soulsavers, on Tuesday, October 16.

More than three years in the making, “It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land” is the first album of new music from Soulsavers since the group’s 2003 debut, “Tough Guys Don’t Dance.”

The album is also the first to showcase the band’s newest collaborator, the mythic grunge-rock progenitor Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age), adding his signature gritty and growling saw-tooth vocals and eerie lyrical mysteries to the Soulsavers’ brooding musical core provided by the English production/remix team of Rich Machin and Ian Glover.  Bringing a set of essential components to the new Soulsavers’ collection, Lanegan sings on eight of the album’s ten tracks while co-authoring five, including a revamped “cover” of his own “Kingdoms of Rain” (a song from his 1994 solo album, “Whiskey For The Holy Ghost”).

Recorded and produced by The Soulsavers, “It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land” contains seven new Soulsavers originals as well as “covers” of Neil Young’s “Through My Sails” (from 1975’s “Zuma”), “Spiritual” (written by Josh Haden for 1995’s cult-classic “The Blue Moods Of Spain”) and a tour- de-force reinterpretation of the Mick Jagger/Keith Richards composition “No Expectations” (from the 1968 Rolling Stones release “Beggar’s Banquet”).

A chilling and provocative video, directed by Ben Foley, for the album’s first single and lead-in track, “Revival,” conjures the aura of apocalyptic rural tent-shows and snake-oil grifters of depression era America.

With “It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land,” Soulsavers continue to draw inspiration from a broad range of influences including Johnny Cash, the Velvet Underground, Ennio Morricone, Public Enemy, Nick Cave, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, the Stooges, and the recordings of Stax/Volt and Motown.

Released in the UK in April 2007, “It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land” created an immediate buzz in the music press for its unique and eclectic blend of hip-hop, rock, country, soul and gospel sounds.

Time Out – London gave the album a five-star review noting that “This might not be a Lanegan record per se, but from the second he exercises those serrated vocal chords of his, he owns this.  Which isn’t to ignore the magic weaved by the Soulsavers (Ian Glover and Rich Machin).  Providing the perfect range of sounds to support those had-enough vocals is no mean feat.  It’s a louchely resigned, downbeat sound, and who does downbeat better than Lanegan? He’s given a platform here to try new, ever soulful things as the ‘Savers pitch him moodscapes that draw in Massive Attack-style paranoia, gospel and the latter years of Johnny Cash … . The plaudits The Soulsavers deserve for this should go to prove that misery really does love company.”

DJ magazine, in a four-star review, called the album “A late-night treat for the discerning ear.”

The Sun singled out “The life-affirming opening song ‘Revival,’ an epic rock-gospel hymn … (Lanegan’s) earthy croon towering over the sound of a heavenly choir” before summing up the album as “Soul food for sure.”

The Guardian posited that ” … the repentant gospel of ‘Revival’ could be the warmest, most hopeful thing Lanegan as ever put his name to.”

Q, in its four-star review, wrote, “‘It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land’ promises to be this year’s essential record for nocturnal atmosphere.  Mood music of the moodiest kind.”

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