Why Should the Fire Die

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Country Music CD » Why Should the Fire Die
Why Should the Fire Die
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  1. Audio CD: Release Date 2005-08-09
  2. Publisher: Sugarhill
  3. Artist: Nickel Creek
  4. Sales Rank in Music: #6389

Product Review

Why Should the Fire Die? is Nickel Creek's first album without Alison Krauss in the producer's chair, and on it, the trio's genre-expanding acoustic music has shifted even farther away from its bluegrass origins. The opening "When in Rome" perfectly encapsulates the aggressive approach the band favors, and features poetic lyrics far more obtuse than those of most groups with similar roots. The disc's first half stays rooted in a fairly conventional folk mode, with a lovely cover of Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (one of the few solo vocal turns from fiddler Sara Watkins) and "Jealous of the Moon" (cowritten with the Jayhawks' Gary Louris) obvious highlights.

But the album gradually grows darker. The songs take unexpected twists that are challenging and unconventional, while still emphasizing those angelic vocal harmonies that float and sting. Chris Thile's peppy instrumental "Stumptown" leads into the menacing "Best of Luck," with its edgy minor-key chorus echoed by Watkins's deceptively sweet voice spitting out lyrics of an obsessive high-school love affair gone wrong. And the drums of "Helena," one of the group's most radical compositions, bring out Nickel Creek's inner Coldplay. Not a complete break with their bluegrass beginnings, Why Should the Fire Die? is certainly the trio's boldest and most creative album, albeit one that might not appeal to their earliest fans. --Hal Horowitz

Amazon.com

Why Should the Fire Die? is Nickel Creek's first album without Alison Krauss in the producer's chair, and on it, the trio's genre-expanding acoustic music has shifted even farther away from its bluegrass origins. The opening "When in Rome" perfectly encapsulates the aggressive approach the band favors, and features poetic lyrics far more obtuse than those of most groups with similar roots. The disc's first half stays rooted in a fairly conventional folk mode, with a lovely cover of Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (one of the few solo vocal turns from fiddler Sara Watkins) and "Jealous of the Moon" (cowritten with the Jayhawks' Gary Louris) obvious highlights.

But the album gradually grows darker. The songs take unexpected twists that are challenging and unconventional, while still emphasizing those angelic vocal harmonies that float and sting. Chris Thile's peppy instrumental "Stumptown" leads into the menacing "Best of Luck," with its edgy minor-key chorus echoed by Watkins's deceptively sweet voice spitting out lyrics of an obsessive high-school love affair gone wrong. And the drums of "Helena," one of the group's most radical compositions, bring out Nickel Creek's inner Coldplay. Not a complete break with their bluegrass beginnings, Why Should the Fire Die? is certainly the trio's boldest and most creative album, albeit one that might not appeal to their earliest fans. --Hal Horowitz
Title Tracks for Why Should the Fire Die

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (128 customer reviews)

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly their best cd yet, October 19, 2005
Allison Kalman (NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Should the Fire Die (Audio CD)
Nickel Creek has always been an amazingly talented band, and each of their cds has been a joy to listen to again and again, but with Why Should the Fire Die? it seems that they have been able to most perfectly realize what their band wants to be. Their self-titled album (and the out of print Here to There) exhibit their skill as a straight bluegrass band and This Side is them trying to prove that they can be anything but bluegrass, but this album is just Nickel Creek being who they are; a wonderfully eclectic band that can play in and across ever genre without missing a note.

While older fans might be disappointed as the band increasingly distances themselves from straight bluegrass, one of the best things about this album is the fearlessness. No longer concerned with proving themselves, Nickel Creek opens the album with a number that sound be a hit on MTV or VH1, When in Rome, but moves back and forth to much more traditional songs during the course of the album as well...Read more


39 of 48 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Very pleasing (but more Sara please), August 9, 2005
William Merrill "eclecticist" (San Antonio, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Should the Fire Die (Audio CD)
Nickel Creek have been somewhat typecast as a gentle bluegrass-pop combo, and it's true that their music is pleasant to hear. But I do admire the way they continue to stretch their musical boundaries, both lyrically and melodically. Listen to a tune such as "Eveline" on the new CD and you will hear acoustic instruments and soft vocals, but there are also complex harmonies and tricky chord changes. As others have noted, N.C. continues to evolve in interesting ways.

On the distribution of lead vocals, I do like Chris Thile's great singing - "When You Come Back Down" is one of my very favorite songs - but on this latest disc, I'm really wishing they would give Sara a chance to sing more. Chris sings seven songs this time, Sara three, and Sean one. I'm a Creek fan, although I've stopped short of buying Chris or Sean's solo albums. Sara is the one band member whose solo CD I would definitely buy -- but she has never done one.


9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Album of the Year! (2005), December 17, 2005
David Bates (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Should the Fire Die (Audio CD)
I listen to a wide variety of music yet Nickel Creek seems to have created their own explosive yet moody genre. I enjoyed their first two albums but always thought they were just a bit too airy or fluffy. My first time through this album found me scratching my head, primarily because I believe I was listening for the Nickel Creek from the previous albums. Taking a few more spins through the disc and listening what this album really has to offer will dazzle and convince you that this group has caught fire. The instrumental work is beyond compare. I am even more amazed by the lyrical work on the album and the fact that most of it comes from the members of the group.

Each year there are only a couple of albums across all genres that truly stand out as definitive well rounded effort and not just an album with two hits and a bunch of rubbish to fill it out. Why Should The Fire Die? is the only album I have found this year that can make such a claim.

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