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Caught in the Trees | 
| Artist: Damien Jurado
Label: Secretly Canadian
Category: Music
List Price: £10.99
Buy New: £8.98
You Save: £2.01 (18%)
New (25) Used (1) Collectible (2) from £5.99
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 4236
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 5.3 x 4.9 x 0.3
MPN: 50175
UPC: 656605017525
EAN: 0656605017525
ASIN: B001CTUHYW
Release Date: October 27, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Gillian Was a Horse | | • | Trials | | • | Caskets | | • | Coats of Ice | | • | Go First | | • | Sorry Is For You | | • | Last Rights | | • | Dimes | | • | Everything Trying | | • | Sheets | | • | Paper Kite | | • | Best Dress | | • | Predictive Living |
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| Customer Reviews:
 not his best by far November 13, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I only tend to write a review when disappointed and in this case I most certainly am. I consider myself a Durado fan, but after stunning favourites "now I'm in your shadow" and " ghost of david" and a couple of excellent EP's, this doesn't come through for me. I have read the other two reviews, I have actually found the opposite applying; by the third play I had really gone off what initially I had hoped would grow on me. I like my Jurado as he recently payed at the Union Chapel in Islington (great venue, by the way), bleak, desolate, bare, exposed, yearning, like a musical version of some of the short stories fiction writer, Raymond Carver wrote, that some reviewers have rightly compared him too.
The songs on this album are not necessarily bad, but like a couple of his other albums, a bit more fuller in sound, too much instrumentation accompanying his songs, not the less is more that makes him great in my opinion. These songs just left me cold and uninterested in what Jurado may be saying, as the atmosphere I associate with the best sounds of Jurado is missing. Pity
 Magic from the master October 1, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Following Jurado's illustrious career, I am astonished that he still remains relatively unknown to many. If new to Jurado, `Caught in the Trees' is an excellent starting point. It an album of exquisite songs that on repeated plays get better and better. This is a man on top form, and for me, CITT is arguably his best (perhaps surpassing the wonderful `Where shall you take me' in depth and emotion - that's saying something).
Where to start? `Gillian is a Horse' is a pleasant, upbeat song - in a world where Jurado plays local radio, this would be the single. `Trials', is a hushed acoustic number with mellow harmony and xylophone. Then come the big three - `Caskets', with refrain `You must remove the skin and burn it off for fuel' is impressive, with edgy electric guitar. `Coats of Ice' has beating electric, yearning harmonies, and biting lyrics. Next, `Go first', one of Jurado's best songs, has acoustic and crunching electric guitar, elevating harmonies from Jenna Conrad providing subtle support. After an instrumental interlude comes the lovely, picked `Last Rights' and crystalline fragility of `Everything Trying', a heart-tearing love song, recalling Chris Mills at his most intimate. `Sheets', starts at a gentle pace before exploding into sonic guitar. `Paper Kite' in a similar vein, gentle picked guitar with weeping cello, soars and sinks as Jurado cries - superb! Then, `Best Dress' which really should finish the album - a seething dragon of a song. Picture the beat of a Scottish Army heading to war, it pulses with life - Jurado and Conrad chanting `Hey now, put your best dress on' to pumping, crunching electric guitar and drums...brilliant.
Jurado doesn't do bad albums, otherwise this would be a sizzling return to form. Want an early Christmas present? This is it - this is pure genius.
Best yet - a stunning album September 27, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Does this man have a chink in his armour? I eagerly look forward to each new album by Jurado, in the safe knowledge that it's a sure bet winner. What do I expect - fragile acoustic gems, chirpy acoustic numbers with cello and close harmony and slow burners seaped in vibrant, crunchy electric guitar and elevating chorus harmonies. This album has it in abundance. This man and his band is at the top of his game singing and playing with energy and verve, with great back-up band.
Where do I start? 'Gillian was a horse', the opening and closing track (radio edit) is one of Jurado's most upbeat numbers, ably supported harmony by Jenna Conrad. 'Trials' continues in a similar vein, chirpy acoustic number. 'Caskets' recalls the feel of 'I break chairs' - a growling guitarfest, Jurado singing 'we must remove the skin and burn it off for food'. In 'Coats of Ice', Jurado blasts out the usual scorn, with fantastic harmony and vibrant electric guitar. Great track! And then, the third gem and possibly best track of the album, 'Go first' (although, to be honest there are several contenders here, such is the quality) - a slow burning gem, like 'Big Decisions' from the 'A long way...' album, except with a quiet refrain before building up into the magnificent harmony - you don't want the song to finish.
'Last rights' is a fragile acoustic song with close harmony and background cello. 'Dimes' is piano and strummed guitar. 'Everything trying' is stunning, beautiful cello and plaintive piano, a lovely, heartbreaking song. 'Sheets' and 'Paper Kite' continues the vein from earlier - slow burning gems. 'Paper kite', in particular floats on gentle picked guitar and reverbed cello, building up as Juardo cries and yearns (I won't try and analyse the lyrics - I'm no expert here). The penultimate track 'Best Dress' has the beat of a Scottish Army marching out to war (no bagpipes, thank god), Jurado and Conrad singing close harmony 'Hey now, put your best dress on'. A burning great rivalling 'Go first' for best song in my view - it's all personal. This could finish the album nicely. Curously we have two left - the pleasant 'predictive living' and the first track (radio edit).
In summary, a top quality album! His best - quite possibly - it certainly rivals 'Where Shall You Take Me?' and has more variety. Jurado fans will love this album and if you don't know him, start here - just hope you get music vouchers for Christmas, because I think you might need them - he has an extensive back catalogue of equally stunning music. Taste and see.
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