The Horrible Cocoanut Grove Disaster

The Horrible Cocoanut Grove Disaster

Track Listings

1. Introduction

2. Last Year's Calendar

3. For Mairsy

4. Oak's Bluff

5. There Will Always Be You

6. Evan Tracz

7. Five Long Hours

8. Shooting out Streetlamps

9. The Leaves

10. Missouri

11. Spare me the Details

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Marc Gartman's debut effort is a study in the powers of simplicity. Intuitive melodies linger and make their way slowly through these spare songs built around guitar, piano, hints of violin, and lightly brushed percussion. While it is tempting to label this as postrock in the vein of Low or Ida, Gartman's music has a loose, relaxed feel that opens into a rustic, unhurried prettiness. There are also intriguing moments that tilt slightly toward jazz (keyboardist Nick Lloyd has a boxy sound reminiscent of Vince Guaraldi or Dave Brubeck), and even a few attempts at verse-chorus-verse songwriting. But it's the delicate instrumental sketches where Gartman and Co. excel. On "Shooting Out Streetlamps," Gartman leans his whispering guitar strums against the lovely note wanderings of the piano for a song that seems to have no beginning, middle, or end. The tune announces itself quietly, glides around the room, and exits with grace. A perfectly lovely few moments in an album full of perfectly lovely moments. --S. Duda

Product Description
Mostly instrumental songs, The Horrible Cocoanut Grove Disaster, acts as a soundtracks to a film that has yet to be created and perhaps never will. The songs lead from one to the next, the transitions as bookmarks in a story that is as true as the disaster itself. It tells a melancholy tale perhaps best summed up as 'sadly beautiful'. It was recorded predominately at the now defunct Gretchen's Kitchen, Brooklyn, New York by Nick Lloyd.

The Horrible Cocoanut Grove Disaster

Tracks:

Introduction
Last Year's Calendar
For Mairsy
Oak's Bluff
There Will Always Be You
Evan Tracz
Five Long Hours
Shooting out Streetlamps
The Leaves
Missouri
Spare me the Details

Amazon.com

Marc Gartman's debut effort is a study in the powers of simplicity. Intuitive melodies linger and make their way slowly through these spare songs built around guitar, piano, hints of violin, and lightly brushed percussion. While it is tempting to label this as postrock in the vein of Low or Ida, Gartman's music has a loose, relaxed feel that opens into a rustic, unhurried prettiness. There are also intriguing moments that tilt slightly toward jazz (keyboardist Nick Lloyd has a boxy sound reminiscent of Vince Guaraldi or Dave Brubeck), and even a few attempts at verse-chorus-verse songwriting. But it's the delicate instrumental sketches where Gartman and Co. excel. On "Shooting Out Streetlamps," Gartman leans his whispering guitar strums against the lovely note wanderings of the piano for a song that seems to have no beginning, middle, or end. The tune announces itself quietly, glides around the room, and exits with grace. A perfectly lovely few moments in an album full of perfectly lovely moments. --S. Duda

Album Description

Mostly instrumental songs, The Horrible Cocoanut Grove Disaster, acts as a soundtracks to a film that has yet to be created and perhaps never will. The songs lead from one to the next, the transitions as bookmarks in a story that is as true as the disaster itself. It tells a melancholy tale perhaps best summed up as 'sadly beautiful'. It was recorded predominately at the now defunct Gretchen's Kitchen, Brooklyn, New York by Nick Lloyd.

Customer Reviews:

The Wonderful Cocoanut Grove Success.......2000-08-23

Its interesting, you never know when or where you're next insight is coming from. I got it last night after listening to Marc Gartman's "Horrible Cocoanut Grove Disaster". It kind of creeps up on you, the beginning is a tone poem - sets the mood, or should I say - disarms you. Lulled into calm, set up for the realities to come. They come soon enough, in the form of Marc's vocals. "Five Long Hours" resonates with a truth rarely seen today!!

Five Stars no doubt - Looking forward to the next Gartman effort!

The Bearable Heaviness of Being.......2000-08-17

I've known Marc Gartman for about 6 years, and had the pleasure of playing and recording with him for a few of those years. The Horrible Cocoanut Grove Disaster project took place while I was out of the country for a spell, and I must say that, upon first listen, much of the music on this recording took me by surprise. There is a maturity and clarity of purpose present here that signifies the emergence of an artist that is dealing with the voices inside his head in a unique, honest way. Yes, there is a melancholy tone to much of this music, but there is nothing depressing or limiting about the atmosphere. The lines are lilting but crisp, subdued but confident. Gartman has created a very organic musical landscape that leaves room for the artist that resides in every listener's head to provide the details according to his own history and emotional experience. One of the greatest things I can say about this album is that the music not only bears the weight of close listening, but also creates a wonderful ambience for contemplative study and quiet reading. Each tune is an axis around which the story of the album as a whole revolves and develops. This is an album that you start off liking, and end up leaving in your CD changer for all those moments when life untangles, and feeling is all that matters.

Greyhound bus...........2000-08-09

Cocoanut Grove starts soft and slow, creeps up like the end of summer, only to remind you that autumn is cool and colorful and dry and brisk. It is a wonderful debut album that shows a few of the many sides of marc gartman. The jazzy undertones, the expansive guitar riffs, the mournful violins, the songwriting on Five Long Hours. If you need one reason to buy it, owning a copy of marc's first album ten years from now is reason enough. Bonnie Prince Billy may have found a soulmate.

this is a very powerful album.......2000-08-09

it's amazing how something can be so understated and yet so emotionally sublime. this album heals. somehow Gartman's voice becomes my own. listening to this album when I was alone, has always invoked the pleasant uncanny feeling that I was never truly alone. the songs, the overarching tone, all seem to accompany you and suffer alongside you. there are no great gasps of air and dramatic curtain calls, just aching mentions of longing and hurt. new england weather and unrequited glances. I was genuinely surprised to see this album here, as I capriciously purchased it from an indie record shop in NYC, but I'm glad the word is getting around, because it's lovely.

burning up for your love.......2000-08-03

this album is a precious thing - redolent of that perfect despair you felt when you first realized people lie, loved ones disappear and friends disappoint more often than not, and -- suddenly, you didn't care. brew up a nice cup of your favorite poison, sink into that old morris chair you wish were real (and not just a cheap repro) and put on "the horrible cocoanut grove disaster." it's perfect for reading flannery o'connor, martin amis or certain books of the bible. kisses to gartman & co. for understanding the importance of beauty, subtlety and finesse.

Music Review:

Music Review

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