Blah3.com CD Review by Don Waller (click for original review)

Furniture Music is a five-piece from New York City, and Satellite Life is their first 'official' release (there was a self-titled debut in '97 and an EP called Tweeter in '98 which went unreleased). My only question upon cracking open this new one is why did they keep us waiting so long?

FM benefits from having 3 distinct and extremely capable songwriters (John Yakovou, Jason Prince and Chris Thomas), where most bands have a hard time scraping together one. The first 3 tracks here are a combined 1-2-3 punch ('This Load', 'Don't Deprive Yourself' and 'Dating Game') that somehow made me think of 'Tinker to Evers to Chance', a legendary NYC baseball double-play combination. These guys pass around the songwriting chores and they all come through admirably. It seems they raise the bar so high that no one dares submit a sub-par song. This album simply does not have any sub-par songs on it.

The style swings widely - from Beatlesque chord structures (circa 'White Album' and 'Let It Be') to country-ish passages to rootsy slam a la Wilco or Buffalo Springfield. The pedigree is wide-ranging, the ability astounding, the power undeniable. This CD is one well-constructed, well-played song after another. Picking a standout track is an exercise in futility - I'm 9 tracks into this sucker and haven't hit a clunker yet.

The production values here are also amazingly high - there's plenty of guitar skronk going on, but no detail gets lost in the mix. As I write this review in real-time, I become more and more impressed. The band doesn't seem to be big on stretching out a good idea - they take each song and work it just long enough. A couple of these tracks barely make it to three minutes, as if over-stating the case would be redundant.

This has got to be the most thoroughly consistent debut album I've come across in a long time. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that it sounds like it could be a goddam greatest hits album. Furniture Music is not just another band, and Satellite Life is not just another album, not by a long shot. And if you think this is empty hype, go to their web site and check it out for yourself.

Furniture music is a great American band, and Satellite Life is a revelation. Go out of your way to get this album. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Musical Chairs (click for original review)
by BK Broiler Rating: 10
Never knew furniture could kick ass, but it does. From the shoe hanging from the powerline to the rockin' undertone of loungitude, these guys pull out all stops with gutsy lyrics, catchy rhythms, and an overall commitment to set the living room on fire, engulfing end tables, lamps and sofa sleepers. Keep it up guys!

It's a Satellite Life (click for original review)
by the SpinDoctor Rating: 10
What a talented act here. The vibe is quirky with the fusion of style, but man, its very hip. Reminds me of some Steve Malkmus at times. This CD is as clear a picture of indie rock that there is today! BUY IT!