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Sunshine
Allison Rise [Riggadig Records] 1996
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| [ REVIEWS: Wisconsin State Journal ] |
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Fourth
best local release of 1996! ‘4. Sunshine Allison, “Rise.” Jam-pop bands are so crushingly ubiquitous, its too easy to forget the good ones. Sunshine Allison is one of the best, and though it’s an apples-and-oranges comparison many songs on “Rise” blow away anything Blues Traveler has ever done.’ -Stephen Thompson The Capital Times Wisconsin State Journal Rhythm section - 1/2/97 |
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| [ REVIEWS: Isthmus] | |||||||||||||||
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‘There’s
no shortage of masculine mellow on Rise, Sunshine Allison’s
smooth play for a significant place in the vigorous retro-rock
scene that swirls around the H.O.R.D.E. tour. Singer/keyboardist
Krister Tidics transmits an easygoing sexuality on most cuts,
his vocals flowing over the top of light jazz and rock grooves
that periodically recall Traffic, the electric Stephen Stills,
Santana and the Doobies. Snaky conjurings of the ‘60s like
“Speed” and “No One Seems to Know” Should
do well with the tye-dyed types, but Tidics is at his best on
simmering ballads (particularly “Still Life” and “Table”),
coming off as a calmer, less nasal Axl Rose. …The overall
production is very supportive. If these guys ever decide to mount
an extensive tour, they’ll sell lots of copies of “Rise”
to twirling longhairs…and probably get signed to a major.’ -Tom Laskin Isthmus - 4/26/96 |
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| [ REVIEWS: The Isthmus ] | |||||||||||||||
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‘Yeah,
Hootie and Dave Matthews are currently basking in the lime-green
glare of media saturation, but our own Allisons are celebrating
the release of an aqueous new CD that over flows with mellow
R&B and rolling blues-rock grooves.’ Isthmus - 4/19/96 |
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| [ REVIEWS: Wisconsin State Journal ] | |||||||||||||||
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‘Sunshine
Allison has always had a good deal of appeal to the Deadhead
contingent in Madison: After all, the band infuses its smoothly
soulful pop-rock songs with percussive mini-jams and Deadlike
keyboards. But the band is much better than such pigeonholing would indicate. The band’s debut CD “Rise” is a likable collection that alternatively brings to mind the Dave Matthews Band (“Anyway” and more) and Jeffrey Gaines (“What Do You Need”, ”Table”), and features what could eventually be a significant pop hit in the memorable “Still Life.” This sort of gentle, retrofied soul-pop is all the rage right now, and Sunshine Allison deserves a good-sized piece of that success.’ The Capital Times Wisconsin State Journal 4/18/96 |
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| [ REVIEWS: Maximum Ink ] | |||||||||||||||
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‘This four-year-old Madison
band’s rock base is layered with innumerable styles and
backed by an ever-present ethnic flavor. “We have a conglomerate
of influences. We’re hard to put a peg on,” bassist
Carl Remde explained in a phone interview. Everything from world
beat, R&B, the art of “risk-taking” and even a
bit of the “pop realm” are all dimensions of Allison’s
genial sound. That Sunshine Allison is not a typical guitar-centered band gives them a refreshing quality. The Ray Manzarek-esque keyboarding of Krister Tidics creates a thoughtfully optimistic vibe, and the tight rhythmic tones maintain a soft, inspired proficiency. Rise is a noble freshman effort that’s genuine in its songwriting and arrangements. It’s a sunny soundscape even for a rainy day.’ Maximum Ink - 4/18/96 |
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| [ REVIEWS: Isthmus ] | |||||||||||||||
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‘These local heroes work
a rousing sound that harks back to the ‘60s but manages
to stay out of the retro-rock cul-de-sac. They’re just as
good as thos ‘90s freaks who sell out the Civic Center with
such regularity; who knows what a little national exposure might
do for ‘em?’ Isthmus - 5/19/95 |
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| [ REVIEWS: Isthmus ] | |||||||||||||||
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‘The Allisons are a H.O.R.D.E.
band waiting to happen.’ Isthmus - 10/6/95 |
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PO Box 401073 San Francisco, CA 94110 415-577-1384 E-mail: sunshine@riggadig.com |