A Wishing Well - The Rooks (US)

Label:	Not Lame / Castle Records
Released:	2000
Highlights:	In The Neighborhood Trip I'm Not A Joker Happenstance Some And Others
Rating:	10/10

It took The Rooks seemingly forever to record A Wishing Well, with the band not only having to endure endless delays during its creation but also personal tragedy. As often is the case with great artists, their best work is often made under great duress and The Rooks are no different. The Wishing Well is not only their finest work to date but also one of the finest pop albums of recent years. Not only does Michael Mazzarella write great songs but is admirably backed up by the sorely under-rated guitarist Kristen Pinell. On top of this, many of the songs are augmented by a combination of strings and horns, which add further depth and charm to an already great album. Like a lot of great albums it doesn’t immediately grab you but instead is the type that slowly reveals its charms with each listen. It wouldn’t be unfair to compare A Wishing Well to a cross between Sgt. Peppers (without the whimsy) and Big Star’s #1 Record but at the same time, it still has it’s own charm and place. A mature, wistful and contemplative record, A Wishing Well is what you might call a psychedelic in the true sense of the word.


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