Amazon.com essential recording

Her first album following the breakup of the Sugarcubes, Debut is Icelandic trickster Björk's statement of purpose: bringing curious experimentalism to the dance floor and putting her startling, expressive voice front and center. Her perspective is a little alien--it's no accident that the first song talks about "getting close to a human"--but her leveling of genre distinctions has some wonderful results, especially the eroticized easy-listening reggae sway of "Venus As a Boy." Paired with producer Nellee Hooper (of Soul II Soul), she comes up with a series of invitingly artificial settings for her pipes, built from late-night beats and peculiar timbres, and sings like she's overwhelmed with joy from all her senses. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (113)

The Single Best Usage Of A Recording Studio Ever !!!!
If one word can sum up Bjork's Debut. The word breathtaking comes to mind. Never have I popped into my CD player an album that I can play from end to end and feel the same exact exhilarating thrill even after what must be the 1500th time I've played it!It's a perfect recording from start to finish. Absolutely no filler in this one. Bjork uses her amazing voice, her flawless sense of rhythm & her creative sense of genius to sheer perfection. Conjuring up a deliciously eclectic mixture of sounds guided along by the punky pixie's unique character & charms this CD boasts something for everyone. From the pulsating house beat of "Big Time Sensuality" to the exotic tropical beats of the powerful & moving "Aeroplane". From the Bacharachesque feel of the lilting "Venus As A Boy", the fierce Techno throb of "Violently Happy" to the omnious dramatic haunting single "Human Behaviour" (Quite possibly the finest single ever made, there are few artists who can conjure up enough diverse sound to appeal to the wide range of folks one can imagine getting into this album. Bjork is one of music's great little treasures & her's is a voice we are lucky to have!

Bjork's most accessible album - an excellent intro.
Although I am partial to Post as my favorite Bjork album, Debut is an excellent place to start for those interested in checking her out for the first time.

More dance-oriented than her subsequent releases, Debut was 4-5 years ahead of its time upon its release in 1993. Many are familiar with the kettle drum groove of the first track, "Human Behavior", from its run on MTV years ago. The rest of the album is quite different and is also very eclectic.

The star of the show, of course, is Bjork's voice. The sorrow in her voice on "Crying" is so strong that it almost compels one to tears. Not an easy achievement on a polyrhythmic dance track. (Whitney Houston, eat your heart out!) Her voice is also well showcased on a harp-accompanied cover of the old standard "Like Someone In Love".

Other standout tracks include the happily emotive (and vocally expressive) "Big Time Sensuality", the gentle dance groove of "One Day", and the conversational voice/saxaphone interplay of "The Anchor Song".

Classic Bjork - Debut
Bjork is back with a new sound...her own.

1. Human Behaviour - The first single from Debut. This is one of Bjork's earliest songs and still one of the best. Her voice soars and has one of the greatest videos I've ever seen. 10/10

2. Crying - When I bought I was hesitant to any song I hadn't heard before. I was letting the cd play one day from Anchor Song and on and this came on. It is wayyy better live though. But still one the best songs on the cd. 9.3/10

3. Venus As A Boy - A really good Bjork but it really does depend on your mood. It's very poppy and upbeat. It has some great Icelandic lyrics though. 8/10

4. There's More To Life Than This - I first heard a sample of it in a Bjork Megamix (Igor's Violenty Happy Remix w/Depeche Mode). I loved it. I downloded it and bought the Venus as a Boy single just so I could get the studio version (Non Tiolet Mix). 10/10

5. Like Someone in Love: Annoying. I absolutely hate it. 0/10

6. Big Time Sensuality : When I first heard the fluke version I loved it from the beginning to the end. This version is way better though. It sound very 'Ray Manzeryck' like. 10/10

7. One Day: I love her voice but I don't listen to it often b ut nontheless it is a very very good song. 8/10

8. Aeroplane: Definetly my favorite song on the cd. At first it sound indimated and unproportionate. It is on of the best songs she has ever written. Better live though. 10/10

9. Come To Me: Hate it. 0/10

10. Violently Happy: Let's put it this way...it should have been on the Greatest Hits CD.....10/10

11. Anchor Song: I love the jazz sections and Bjork's voice. It simply soars through the song. 10/10

Over all rating: 8/10 or... 4/5

One day it will all make sense...
"Debut" is such a fabulous album because it seems to age along with the listener. At 19, when I first heard this music, I didn't know what Bjork hinted at when she wrote "One Day."
Now, at 27, I cry when I hear the song because I can feel the movements of my first child inside my womb. She perfectly expressed the hopes of motherhood without actually mentioning babies at all. True to her subtle nature, she playfully weaves a tapestry of meaning using baby sounds and ambiguously playful lyrics ("The aeroplane will glide gracefully around the volcano/ with the eruption that never lets you down.")
"Debut" is chock-full of such expressive gems, and should convince even the most casual listener that Bjork is more than a kook in a swan dress; her artistic vision is matched by an enormous talent that removes her by light-years from her contemporaries.

Bjork's solo debut excels
If I were forced to categorize this music, I would have to call it techno, but it escapes the sense of sterility and coldness that I associate with that genre through the expressive power of Bjorkfs unique vocal style. From the moment many years ago that I first heard the Sugarcubesf gBirthdayh on our local college radio station, the unrestrained passion and joy in her voice captivated me. I have never heard anyone sing like this before, and the fact that this extraordinary voice is wedded to quality material with innovative rhythms, melodies, and arrangements makes this disk a real winner. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great song
In response to John P. Thompson's comment about them not receiving American radio time, I guess it just depends what you listen to.If you listen to BPM on XM radio, this song gets a ton of play time.

It's a great song in the classic Erasure style.

Purely Beyond Erasure
It is just so amazing when you look at so many artists that really don't sound great these days, when the image alone is what sells. That remains unfortunate because those songs don't have any feeling. Unlike most manufactured acts, Erasure really became as a surprise to me. Their recent single, Breathe is a unbelieveable surprise. The songs has more meaning than Britney Spears has in love. The song is very upbeat and beautiful, where its video is very sad at times, upon a homeless girl who just tries to stay warm. I really don't think a lot of people actually are going to enjoy this song, but it is just a great change for anybody who is interested for what is hot. Breathe by Erasure is better than hot.

Song: B+

Return to form for the Synth Pop duo.
This is the latest classic by Andy Bell & Vince Clarke better known as Erasure. This song did very well in Europe and now it comes to the US via a great cd single. This maxi cd recently hit number one on the Dance Sales Chart on Billboard and that was the first time since 1988's "Chains Of Love". The song seems likely to also reach number one on the Club Play chart as well and that hasn't happened to Erasure since 1987's "Victim Of Love" their only number one so far. So what is making the song so successful is the fact that it classic Erasure-- pop /dance music with real lyrics. Following Blondie and Duran Duran as classic acts with great new singles-- "Breathe" will also be likely ignored by top 40 radio as well like those two were. The main reason for the cd single are the 3 remixes here. They are very well done --especially the Manhattan Clique remix. That is the best mix of the song.

1- Breathe ( Radio Mix) 3:45
2- Breathe ( Album Mix) 3:50
3- Gone Crazy (Bonus track) 3:24
4- Mr. Gribber And His Amazing Cat (Bonus track) 2:43
5- Breathe (Acoustic Version) 3:58
6- Breathe (Pete Heler's Pheta Mix) 7:13--- very electro inspired mix.
7- Breathe (LMC Extended Mix) 6:12--- the most classic sounding Erasure mix on the cd single. Very NRG/Euro club mix.
8- Breathe (When Andy Bell Met Manhattan Clique Extended Mix) 7:19--- beautiful remix. Most normal house mix with bits of trance thrown in. A+++++ remix.
BUY!!!!!

Pure pop
If the Eighties are back, then the Nineties can't be far behind. Erasure, who straddled the end of the Eighties and the beginning of the Nineties, should be a logical candidate to lead a new charge into another decade's revival.

The pair has a knack for crafting pop songs that revel in unabashed cliché (unlike the Pet Shop Boys). But that is not a fault. Actually, in an age of posers smitten with irony, Erasure's defiant smattering of the sweet, the melancholy, the honesty, is refreshing in the extreme. If you're looking for vintage--no, pure--Erasure, then this latest album should reconnect you deeper, by way of the superficial, to the 90s.

breathing is simple but powerful
a stunning single that proves awesome in the effective way that it plays on words (It's bitter without you - I can't live without you) and drives along to a steady beat. Like an audible zen koan, the words transform in your brain as the bass tones gently, but profoundly, work their magic on your neurons. One could perceive it as uni-dimensional and repetitive, but therein lies its power. The moody, haunting sounds deftly emulate the themes of addiction and love/hate components of relationships.

This single, on one hand, is simple and straightforward, yet complex and riddled with delightful ambiguity. Erasure has evolved within a framework that annoys certain magazine and newspaper reviewers who cannot seem to understand that lasting electronic music coalesces the simple within the complex; and that Erasure has mastered this formula. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After scoring the crossover hit "Virtual Insanity" in 1998(remember the moving sidewalk video?), the U.K.'s Jamiroquai failed tokeep their momentum alive with the somewhat scattered and skittishSynkronized.Thankfully for fans of the retro (if lightweight) pop/soul that is theband's specialty, Jamiroquai are back with their most cohesive effortsince 1995's Return ofthe Space Cowboy. There's still too much blathering on aboutthe cosmos from StevieWonder-inspired vocalist Jason Kay, the most egregious example being thesubdued and folksy "Black Crow," which takes the bird-in-flightcliché to new lows. Better and much more rugged are the sizzlingsynth-driven "2001" and the guitar-stoked rave-up "Stop! Don't Panic."That's where the guys bring the funk with more bite than you'd expect.--Amy Linden ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Very good, but not GREAT.
Jamiroquai's 5th album: A Funk Odyssey, has taken another step in a different direction along with thier previous work,Synkronized. This can be a good thing for people who don't mind a little "poppy", disco-y stuff now and then from The Cat In The Hat. It's bad however for the die-hard Acid Jazz fans looking for the sound Jamiroquai had back in the days of Return Of The Space Cowboy, because it's not there as much. I consider myself in the middle of these two groups, making AFO a pretty good production in my opinion.
This one's kinda pop, but it's great pop. I'd like a bit more of thier old style next time around though.
Very good, but not quite 5 stars

Not bad, but this band can do better.
When your 2 most soulful, meaningful and coherent CD's are your first 2, your future may be in doubt. Jay Kay and Co., still recovering from the loss of their original bassist, have not completely found their groove since "Travelling Without Moving." It is apparent from this LP. There are some great tracks on this LP, like "Little L," "Corner of the Earth," and "Main Vein." The pacing of the LP is really good, and it's very listenable. But there is really no "bottom," or "soul" to this record, which was the reason the J's best records, "Return of the Space Cowboy" and "Emergency on Planet Earth," were outstanding. There is no song like "Stillness in Time" or "When You Gonna Learn" on this album. That's a shame.

"2001: A Funk Odyssey" isn't as funky or as meaningful as J's other albums were. I hope Jamiroquai gets it together again, but for the time being, I'll give them passing grades for an otherwise enjoyable record.

Jamiroquai is a non-stop quality factory
Knowing and owning all five album of Jamiroquai I've decided to review their fifth album. I will have given all of them four or five stars but I prefer make a few comments on this, especially taking in mind that after ten years Jamiroquai has been the indisputable top funk group.

The starting is really delicious: "Feel so Good" and "Little L" can be among their ten top songs ever. The groove is fantastic and the sound is astonishing, especially in the first. Another of my favourites are "Love Foolosophy" and "Stop, Don't Panic". And with "Black Crow" Jay Kay shows all his intensity in a beautiful ballad.

I think it's always difficult to set out five pike records in your career and in our times it's almost impossible, as artists come and go very quickly. I expect sixth Jamiroquai album will be as good as the other five.

The poor man's Stevie Wonder!
Forget this guy and get the real Stevie Wonder.

Better than Synkronized, but not as good as the first 3
I agree with alot of the reviewers that this is more Pop than previous works. It has more of a pop funk or disco feel. Don't let that stop you, the songs are catchy and many of them will get you ready to move on the dance floor. As usual the horns and bass are excellent, and Jay Kay's vocals are Stevie Wonder like. Overall this is a really fun album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This two-man Manchester supergroup--New Order's Bernard Sumner and the Smith's Johnny Marr--made one of the best debuts of the '90s with Electronic. More New Order than Smiths, the album was a blend of plangent fretwork and frenetic sequencing, with bleak lyrics intoned in Sumner's clean, boyish tenor. "Get the Message" was orthodox '80s pop, but the heartbreaking "Gangster" was an electro-rock masterpiece. The album featured engaging cameos from the Pet Shop Boys on "Getting Away with It" and "The Patience of a Saint". --Barney Hoskyns ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Combination of many talents all in one........
This is Electronics first album. I bought it ten years ago and love it like its a day old. New Order's Bernard Sumner,the Smith's Johnny Marr, Pet Shop Boys's Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe formed togather and made a MASTERPIECE OF ART. This albums is nothing less than perfect. Every song is a smash. "Idiot Country" and "Tighten Up" shows Johnny Marr's talent in full affect. "Reality" really touched me the very first time I heard it and has Bernald's voice at its peak. "The Patience of the Saint" and "Getting Away With It" shows the magnificent coordination of the voice of Neil and Bernald as they perform togather. This album shows the progress of synth-pop and new-wave sound to a new level. There is a mixture of songs that have more electronica and others with more acoustics and guitars.
There is a varity for us all in this great album.
Also check out other albums by Electronic.."Raise the Pressure" and "Twisted Tenderness"

OH YA...................
This is Electronics first album. I bought it ten years ago and love it like its a day old. New Order's Bernard Sumner,the Smith's Johnny Marr, Pet Shop Boys's Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe formed togather and made a MASTERPIECE OF ART. This albums is nothing less than perfect. Every song is a smash. "Idiot Country" and "Tighten Up" shows Johnny Marr's talent in full affect. "Reality" really touched me the very first time I heard it and has Bernald's voice at its peak. "The Patience of the Saint" and "Getting Away With It" shows the magnificent coordination of the voice of Neil and Bernald as they perform togather. This album shows the progress of synth-pop and new-wave sound to a new level. There is a mixture of songs that have more electronica and others with more acoustics and guitars.
There is a varity for us all in this great album.
Also check out other albums by Electronic.."Raise the Pressure" and "Twisted Tenderness"

The last synth -pop masterpiece
It just doesn't get any better than this. I miss the days when music was this good. This album was the last big hurrah for the synth-pop genre, as the decade of the 90's would soon be flooded with grunge.

Electronic Rocks!
I have been a longtime fan of New Order and I have always enjoyed The Smiths. This album is the brainchild of Bernard Sumner, New Order's vocalist with Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr. This album also had an assist by Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys. While Tennants influence is felt on a few tracks, Electronic is a unique creature unto itself borrowing the best from its respective bands. With Marr's amazing guitar riffs and Sumner's Brit-boy vocals, the self-titled album emits great feeling, despite being synth-pop. However, the lack of organic instruments do not detract from the sound. Through and through, you will find that the album is mostly up-tempo and will make you want to move. However, if you listen to the lyrical content, you might find yourself feeling a little down. Between the two contradiction, the album will leave you in the aftermath of an emotional rollercoaster. I highly recommend this to any who appreciate the music of the Manchester scene in England.

The best from the best
However I look it's clear to see I love this album !!! Fantastic vocals fantastic taste in instrumental organisation, this album is as catchy as it can get but also with very deep meaningful lyrics,

Don't listen to Getting away with it when you have just split with someone though, especially as its so damn good a song,

If you like the the eletronic scene from the late 80's with the like's of Depeche mode, New Order, Pet Shop Boys then get this album it has your name all over it !! ... Read more

Album Description

In her own unique way, Gwen Stefani has managed to shift our culture since coming onto the scene as the lead singer of No Doubt. With years of defining style and 30 million in record sales under her belt, she will again turn heads with this debut record that is as fresh as it is retro and as progressive as it is feel-good familiar.

With this project, she has enlisted some of the biggest names in music (Dr. Dre, Eve, The Neptunes, Andre 3000, Nellee Hooper, Dallas Austin, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Linda Perry and Tony Kanal) to create a genre bending masterpiece that is guaranteed to be one of the most talked about records of this year (2004) and beyond.

LIMITED EDITION DELUXE VERSION -The Limited Edition Deluxe Version will include the full CD with an expanded package featuring:

- Fabric wrapped, gold embossed, hardcore digipak - Book style layout with gold ribbon bookmark - Plus a custom CD case designed by Gwen ... Read more

Amazon.com

For listeners with a sincere interest in the broad variety of music loosely aligned under the New Age banner, Pure Moods II will strike your ears as something less than a high-concept showcase for the genre and more as a mulligan stew of easy-listening favorites. This is not necessarily a bad thing; yet a recording marketed to the general public as a comprehensive, current, state-of-the-art overview of atmospheric music shouldn't include such ill-fitting oddities as George Benson's "Breezin'," a lite-funk relic from 1976, or "Emily" from jazz saxophonist Dave Koz. Happily, the 77-minute, 16-track sampler offers far more items of interest than irritation. It reaches back to 1983 to remind us of an ahead-of-its-time display of Celtic mysticism from Clannad ("Theme from Harry's Game"), and it both opens and closes with superb selections from one of the genre's most admired artists, Loreena McKennitt--very appropriate since, one could argue, discussions on the future of New Age should both begin and end with McKennitt's name. Despite its few warts, Pure Moods II is a good listen overall. --Terry Wood ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Good, but not as great as the first
Most of the songs follow the pattern and diversity of the 1st CD. Nothing compares to Pure Moods. Those songs are powerful classics. Friends still inquire about that legendary CD. Although the sequel is good overall, it doesn't quite have the mystique that I hoped for in the Pure Moods tradition. Only some of the songs take me away to another world--remember how they advertised? If you bought Instrumental Moods and Celtic Moods, then three of the songs on Pure Moods II will sound redundant, which was the greatest disappointment with me. One is a remix, but the other two are exactly the same. "Life In A Northern Town" was a great addition along with two songs by Loreena McKennitt and one by Yanni. Adiemus is always great, so "Zarabanda" hits pretty well. I felt that Virgin Records could have done better with the Enigma selection. But, I'm still hoping for a Pure Moods III after I enjoy hearing Pure Moods II.

Vive le "Pure Moods" series!
One of the main reasons why I wanted to get this CD is because it has Yanni's "Nightingale" and the theme to "Chariots of Fire". Both those songs are not really New Age, but they are absolutely beautiful. I was expecting them to be just as beautiful as they were the first time I'd heard them. And believe me, I was not surprised!

On the other hand, I was indeed surprised--no, shocked--to find Massive Attack's "Teardrop" in this CD. Massive Attack did songs for the soundtrack of the movie "Pi", which is all paranoid techno and definitely not "purely mooded." It turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise. Although "Teardrop" isn't much in the way of New Age, I could listen to it all day. It's got an awesome harmony and an eerie melody. Maybe it doesn't belong on this collection, but it's definitely worth listening to.

However, this CD isn't without a few flaws. "Breezin'" and "Emily" are so out of place that they should be in a "Jazzy Moods" CD. "Life in a Northern Town" is also a little out of place, as it isn't nearly as atmospheric as most of the other songs in the "Pure Moods" series are. Finally, this isn't really a flaw, but it seems necessary to warn fans of the first "Pure Moods" that there's no Enya on this CD.

But those are just a few minor complaints, and ultimately, "Pure Moods II" is worthy of your time and money. Other very good songs: "Beyond the Invisible", "The Cradlesong", "The Mummer's Dance", "Theme from Harry's Game", and "Monteczuma".

In a nutshell: I pretty much agree with Amazon.com's editiorial review on this CD. See ya 'til I get "Pure Moods III".

Thanks For The Introduction To Mehdi
I've always enjoyed Pure Moods and this album is no exception, but while reading some of the customer recommendations posted on this page I discovered an artist by the name of Mehdi (pronounced meddie). After some investigation I found his site (SoothingMusic.Com) and listened to the samples...I also downloaded some of the free MP3 downloads that are available on Amazon.com.
I was instantly blown away by the quality of this music and so I gave it a try and now that I have listened to his CDs several times I really must say that although I'm still a Pure Moods fan I find Mehdi to be a tad more interesting. I have them both in my multi-disc CD player and love the way they compliment each other. I highly recommend that you give this artist a try or atleast just go listen to the samples, I have a feeling you'll be glad you did.

Emotionally involved!
Yet another hit in a great series of albums! Music featured on these cd's are full of emotion, every emotion, all over the scale emotions and the beats are never ending! I am a big fan of the Pure Moods series.

Never disappointed with Pure Moods cd's..
We own nearly all of the Pure Moods cd's and haven't been disappointed yet. Song choices soothe the mind and soul and bring a peaceful environment to our home when played.. ... Read more

Album Description

In his notes for this passionately compiled box, producer Gary Stewart writes, "the diversity from the late-70s punk/new wave scene turned into a full-blown, variety-fueled, genre-busting orgy in the '80s...The music became, in the best sense of the words, more complex, more literate, a bit more serious, and as a result, made astrong impact on mainsteam rock culture." From funk punk to revisionist roots rock to hard-core to smart-ass clever pop-and every musical nook and cranny in-between-Left of the Dial presents many of the '80s' most important tracks. Savor the far more influential flip side of the "Where's the Beef?" decade's musical output! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This '90s update of the classic U.K. television series of the '60s was roundly criticized for its murky, convoluted plotting and quirky performance by Val Kilmer in the title role of Simon Templar. But its soundtrack--a typically market-driven collection of modern pop--is actually one of the better efforts of the '90s. Leaning heavily on electronica influences (Orbital's conservative rendering of Edwin Astley's TV theme, Moby's driving "Oil," The Chemical Brothers' "Setting Sun," and others), The Saint at least holds together as a cohesive musical statement, something many similar collections can't claim. Also includes songs by the Sneaker Pimps, Duran Duran, David Bowie, Everything But the Girl, and Duncan Sheik. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Big Name Techno here we come
When I first bought this CD, it was for the theme tune by Orbital. However, I found on it a selection of techno from big names, such as David Bowie, Daft Punk, and Chemical Brothers.

I found that after listening to this CD I was able to identify those short clips that spiced the movie, such as the blast of Chemical Brothers as the goon squad leapt out of their car and after Val.

Excillent Selection
In, general, sundtracks to such movies can be extreamly cheezy and pathetically generic. But htis Cd stands apart like a shining star. Following are the resons why this is my favourit Cd of all time.
1..Excillent tracks by some of the most modern and cuttin edge artists of today.
2..Orbital's reworking of the original saint theam is beautifully rendered and perfectly mixed to create an air tight masterpiece.
3..The track by Uderworld is one of the best jungel/dance song i have ever heard.

4..Sneaker Pimps are always a please welcome addition to any album.
5..Duran Duran, David Bowi, Fluke and Daft Punk add to this Cd an exciting array of modern rock and infectious electronic groovs.
6..The version of before today by Everything but the girl is fantastic!

I absolutely love this Cd and this is a must have form anybody who remotely understands and respects good music.

Great Memories
You know how sometimes a music can conjure up memories of a time in your life that is pleasant, or not so pleasant? That is what "The Saint" soundtrack and even movie does for me. I remember seeing the movie in 1997 - and the friends I saw the movie with. The club heads, the cars, and etc.

This CD is real quality. I still love it today - so much so that I bought it a few times as the ones I had before got scratched - always around the Duncan Shiek track... This was out just when Sneaker Pimp's "Six Underground" was starting to get popular (before Ministry and every other mass "chill-out" compilation overplayed it), Duncan Sheik had released a feature cd maybe the year before that did very well in the US as did EBTG (Walking Wounded). But some of the hidden stand-outs that do spark up the good memories of when I saw this movie and when I lived in England - Underworld's Pearl's Girl, Polaroid Millenium's song and Daft Punk's "Funk". "Roses Fade" is also a cut that I really like with the guitar build-up in the beginning.

I definitely recommend it. For me it is one of those special CD's that I cherish. Mind you some cuts I will pass through - but if anything it is because I had heard the songs too much in 1997-1998! (Fluke, David Bowie). Enjoy

THE SAINT DOES TECHNO
DEAR READERS,

THE NEW SAINT MUSIC IS ALIVE AND ON TARGET. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE OLD FANS OF THE SAINT, THIS IS A FRESH NEW TAKE ON THE OLD STYLE AND TUNE. THE MIX IS WELL DONE AND QUITE MODERN. TAKE A LISTEN AND REMEMBER THE SAINT WILL ALWAYS RETURN... 0 O /|\/' \| / \ /_ |_

well...
Great album, but when watching the movie, I heard "You're All I've Got Tonight" performed by The Smashing Pumpkins, but found it to be missing on this soundtrack. too bad, as it's an excellent version...

it can be found on the Aeroplane Flies High box set, tho, so that will have to do ... Read more

Amazon.com

Let's get the inevitable comparison out of the way: like the Postal Service, the Junior Boys craft a wan indie electro-pop variation on blue-eyed soul. But in contrast to Ben Gibbard's romantic yearning, Junior Boys singer Jeremy Greenspan's voice emerges from the depths of a post-traumatic chill, emanating a disappointment too laconic to accurately be called sadness. "High Come Down" could be Darryl Hall produced by Timbaland, but only in an alternate universe where neither man was interested in selling records or monopolizing your attention--the beats shuffle of their own accord rather than skittering playfully, and Greenspan sings as though there's a sleeping baby in the next room. The group's new-wave influences are similarly easy to spot, yet they appear only as silhouettes, drained of the original artists' egotism. Over time, the Junior Boys' teasing reserve proves itself as engaging as most other artists' forceful intensity. --Keith Harris ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Heatwave," the funk-flavored track on the 1999 compilation Source Rocks, suggested Phoenix were another product of the French-filtered disco wave. However, United is suffused with breezy, retro-flavored rock numbers. Keyboard player and guitarist Branco was in Darlin--the indie act that spawned Daft Punk--but if they went one way, he surely went the other. United is reminiscent of West Coast American FM pop rock, with nods to everyone from Crosby Stills Nash & Young to "Jump"-era Van Halen. The thrilling "Too Young" and swooning "On Fire" are rattling good pop songs that fall on the right side of affectionate pastiche. "Summertime" is an enthusiastic power pop thrash, "Embuscade" a Steely Dan-styled jazz rock instrumental, and "Summerdays" a carefree country-tinged trip to the beach. Refreshing, intelligent and successful French rock--now that is a first. --Mike Pattenden ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Really cool,nostalgic rock debut by French newcomers
By listening to United , you can easily realize how much Phoenix love the music from past decades . Maybe because they come from France and english is not their mother tongue , they write their lyrics so carefully . Their first hit " If I Ever Fell Better" is an uplifting , relaxing song which at the same time though , contains some of the most mature and optimistic lines we've seen in a chart's single the last few years ( "...It's like a bad day that never ends / I feel the chaos around me / one thing i don't try to deny / i've been alone to accept that / there are things in my life i can't control" ) . Other great tracks which dezerve your attention are " Summer Days " , " Too Young " , " Party time " and " On Fire ". Bands like Phoenix never get the hype they dezerve . Their first offering though is the intellegent listener's afternoon album , a record both to enjoy and to love.

Teach ALL your friends the Funky Squaredance
The debut album from indie rockers Phoenix marks a welcome return to the guitar sound that surely I'm not the only one to have missed over the last few years. Since radio waves have been swamped by the girlish harmonies that boybands and teen-idols shriek, we've seldom had an upbeat guitar and keyboard band to caress our starving ears.

From the heavy opening chords you can sense that this is a band with an altogether traditional take on rock music. But as the album progresses, there's a sense that something out of the ordinary (in a good way) is pouring out of your speakers.

United combines up-tempo tunes such as 'Too Young' and If I Ever Feel Better' (thier UK single relases - so far, surely destined to become anthems for the year) which boast flavours of 70's disco, with off-the-wall melodies and franky undecipherable lyrics such as 'Funky Squaredance'.

At only 38 mins of play time, it's hardly overlong, but there's not a flat tune on the playlist and you'll never take it out of the cd player.

It's gotta be bought - simple.

Additionally, as a live act they live up to the promise of the album, with the bonus of extended versions of their songs, and acrobatics from the lead (who has a thing for climbing amplifiers). Check them out as soon as you get the chance.

Brilliant American Music, From A Euro Band
This CD is amazing. The disc, is very short, sadly. However, the songs here show very grown up songwriting, tight grooves, and an amazing sound. There is not a dead spot, except maybe to middle of Funky Squaredance. It's slow but its ok, it's not their fault. I cannot wait to hear Alphabetical. Get this record as soon as humanly possible

God Bless the French
Describing this album to one of my friends I said, "it's kind of a frech-disco-pop-rock album. Honestly, that's a pretty good descriptions. There are two songs "Too Young" and "IF I ever" that are strong catchy little numbers. For the U.S. version they even included a remix of "Too Young," which is of Lost In Translation fame.
All in all, this is a great album to chill out to. You know those laid back Sea and Cake tracks that are just perfect for laid-back Sunday afternoons? There is a track here, I think #8, that is so close to that, you just can't help but imagine yourself the recluse of some deserted island. Somewhere time seem to reverse itself and, as opposed to the continually quickening pace of the rest of the world, actually seems to slow itself to the point that each thought seems like an entity unto iself so that, yes, you can finally, SLOW DOWN. Now, given, that is just one song, but nonetheless the record works well, I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Lost and Forgotten
I found this album from the track in Lost in Translation which I really really liked. I then went out and bought the album and have been a happy man ever since. I really feel strongly that this band can and will get much bigger. Yea its pop and somewhat simple, but its got an undercurrent and just simply makes me feel good. I spoke to Astralwerks who supposedly will release a new album in July, buy this one then buy the new one. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

"I love you my dirty one" (Agniezska Rybska to her Cello)
Oh Rasputina. My joy and my delight. An incredible, revolutionary band with a diverse and unique sound. They really do love their cellos, and it shows. This early album is not as good as 'How We Quit the Forest', being a little more airy, less intense as it were, but is still truly excellent. Highlights include 'Transylvanian Concubine' (on the 'Buffy' soundtrack), 'Brand New Key' which is a cover, and my personal absolute favourite 'Rusty the Skatemaker'. Melora's unusual sense of humour shines through in songs like 'Sister Sleep', 'The Donner Party', 'Five Fleas' and 'Howard Hughes'. Look out for a bonus track in German at the end. The German grammer leaves something to be desired, but it has a really mad sound. In fact, the same could be said of the whole album. I would recommend 'Forest' over this album, but it is definately worth your while. Buy it. That's an order.

I can't believe that Melora Creager isn't a superstar...
New bands spring up like mushrooms after a summer rain, but very rarely are any of those bands any good. Even fewer of them are true originals - bands that defy genre classification. Rasputina is one of those rarest of the rare. Every so often I hear from people that there's no good and original new music out there. I hand them a Rasputina or Death Cab for Cutie CD and prove them dead wrong.

Rasputina is the brainchild of Melora Creager, a talented cellist with a victorian era fetish and a twisted and playful sense of humor. This first album is the most "acoustic" of their output, but it still manages to rock. I admire Ms. Creager for writing songs with intelligent lyrics and humor for people with the same traits, although judging by record sales, most people don't "get it".

But for those who do, the rewards are many. I'd give anything to be invited to a tea party hosted by Ms. Creager, but I'd watch out for the brownies...

Essential listening
This is one of the most original and best bands ever. I got the pleasure of seeing them live just recently and it was great. They played "Howard Hughes" which just rocked totally which is also on this album. I cant say enough good things about this album and "Endomorph" is probably one oh the best songs ever recorded in my opinion. My guess is if your sick of the radio, and havent heard anything original lately, check this out. This is one of the best albums by Rasputina too.

Thank's For the Origanality!
My sister told me I'd like this band because I play the cello. So for my birthday a few years ago she bought me their debut album "Thanks For The Ether" and I wasn't sure what to think, but I listened to it and liked it. With a new group like this is that it takes some getting used to. Off and on I would go into these obsessive spurts of only listening to this cd and nothing else until it became one of my top five cds. It starts out incredibly and finishes off incredibly. The gothic tones and brilliant words are so well polished and the quality and complexity of the ladies cello playing is encaptivating. Rasputina is truely a miracle in these days of bands that don't seem to appreciate the art of learning their instruments and only want to get paid (I pray to God everyday those band's contracts are burned).

Rasputina's Debut cd "Thank's For The Ether" in a collage of several late 1800 early 1900 stories of people. Each song is a lyrical masterpiece and even the few "essay" songs are entertaining to listen to. The cd goes like this:

1- My Little Shirtwaist Fire: This song is more energetic and mysterious than most of the others on the album. The words slow down and speed up to help the song have a very eerie rythem almost like the flickering of a flame. Brilliant.

2- Stumpside: This song is amazing. It starts off enjoyable enough and when the chorus picks up it becomes one of the most beautiful pieces on the cd. Clever lyrics again, of course "By the side of the well where she told us these things, if you hear a bell ring you get some wings".

3- Nozzel: Ah, the first essay, regaurding "Miss Conney Pallop." I'm not sure who she is, but the lesson taught here is easier to speak of than it is to live by.

4- Transylvanian Concubine: The vampire song that got them known. This song was their first hit, featured on a Buffy The Vampire Slayer episode. It can also be found on the Buffy soundtrack.

5- Why Don't You Do Right?: This is a remake song from an oldies song, but it has such a new feel to it here, very forboading almost, but yet the words are so enjoyable you can't help but want to sing along.

6- Mr. E. Leon Ruis: This song is based off of a picture the band leader Melora has of a young man in the 1800's with a note attached that reads "Many thanks for your well wishes, believe me. Sincerely yours, Mr. E. Leon Ruis." She uses the imagery and the few words of his to create a very beautiful and haunting song about a dead man of whome no one knows about.

7- The Donner Party: This is the second essay on the album about the cannibalism of the early settlers. It's got a very twisted sense of humor to it, but thats how all of Rasputina's amusing songs are.

8- Endomorph: Another intriquing character painted through the amazing cello music and witty lyrics. This is a most enjoyable track that I constantly listen to.

9- Brand New Key: Another oldie remake. This one is a little more pop-cello, if that's possible and most entertaining. The clever words fit right along with Melora's style and humor.

10- Cry Babies: The story of two children lost in the snow. Imagine the results. A very creepy song, but this is a gothic band you know, I'm not sure what you were expecting.

11- Howard Hughes: Another portrait. I'm not sure if this one is based off of a real person or not, but I really hope not. It's a very good track, with very good cello.

12- Sister Sleep: "Wee Le-ike to smoke pohot. Wee Le-ike it a lohot." If you aren't frightened by the opening lines of this song, fine, I don't particulary care for this one myself.

13- Five Fleas: An essay done brilliantly. This is my favorite speaking track. The two voices speaking at different times add to the childishness of the idea, but yet if you listen to the words you can't help but stop and ponder.

14- Any Old Actress: I myself must say I like the first half of the song and the very end better than the main melody in the middle. I think it's the most average song on the cd.

15- Dig Ophelia: Another good song about a person (but, all of them seem to be, oh well). This one seems to be to deal with the Ophelia from Hamlet, if not, then I don't want to know.

16- Kate Moss: The weirdest song on the album also happens to be the shortest and an essay. I can only this song is really... odd, but worth a listen for the expierience.

17- Rusty the Skate Maker: By far my most beloved song of theirs ever. I cannot get enough of this song. It's got the saddest lyrics and the melody is so nostolgic and beautiful. Sigh.

18- Trust All Stars: This is more of a humorous track about an alien boyfriend. This is also a very poppy song... i guess. It's followed by a hidden track (a slower version in some strange drawl or hopefully another language).

All in all this album is a novelty amongst the mass marketed punk bands and what not. Sure it's got it's strange sides, but it's completely worth bearing through them if you're a new listener. This cd is worth all the money it's sold for, and I think it's only 10 bucks here, so what a deal! (I think my version was more expensive because it was purchased in a store. How sad).

Absolutely Gorgeous
This is the first album I've purchased from Rasputina, and I have to honestly say that I don't regret it for a minute. While I figured I'd listen to it once, find it tolerable, and inevitably sell it back to the CD store and find something else to listen to, but this album has me completely enraptured. The music contained herein is so beautiful that it's hard not to lose yourself in it. Although some of the lyrics aren't great, most of it fits in with the romantic/classic gothic era feel. I would liken this album to Tori Amos/Switchblade Symphony vocal treatments over the more haunting Kronos Quartet string arrangements. It hooked me from the first listen, and from this I hope to pursue other albums from Rasputina.

Key Songs: It's more of a "listen to the whole album by candlelight" kind of record. ... Read more

Album Description

Dubbed the most complex Assemblage 23 release to date, "Storm" remains true to the upbeat and danceable vibe that A23 is synonymous with. The group's three previous albums quickly made them the most successful American EBM act ever and "Storm" will again propel them above the rest. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

What a beautiful voice!
Back in December, I was listening to Freedom Rock on a local radio station which played underground music for an hour. One of the songs I heard was "Hummingbirds" by Venus Hum. I was completely blown away by the song. Annette Strean's voice simply took my breath away. I finally found a copy of "Big Beautiful Sky" today at Cheapo Records. I bought it of course. It did not take me very long for me to fall in love with the music. I was immediately reminded of Depeche Mode with its synth-pop flavoured beats and the gorgeous voice of Annette Strean who at times reminded me a lot like Bjork. The results is an irresistably catchy electro-synth-pop album. I especially enjoyed the first two tracks "Hummingbirds" and "Montana", especially the latter song. I couldn't help hum along to "Montana". All the songs on the cd are of quality and deserving to be heard. Annette Strean has the voice of an angel. Just listen to "Wordless May" and you will know what I am saying. Too bad radio is clogged up with bland pop/rock songs that are played way too many times. Radio needs to start playing artists and bands that don't fit the mold like Venus Hum for example. It is amazing what one song played on the radio can do to a band like Venus Hum. I wouldn't have known about them had I not heard "Hummingbird" back in December.

This is a marvelous treasure of a CD
I'd first heard of the band Venus Hum because of their association with the Blue Man Group with the awesome song 'I Feel Love' on The Complex. Getting Venus Hum's own CD was even better. The songs are entrancing; combining the perfect mixture of electronic music with Annette Strean's beautiful voice. One song that really touches me is 'Alice.' It's a somewhat slow song with lyrics that really make me feel like I am lying on the grass with the cool night air all around me. This CD is a must-have for anybody who likes electronic music, hypnotic vocals, or incredibly deep lyrics.

Perfect music to work/relax/drive/dance/anything to
I first saw Venus Hum on the Blueman Group's "The Complex Rock Tour LIVE". 'I Feel Love' totally blew me away. The power and quality of her voice was simply amazing... If you haven't seen 'The Complex' video, do so immediately! I got my hands on Big Beautiful Sky, and I just can't belive I haven't heard this group before. I have heard lots of comparisons to Bjork... in my humble opinion, Venus Hum is far superior.

Big Beautiful Songs
The first impression i had listening this album was that the voice of Bjork was there.And more surprises had yet to come.My favourite song is Wordless May.All tunes are full of inspiration.Enjoy it.

Great CD!
Don't buy this CD if you don't want to listen to it over and over, cuz you will. The lead singer has been compared to Bjork and I hear a lot of Yaz inspirations. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Front Line Assembly enlists Kirsty Thirsk of the Rose Chronicles for a heavenly ambient house project. Trance that bounces with beauty and energy. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (45)

An incredible, complete album
Delerium completely changed their sound with this record. Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber combined pure synth hooks, slow moving basslines, and great chant samples to create amazingly sensual, trancey ethereal music. Two songs have lyric vocals, Flowers Become Screens and Incantation. Flowers Become Screens is arguably one of the best dance-pop songs of the 90's. Unfortunately, when the album was released, Nettwerk Records was short on cash and didn't have the resources to promote the album as much as its follow-up, the equally good, but more vocal, Karma. The song has simple drum and bass lines, and amazing vocals from the wide-ranged Kristy Thirsk, formerly of Rose Chronicles. Incantation is more of the same. Both are great tracks. The non-vocal songs are pure sonic ectasy. VERY complex layered tracks with a lot going on - multi-dimensional, for sure.

The Gregorian Chants in THIS album were sampled. Enigma was NOT sampled on this record, contrary to the claims of a previous reviewer. There are some similar hooks and feels, but Enigma somewhat defined this genre, but Delerium CLEARLY one-ups the entire field with this record. Enigma, by comparison (even MCMXC a.d.), is too poppy, too commercial, too forced. This is a purely good record based on the talents of the authors.

(BTW: Karma has fewer samples; they rented out a church in Vancouver and had real authentic monks sing their chants!)

If you'd like an in-depth song-by-song review, please check out the official web page at http://www.delerium.com - I have my full review posted in the discography.

But, in summary, if you like Enigma or Deep Forest, you will LOVE this album.

PS: If you like this album and/or Karma, I HIGHLY recommend Intermix's Future Primitives, which is a side-project of Leeb/Fulber (the same guys as Delerium) and recorded at the same time as Semantic Spaces, and basically could've been another Delerium album. I also highly recommend the upcoming Conjure One album, the new project by Rhys Fulber solo.

Rick

Incredibly marvellous.
No one compares to Delerium. And if they have to "steal" some samples from other artists to create such achingly beautiful_dreamy landscapes, let them do it. It's such a rare thing, nowadays, to have top notch quality music in the music market. In short, this is one of the best album of all time, and I really mean it. As I first heard "Incantation" i thought:"This is the finest piece of dance music ever made". Three years have passed and still this album represents the peak of my music collection. Listen. Dream. Feel.

Out With the Old; In With the New
So said Bill Leeb and his co-hort Rhys Fulber when they sat down in the studio to record this album. Banishing their Front Line Assembly meets Clock DVA sound from previous Delerium efforts, Bill and Rhys put on their Enigma hats and made a trance/dance/electro album that tries to please everyone. And they almost did, too. Though this effort turned off some fans of FLA and Delerium of old, it also made some new ones. The club hit "Flowers Become Screens" made this album a must buy for many a college clubber. The rest of the album is all well and good, with Billa and Rhys using precision programming skills and piracy to create an ethereal landscape of marvelous electronica. Though some of the songs run a little long (clocking in at 10 minutes or so), the music is just good, complex, and full enough to pull it off. Their next album Karam further capitalizes off this Enigma sound, employing the beautiful voice of Sarah McLachlan to make an insta-hit (Silence) that have Delerium an even bigger fan base. Karma is truly their masterpiece, while Semantic Spaces was their epiphany. Delerium would continue to make more poppier sounds with Poem and Chimera, two albums this reviewer can hardly listen to, especially when I can just listen to the much superior Karma or Semantic Spaces.

One last thought: As a longtime fan of Front Line Assembly (which is how I learned of Delerium), the popularity of the recent Delerium albums is astounding. If you are curious about what Bill and Rhys were known for back in the 80s, check out their re-released FLA ablums State of Mind or Corrorded Disorder. And if you just love the newer Delerium ablums, you might also like the newer FLA material like Epitaph. It's more agressive, and the lyrics are pretty silly at times, but it can be a fun ride.

good but can be better
Semantic Spaces is a good album and at best, really enjoyable.
Some really enjoyable tracks in the album are "Incantation" and "Flowers become screens". I wish though Delerium could've put in more of a gothish and creepier sound to the album.

Great CD but track 9 doesn't work well!!
I love Delerium. I love this CD. But track 9 skips. I returned the CD and recieved a new one, and it still skips. Buy the CD, it's great, just don't get too attatched to track #9. That is the reason this CD hasn't recieved 5 stars. Tracks 1-8 are terrific. (Tracks 1 (Flowers become screens),5 (Consensual worlds) and 8(Sensorium) being my favorite. Delerium's music is soothing and fun to listen to. I love to listen to it as I fall asleep and when i'm in the car.(Also, everywhere else!)
Buy this album if you like Delerium or enchanting music! ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

Inspired by the film Dancer in the Dark's Broadwayesque emotional sweep, Björk stretches herself with orchestral mood swings and a darker, more experimental palette. The result is the most difficult record she's made since her Sugarcubes days, but a few listens reveal the thrilling heart of a truly multifaceted and immensely brave composer. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (148)

Almost as good as the movie
First off, if you haven't seen the movie yet don't get this cd. The soundtrack has to be listened and understood within the context of "Dancer in the Dark". It's possible for the cd to stand on its own, but it gains in emotional power if you know what happens in the movie.

With that being said I was highly disappointed that it wasn't fully faithful to the movie version of the songs. While I enjoyed hearing Catherine Denueve on 'Cvalde' I would rather have had Peter Stormare's vocals for 'I've Seen It All' and the original version of 'Scatterheart' You'll find some lyric switching between Yorke and Bjork in 'I've Seen It All' and the lyrics for 'Scatterheart' barely resemble that which was sung in the movie.

The greatest tragedy of all with this cd is the omission of 'The Next to Last Song'. A powerful moment in the movie is completely lost on this cd, rendering '107 Steps' and 'A New World' not as powerful as they were in the theater. Don't get me wrong though, you'll still find yourself moved by these tracks, but the moment is not complete without 'The Next to Last Song'.

I can only hope that somewhere down the line a more complete soundtrack will be released or the DVD will offer a music only track. While this is a terrific soundtrack and one that any movie music lover should own, it's not complete.

an original musical
Bjork's new cd Selmasongs, while only 32 minutes, is as eclectic as you would expect from the singer. A companion cd for Lars Von Trier's film Dancer In The Dark, Bjork's award-winning acting debut, Selmasongs features the songs she sings as her character Selma (well, that's sort of obvious). The movie is about Czech immigrant Selma's struggle to save her son from a disease that causes blindness while keeping her spirits up dreaming about her beloved Hollywood musicals during her work in an American factory. 'Cvalda' is an energetic mix of industrial sounds and big band flourishes, perfectly illustrating Selma's fantasy world in the factory environment, adding a John Cage quality to Bjork's already highly original songwriting, and if it weren't kooky enough, there are vocal contributions by Catherine Deneuve. 'Scatterheart''s electronic cadences sound like the closest thing to a true follow-up to Bjork's Homogenic, while 'In The Musicals' seamlessly blends stuttering rhythms (you can just picture her tapdancing) and lilting string arrangements while Bjork sings her typical wide-eyed, whimsical lyrics. Selmasongs will be most remembered, however, for the sensational duet between Bjork and Radiohead's Thom Yorke. Yorke & Bjork (now there's a catchy name for a duo!) exchange a dialogue while an orchestral score and the rhythm of a train swirl around them. The lyrics are Bjork at her usual sublime self: "You've never been to Niagara Falls?/I have seen water, its water, that's all.../The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State?/My pulse was as high on my very first date!" Dancer In The Dark is a film that has film critics split down the middle: either you love it or you hate it. However confounding or wondrous you find the film, I'm sure everyone will agree this wacky little number of a cd is excellent.

I Wept
I think the song "I've Seen It All" is one of the great classics in music. I struggle with the urge to weep every time I hear it because it is so moving.

A great album that keeps with what makes Björk herself.
I love this movie, and I was really impressed by the music. If you love Björk's sound, this will be what you know of her and a few new aspects. The way she used simple sounds to create the beats of "Cvalda" and "I've Seen It All" is amazing! "Cvalda"'s beat starts off with the sounds of noisy machinery in a factory and spirals into a beautiful song. "I've Seen It All" rests on the sounds of a train passing by. The beat you hear is the pattern of the wheels on the tracks, fixed up a little bit of course.

This album is an astonishing thing to listen to, even though there aren't many songs. It also lets you relive the movie, even the heartbreaking scene where Björk's character Selma dies. Buy it!

Amazing Soundtrack From A Mad Musical Genius
I think it's now safe to say that Bjork ranks alongside Kurt Cobain and Madonna as the artist whom I have most respect for in the music industry. Her ability to consistently produce groundbreaking, fresh and atmospheric music is a natural wonder to me. The way she proves people wrong by not making music in a sense, but making something completely different. An art form. Undiscovered. Until she creates it. That's why she's a genius, and that's why she will always succeed in making a fantastic record. In 1997 Bjork released "Homogenic," her third solo studio album to date. After listening to this masterpiece, you begin to think Bjork can't do much else in terms of creativity, yet she proved us all wrong in 2000 when she starred in the musical masterpiece "Dancer In The Dark."

Not content with having a leading role in a high-production musical, she also wrote and produced the entire soundtrack, "Selmasongs." The soundtrack is simply one of the best soundtracks that money can buy and ranks alongside Homogenic and Vespertine as Bjork's greatest work to date. Lush sweeping arrangements of orchestral bliss infuse the album with a wonderfully atmospheric and aesthetically-pleasing back drop of sounds, layered on top of each other. The production and composition is first-class and Bjork is, as ever, 100% original in her approach.

"Overture" opens the album. A deep flow of subdued and slightly anticipated instruments introduces the song, and it gradually builds up to a point of almost heart-aching passion at 2:29, and the song gains momentum and flows especially into the first proper song. It's a wonderful instrumental, incredibly dramatic and sets the tone for the soundtrack. "Cvalda" is one of my favourite songs from the album and one of Bjork's best in my opinion. The song starts off with a very interesting beat from an industrial factory. The machines clattering away at work, creating the beat. This then builds up into a gleeful and joyous musical number as Bjork sings so sweetly, "Clatter, crash, clack! Racket, bang, thump!" By the second minute it's an all-out schizophrenia of musical madness. Overall it's a marvellous song that starts off with an expected sense of disappointment but winds up being a mad musical masterpiece.

"I've Seen It All" is up next and a fantastic duet between Bjork and the genius Thom Yorke of Radiohead. The song starts off with a train on a track as its beat, before starting off slowly and in a swaying mood. The song gradually builds into a typical Bjork-esque masterpiece (Yeah, most of her songs are masterpieces!) where she sonically opens up the landscapes of the song by adding depth. It's just a pleasure to listen to such wonderful music, and the verbal-fencing style banter between the two is most humorous. "Scatterheart" is said to be the best song on the album by many who have reviewed this soundtrack. For me this is definitely not the case. There is much better on offer here, yet this is still a good song of somewhat lengthy proportions.

"In The Musicals" makes hardly any sense at all, but then again, it pays homage to musicals, so it's not really meant to! Here Bjork just appears to have picked up any objects she finds and makes a beat out of them, from a basketball at the start to many other various things towards the end. A superb string section works in complete harmony with a percussion section. Superb, as usual. "107 Steps" starts off incredibly close to the ear with a woman whispering "Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten..." and so on, with footsteps in time with the counting. This builds up perfectly to an awesome entrance from Bjork as she sings random numbers. The beat is incredibly catchy and the lush string section that builds up after around 45 seconds is just awe-inspiring. "New World" is the seventh and final song on this brief soundtrack. It starts off subdued and quiet with the sweeping orchestral beat that opened the record. A trippy electronica beat is added in the background, dancing around to Bjork's soaring vocals. She sings with such passion, such amazement and exploration to the things around her, and a general appreciation for life and love.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

All in all, I cannot recommend this soundtrack enough. I haven't actually seen Dancer In The Dark yet, but I do plan on doing so. I have, admittedly, been trying to pick this album for any possible flaws. I can, as always with masterpieces by Bjork, find none at all, except one - it's a little bit too short. At just over thirty minutes, it's a short and brief soundtrack, but it really is worth paying top money for it because you're sure to get years of musical enjoyment out of this. Selmasongs was the fourth album by Bjork that I bought (around a month ago), and I haven't looked back. Rumour has it she's got a new album out this year, and I am so buying it! But whilst I wait, I know I can revel in the madness and musical beauty that is Selmasongs. Buy it now and treasure it forever. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Erasure branches out
Obviously tired of the confines of mere synthesizers, Vince Clark made "Wild!" into the most organic and lush sounding Erasure album to date. While not as instantly hook laden as "The Innocents," it has stood the test of time better than most of Erasure's catalog. As a songwriting team, Clark and Bell also managed to pen a trio of classic singles with "Drama!," "Star" and the magnificent "Blue Savannah."

They also began to test the limits of their lyrical concerns, as "Crown Of Thorns" takes a bitter look at the future of England before the album winds out with "Piano Song." Andy seems intrigued by the chance to perform a more expansive set of songs; save for "Chorus," this is the best sung of all the Erasure albums. Listen to the difference between the operatic campiness of "Drama!" as compared to the deeper coloration of "How Many Times." Not like all is changed, the dance grooves of "2000 Miles" and "Brother and Sister" cook. In fact, the only real dud here is "La Gloria," where the experiment in Latin rhythms misses the target.

Out of the many Erasure albums available, "Wild!" is one of the few I can recommend as a whole album.

Coming down from the heights of 'The Innocents'
After Erasure's brilliant 1988 'The Innocents,' any follow-up album had to be a come-down. "Wild!" has its moments, but the number of forgettable tunes is too high to make this a classic album.

Side one opens with a prelude, a shortened instrumental version of side two's "Piano Song." Then comes the high point of the album -- "Blue Savannah." Simple lyrics and theme complement the catchy melody and Andy Bell's gorgeous, lighter-than-air vocals, making this the best song.

"Drama!" is an up-tempo shouter with a thunderous refrain: "We are guilty! GUILTY! Of how we ever entered into this life..." After a rather anemic ballad, "How Many Times?", the album achieves sing-along lift-off again with a pair of songs, "Star" and "La Gloria." "La Gloria" capitalizes on interesting production touches, with the sound of a Mexican-style fiesta in the background. Overall, a nicely done side.

Side two, however, is where the album comes apart at the seams. Except for a catchy refrain in "Brother and Sister," the next three songs are utterly forgettable, especially the cheerless "2,000 Miles." The album ends with a pair of ballads, "Crown of Thorns" and the aforementioned "Piano Song." The chorus on "Crown of Thorns" almost redeems it, but neither song comes close to the emotional high of the band's earlier "When I Needed You" or "Ship of Fools." "Piano Song" is Andy Bell at his worst, sounding whiny, similar to his vocals on "Spiralling," from the album 'The Circus.'

A great album for any other band. Too much filler to make it classic Erasure.

Wild!
Wild!~ Erasure is pretty good. But just like many of their albums it lacks consistent effort. They are happy to churn out some good tunes, (blue savannah song), and then to fill it with...crap...

the peak of Erasure
This album is 15 years old(!), but has aged fairly well. After they hit their stride with The Circus and The Innocents, Erasure became hugely popular in the U.S. (at least, among lovers of New Wave/Postmodern music) with Wild! Vince Clarke, in one of the interviews on the 2nd disc of the Hits! DVD said that he wanted Erasure to be remembered as great songwriters. On Wild!, there are a lot of great songs, with inspired lyrics and killer hooks.

If Erasure is only remembered for a couple of songs, Blue Savannah deserves to be one of them (A Little Respect would be the other choice). A friend of mine in high school said that she felt chills up her spine when she first heard the album version of the song. On the radio, the beginning part, with Andy humming/crooning, was cut. I was really stunned when she told me this, because that's exactly what happened to me the first time I heard the album version! Part of the bliss of Erasure is that a song with such an obscure title as Blue Savannah could be one of their greatest hits.

After the euphoria of Blue Savannah come the high of Drama! In my mind, this is perhaps the most "operatic" of Erasure's songs. Aside from the aggressive energy created by the synthesizers, there is the "guilty" chorus, which reminds me of opera. Too bad another reviewer here finds it distracting; I find it to be pure genius! Equally as thrilling are the lyrics, such as, "God only knows the ultimate necessity of love." Sadly, this song didn't get airplay in the U.S., since it rates among their very best.

After the thrilling Drama! comes How Many Times, which is quite the opposite in mood. Another personal favorite, it has Andy singing in a lower register, which produces a "seductive" mood. The song itself, though, is very melancholy and nostalgic in tone. Next follows Star, which is another stroke of genius. As most people know, this song is about the atomic bomb. For me, though, it also is critical of televangelism, and the era of Jim and Tammy Faye, with their pleas for "Love Gifts" by mail, among other things. Their humorous treatment of both topics is the essence of Camp, something Erasure understands quite well. Even the music is campy, galloping along, like a horse in the Wild West.

After so many successes, Erasure misfires with the cringe-worthy La Gloria. This song is embarrassing in so many ways, where do I begin? The music is stupid. It could be taken for a joke, except that they pushed too far. If you want a comparison, Madonna's song I'm Going Bananas is kind of similar to this, but hers is more tolerable. Furthermore, it could be labled as racist, except that I truly believe that Vince and Andy are not racists. In short, it is a caricature that makes you wince. Why this made the cut for the album, and Supernature didn't, is beyond me!!!

Thankfully, you can skip over this song, and enjoy the rest of the album, which lives up to the success of the first half. You Surround Me is another single that got no airplay, but is one of their most sensual. Unlike How Many Times, the mood is not only evoked by Andy singing in a lower register. This time, the lyrics help drive the point home. I like the line, "I love you with all the joy of living, 'til the lights go down in NYC..." Another classic.

Brother and Sister is another turbo-charged track, the "Drama!" of the second half of Wild! That computer voice saying "rocket" at the beginning is wonderful. Like Drama!, it is also very operatic in nature. The lyrics are rather cryptic, in a good way. It's almost post-apocalypic, which is interesting, because if you really think about it, a recurring theme throughout the album is the nuclear age.

What follows next is 2000 Miles, which is rather shocking in its acid tone, very different from most Erasure songs. Take, for example, the line "don't go beating me like that, I won't be coming back". What makes the song great is that, for it being so nihilistic, Erasure still throws some camp in for good measure. One example is the "whoo, whoo" sound after Andy says he won't be waiting at the railroad station. Another is Andy singing the "na na na" from Heart of Glass, the Blondie classic, at the end of the song, as it is fading out!

Crown of Thorns maximizes the gloom-and-doom theme. Another seemingly post-apocalyptic song, it spells out a bleak future for England.

The album ends with Piano Song, which I'm sure was a working title that they tried to rename, but couldn't really come up with any other title that worked. Compared to the synth feel of most of the album, it is elegantly spare, a remorseful, eloquent song, sung in an emotional manner.

For all of these reasons, Wild! captures Erasure at the height of their creative powers.

Wild! is kinda wild!
Andy and Vince's follow up to the Innocents album and the Crackers Internation EP is a mixed bag. It features some great songs...and some not so great songs. As a whole even with the attempt to open and close with Piano Song it doesn't flow like a sold album more than a collection of tunes. Here's whats on it:

Piano Song (Instrumental)--a nice few opening notes to let you know what is coming...it flows right well into

Blue Savannah-One of, if not Andy's fav. A really beautifully sung haunting track. Definitely one of Erasure's classics!

Drama-ok...I honestly don't get the interest in this song. I think the chorus is ok and Vince's music is great...but together..it's just off. Not a personal favorite of mine. The screaming chorus of "Guilty" distracts!

How Many Times?-must I skip this song. Not a favorite and completely out of place! Sorry guys but this just isn't strong!

Star-great poppy dance song. I love this track. It simply jamns and deserves a replay!

La Gloria-I've tried to like this but the spanish/mexican flair just doesn't do it for me. Too much camp for me!

You Surround Me-Probably my favorite track off this album because Andy's vocals are dark and deeper than I can recall from previous songs. Great music, great lyrics makes a great song!

Brother and Sister-ROCKET!! This is a great song...ending vocals are so powerful. I think this honestly jamns and is a far superior song than Drama..this should have been 3rd single.

2,000 Miles-Interesting if somewhat quirky Erasure sounding song. It works for me. Interesting lyrics...can't say its typical Erasure

Crown of Thorns-almost what I call Enyaesque....good solid lyrics, well song, good music I like this.

Piano Song-touching ballad with simple music, simply not Erasure electronic, just piano. Works here. Andy's vocals are great.

Wild to me sounds like collection of a couple great singles and bsides. Its quirky Erasure at best. Campy definitely but not all bad..has a few misses here and there but still worth owning! After all what Erasure isn't worth owning! ... Read more

Amazon.com

After releasing "Electricity" in 1979, OMD quickly became one of the more influential electro-pop bands to emerge from England. While the premise of a singing synthesizer duo may now be a fairly conventional concept, Andy McClusky and Paul Humphreys had very few role models when they first developed their unusual style. This package pulls together two full decades of OMD's distinctive pop craftsmanship. From the early sounds of "Enola Gay" to radio classics like "Joan of Arc" and "Souvenir," OMD's polished, dramatic readings influenced everyone from Depeche Mode to the Pet Shop Boys. Late-'80s tunes like "If You Leave" and "(Forever) Live and Die" round out this collection. While not displaying all the more offbeat aspects of OMD's music, this package certainly delivers the hits. --Mitch Myers ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A mixed bag, but still the best OMD collection.
OMD were an unsual synth pop group. They weren't quite as accessible as Erasure; they lacked the sophistication of Pet Shop Boys, and they weren't as moody as Depeche Mode. They somewhat remained in their own category, churning out a respectable number of hits on both side of the Atlantic. This hits collection chronicles the group right through the 1990s. The first half of the disc is tough to sit through; only "Electricity" and "Locomotion" are able to command any long-term attention. Things don't pick up until we get to the group's first breakthrough hit "So in Love" and "If You Leave," which most audiences will remember from the movie "Pretty in Pink." The group's popularity waned a bit by the end of the 1980's, when the group lost a key member. However, it was at around that time when OMD started to deliver its most accessible work, which includes "Pandora's Box," the catchy, Erasure-like "Sailing the Seven Seas," and the single mix of "Call My Name." While I can't say that OMD is one of my favorite groups, this is a reasonably solid collection that should make fans very pleased.

Some great tunes are missing-but what a bunch of hits!!
I know, I know----it is not a "perfect" OMD greatest hits collection. I know, I know- it ignores great stuff from "Dazzle Ships," "Liberator," "Sugar Tax," and, of course, the great and unreleased-in-the-US "Universal." I know, I know- it is almost the same of the now out-of-print "Best of OMD." Yes--I also wish it had "La Femme Accident." But what did you expect?? Virgin, for some inexplicable reason, has never liked OMD and never gave them the support they deserved. But take this for what it is: a fine compilation of some of the best music from one of the best, and certainly one of the most overlooked and underrated, bands of the 80's and 90's. Just try not to smile and relax when you give it a listen! When crap from the likes of Eminem, TLC, Limp Bizkit, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilar, Backstreet Boys, Destiny's Child, and the rest of today's pseudo-musicians exist only in cut-out bins and are forgotten--the unique and tuneful music of OMD will still be played and enjoyed by legions of fans. Here's to hoping that Andy McCluskey (and the rest) can be convinced to come out of "retirement" and do it again someday!

The best one by far!
This album has SO many good songs! All of the popular hits are on this album! You won't be disappointed (unless, of course, you don't like OMD)!

Nice Collection, If You Don't Already Have It
This is another colelction of OMD singles but this colelction continues the colelction even after Paul left the band. If you're a fan the only thing this might have you don't already have are some single versions of the later songs. Otherwise this is a collection of songs you probably already own. If you own the best of from a decade or so earlier then you might not be interested in this. This is an album to check out at the library, not spend your money on.

How dare they leave Secret off this compilation?
This CD follows the same formula as other best-of collections, in that it repackages most of an older greatest-hits album, and tacks on some later material at the end. This is very typical of many 80's bands, like Duran Duran and Depeche Mode. I like the Best of OMD collection, but of course it was released before Sugar Tax came out, which was the first OMD album I ever listened to. Pandora's Box was one of my favorite new-wave songs, and I was eager to find a CD that married it with the the older hits. Unfortunately, the record company played a cruel hoax on us. They did this repackaging, but axed what was one of the most tuneful and best highlights from the Best of OMD, Secret!!! How could they? This song is a hallmark of what my Asian friends affectionately call "Vietnamese New Wave" (an in-joke). It has a great, killer hook, and is very danceable. Every time I heard it growing up, it really lifted my spirits.

In the age of free downloads and CD burners, the recording industry needs to learn a valuable lesson: don't cheat the fans, they are they only ones keeping you afloat!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's nothing diminutive about Vin Diesel or XXX, the secret agent-espionage film in which the muscular actor stars, so it's not surprising that the accompanying two-disc soundtrack is just as punishing. On the rock-oriented album, electronic production zaps through Rammstein's machine-gun blast "Feuer Frei" and Queens of the Stone Age's rough-riffed "Millionaire," while Mushroomhead and Hatebreed's straight-ahead screamers pack a ferocious punch. Other cuts are more forgiving--Bush's Gavin Rossdale contributes a soaring, crunchy rock anthem, Orbital's zooming, danceable "Technologicque Park" is inky as a starless night, and Moby's hypnotic, simple-synth "Landing" features Azure Ray on vocals. The hip-hop side isn't nearly as pulverizing--Nelly's stuttering "Stick Out Ya Wrist" and Big Tymers' "Still Fly" are especially laid-back and chilled. In the end, the results are mixed--Rossdale's song is livelier than most of his output with Bush, and the Queens and Rammstein cuts jump with life, as do those from Pastor Troy and Joi. Yet overall the generic rap disc and growling sections of its rock counterpart falter, suffering from all-too-familiar tricks and lackluster lyrics--sending the entire album sliding into mediocrity as a whole. --Annie Zaleski ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Not quite XXX
First off, does anyone actually review cd's based on the cd anymore, or are amazon reviews a simply location debate the song in the trailer? Concerning the cd, the first disc has all the good music. Rammstein rocks through "Feuer Frei" and the Drowing Pool remix is in some ways better than the original. As for Hatebreed, well, I think you have to be a fan of the band to appreciate the song. Queens of the Stone Age sound nothing like their single "No one Knows" and the Moby song is boring. The rest of the tracks, (including disc two) are dreary and forgetable, minus Fermin 4. Even if you're not a rap fan, chances are you'll like the blend of spanish hip hop and electronica. It's a tight song, put into good effect in the movie. Now if you are a fan of rap, then you'll probably dig the second disc, with artists like Nelly and P. Diddy. As for me, that second disc went from the case to the trash. None of the songs are really any good. I don't know why they included a second cd with music from a completly different genre than the first. I don't even think many of the songs from the second cd are in the movie, except for Joi's "Lick".
Anyway, if you liked the music from the movie, then you can buy it for the first cd. But you'd probably be better off checking out the albums from the artists themselves.

AWESOME PEOPLES
THIS CD IS THE BOMB!!!!! I LISTEN TO IT ALL THE TIME!!!! the only bad thing is the 2nd CD. the 2nd cd sucks, especialy 'lick'.

1st disc good....well two tracks are anyway.
this soundtrack sucks. that's all there is to it. with the exception of rammstein and QOTSA, all the other songs suck. and the rap songs weren't even in the movie! anyways, just buy rammstein's album "mutter" which has feuer frei on it, along with other excellent songs (i.e. Sonne) and also buy queens of the stone age's album "songs for the deaf". leave this soundtrack on the shelf where it belongs.

XXX IS HOTT
Vin Diesel is the next big thing! So the music is a match.

Terrible
This movie was only good because of two reasons. RAMMSTEIN, and Queens of the Stone Age. Other than that, completel out of control P.O.S. that keeps its viewers contemplating whether they have died and this movie is their eternal punishment in hell. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

This is New Order's debut in name only, with the ghost of Ian Curtis still hanging heavily over his grieving Joy Division bandmates. It would take them one more step, to the brilliant Power, Corruption and Lies, to really assert their own power. Movement, then, is the sound of guitarist Bernard Sumner, percussionist Stephen Morris, and innovative bassist Peter Hook building a bridge from JD's Sturm und Drang drone to New Order's considerably brighter dance pop. It's an interesting bridge to cross though, peppered with dark highlights like the almost poppy "Dreams Never End," the blip-blooping electro chaos of the Pere Ubu-influenced "ICB," and "The Him," with its rhythmic echoes of JD's "Atrocity Exhibition." --Michael Ruby ... Read more

Reviews (32)

A reminder that maybe your life's not that bad, really.
Listen up! You may look on this album as a sad, lonely offering from four blokes (Including crucial producer, Martin Hannett) without any sense of direction and an even more conspicuously absent sense of fun. Fine. If you're one of those people, the fantastic later stuff, like Power, Corruption and Lies will make you very happy. Go and look at their entries while I discuss the importance of DEPTH to any band's records. This is an absolutely kicking record with more hang ups, neuroses and frankly more guts than half of even half of (the almost equally superb) Depeche Mode's releases towards the end of that decade (but, Joy Division were doing that 10 years earlier, for god's sake!). It offers us an insight into the minds of these poor, pathetic, lonely people ("It's a strange day, and such a lonely way.", Ahhh, would you like a nice cup of tea, love?). Great.

Also, the juxtaposition (meaning putting two things next to each other) of a very high voice with a very low one, as in "Dreams Never End" and "The Him" actually sounds pretty good, and is that the great Peter Hook singing the low part on "The Him"? I hope so.

However, the album is so downbeat its mass appeal is sorely lacking, and I'd expect many Blue Monday - philes to turn off after even the first track and put "P, C & L" on instead. I'd personally put the lot on back to front, but maybe that's just me. I just think it's incredible these two albums came so closely together. Top stuff!!!

Who needs songs with sensible titles, anyway?

Ghostly
An odd debut for a band born in misery, this is clearly the sound of a band struggling to reconcile their flippant good humour with the need to appear depressed. Musically, it sounds like a higher-tech, dancier Joy Divison. The production is astonishing, and very similar to that of 'Low-Life' several years later - being both rocky and dancey at the same time, it's years ahead of other bands. Lyrically it's impossible to judge - perhaps due to nervousness, Bernard Sumner's vocals are buried deeply in the mix (as are those of Peter Hook and Gillian Gilbert, who also appear vocally). The fragments that stand out seem as if they were penned by Ian Curtis, and indeed their contemporary singles, not included here, were. The doom-laden atmosphere seems out-of-place for a band who, a year or two later, had firmly discovered dance music. As a New Order album it's odd - only the first song sounds recognisably 'New Order' (both 'Power, Corruption and Lies' and 'Low-Life' had very similar opening tracks, probably coincidentally). The rest of it veers from obvious Joy Division-isms (ICB uses the same drum pattern as one of the songs on 'Closer') and something stranger. 'Doubts Even Here' sounds a bit like Laibach, for example, with a martial beat and simple Mellotron chord sequence. All-in-all it's not bad as an instrumental album of Joy-Division esque rock, but 'Power, Corruption and Lies' is probably a better starting-point for a New Order collection.

Dark and Artsy
This first album released by New Order in 1981 is a wonderful gloomy taste of sturm und drang, echoing out of poignantly scattered debris of Ian Curtis' suicide. This gloomy, artsy, beautifully dark album seems like it comes from the hauntingly hope-devoid streets of Manchester which wrought this foundational New Wave band. Excellent album: dark bored vocals, beautifully woven guitars, haunting synths.

New Order's black sheep
Despite the often inferior lyrics and the regrettable Joy Division parody - Doubts Even Here, Movement contains some of the most brilliant music from the early 80s. Some songs are just stellar. Truth and Senses are flawless. I suppose this music is early electronica in places.

Curtis' vocals - the emotional depth he was able to bring to Closer - obviously couldn't be duplicated, although it sounds like the band is trying. Yet, there is a mechanical-computerized element in much of Movement that predates Blue Monday and which works quite well. Clearly, with the Bauhaus cover art and album title, New Order isn't just trying to recreate Joy Division. Even that exercise did yield good fruit, though. The song In a Lonely Place is great (the b-side for the band's first single).

Dreams Never End is similar to the original FAC 33 release of Ceremony. Both are excellent. (I prefer the original Ceremony to the version on Substance.)

Ghosts
They might have goofed in front-loading their debut with the sprightly, catchy 'Dreams Never End'- -the rest of the album is pretty dour and a bit of a letdown after such an auspicious beginning. It seems they couldn't make up their collective mind as to direction: hence 'Dreams', which sounds like a hit single and, remarkably, like nothing in the Joy Division canon; the haunting 'Doubts Even Here', ostensibly the sequel to both 'Atmosphere' and 'In A Lonely Place'; and the sequencer-driven 'Chosen Time' which anticipates the follow-up POWER, CORRUPTION AND LIES and the direction the band would persue throughout the 80s. Not surprising, really, as much of the material was probably written as Joy Division while Ian Curtis was alive and had to be finished without him. ('Ceremony', the debut single, was performed live with Curtis on JD's STILL.) A hint of cynicism concerning the band's audience pervades the album as well, though- -the vocals are treated in more than a few spots so as to mimic Curtis, most notably on 'Dreams Never End' and 'Doubts Even Here' in which Ian's ghost seemingly performs. The band was definitely haunted by Curtis' absence: his presence permeates the album. There are some great moments, to be sure- -aside from 'Dreams Never End', 'ICB' lopes merrily along and manages to transcend its own weight with its whoopy synth calls and ascending progression. And 'Doubts Even Here' is darkly beautiful. It's also rather aptly titled- -IS that Curtis? It isn't, but I'm not really sure it's Bernard Sumner, either. Or Peter Hook, for that matter. That's the thing about ghosts. They're there but they're not. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Erasure's Greatest Album......
This is THE Erasure album. The album that I will fight tooth and claw with any "Erasure fan" who thinks there is anything wrong with it. Oustanding tracks that form this album are:

Take Me Back-a great solid opener that has unbelievable haunting vocals by Andy. This song almost makes me cry it's soooo good!

I Love Saturday-a lot of fans thought this was a poor choice for a 3rd single, I disagree. I think its a very strong catchy pop Erasure song. Lyrically strong and well performed by both Andy and Vince..nothing less than brilliant!

Man Up On the Moon-great song, nothing wrong with this "album" track

So the Story Goes-adding a choir to Erasure synths and Andy vocals was a brilliant idea. Awesome song a perfect lead into...

Run to the Sun--this has to be the fastest paced Erasure song out there that should have been a #1. I wonder if it only suffers because of mentioning God in the lyrics. One of my top 5 Erasure songs though because it's just that good! Brilliant! The opening rift rules!!!

Always--1st single, good solid choice for a single. Lyrically strong. I can see why this was a hit!

All Through the Years--a good solid track that I like lyrically very well done.

Blues Away--AWESOME! Andy's falsetto rivals Jimmy Somervilles on this song and the chorus is very haunting. Great synth backing for the song.

Miracle--lots of bleeps from Vince and the 2nd track to feature a choir background. Nice job here!

Because You're So Sweet-If anyone had a track not to like on the album it's probably this because its a lot less layered that the rest of the album but it's still a nice sweet song.

Overall the best album that spends most of it's time in my player. I can listen to this over and over. Well done, mising is great there are no mixing problems on this. Why this didn't do even better I don't know. Its nothing short of brilliant. The songs are rich like the "Erasure" album but short and sweet like "Innocents". Listening to it will take your breath away!

Erasure's best album, next to Pop! The First 20 Hits
I SAY... is easily Erasure's best album - 10 excellent tracks, no filler, with Andy Bell's best singing performances and Vince Clarke turning in his best music ever in straight-up classics like "Take Me Back", "I Love Saturday", "Run To The Sun", and Erasure's only top 20 hit in the U.S., "Always". While there's not much variety here, that's beside the point...we expect irresistably hummable synth-pop - not grand experimentation - from Erasure. After all, Vince Clarke started out in Depeche Mode (one of my all time favorite groups) and the great but short-lived Yaz, and all of those synth-squiggles and beats have become his trademark long after synth-pop's heyday has passed. While their influence isn't obvious, you can listen to an Erasure song and instantly know that it's them. This is also their most consistant album - aside from POP! THE FIRST 20 HITS, which is a greatest-hits compilation. Only flaw is not including the brilliant ABBA-ESQUE EP, which would have fit perfectly at the end, but other than that, this is music that has aged well for a disposable genre.

I Say I Say I Say
I Say I Say I Say~ Erasure is not one of their better albums. It feels like they wanted to make some more money and released junk that would not have made other better albums. Come on guys, you can do much better then this, can't you?

The Greatest Erasure Album!
Erasure most famous for beeing one of the best synth pop band of the 80's made their best album in 1994 with "I say i Say i say". This album is meliodic with a great fresh dance pop sound. The songs are warm and the lyrics beautiful and intellegent. I can really see why other liked this album. The first single "Always" was a good choise, and also a good description of the sound of this album. It was actually one of my favotite 90's songs. Vince Clarke's genius and Andy Bell's high octane voice shines here. Songs like the dance-pop song "I love saturday" "Run to the sun" and "Man on Moon" are also memorable of this 90's classic. There are 10 songs included and none are bad, if you want something slow then you'll like "Because You're So Sweet" or "So The Story Goes". Applauds for the box cover too, it's quite unique and always reminds me of how much i liked "Always".

Not enough bite to it
I think this album marks the delineation between the "old" Erasure and the "new" Erasure. Starting with the Circus, and continuing through the Abba-esque E.P., Erasure really hit pay dirt, with hits like A Little Respect and Love to Hate You. Their cover of ABBA's Take a Chance on Me was also a hit.

Then, I Say... came out. Always, the first single, is a great song, with its elegaic tone and sound, a natural follow-up to the Chorus album. Unfortunately, Erasure didn't inject enough of that sentiment into the whole of I Say, I Say, I Say. Granted, this album is upbeat, cheery, and sunny. But a couple of "darker" moments would have helped. Think of the two preceding albums- Wild! had Brother and Sister, and 10,000 Miles, while Chorus had Love to Hate You, and Perfect Stranger. There is too much froth in I Say... Take Me Back is a wonderful tune, but other tracks like Miracle and Man on the Moon are too saccharine; I can't stand to listen to them anymore. All Through the Years stands out as a more somber tune, but that distorted "reverb" backing vocal mars an otherwise great song.

Erasure is at their best when they blend catchy, dance-oriented pop melodies with more somber soundscapes. I Say, I Say, I Say, indeed. ... Read more