Reviews (32)

Unrecognised beauty
Blur's debut album Leisure is never acknowledged by the press or the band itself but it does include some real gems.

There are two major styles of song running through the album, the first of which is simple post-punk/grunge music (fool, come together) that shows Damon Albarn's more naive attempts at writing.

The second style however shows elements of Blur at their best with beautiful Beatlesque harmonies, (Sing, Bang, She's So High),outstanding backward guitar played by the underrated guitarist Graham Coxon (There's No Other Way, She's So High) and hammond organ (There's No Other Way,) giving it a mid-60's Revolver feel with a fresh 90's twist.

Though perhaps not as consistent as its follow up albums, Leisure contains some of the most intriguing songs Blur have released. With songs such as Bad Day, Birthday not even making it as singles, it is easy to see why Blur soon established themselves as guiding lights of the British music scene in the 1990's. Well worth a listen.

I know that [you'll] think I'm a fool...
Here's a Blur fan who can't believe all the bad reviews (see below), and these are from 'fans'? Yes, this album is marked ly different from the 3 that followed, but so is the overrated 'Blur' CD. 'Leisure' has many hidden treasures. Of course, all the singles are great ('She's So High, There's No Other Way, & 'Bang'), but most of the album tracks are gems, too. I especially dig, 'High Cool', 'Fool', & 'Slow Down'. This CD has the best drumming from Dave Rowntree of any Blur album, full stop. How he plays the part in 'Fool' is beyond me...his drumming has become far more staid on subsequent discs. Reading these other reviews, I think I may benefit from the fact that I've never heard any Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, etc...I'm just a pure Blur head. So these songs may sound 'fresher' to some fans than others. Still, I think this is as good as any of their more recent work, so don't believe all the bad press...if you like Blur at all, I think you won't be let down.

Good Debut from the Best British Band of the last 15 yrs
Leisure is the debut album from Blur, the most important English rock band of the last 15 years. More creative than Oasis (hey, who isn't?) and more innovative than Radiohead (beating them to the punch in 1997 AND 1999), this album would seem to be a landmark, right? Well, no. Certainly the weakest of Blur's albums, this one still has some great cuts, like She's So High, There's No Other Way, Bad Day, Birthday, and Repetition. However, Damon Albarn had yet to discover his lyrical gift to go along with his melodic genius. The album as a whole is quite listenable in its entirety, but suffers simply from having too many producers. Definitely worthwhile checking out, but their weakest, especially compared to their later triumphs. If you live in the USA it's worth getting the UK version simply for Sing, and the American version for I Know...get 'em both!

Lazy Songs
Although not bad for a debut, "Leisure" isn`t quite a keeper either, even if has some quality moments to offer. Here, Blur still had a naive, unpersonal an not very focused sound, falling into the (mildly generic) shoegazer movement bandwagon. Many songs sound the same and the lyrics are the typical "boy-meets-girl", which can be cute and appealing but not particularly exciting or engaging. Some moments already show promise, though, like the dynamic and danceable "There`s No Other Way" or the excellent and subtle "Sing". However, for the most part, "Leisure" consists of dated britpop songs, listenable and entertaining enough yet equally vapid and ummemmorable.
Recommended to die-hard fans.

yet to find themselves
although this album produced a couple of UK hits in there's no other way and shes so high, on the whole the album is a collection of half baked ditties that give little indication of the subtle genius that would emerge from this essex quartet. only advised for completists. ... Read more

Album Description

Reissue of No-Mans highly regarded studio album firstreleased in February 2001 by Tim Bowness and Steve Wilson(Porcupine Tree). 9 tracks. Hidden Art. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

# 1
What a pleasure to hear an album as refreshing as this one. S Wilson and P bowness keep plowing away w amazing music. Let s say that Wilson, making most of the musical efforts at writing the 'music' side of the songs has grown and matured like I never thought before. Bowness still keeps growing as well with his beautiful words. I think Wilson and Bowness have no other compatible mates for making music, other than the Porcupine tree for SW and Henry fool for PB.

At first listen I was taken by the beautiful trumpet of Ian Carr on the opening song.

The rest of the album flows perfectly as a mamoth musical genius that pours out of your speakers and begs you to make birthday and holiday gifts for friends of this album.

One of the best releases in 2002.

anonymous

"Every silver lining has a Touch of Grey"

R. Hunter

So beautiful...
Of the 1000+ cds I own, this is one the most beautiful things I've ever heard. So simple, but so intricate and sweeping... this is the music of my heart. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For the pessimists who thought 1998's "Brimful of Asha" might have made Cornershop one-hit wonders, Handcream for a Generation acts as a dazzling Technicolor rejoinder. This fourth album by Tjinder Singh's group is a sure-footed survey of international party styles. Through 13 tracks, they manage to locate the secret connections between funk, hip-hop turntablism, boogie rock, roots reggae, French house, Punjabi folk, heavy psychedelia, and, yes, good old-fashioned indie-pop. On paper it looks dauntingly ambitious, and in the hands of any other band it probably would be. But Singh has a talent for finding universal accessibility at the heart of any genre as well as a pathological fear of the clichéd and portentous. So Handcream begins with deep soul singer Otis Clay making the introductions on "Heavy Soup," cranks up a hoary old Stones riff for an extended rant about the music biz on "Lessons Learned from Rocky I to Rocky III," and even finds a use for Noel Gallagher on the 15-minute soaring raga of "Spectral Mornings." Best of all, the whole album's imbued with a spirit that's both celebratory and contrary, one that challenges and stimulates even while it's making you dance on the table. --John Mulvey ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A Beautiful Ending
When I Was Born For the Seventh Time changed the way I thought about music. It opened new worlds to me, changing my musical taste from bubble-gum Oasis style pop to a lover of William Parker, Tortoise, King Tubby, Madlib, Phillip Glass, old funk records and everything else under the sun. It did this by being an easy to understand and at the same time brilliantly innovative and experimental.
This album continues Cornershop's fun-loving exploration of musical styles easily, if not as convincingly and movingly as When I Was Born... Surprisingly, since Disco and the Halfway to Discontent, Cornershop have moved from albums whose strengths were the traditiongal songs and whose interesting parts were the instrumental bits to a band whose weak point is song writing. Not that the songs on this are bad by any means. Staging the Plaguing... and Wogs Will Walk are two of the best tradtional songs Cornershop have ever written. However, the purely instrumental parts, such as Slip The Drummer One, Bonus Track, and Heavy Soup manage to outshine the traditional songs in terms of funk, soul, and ingenuity. The last three tracks on this album alone might be the most beautiful musical statement Cornershop has ever made.
So, with that in mind, buy this.

They Probably Deserve the Fifth Star
This album probably deserves 5 stars, but I've got to leave room for Cornershop's previous album "When I was Born for the Seventh Time," which was even better. Cornershop is just one of those bands that makes music that sounds like it's in technicolor while everyone else is in monochrome. Their music simply fulfills so many of the functions that music is supposed to fulfill: rhythm, melody, heavyosity, fun, dancing, social criticism etc. This album is a grab bag of danceable R&B, Reggae, Rock, Funk and Disco styles. They succeed brilliantly at each of them. My 15-month-old daughter loves to jump around to it, and I do too. I also love the lyrics, which manage to be silly and moving, sincere and sarcastic all at the same time. Tjinder Singh's voice is a unique carefully annunciated drone. My wife thinks it's sexy, and I can't help but agree. Since I'm a rocker, my favorite songs are "Staging the Plaguing of the Raised Platform," which has an unforgettable guitar hook and a bunch of kids singing the chorus to great effect, and "Spectral Mornings," which is a 15 minute opus of guitars, sitars, drums and tablas. If you read the reviews of this album, nearly everyone has different favorite songs. This is because Cornershop play so many different kinds of music well. By the way the drumming on this album is absolutely phenominal.

High Quality, some flaws
(3 and a half stars) This album has a little bit of everything, from R&B/Soul to Techno/Dance, with some good rock interspersed liberally throughout. It matches my criteria for a good album, in that it has a decent flow/groove throughout. Though not as good as their last album, this is still a superior effort. Taken individually the songs are well written, with some excellent efforts, Heavy Soup is a great opening track, Motion the 11 is a fun reggae/dance track, and Spectral Mornings is a 14 minute raga that never seems to end (this is a good thing, I didn't want it to). This is a band with a tremendous amount of talent, that is definately worth seriously listening to. That being said, I think sometimes they get a little too caught up in their own brilliance and overstate their point. While I was happy with the length of Spectral Mornings, some of the songs seemed to be quite too long, and little too repetitive.
Overall a very ambitous effort, and well executed, but with some flaws that can get slightly annoying. The quality makes up for any shortcomings, and the album holds up after repeated listening.
Maybe 3 and three quarters stars

If you like Midnite Vultures....
1. What is the text about? A sort-of, kind-of tribute to African-American musical tradition
2. What is good about it? The lyrics are kind of cool; the melodies are catchy.
3. What is not so good about it? It seems to me that the album is a retread of other albums that have shown their connection to African-American music. And I can't tell if it's using it as a crutch or a tribute. Whatever it is, it's pretty annoying at times.
4. Who might like it? It's in some ways a little more listener-friendly than When I Was Born for the 7th Time, and usually that's a good thing. It isn't for me this time, but it probably will be for others. Those wou like Midnite Vultures might like this.
5. Personal bias: I really like Cornershop's last album and wanted to like this one more than I do. I don't believe in the concept of selling out.

The magic is gone
I was an early adopter of Cornershop. Still fresh in my mind are the emails I sent friends raving about the brilliance of "When I was born..." Then the eclecticism seemed to portend a brillant future of music that brings together a globe of influences, distilling them into something even more wonderful. Then came "Clinton" which was a HUGE disappointment on both fronts. It neither made me want to dance nor fight the power.
"Handcream," while vastly better than Clinton, is nonetheless a disappointment. It seems to be a retread of "When I was born..." or else an uninspiring departure therefrom. Sure, there are a few songs that are very catchy and demonstrate Cornershop's abilities as songwriters. The opening track, "Staging," and "Lessons Learned" are all wonderful songs. The latter displays a sense for a riff usually reserved to pre-zombie era Keith Richards. But after a week of heavy listening the album went on the shelf and now sits neglected like a Cabbage Patch Kid.
It could be that Cornershop managed to change the way I listen to music, thus dooming themselves on any followup. Was I expecting a similarly mind-bending experience? Maybe. All I know is that "Handcream" has left me limp. ... Read more

Album Description

Formed in 1982, Psyche has a long history in the synth pop/new wave scene. With over 14 releases and one anthology (spanning 1987-1993), Psyche keep delivering club and radio-friendly hits. As preparation for their upcoming album, "The 11th Hour", and to celebrate their signing to Metropolis, Psyche offers this exclusive "best of" for North America with highlights from 1991-2003. A brand new version of "Heaven In Pain" and the previously unreleased collaboration with Per-Anders Kurenbach called "Foolish Heart" are exclusive to this release. Also included are "Goodbye Horses" (featured in "Silence Of The Lambs"), and a remix of their forthcoming single, "X-Rated". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Obscure but good
This is a great cd to throw on sometimes..... took me forever to find it. While "Beautiful" is a classic, not much on this album serves for multiple listens. "Ether" is much better. But if you find this is as cheap as I did, its worth buying just for "beautiful" and "Sunray Dub".

Excellent!
If you liked Ether, you should really try to snag a copy of The Stone. I love most of the tracks, but especially Tribe, Spirit and Beautiful.

If you can find it, get it! ... Read more

Album Description

White People, the 2nd album from Handsome Boy Modeling School, follows where "So...How's Your Girl?" left off. Bringing together all corners of the musical spectrum: hip-hop, rock, roots, alternative and even jazz, HBMS have put together a seamless cast of players that include: Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington (Linkin Park), RZA, Jack Johnson, Alex Kapronos (Franz Ferdinand), Mars Volta, Pharell and more. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

ForeFront Records' newest act--The Benjamin Gate--is in keepingwith the label's tradition of introducing truly cutting-edge Christiansounds. With a roaring chorus of guitars and singer AdrienneLiesching's enigmatic vocals, this South African fivesome cover newground on the musical map. Sure you'll listen to the call-and-answerchoruses by Liesching on "All Over Me" and think about the Cranberries,or, for older fans, maybe even Siouxsie and theBanshees. But the similarities end with the Godly message stampedon each riveting rocker. Think Christian bands can't shake sonicfoundations? Check out the fury of "Lay It Down" or the enthrallingalternative rocker "Secret." And for those quieter moments, the Gategives us the lonely sounding and moving ballad "Hands." It may take afew listens to grow on you, but this release is a thoughtful anddynamic debut for a world that sorely needs it. --Michael Lyttle ... Read more

Reviews (27)

All Over Others
First I heard "All over me" at some collection, I fell in love with it!
I listened it in Turku's Christian Shop and all of first 5 tracks were amazing! I am sure The Benjamin Gate has been helped by Jesus and will be!!!
This album is full of good songs like "All over me", "Hands", "How Long", "Lay it down" but it seems suffer some kind of not-so-polished-sickness. Tracks "Secret" and "Nightglow" could have been better.
'Untitled' belongs to everyone who loves rock music.

This album is full of rock'n'roll. Adrianne has beautiful voice. I must say I like this album very much because it has all kinds of songs, peaceful, fast and loud. The message very good done. It is sure that anyone who listens to this notices that this album tells about Jesus.

"Lay It Down", "Blow My Mind", "Scream", "Live Out Loud", "True", "Rush" are very hard rock songs. I have to say "Lay It Down" sounds very much like Warlock's "Down And Out" or Lita Ford's "Larger Than Life" musically. "Halo", "Hands", and "Heaven" are very good ballads. Adrianne sings very beautifully!

Standout tracks: All Over Me, Hands, How Long, Heaven, Lay It Down

Christian Rock the way it should be
The Benjamin Gate has its own sound, its own voice, its own style. They aren't a rip off of some other band, unfortunately, like too many other Christian bands. I compare Benjamin Gate to Starflyer 59, not in sound, but in a shared willingness to stake out new ground style wise. The integration of guitars and quasi-electronica is seemless and organic, as are the transitions between slow, medium, and thrashing songs. The guitars are active, pronounced, aggressive, without over-hyped "Rap-metal" distortion that is so tediously common in today's music scene. Adrienne's voice is the connector between the different styles, as she can go out all Rock Goddess on "Blow My Mind" and "Lay It Down" and then softly provoke tears w/ the piano-driven "Hands".

A terrific band that deserved and deserves more appreciation.

Extremely Inspirational From a very Unique Christian Band!
Please let me say that I have newly become a Saved Christian and I have played this cd 24/7 ever since! The Benjamin Gate are perhaps one of the most unique bands I have ever heard in my entire life and they were certaintly a groundbreaking Christian band. Words cannot express how phenomenal this album is, it is full of mind blowing expressions of devotion to Jesus, very original musical styles and Adrienne's voice is gorgeous!!! She can sing a ballad one minute and go straight into a rock song with ease. She is incredible!!

One of my songs on the album is "Rush" and don't skip the song before it's done or you will miss an incredibly cool rap of Psalm 1 by Adrienne!! I was so shocked when I heard this because I thought the song was ending and it is so clever you will wonder why no other christian band ever did it before. It is these innovations on this album that sets apart from any other christian band I have ever heard or any other secular band for that matter. Other great songs are "How Long", "Halo", "Live outloud", "Hands" and the hidden song called "True".

Do NOT pass this beautiful cd by! Yes the band broke up just a few months ago due to Adrienne getting married but don't let that deter you from buying this astonishing cd. I can only hope Adrienne will one day sing again. "Untitled" is one of the best cd's I have ever heard and I do not say that lightly. Don't miss it.

Love this one
Great album, she has a heavy mechanical fell to her voice, that draws you in. Great if you like a techno sound to your rock. Love this album!

Its A Gem
if you've read my previous reviews, you'll see that this is the first one I've done since I've been born-again. The Benjamin Gate's debut album is for me a daily listen. With cutting edge production, fantastic songwriting, edgy guitar sounds and Adrienne Liesching's beautiful vocals, this has to be one of the most intriguing albums I've ever listened to. Its a surprising fact that this is a rookie album, as it contains elements that even veteran groups, both secular and Christian often fail to find agter years of playing and recording together. Standout tracks include my personal favorite "Rush" which ends with a chanted Psalm 1, and the beautiful "Heaven" whereupon Adrienne's vocals evoke a sense of what the Angels could be singing as believers make that final journey home. While most of these tunes employ a rock edge, there's even a song laced with club beats and even a powerful piano number that closes out the album (Before a hidden track). TBG even performs well live, and I hope that they will be blessed with greater success, improving upon what they've accomplished so far. ... Read more

Album Description

Fifth release from German new waver's who hit with 'Big In Japan' and 'Forever Young'. Featuring original members Maria n Gold and Bernhard Lloyd. 2000 release. Standard jewel case. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A must own for synthpop/new wave fans
Alphaville has been at it for quite some time. Most listeners will recognize them immediately for their 80's new wave song Forever Young. Don't overlook their newer works however...Salvation is probably their most well balanced release. It carries a distinct 80's feel to it to be sure, but there are more modern elements of synthpop and ebm present also. The end result is a captivating work of electronic music mixed with emotional vocals that will certainly send you into a state of nostalgia (even though the lyrics may not make much sense at times). The strongest tracks here would have to be Inside Out, Monkey In The Moon, Guardian Angel, Wishful Thinking, and Soul Messiah. Some of the later songs on the CD lose their punch, but the last few tracks were just meant as a bonus anyway. I think there are enough good tunes to keep Salvation sturdy enough to warrant a purchase for any fan of synthpop/new wave out there.

An impressive return to form
Gotta admit: I was one of those who gave up on Alphaville, at least in the short term, after their third album, _The Breathtaking Blue_, failed so thoroughly to live up to the expectations raised by their first two releases.

Yet all is forgiven with this one, which came almost out of nowhere to remind us that heart and soul can still be found within the embattled synthpop genre. (As far as I can tell, from the original '80s crowd, only Pet Shop Boys remain to contest the throne -- Erasure having given it up years ago.)

Sure, there are skippable songs. Sure, there's a bit too much "thump, thump, thump" for even this admitted admirer of Chicane. Sure, the lyrics to "Monkey in the Moon" make no sense whatsoever -- but it's well-poised to make anyone who's ever loved a Roxy Music song weep tears of joy nonetheless. Meanwhile, "Dangerous Places" is a flat-out brilliant venture into dance-industrial territory that I never would have expected from this particular band.

And did I mention that Marion Gold is one of the great vocalists of our time? No? Well, he is.

Very Very Very Good
This album is great and beyond words. The synths are sparkling, original and clean on this album - OK, all except for a lack of taste on the song "Control". Flame, Soul Messiah, Monkey in the Moon - all are such great songs that they are some of the best writen in the late 90's. As a keyboard programmer myself, this is all very original and good programming - not casio presets as suggested by a previous review can be found. I wouldn't be a good person if I didn't encourage you to acquire this album immediately. A MUST HAVE.

Back to Their Roots
There is no discussion as to divinity of the first two albums. And we all know that the later works were somewhat 'uneven'.
Salvation is a swing back to the days of glory (in a kind of 'if it works why f**k with it?' way). While not quite there yet, this album is quite 'playable' (so it will grow on you... in a good sense). You will not find here any smash hits, yet if those songs were released in days of Forever Young or Afternoons In Utopia they could serve as great B-Sides. So as you make your own 'The Best Of' compilation you will be able to use a few of the songs featured here, as not to loose your breath in between 'Sounds Like A Melody' and 'Universal Daddy'.

Please note that this is actually a 1999/2000 re-release for the US market of the original 1997 Salvation album - same stuff + a few new remixes + new artwork.

Bottom Line:
If you are Alphaville fan - a definitive must...
If you are into 80's synthpop - a good album to have...
If you just like good music - you might get by without it but it's not like you throwing your money away... so get it...

Save yourself
It fairly pains me to "kick a band when they're down", but this album doesn't come close to capturing the magic Alphaville has evinced in the past. Starting with their second album, Alphaville had quickly progressed from a new wave synth band with a good ear for melody to relatively ambitious composers who went far beyond cheap synthesizers and hired a whole host of musicians to create a more organic, well-rounded soundscape. "The Breathtaking Blue", for example, is creative, dreamy, and eclectic, and features some real musicianship.

Alas, with Salvation the band has regressed. It's as if they ran out of money (Quite possibly true, sadly!) and had to once again rely on mainly just a synthesizer (like on their first album) and a bit of guitar. Worse yet, only a few of the songs have striking melodies and the lyrics are even worse than before- A friend of mine was hospitalized for 8 days after hearing "Monkey In The Moon".

Buy one of their first three albums instead. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It will go unnoticed...Pity.
Aside electronica insiders, this surprisingly great album will go undetected by most as is the case with many albums of the same quality which get yero promotion by the music industry.A sad case really, but that's the way things work in the money-driven and fueled music market.

I said that this album is "surprisingly great" and this might in turn surprise those who know Mount Sims. His debut album was not exactly a dismissable effort. But judging from that debut album, it was hard to expect a follow-up as engaging as this.

"Wild light" is brilliant for so many reasons:
it's melancholic and romantic without being superficial. It's diverse, and its multi-faciality will please those who like goth-electro or anything influenced by Depeche Mode or in general by 80s alternative electronic music. The lyrics are very decent and that is indeed a rare commodity nowadays. It's more compact than its predecessor in that it actually has a basic concept and it doesn't shift from here to there looking for direction. It's dynamic and yet ethereal. And it easily belongs in the essential releases for electronic music in 2005.

Reborn - in a new way
Wild Light is certainly not as instantaneously accesible as much of "Ultrasex" was, but it's still top of its class.

The intro sets the tone, if though it shows little connection about the sonic direction the album is going at. Wild Light does not possess the catchiness that the preceding album "Ultrasex" had, however shifting the focus from sex and technology to death and information in my opinion renders the subjectmatter and hence the album even more interesting. Sex is as a subject matter, post-electroclash a bit worn-out and given the witty songs Mt Sims has already written about it, he would only have been able to self-referencing.

No Yellow Lines, the song which describes the confines in life that we have, by using the street and its outter yellow lines as a metaphor of the way we find it secure to travel/ conduct our lives and what would happen if we removed the limitations and had the possibility to go anywhere, at any given point in time.
The instrumenation to the song perfectly fits the mood of the lyrics andDavid Lynch's "Lost Highway" would provide the ideal visualisation of this deep song.

"Restless" and "Ashes" two further stand-out tracks from the Album posses the same depth as "No Yellow Lines", both lyrically and emotionally which few artistscan match. And of course, there is Mount Sims' voice, which is possibly the best within the field of electronic music

The Rest is more track based, and not as accessible as most of the preceeding album "Ultrasex" but as a jorney the Album works incredibly well. 'Wild Light', is not what many would have expected after his first album, but still or especially for this reason, great. If the first Album was more in the spirit of New Order, this is in the spirit of Joy Division.

Bye Prince, we'll miss you!
This album is Ultra Sex on tranquilizers.It's definitely darker, and the range of influences abound. If anything, he just dropped Prince off on the side of the road.

If Radiohead is goth, then MAYBE this cd could be considered goth.I think the first track (Forest Chamber) might scare Ultra Sex fans away.I'd hate to say this track sets the tone for the whole cd, because it doesn't.

"No Yellow Lines" and "Ergent no Ergent" are 100% Mount Sims with an added edge.

"Ashes" - OMG!!?! Depeche Mode resurrected with a female guest singer.

"Does she dance" - yummy, Ladytron anyone?

"Hollow Sky" - I'd bet this is a long-lost track from Aphex Twin's "Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2," on loan from my luverly Richard D. James, of course... Richard, call me!

"Somnambulist" - kind of a mix of Andre Estermann with a smidge of Wagon Christ for added flavor.

My personal favorites include "Restless," "Morning Birds Scream," "Ergent no Ergent" and "Falling Up."

If you are Mount Sims fan, give this one a whirl! It won't hurt, I promise!

a new direction is sometimes necessary
With this release it is very clear that Mount Sims has moved in a completely different direction from his last full length CD.This is NOT poppy electro in the same vein as "how we do" or "black sunglasses", but instead it is dark moody music- it is definitely goth influenced at certain points of the album.At the same time this album is no less exciting than Ultra Sex.His sound has just EVOLVED into something different and it is in no way any worse at all.If you listen closely with an open mind you can hear bits and pieces of the style that he had on Ultra Sex.I almost like the new sound better especially on the track "no yellow lines."If you are looking for a happy, poppy electro CD then this is not the one for you.If you do want something that is quality with a definite goth influence then this is exactly what you are looking for.

booooooring
mount sims' first album was great. electro-trash with a definite dirrty party prince-y vibe. this is boring. i don't know if it is intentionally underproduced or what, but it's pretty lame. sounds like it was hastily recorded, and has no fun "how we do", or "black sunglasses" type songs. this along with disappopinting releases from miss kittin and felix da housecat are definitely not helping the already-gasping-for-air electro scene. sad. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Avalanches are a much-feted six-man crew of sample addicts from Australia whose debut album, Since I Left You, is a bargain-bin vinyl throwback to the Daisy Age. This album is constructed like a mix tape and calculated to tweak the dance floor. Snatches of familiar rhythms bubble up throughout, giving the record a comfortable lived-in feel but also betraying the fact that the group hasn't dug very far through the crates to source their raw material. There's little doubt that this kind of sample reconstruction has become standard fare for retrogressive adolescents with precious little musical flair and a mania for collecting records. The Avalanches get full marks for their seamless mixing skills, but otherwise it all feels way too tidy, bristling with its own inventiveness when it should be striving for something that transcends its influences. --Chris Campion ... Read more

Reviews (65)

For Your Listening and Grooving Pleasure
Whatever formula these Australian mixers and sample connossieurs have come up with, for this debut album, seems to be some of the most refreshing sounds heard in a while from the genre of dub/electro/dance/house/mixing. I haven't been this impressed with an album of this kind, since DJ Cam's 'Mad Blunted Jazz' or even possibly the recent release from Pete Rock: 'Petestrumentals'. The Avalanches know how to generate some well-layered production and sample weaving. One of the fun aspects of listening to somewhat sample based records is figuring out the sample sources.

"Since I Left You" starts the album off, with a 70s Pop feel, complete with strings, flute, a nice vocal dub, and that signature background guitar sound from that era. In "Stay Another Season", you will hear some of the music foundation from Madonna's "Holiday", before the sounds progress into a latin tinge, with a horse even joining in the medley. "Radio" serves as the pathway towards dancefloor groove, utilizing a myriad of synth ins and outs and pulsating bounce. It's certainly a House rocker! "Two Hearts In 3/4 Time" is probably the soundscape for 'ladies choice', when the ladies skim the party for a dance partner, who will offer a smooth presence and plenty of eye contact. The Fender Rhodes really make this tune an ultimate in the chill out and connection mood. I love "Avalanche Rock" because in 23 seconds, this songs drills in your head a sample of the beginning verse from Hip Hop MC Raekwon's "Glaciers of Ice". I am glad to see that some other people out there know of the Hip Hop group, Camp Lo. The Avalanches show their appreciation by using snippets from the Lo's "Sparkle", off of their classic first album, for "Close To You" and "Diners Only". I would describe these two songs as being neat breakbeats. "A Different Feeling" certainly creates that exact sentiment, with its ruminations through symphonic modernized disco and a little laughter! Those interstellar loops are also quite catchy. "Electricity" sounds like it takes its mass influence from the vibes of the west coast, and it even has that signature hi to low synth 'whistling' sound. This track could be like the current after-party funk sound for say, George Clinton. "Tonight" gets very alternative jazzy and swirls with a nice tone of Nancy Wilson. "Frontier Psychiatrist" is perfectly describe as a movie put to slightly Hip Hop music. The samples run the gamut, and that horse makes another vocal cameo appearance here. It reminds me of something DJ Vadim did with one of his last albums ('U.S.S.R.-Life From The Other Side'), and it will give the dancing crowd some 'therapy'! "Etoh" is basically a journey to another galaxy, with happy creatures whispering 'etoh'. Have a firm hand on your mixed drink, when this track comes on. "Live At Dominoes" shows the affects and effects of a party in full swing. This track would melt any House club. "Extra Kings" closes out the album by throwing listeners straight into oblivion, and echoing the album's circling mantra: 'Since the day I left you.'

This is the kind of album that you can put on in your place while you are sitting alone or with your roommate or lover, and somehow the phone will start ringing and folks will start knocking on your door, hoping to be a part of this hip party that you have created. At least in theory, that is how it should work!

Definitely get this album. You will be the talk of the town, and it is great to listen to while you are out driving to the club.

Dusting off the cobwebs...
Much is being made of the extensive sample clearence details which take up an entire page of the digipack sleeve, and indeed the Avalanches have managed to cram more musical references into 60 minutes than many producers could hope to acrue in a lifetime. But "Since I Left You" is far from a rough-hewn cut n'paste job; it is a tightly woven symphony where samples add texture and emotion, from subtle shading to dazzling illumination. This disc is no novelty; it's a fully fledged long-player, a complete unit from one end to the other. Wait, there're more superlatives!...It's a sumptuously gift-wrapped pressie from our friends down under - tear through the wrapping and ribbons, and you'll find the playful Frontier Psychiatrist, currently doing the business as a single in Europe and Oz (God forbid anything quite so original or interesting be unleashed upon the American public); shimmering, dusky interludes like Pablo's Cruise and Little Journey; and my personal faves, the emotive and brilliantly constructed album opener, Since I Left You and its "Holiday" sampling, horse-whipping coda, Stay Another Season. Don't bother waiting for the domestic release...you need this recording right now.

heavenly
I never thought of this cd as a dance pop kind of thing even though it has a lot of very danceable moments...I suppose I perfer to see it as a work of art. In case you haven't heard, there are a lot of samples on this cd...it probably took a decade for all these guys (there's like 8 of them) to collect all these records and stuff. They've managed to make something meaningful that stands on its own merits, even if you're too young to recognize any of the samples.
The earlier tracks and the later tracks stand out as individual songs (the first four tracks are all amazing, and two hearts is especially nice and a very fresh sound, frontier psychiatrist is very cool for turntablist fans), but most of the middle, from Flight Tonight to Electricity gets muddled together into a long piece of hyperactive stream of consciousness. This is not a weakness; rather, it illuminates the very natural flowing sound of what must have been a very technically difficult project. Of all the sample-collaging people out there, some of whom are Japanese and go overboard on kitsch, and others of whom take a more treaded jazz approach to things, the Avalanches have truly set themselves apart.
I suspect they might never make another album, and if they do, not for several years. They've made their statment well; this work will stand up to the test of time. For something so thick with pieces of musical and cultural history, this album is surprisingly light and heavenly.

Dance Floor Pleaser
The Avalanches' "Since I Left You" is an amazing record. It's got a flowing mixture of sweet downbeat tunes with glowing samples, and thick, bassy dance floor hits. Think of this: Junior Senior and Prefuse 73 meet the guys from Air at a Massive Attack show. It will keep you moving all night. It'll even make you feel good when you're sitting down, relaxing. It's safe to say it just sets a good aura. So, whoever gave the Amazon.com editorial review really has no idea what they are talking about. This CD belongs in your collection.

not for electronic music fans
I really couldn't decide how many stars to give. If I rate this as electronic music it gets 0, its really so embarassing. If I rate this as pop music it might get 3 just for the pure novelty. Its almost not even music. If this CD was a book it would be a documentary. I guess the reason why people love this cd is because of the many, many samples featured. Everyone is bound to hear at least a few samples from songs they've heard before. Put those samples in a new context and it passes as something creative. Only if you've never heard electronic music before though.

To sum this up. If you listen to pop/rock and think electronic music is repetative garbage then get this cd. It might chage your mind. For everyone else, here is a one sentence review: Avalanches sound like Amon Tobin for poor people. ... Read more

Album Description

Fully sanctioned by the band with all of the original master tapes, My Life Remixed teams all the TKK classics, "Sex On Wheels", "Days of Swine & Roses", "Kooler Than Jesus" and others with some of dance music’s hottest up-and-coming producers, including Astro&Glyde (Bedrock), D:Fuse (Perfecto), Bryan Zentz (Intec), Grayarea (Hope), Freakus, Tommie Sunshine (Felix Da Housecat), and more! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

it's about time someone remixed a TKK song...
...(i'm kidding, of course)

Bullet points!

1: Production value sucks. Cheap sounding effects, vocals and sampling on a lot of tracks.

2. Crummy programing. Very basic run of the mill, nothing you haven't heard before.

3. Very little thought put into the mixes.

EXCEPT FOR:
"Leathersex" - very good mix. Borderline electroclash.

"Dementia 66" - BRILLIANT mix! Very different, nice interpretation.
I am really impressed with this one!!!
In fact I only wrote this review to praise Grayarea on thier mix!

These two tracks are what this project SHOULD have been about!
____

Leaves a lot to be desired...
Being a long time fan of MLWTTKK, I immediately pre-ordered this tribute/remix collection. Upon hearing the first few moments of this CD, it was blatantly clear that whoever remixed these Kult classics had little regard for the originals' lustre. The mixes are light, airy.... pure fluff. Don't expect any chest-thumping industrial beats that TKK has delivered to its fans for many a year. The mixes butchered the originals to the point that it's not even novel, just cotton candy filler. How TKK allowed this malformed release is beyond me. The only purpose I see that this "tribute" could serve is to introduce TKK to a young lightweight, whose ears are not used to original industrial epics. Either that, or only for the hardcore TKK fan who just wants to have every release. The dust on my copy is already accumulating, and probably will for some time. If you're looking to dip your toes into My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, don't buy this CD. Stick with the new greatest hits release, or better yet, start with any release prior to "Hit & Run Holiday". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hall and Oates. Steely Dan. Asia. These are just some of the artists that no doubt eat up excessive gigabytes on Phoenix's iPods. Which is not only unusual for a French group that counts sophisticates like Sofia Coppola and Air among its associates but also a French group whose members are all well under the age of 60. On its first live album, the affliction comes into full light. Slick soul grooves and breezy choruses slither through the band's best songs like "Everything Is Everything" and "If I Ever Feel Better," while a version of "Too Young" - from the "Lost In Translation" soundtrack - sounds doubly invigorating. A bit looser than the quartet's studio recordings and peppered with rabid audience cheers, this is exactly the kind of disc that could lure unsuspecting people with taste down the path of mustaches and satin jackets. The scoundrels. -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must for any Phoenix fan
I just saw Phoenix live, and though the CD comes second to their energetic and spirited performance, it is still a great souvenier to have. For those who have missed out on Phoenix live, this is the next best thing, especially on tracks like "I'm An Actor" and "If I Ever Feel Better". Great band, it will be interesting to see what direction they go in.

A bare bones live album for medium to hardcore fans
"Live: 30 days ago" is literally just a recording of the band performing their songs live.It doesn't have a cool insert, a DVD section, new songs, remixes, or anything like that.It's a bare bones live album.I would only recommend this album for medium to hardcore fans of Phoenix.But, I think EVERYONE should pick up "United" and "Alphabetical."

Best Band Ever: Horrible LIVE
United is the best produced album in the world.Alphabetical is not bad.But Phoenix need their slick production to work.Live they are a joke.This is like a bad highschool band show.Listen to fnky squaredance live and you will hate Phoenix, which you shouldn't since they are awesome.so don't listen to this crap. just listen to united again. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

An Intelligent Kitsch Album of 80's New Wave
Finally, this album is released in the states! Various singles from Felix da Housecat got heavy rotation time on independent radio stations over the past year, most notably "Silver Screen (Shower Scene)" and "Madame Hollywood". The vocals of these two particular tracks were done in hilarious monotone by Miss Kitten, and along with the robotic beats and 80's synthesizer sounds, you are taken right back to the eighties - but in a good way! Other songs like "Harlot" and "Glitz Rock" are equally fun in a tongue-in-cheek way, while songs like "What Does It Feel Like" shun easy 80's parody and try to recreate a darker sonar world of the time period. This album is a relief from all the mind-sapping mediocre trance and two-step albums out there. "Kittenz & Thee Glitz" hearkens back to the 80's with a sense of both wry cynicism and earnest fascination, and in turn neither glorifies nor trivializes the era. What we listeners get is a great electronica that comes off beautifully on its own right, and it's a tribute to Felix da Housecat's musicianship that what should sound so old and hackneyed sounds so eerily fresh and new.

the color puple, the sound of heaven
Felix da Housecat (AKA Thee Maddkatt Courtship) shines a beacon light at the end of the contemporary music tunnel with KITTENZ & THEE GLITZ. Firmly rooted in the 80's without sounding retro, nor patronizing to "the artist formerly known as his royal purpleness", Felix delivers some major "punk funk". New wave for the millenium. Beyond fashion and trend, he takes the best electronic elements of that era and crafts the sounds into a futuristic, dance friendly extravaganza. Deftly aided on vocals by Miss Kittin from DJ Hell, Melistar, and Electricboy - all help create a kind of robotic Kraftwerk-esque jewels like "Madame Hollywood", "Happy Hour", "Silver Screen (Shower Sceen)", "Harlot", and "Glitz Rock". Equally tempered by instrumental cuts "Analog City" and "Sequel 2 Sub" it all sounds fantastic, fresh, and fun. How this disk slipped by basically unnoticed is beyond belief. This is "stand-up stuff" and ushers up some major, classic grooves. Felix, you're the man with an ear for the past and an eye on the future.

It's everything I always wanted..glitz,$$,babes,me, me,@ me!
This the greatest concept anthem to The American Dream.

I recommed it for fans of "Scarface," "Miami Vice," "GTA: Vice City," Miss Kittin, Freezepop, Gary Numan, the soundtracks of early John Carpetner Sci-Fi/Sci-Horror movies, The Clubkid Movement,or Bobby Ballistic's nutball novels "Amerikkka Part One" and "Amerikkka Part Two" (i've seen the pre-published form of the latter, it's like electroclash-crazy!).

Very nice sound! Good job.
Another wonderful dance/electro album with good beats and sound, what is so entertaining about this genre is that they can mix so many diffrent genre's into 1 and make it sound catchy and interesting just the same, sure there are both good and bad dance but this one causght my attention cause the sound is very inspiring. American born "Felix Da Housecat" has really made this album funky, kind of early 80's sound mixed with robotic dance rhythms. It is a very easy listening, many of the songs are slow and melodic(Control Freak), but a few quite fast too(Silver Screen). Miss Kittin also appears on a few tracks with a robotic voice. But the sound is always pleasant, but i prefer the instrumental songs. My favorite is ofcourse instrumental "Sequel2Sub" melodic and wonderful. "Magic Fly" is a remake of the 70's group Space's song if im not mistaken, good one too. This is one of many new good dance artists, i hope this trend continues.

A must have for any electroclash fan
Hey, the 80s music is coming back in a big way as illustrated by the likes of Ladytron, Miss Kittin, Felix the Housecat and others. Definitely check this CD out, especially if you are not familiar with the genre. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Some look into the face of American popular culture and see the deep dark abyss of lowest-common-denominator commercialism. Tokyo duo Pizzicato Five, however, peer stateside and see the sparkling disco-ball inferno of souped-up drag-race hyper-enthusiasm, a kitschy retro-futurist youthquake, and a high-fashion, heavy-plastic glob of fun. The ever-changing group masterminded by Warhol-wannabe Yasuharu Konishi and fronted by Twiggy-disciple Maki Nomiya has borrowed, sampled, and stolen its way through an irresistible melange of Esquivel's bossa nova cocktail swing ("Rock and Roll"), Bacharach's jazz pop ("Fortune Cookie"), chewy psychedelic bubblegum ("Strawberry Sleighride"), cartoonish Jackson Five Motown ("Happy Sad"), and Dee-Lite's frenetic disco house music ("The Night Is Still Young"). --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Groovygroovygroovy
This was the album that broke them into the semi-mainstream in the UK, after spending more than a decade recording much the same music. As with Iron Maiden, It's just like their other albums, more or less - a collection of ultra-jolly lounge-core pop songs that, depending on your personality type, are either extremely happy and bouncy, or deeply cynical and blackly comic.

Many of the songs are in Japanese, which leads to some very odd listening experiences - Japanese lyrics mixed in with 'groovy groovy'.

I've just had a strawberry, incidentally. That's got nothing to do with the Pizzicato Five, it's just a little slice-of-life detail I like to add to things I write. It's odd that the strawberry doesn't taste like Strawberry-flavoured milk or chocolate or other Strawberry-flavoured things. Are strawberries different in the places where they make strawberry flavouring, or were these bad strawberrys, what?

The packaging is very nice, too, and I think they have a range of clothes and accessories to go with the music.

good Pi 5 release
I like this album for listening in the car when I am driving. There are some slow parts on this one that I wish that weren't there ^mainly rock and roll^.

My favorites on here are The Night is Still Young; Happy Sad; CDJ; Peace Music (actually St. Etienne Remix); Strawberry Sleighride; and Airplace. The biggest problem that friends have with this CD is the fact that there are only a few English songs on here. I reccomend that you get Happy End of the World if you want an Pizzicato Five release with english on it. For those of you who do like to listen to Japanese music, this one is a good one for the collection. Although I won't say that it is a must have.

Your friends will think you're weird...
...if they're anything like mine. Peer pressure notwithstanding, Pizzicato Five have a great sound, and some of these tracks really are excellent. Rock n' Roll and Strawberry Sleighride specifically, are some of the most pleasant and mellow tracks I've come across in a long time, and I listen to pretty much anything from Classical to Rock.
Twiggy Twiggy attracted me to the P-5, and this CD has made me a fan of the band. Their sound is both unique and classic mainstream at the same time (reminds me of USSR-era Russian pop music), that not everyone might like or understand. But then again, just because a band is widely accepted, doesn't mean they're worth their salt - just look at N-sync.

One of the best P-5 CD's
There are some songs that remind me of my dysfunctional self. I love it. Just remember that before you buy that the CD is mostly Japanese.

Only for the P Fi collector
I liked the album, don't get me wrong. But if this had been the first Pizzicato Five album I had heard, I would've never purchased more. All in all, not as good as 5th release or Happy End of the World (the only two I have for comparison). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Album Gets Better
One of the few albums that I still like hearing, finally re-issued including their best twelve inch single 'A girl doesnt' get killed by a make-believe lover... cause it's hot' (which contains the remix of Daisy Chain for Satan). This collection has always been an exceptional mix of TKK's original sound, but along with the additional tracks, and all remastered, it becomes a classic re-issued. Definitely worth the purchase.

More than I expected
When I first saw this CD on the shelf, I was hesitant to buy it since I had already heard all of the songs except maybe two; one I had heard but couldn't get my hands on. I decided to buy it anyways. When I first popped it in, I was enjoying it just as much as I always had, but then When I heard A Daisy Chain 4 Satan...I was stunned...it wasn't just remixed, it was rerecorded...A couple other songs are remixed and they are nothing less than their original versions. This CD is a must buy, even if you own the older CD. ... Read more

Album Description

Sophomore album from one of the UK's hottest dance imprints and winner of 'Club Of The Year' award at the prestigious Muzik Dance Awards in 1998. Tracks include, ATB-'9PM (Til I Come)' (Signum remix), Garbage-'When I Grow Up', Fatboy Slim-''Praise You', Robert Miles-'Children' (Tilt's Courtyard mix) and Gouryella-'Gouryella'. 1999 release. Deluxe packaging with a double digipak, slipcase with a 20 page booklet. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Gatecrasher UK Rocks!
This was an impulse buy Period. Listened to it a few times but then it got to me. First set started with Garbage's When I Grow Up and it just blew me away. Track 5 - Orkidea's Unity is especially cool - the synthesiser tunes! Dang! Aurora's Hear You Calling on CD2 was way cool too. Gatecrasher was the FIRST Dance Trance Compilation I've bouught and I've not regretted it! I've already Got DISKO TECH and it's a great CD too. Starts with some Classical (music) tunes. Wow.!

Need I say more?

!
This is the Porsche 911 of the genre, period. The set is a little bit pricey but if you're into techno/house/trance at all, you'll be more into it after having listened to Gatecrasher Red.

The Gatecrasher DJ's somehow pack more energy into this set than in any mix compilation I've found anywhere. Apart from the manic energy level of the set, the mix is also excellent in that there is always at least one minute or so of the original vocals and bass line; with too many mixes, there's only a 15- or 20-second long sample of the original song before the foray into the DJ's particular mix rendition, or the opposite, not much mix at all. The segues between tracks are also brilliant, and the CD tracks are put together as one continuous mix, rather than tracks being separated. I guess I would call the music "trance", but it's definitely not the American flavor of trance, highly commercialized, overpriced, mediocre on quality. Oh, make sure you buy the Sony International Import Gatecrasher Red, not the US version; the tracks are different, I've heard.

Anyway, the energy in both CD's is PHENOMENAL. I suggest JBL or Bang & Olafsen speakers to go along with it. Cheers!

Is there anything better?
Driving beats, soaring synthesizers, and a soothing rhythm is the only honest description of Gatecrasher Red. A friend gave me Red in early 2002 and since then I have gone on a mad buying spree with the hope that I'll find an album that parallels Red. An album that inspires and uplifts you each time you pop it into your CD player. An album where you continually hear new and exciting parts even though you have previously listened to it innumerable times. An album that stands the test of time and remains today one of my favorite albums. I have found many albums that try, and are close, to paralleling Red, yet my efforts have been in vain. Gatecrasher Red is entirely unique and original, as far as trance goes, and will pay you back in the full with the many joyous moments that you will have from listening to this album. Do yourself a favor and buy this album... you won't regret it.

The start for me
This album started me into trance music, and serves as a constant reminder of what all music mixes should be. I started out liking "plasma," but as my tastes evolved, I liked "future" more and more. I still listen to this set endlessly, as it really gets at your emotions like good music should.

I believe what I was told about Red!
Okay first off Red is a great album! That said now let's cover the whys and hows.
Red has remixes of some of my favorite artists: Robert Miles, Garbage, ATB, PVD, Fatboy Slim, DJ Tiesto, LoveChild, and Basic Avalon. WOW!
Miles is ambient and his songs are awesome, having them remixed really brings out his talents. Garbage, well her voice says it all! I'll be seeing Garbage in concert May 17th. Should be a blast!!
ATB, PVD, and Fatboy Slim: I love all three for different reasons. Paul Van Dyk was introduced to me right beside Paul Oakenfold. Between the two, I'd have to say I enjoy Oakenfold more than PVD's style. These artists were good before the remixes. Now that they've been remixed at Gatecrasher, they sound even more awesome than I thought they could be!
I would have to say that Red and Digital are perfect for parties.

Wet is great for chilling out and working on projects with it playing in the background. If you do artwork or write, listen to Wet in the background. I've found it very relaxing.

The Red CD is only for those who love collecting trance. It's definitely a highly ranked album. But the songs are faded and mixed together & into each other, only buy this album if you like Gatecrasher and their styles, or if you want something to play during trance parties/DJing for a weekend. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

A Mixed Bag
This record is difficult to review. Bran Van 3000 create interesting, original music, melting a lot of diverse styles in one album. "Glee" combines pop, hip hop, rock, electronica, country and easy listening (I probably forgot something), and as a whole is works as an unique, weird, flawed yet addictive effort. Each song here is quite different from one another, the band has male and female vocalists and at times there are some filler moments. When it`s good, it`s really good, like the lo-fi pop of "Problems", the absorbing "Rainshine" or the chaos presented in "Forest". "Old School", "Willard" and "Mama Don`t Smoke", however, would do better as b-sides.
"Glee" is an eclectic mix, a bit too long and pointless at parts but with enough moments of brilliance to make it a recommended debut of the late 90`s. 3,5 stars.

Super fun!
Bran Van's Glee sounded like no other 1998 album.It mixed different kinds of music styles like rock , pop , hip hop , soul and funk all done with an extra-cool attitude which was impossible to resist. "Drinking In LA" was one of the best singles of that year , relaxing and highly enjoyable . Then there was goofy yet lovable lazy-boy DiSalvio on "Couch Surfer" , sensitive female touches on "Everywhere" , Beastie Boys-like rapping on "Forest" and ofcourse that amazing cover of Slade's "Come on feel the noise" . This is a record which can make you smile and feel good everytime you listen to it and , in addition to all that it will certaintly take you a long time before you get bore with it (it includes 16-17 songs , you know... ) . Bran Van 3000 are the friends we would all want to have to cheer us up.

Ultimate music experience
I just bougth the cd 'cos I lost my "drinking in L.A." version, altough it was hard to find, GLEE absolutely does it for me. The way the cd is mixed (country, house, hip-hop, eclectic) is amazing. This is truly by far the best cd I've ever bougth. I just hope we could get more "out of trend" music, you know, not everything shown on MTV is art.

like putting rock, rap, country, pop.... in a blender
all i can say is.... excellent!!!! from the begining to the end. Its one of my favorites!!!!

Best Cd Ever!!!!!
To anyone who is secpicital about buying this album dont be so. I wasnt sure that i was going to spend $20 on this cd but i was wrong. It never leaves my cd player, its a mix of all types of music. If you can only buy 1 CD ever buy this one!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A nice early DM collection
Forget the bad talk about this album. This is a good CD. The title track is a classic. I still love that song with it's banging drums in the last minute of the song. Now This Is Fun is a fast paced song. Love In Itself is an OK song. The fadout effect in the end is cool. Work Hard is very annoying. I can only stand listening to this song only once in a while. Told You So is the same as Work Hard. Get The Balance Right Right however is a great song. I could dance to this song all night. Leave In Silence is OK. Pipeline is very annoying and only worthy of skipping. Everything Counts is a great closer to this album. It's almost carnival like in sound in some areas. I like the lyrical line " The grabbing hands grabb all they can, everything counts in large amounts". Overall with the exception of two really annoying songs this is a good album. It may not be necessary for those who have DM's other albums but this is a good introduction to early DM.

Laying the "Pipeline"
Rather than complain about the legitimacy of this album, I thought I'd review it based on how good the songs are. Coming from me, that might not be a good thing, considering I tend to go for the weird ones. The song, "People are People" itself is good track, up there with their better work. "Now this is Fun" is simply that, a bit of fun, but a GOOD bit of fun. "Love in Itself" is another great song that shows the beginnings of what would become known as "true Depeche Mode music". Now for my personal favorite, "Work Hard". On first listen, I thought it must have been the dumbest song I'd ever heard, but then I realized it's capacity to annoy the people around me (a real delight). However, I've come to like it the best from this album. For some reason --I Just Cant Get Enough-- of that song! (HA! Okay, I know it wasn't funny.) After that, there's "Told You So" which is good but not as good as "Get the Balance Right", a true gem and unlike "Work Hard", a song that ALL Depeche Mode fans can appreciate. "Leave in Silence" is about "Told You So" level in quality. "Pipeline" is even dumber than "Work Hard" except that it's really, really bad and will probably be skipped every time this CD is played. Finally, there's "Everything Counts", another great song, about the greed of the business world. This album just has a great, campy feel to it that makes it different from other Depeche Mode offerings. It also seems that they were obsessed with beating on pipes as that sound effect can, I think, be heard on every song on the album. In short, I love this album and I think it has more to offer than some of the "real" albums they've produced (such as the overrated "Black Celebration" and "Music for the Masses") This, and other early Depeche Mode, ranks right up there just below "Violator" as the band's best work.

The culmination of DM's "Anti-social songs"
I think DM's early work, especially from Contruction Time Again to Some Great Reward, are easily divided between their "love songs" (self explanatory) and their "anti-social songs" where they criticize the world for it's various faults. "People are People", "Everything Counts", "Get the Balance Right", and "Work Hard" are perfect examples of this theme. I beleive the theme came to an abrupt end with Black Celebration when Martin Gore found a way to combine the anti-social sentiment into his love songs, with tracks like "Stripped" and "It Doesn't Matter Too".

These are inevitably DM's most controversial songs. Some people love them, some people find them pretentious, niave, immature, and preachy. Martin Gore himself has said in hind-sight that "People are People" is his least favorite song, saying that it "has no subtlety to it". I think these songs were intended to dispell their bubble-gum pop image, and take advantage of the fact that being an electronic band allready made them somewhat controversial. It was their way of getting people's attention, especially in America.

Love 'em or hate 'em, I like to think of the People are People album as the culmination of all of these "anti-social songs". The exclusive tracks, "Get the Balance Right" and "Work Hard" hit you over the head with it, as does "People Are People" which was actually written for their then upcoming album Some Great Reward.

However, the album falls short of this vision. "Leave in Silence", "Love in Itself", and "Now This is Fun" don't follow the theme, and many more critical tracks from Contruction Time Again and Some Great Reward are missing. In the end, People are People is really just a half-baked greatest hits compilation. My advice; buy Contruction Time Again and Some Great Reward, buy the Get the Balance Right single, get CD-Rs, and make your own "anti-social" mix album.

An Excellent array!!!
When People are People first came out in 1984, it was just a compilation of a few earlier songs on previous albums, several b-sides from earlier singles, and two new songs. It is an excellent CD that is wonderfully put together. The songs all flow into eachother naturally. Each song is terrific:

1. People Are People - When this originally came out, this was a new single (since "Some Great Reward" wouldn't be released for a couple of months). It is the title song and one of the bands better known.

2. Now This Is Fun - Originally a B-side, this song is exactly what the name says, it is a fun song. The rhythm and beat are extremely catchy. This is one of my favorite songs on the CD.

3. Love In Itself - Originally a single off of the "Construction Time Again" album, this song fits in with the compilation that DM put together here.

4. Work Hard - Originally the B-side for "Everything Counts", this is an excellent song with a beat that is very punkish. This song can pump you up and you find it stuck in your head for days.

5. Told You So - Another song straight off the "Construction Time Again" album, this is a wonderful follow-up to "Work Hard", having a very strong beat and punkish sound.

6. Get The Balance Right - The second new song released on this record. It was a new single that was supposed to help sell the album. It is a wonderfully gloomy song that I would consider my favorite song on the CD.

7. Leave in Silence - The oldest song on the record, it was originally released on "A Broken Frame" and as a single. It's softer approach is a great transition between "Get the Balance Right" and "Pipeline".

8. Pipeline - The third song taken straight from the "Construction Time Again" album. This is a slow song with some wonderful lyrics. It is used to transition into "Everything Counts".

9. Everything Counts - This is the extended version of the popular single from the "Construction Time Again" album. This is my favorite version of the song and is the best way to finish an album. The melody fading out at the end gives wonderful closure to the record.

All in all this is a great album that is often overlooked, because most of the songs you can get from other things, but the compilation of all of them together is what makes it great. I highly recommend it.

When Depeche Mode was fun
This is my favorite of all their albums. I bought this tape 15, 18 years ago. It's lively with great synthesizer work. Great songs like Get the Balance right, and Everything Counts, makes you think but not too hard. This is a fun album. I guess after this one things start to get dark for them which is evident in their later albums. ... Read more