Customer Reviews

1931 (Go Out Dancing Part 1)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It would probably be more accurate for me to give this a rating of 4.5. It's better than a 4-star rating, but not quite a 5-star. But since I can't pick 4.5, I'll go with 5 just to balance out the vote for 2-stars. There's no WAY this deserves less than four stars!!

The person who gave this 2-stars seems to miss that Tony has lived in Europe for most of the past 20 years, and much of that time he's been in Germany. He isn't writing about fascism just to rage against "state-ism from the right" while giving a free pass to "state-ism on the left". He's writing about the society HE IS IN RIGHT NOW. Stalin and Mao might make very good topics for an album -- but neo-Communism is not a big threat in Germany right now, so Tony isn't writing about them. He's writing about what he knows, instead of trying to cover "Every Evil Known to Man", and I see no reason to complain about that.

In the song ``Believe it'', the he sings: "Believe it -- you better believe it now! Ready or not, well here they come, just like 1931". He's not talking about the hitler youth of 1930's, he's talking about some of the skinhead groups that are right outside his door. I have no idea why the reviewer thinks this has to do with Tim McVeigh or Waco. The song is about the "lone supreme commander of the boys from Charlie street". Another line is "he believes this is his destiny, he believes this is fate, and he believes he was born about 50 years too late". I can't imagine why the reviewer thinks that has anything to do with Waco. This is a great song. Great sound, great lyrics.

Some reviewers have remarked that the music seems out-of-place, because it's a bit danceable or "funky". What else would you expect from an album called "Go Out DANCING"? And actually, it *does* fit well with the theme of the album. The whole idea is that people want to turn away from disturbing trends, ignore them, and just "go out dancing". I'm not a fan of dance-music for the sake of dancing (which to me means "stupid meaningless lyrics"), but I don't mind a danceable song if there's a point to the lyrics. And I think these songs are talking about significant issues. Some of the songs are danceable, but not all of them. And I wouldn't say that any of these are really "dance songs", even if some of them have a recognizable beat to them.

The theme of the album is summed up at the start of "Where Does It Go?": ``If you're watching it, you're part of it. If you're close enough to see it, you're in it. There's no line dividing the two. And if you don't know where you've come from, you don't know where you're going, Do You?''.

A few of the songs here fall a little short of 5-star material, but I liked the album a lot. I listened to the whole CD a few more times to write this review, and I don't think there's a song here that deserves less than a four.

I should say that I'm a bit of a history buff (particularly WW-II history), and I am also concerned with a number of trends in the world today. So maybe this speaks to me more than some others. Tony has said that this CD is meant as the first of three CD's in a series, and I'll admit that I hope that this CD sells a ton of copies mainly because I really want to hear what the other two CD's will be like!

Also note that the Planet P Project wasn't supposed to be about any specific "sound", it was simply meant for songs which were about political or big society-level issues. His other songs are more stories of individual people, and those are released as "Tony Carey" instead of "Planet P". Musically I think all of these are good tunes, even if they don't sound exactly the same as the two previous Planet P records. Twenty years have passed, there's no need to create a carbon copy of the earlier music.

Yes,I've been a fan of Planet P (Project) and some of the solo works by Tony Carey since the first Planet P album back in 1983...One of the VERY few artists in my book that can combine the hard driving sensibility of the prog rock sound (it's never gone away folks, it's still very much alive) intertwined with some pretty decent funky electronic synth work. Yet, it never becomes a parody, a novelty, or a joke. Serious lyrics, serious music, serious stuff. Period.It's interesting to read in the inner cd sleeve notes that this material was recorded between 1992-2003; for those who might scratch their heads and wonder what gives, well, you gotta kinda think of what types of music styles were popular back then as well.I hear some pre-alternative as well as some monk-chanting voices a-la Enigma on a couple of tracks(especially track 6 "The Other Side Of The Mountain"). To say that there are no elements from his previous early 80's output, well, just listen closely and you WILL find some traits here and there both instrumental-wise and lyric-wise;it's there. However, like all great artists they must evolve along with technology. Therefore, the synth and electronic work involved with Pink World(1984) and Planet P(1983) albums from the early 80's HAS evolved also...Carey's vocals are still as strong, if not, better than his early years. They now have a deeper more "gruff" but not rough quality. At times his vocal range has to be admired for he could very well choose to undertake singing the blues or belt out some funky R&B tunes and be unquestionably great at it; The vocal range and quality is there ! There is a strong, raw and soulful characteristic to his vocal chops;very distinct. Also, Toney Carey is practically a one man band powerhouse. He's a true artist in every sense in that he has never sold out. Carey, after all these years retains his unique artistry and passion for his music and guitar work.Planet P has been compared to Alan Parsons, Pink Floyd, etc.,etc.---make no mistake, Toney Carey/Planet P is his own individual and distinctively unique artist....

As one reviewer noted, don't be mislead by the album's main title of "Go Out Dancing", it's not what you think---there may be a few "funky" or groovy tracks, but they're not of the club-dancing, techno or even disco variety. The subject historical matter can be interpreted so many ways other than just listening to the lyrics in a direct literal manner. Draw whatever conclusions (historical,political,social,etc.) from the lyrics what you want. They are thinking man's lyrics...

My final take on this Planet P. Project cd is that it is laden with more musical hooks and a hipper newer vibe overall as compared to the earlier works ... All the elements just come together cohesively, coherently, and thematically which renders a wonderful album that should not be overlooked ! You bet I look forward to the other 2 volumes to complete this trilogy (hopefully, they will be sold here in the states and not just as a Euro import).

Don't think Pink World when you first listen to this disk. It took a couple plays to clear my mind of Planet P's (a.k.a Tony Carey's)opus that was sadly underrated at the time of its release.

While this disk is thematic as the previous 2 it does not possess the "Planet P" sound except in some small bits throughtout the disk. That is not a bad thing, only a different thing. There is so much going on in every song that it is impossible to absorb the whole experience in one listen.

This disk portays a real event (WWII) and all of the atrocities that surrounded it. It is well done. If you listened to Work (will set you free) you would not realize that this phrase was hung above the entrance into the Austweitz concentration camp.

If your musical taste is not a varied one or if you have a strong political motivatation you may find the whole experience a dissatifying one and that's too bad. I do not believe that the intention of the writer was to project a point of view for us to agree or disagree on.

2 more disks are promised in this "series" and I am anxious to see where this all goes. Let's have more. Today, with the exception of maybe Green Day's "American Idiot" there are so few thematic disks coming out.

Buy it.

After a twenty-year wait, fans of the original Planet P album and the succeeding "Pink World" will find some comfort and fulfillment in this slightly eerie but accessible collection of Tony Carey's doomsday tunes. With a strong lyrical focus on authoritarianism and mind control-related themes set against percolating synth beats in tunes like "Join the Parade" and "Work (Will Make You Free)", there are still plenty of musical sidetracks taken on this album that add a sense of color and evoke an environment that is at once dark and yet begging to be completed.

While the lyrics on "1931" present a compelling and entertaining story (for instance, the amusing revamp of the "This land is my land... this land is your land" phrase in "The Judge and the Jury"), the production of this album in general lacks the feeling of fullness and depth that gave "Pink World" such a haunting character. Even so, Carey dabbles in a few different musical genres on this album while intertwining them with his lyrical message, at times evoking the mood of the first Planet P album with a few new things to say.

In general, "1931" seems to remain firmly entrenched in the "synthpop with a little grunge" genre that popularized the first album, taking few musical risks but delivering solid melodic moments, such as the snappy staggered phrasing on the opener, "My Radio Talks to Me", or the emotion-filled verses of "Waiting For the Winter". On the other hand, while enjoyable, the return to blatant 80's new-wave beat on the choruses of "Believe It" and the tight 90's dance-shuffle feel of "The Things They Never Told Me" seems to be almost anti-climactic. Still, Carey's voice seems to have improved with age, with many spoken word portions that lend a further haunting quality to the album in total, tying the album together. The comparative lack of guitar parts and strong lead lines on this album, however, will be a bit of a disappointment for fans of Pink World that enjoyed the intensity and solid focus of that album.

Although "1931" is apparently the first part in a series of three albums, followed up by "Levittown" released this year, on the whole the album speaks on its own, not only as a blast from the past already defined by "Pink World" more than two decades earlier - and as a nod to the musical eras that have passed since the previous Planet P Project release - but as a precursor of new things to come.

Don't be put off (as I initially was) by the "Go Out Dancing" in the title. This is NOT a dance album or technopop (ignore other reviews that says it is). It took a couple of plays through the album for me to "get it." Now, I cannot stop playing it. It's kind of like if "Pink World" were applied to the "real world." "Where Does it Go," the last song on the album is my favorite. The guitar playing is very powerful.

I am not sure how this disk has an overall rating of less than 4 currently, so I am contributing in an effort to balance the wrong done by the people who just don't seem to get it. I love the varied sounds you got on this CD from Tony. The fact that some songs rock, others are "danceable", etc. is somewhat beside the point. I was a big fan of the first two discs from the 80's and Pink World remains one of my favorite all-time albums. I love all sorts of music including all forms or rock, metal, prog rock, 80's alt, grunge, techno, goth, etc.

The beauty of these songs are the lyrics and the story being told. This music will not accessible to the shallower listeners out there. It also helps to be(as I am) someone with a strong knowledge of western history since the lead up to WW II. Let's face it. Dummies just won't get this stuff.

I have listened to this disc over and over again. I know every word on it, and have sung along often in my car. (Guilty pleasure, to be sure) I do not judge the songs based on the initial sound of any one track. That's pointless. There's purpose in everything TC records, even though he has a style all his own to be sure. At times, it is overwrought, strident and hokey. To me, that is part of his appeal... He has his own voice and just doesn't sound like anyone else out there. His is a singular talent that I feel is something of an acquired taste. The songs on this disc could have benefitted from a better production budget and been a bit more polished, and there were times where I feel like he was literally retreading outtakes/lyrics left over from Pink World. His genius is the stories he tells and the insights he imparts through his music. You have to be willing/able to spend time with his music to really get it. One listen simply won't do it. I fear the earlier reviewers who blasted this work out of hand did not put the time in to really give GOD a chance.

There's plenty here for the long-time fans or for fans of other progressive rock bands, or for fans of concept albums in general. On that basis, I rated it 5-Stars.

For the younger readers of this article, unless you are a fan of bands like Radiohead or The Mars Volta, I would move on to something else.

A few years before this came out, Tony Carey (who is Planet P) posted up on his website what he called "demos" of many of the songs on this album, as an album ("Go Out Dancing") and an E.P. ("Waiting For The Winter"). He called them demos, but they were totally complete. They were two of the best collections of concept/message/protest songs I've ever heard - think the sentimentalities of Roger Waters meets the progressive pop of David Bowie at his best. The music and lyrics were hard-hitting, uncompromising, and catchy. When "1931" was officially released I immediately ordered it. What a horrendous disappointment. The lyrics are the same; the message is the same. But the music has totally lost it's b**lls. Searing guitar has been replaced by bland keyboards, and the rawness of the vocals smoothed out far too much. One need look no further than the song "The Other Side Of The Mountain", which has gone from blistering (and the best song on the original) to pure pop (and utterly forgettable). Maybe you can find the demos still floating around the internet - if so download it, then send Mr. Carey the price of the album. He deserves to be paid for that; this deserves only to be buried. The follow-up, "Levittown" has now been released - the one song I have heard from it continues the sad trend. Mr. Carey, please release (officially) the originals. Maybe for someone who never heard the originals this might satisfy; but Mr. Carey should not be rewarded for undercutting his own credibility.

I liked some of the songs from Planet P/Tony Carey from the early 80's, "Why Me", "Static", and "What I See" (though it's obvious he had a hard-on for David Gilmour and Roger Waters).

So I bought 1931. I like some of the sentiments here (just as on Pink World) about being careful about who you follow and getting too bound up in allegiances. I'm a (right) libertarian and have little love for Statism in all its manifestations. Fascism was a just one of the many versions of Statism that has crippled the world for the last ~140 years. I can't necessarily be against an album that seeks to attack it and the modalities that created it.

But, as is unfortunately common, right Statism is (rightly) demonized while left Statism is given a free pass. If Mr. Carey is about freedom and individualism, then perhaps he could have had a few things to say about the cult of personality that surrounded Stalin or Mao or even Castro. Yet not a word can I find on this album about the left Statist. Mr. Carey has even been quoted as saying the US' preoccupation with "the Russians" was a problem. Americans don't have a problem with rank and file Russians per se (just as the US didn't set about genocide in Germany after WWII, it was about toppling an expansionary Statist machine), but the Statist construct that allows millions to be starved to death.

"My Radio Talks to Me" (nor the whole album) isn't subtle as early on it has Hitler speech extracts mixed in and sets about showing how the masses are so easily taken in through media technology. "Join the Parade" follows illustrating how those newly indoctrinated behave accordingly and follow the swelling masses. "Good Little Soldiers" speaks of the sense of belonging now having joined the ranks. Then the chronology jumps directly to the consequences for the next few tracks. All is well and fine.

Then the logic starts to crumble. He begins to liken an anti-social terrorist like Tim McVeigh ("Believe It"), the folks in Waco, and the Third Reich. Pretty scattershot thinking in my opinion. The right wing fascist movements with which McVeigh have been involved with are the lunatic fringe, while the Third Reich (and the point of the first half the disk) embodied the rank and file. The study of how Statist regimes are created and do so much damage is abandoned to concentrate on one (of many - right AND left) who wish to bring down the rather Statist amalgam they live under, the US.

And Waco and the Branch Dividians were Fascists? That's news to me. I suggest that Mr. Carey should watch "Rules of Engagement" about Waco. Granted it is slanted toward its point of view, but he might be surprised who comes off as Fascistic. And while doesn't excuse McVeigh's actions a few years later, it might put his frame of reference into perspective. Mr. Carey goes on about not being afraid of other people because they are different, but doesn't seem to have a problem roasting children alive simply because their parents belonged to a cult that Janet Reno didn't cotton to. The Branch Dividians, though swallowed by a literal interpretation of the Bible, and were preparing themselves for the "end-time", didn't hurt anyone else, or harm anyone's property. They kept to themselves. Their biggest crime (or more directly David Koresh's)? Being a gun dealer and having a "stock pile". I might not agree with their/his point of view (I'm an atheist), and certainly would have to pick a side (not likely theirs) if they were actively using force on others, but they had a right to live their life as they chose to, without having the might of the US government swoop on them for ATF photo ops.

So what to make of it overall, setting aside Mr. Carey's blanking out on left Statism and the left lunatic fringes in the US (unfortunately fairly common in the soft Left)? The music is good, if a tad overproduced (but that was true of Pink World too, not so much the debut) the music seems a little out of touch with the lyrical content. It's too 'funky' for my tastes. It doesn't seem to suit the album's content. It much of it starts to sound the same, rather surprising since it took ten years to produce. But it has some redeeming qualities, and he is a still a good musician.

It would be nice if he could follow through on his sentiments and abandon his soft left position and champion the cause of individualism fully and be consistent against those who deem to find ways to crush it. Fascism, Communism, and Theocracies are ALL problems, and I agree that racism is foolish. His album should have concentrated on ALL the manifestations of how a portion of the masses allow themselves to be led by "leaders of men" and the damage it has caused to themselves and the other individuals they pull in after them.

"And I was completely in favor of going and putting out Saddam Hussein's candle. I don't care if he has A-bombs or not."-

Tony Carey

I wonder what his opinion of going after Muslim Theocrats is?

Don't buy this cd(I'm not saying it's a bad cd just a little piece of mind) if your a north american fan because it's an open hand smack in the face. Well, you know what I'm saying if you were at the debacle a couple of years ago with tanya and all plus we ended up with the bagman and his wonderful poems. I personally think she was told to do it or it had to do with a certain person's doing who lives in Baltimore. This is for European fans...why waste your money. I don't even have cdr left of his music...got rid of them all and cd's too. It's reminded too much of everything else just another headache.