Customer Reviews

2000: Year of the Dragon

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

No.3 position, in the German official album chart (Media Control), was wide-open waiting for these two well recognized faces Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders to occupy the spot by their "The Year of The Dragon" album in its first week of release. Despite of the fact that the act sold 20 million copies world-wide after their 1998 resurrection, Dieter Bohlen, the producer and the composer of Modern Talking had to make another hit album to kick everybody off the charts. However, unlike their previous albums, with the help of "The Year of The Dragon" album, Dieter Bohlen proves once again his unique composing talent by flying Modern Talking not only over the Techno Trance floors with tracks like "Cosmic Girl" and "Part Time Lover" but also leaving everybody amazingly shocked with the latin flavored track called "No Face No Name No Number". While Bohlen keeps himself busy by breaking the charts, Anders makes sure that Modern Talking stays absolutely uncompeteable by singing the lines with his well recognized, elecrifying voice.

Back in 1985 I was reading an album review in Billboard magazine about a German group called Modern Talking. The review was on Modern Talking's The 1st Album; I can't remember exactly what the review said about the album, but based on Billboard's recommendation, never having heard or heard of Modern Talking I went out and purchased The 1st Album. Well, 15 years later I own every one of their albums, they are the band that gave me musical bliss for 15 years, they are Modern Talking, my favorite band; thank you Billboard, I owe you one. Now, 15 years later Modern Talking has a new album out it's titled, Year Of The Dragon. Year Of The Dragon is Modern Talking's 9th studio album and man is it good. This has got to be the best album Modern Talking has released since the two albums of 1986, Ready For Romance and In The Middle Of Nowhere. Year Of The Dragon has 19 "all good" tracks, I will name a few, China In Her Eyes, Don't Take Away My Heart, Time Is On My Side, and Fly To The Moon. As excellent as all the tracks are, there are 2 that really standout among the 19 they are, After Your Love Has Gone and Avec Toi. With After Your Love Has Gone and Avec Toi, Modern Talking did something to me that has never happened to me before in my over 20 years of music buying; Modern Talking gave me chills. Yes, these two tracks literally gave me chills that felt good, made me smile, and exclaim out loud "man! was that good!" Now let me warn you, After Your Love Has Gone is one nasty piece of music. I don't mean nasty in a sexual way, no, I mean nasty in the way the music slaps you around and makes your body groove. The chorus of this tune is absolutely indescribably delicious. It will bring to mind vocals of The Bee Gees, Lime and ABBA. Dieter Bohlen shoots out an updated 80's Italian style HiNRG keyboard riff that reminded me of Suzy Q's 80's club hit Can't Live Without Your Love and Linda Jo Rizzo's 80's Italian dance hit You're My First. After Your Love Has Gone will not allow you to ignore it. Thomas Ander's vocals on Avec Toi are beautifully electdrogenous, they will remind you of Cher's electronically modified vocals on her hit single Believe. The music itself is a pumping, sizzling blitz of computerized electricity. Year Of The Dragon could be the album that could break Modern Talking in here in the US, are you listening BMG? I'll bet that if After Your Love Has Gone and Avec Toi were released as singles in this country they would be massive hits. Year Of The Dragon is an excellent album, with it Modern Talking has given 15 years of consistently high quality chart topping eurodance pop, with Year Of The Dragon Modern Talking have even topped themselves; purchase a copy for yourself.

I hate to admit this, but ....my best friend and I were put onto Modern Talking as a point of interest after I purchased what seemed like dozens of Bad Boys Blue (Our orignal favorites) albums from Amazon.P.S. thank you to the guys at Amazon for doing what you do. I used to think there was only one BBB album, and I had no idea what MT was. We decided to take a chance and order one of the site recommendations, Modern Talking. After listening to (The Very Best of MT) my first pick, I was hooked. Since then I have purchased anything MT I could find (all from Amazon of course). After a few albums from MT, I feared my luck would run out.There just has to be a bad album out there right?? IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. Year of the Dragon blew us away. China in her Eyes, Don't Take Away My heart, I'm Not guilty, and the remix of C.I.H.E. with Eric Singleton are awesome!!!(the rap chorus mixed with the original song puts a truly wonderful spin on an already unbelievable song!)The rap is feel good stuff..no trash, just like MT. I feel like I have been living under a rock.I had never heard of these guys before, and to find out they have been around since the 1980's makes me feel even worse! DID WE MISS OUT!! Modern Talking has really become a huge part of both my friend and my family's music choice. We wouldn't lie to you! This album is excellent as a whole. If you like great sounding melody with pop and flavor look no further. Thanks again Amazon for making my days a little more enjoyable.

The new cd "Year Of The Dragon" is very nice. It's even more beautiful than the previous one "Alone". The spanish style of No Face No Name No Number is new and amazing.Also,My Lonely girl, Time Is On My Side,Avec Toi are very beautiful.Modern Talking, thank you again. Keep it like that.

"Year Of The Dragon" is their best album in the 20th century.

My favourite tracks are:
01 China In Her Eyes [Hit-Single]
02 Don't Take Away My Heart [Hit-Single]
04 Cosmic Girl [dynamic]
05 After Your Love Is Gone
07 My Lonely Girl [a masterpiece!]
08 No Face No Name No Number [latin style]
10 Part Time Lover [dance]
11 Time Is On My Side [my favourite]
12 I'll Never Fall In Love Again [a good ballad]
14 I'm Not Guilty
16 Walking In The Rain Of Paris [a little jazzy]

Yes, it's their best 20th century album!!!

I have all Modern Talking CD's. They just keep getting better and better. This has ballads by Thomas Anders and their pop songs as well. Absolutely incrediable. I don't know how they can keep outdoing themselves....but they do. Buy it and you will not be sorry. Modern Talking forever!!!!!!

Modern Talking has done a great job for this album. Every song paints a different picture of love and life. "Year of the Dragon" makes you want to live life to the fullest. I don't care which part of the world you are living, but if you haven't listened to Modern Talking, (I think) you will miss out a lot of fun in your life time.

I would've given the album 5 stars if it was not for 2 things: cheezy ballads and reuse of old material on Avec Toi and Cosmic Girl. The ballads are nothing new -- they are all the same, over all 15 years. Avec Toi has whole sections practically lifted off the Rouge et Noir, off Alone, lyrics and notes both. Same problem with Cosmic Girl, aka Taxi Girl. Granted, the earlier version has been improved on, still it's a bit annoying. Unlike the previous effort, which was rather weak, this one has several of great songs -- No Face, No Name, No Number is by far the best, since finally they managed to create something that's not instantly recognizable. Time is On My Side, After the Love is Gone are the other highlights. The rest of the album is pretty much even -- no big surprises, but very few disappointments, which is always a good thing. Recommend it as a good dance album that far less cheezy than the rest of the songs MT have done in the late 90's.

I have every CD of Modern Talking and 'Year of the Dragon' is one of the best works of Bohlen/Anders. One simply cannot go wrong with this album. I've listened to the following songs over ten times on my stereo (w/pro-logic) since I received from Amazon.com: 'It's Your Smile,' 'Cosmic Girl,' 'Girl Out of My Dreams,''After Your Love is Gone,' and 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again.'

Modern Talking could be considred the best group around when it comes to Eurodance, and this latest album is another proof of that. If you are a fan, then you probably already have this album and if you do not, shame on you. And if you are not a fan and like Eurodance, this album is a MUST-HAVE.