Customer Reviews

Much Against Everyone's Advice (+ Bonus Track)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I often wonder what happened to the really catchy hooks and tremendous crescendos that used to fill songs in the late sixties? Well in Soulwax's US debut they not only fill the void, they improve on it, pound it, punch it, & leave indelible marks on the wall of pop hall of fame. NOT ONCE this year have I heard an album that was this unpredictable yet totally satisfying. With tracks like "Flying Without Wings" & "Too Many DJ's" most bands wouldn't even bother with the rest of the album. Well these guys do. I think it would be totally neglectful to disregard David Sardy who is acting producer on this. If you are familiar with his own bands' (Barkmarket) work you will hear the same intricacies here only a lot more tame. I can only imagine this album would have sounded TOTALLY different without him, so much props to David. If I had to compare these guys to anyone I would have to say ....well they are damn original. I guess "If you want KC & the Sunshine Band well they are not." Not a wasted track to be found. And what better way to spend this summer with your roof down, be careful all of you without a convertible, and just play this. You will note how loud your stereo will be. Don't worry that is perfectly normal.

Soulwax delivers its American debut in top form, equally groundbreaking and unconventionally pop-hooked. With cuts like "Much Against Everyone's Advice," one wonders: why the hell haven't Soulwax cracked the charts in America? Not many artists can meld full-force powerpop and urban beats this seamlessly. Check this out if you haven't. Best tracks: "Much Against Everyone's Advice," "Too Many DJ's," "Proverbial Pants" Rating: 8/10

As a big fan of Beck, Radiohead, Cake, Fountains of Wayne and Cracker, I was looking for some new music to freshen up my music collection. Using Amazon's "if you like this, you'll like this" service, I stumbled across Soulwax. And boy, am I glad I did. With clear, clever lyrics coupled with a unique blend of rock/alternative/electronica/blues/soul, this album rocks. It is the best new album I have heard in months. It was one of those albums that you put in once, like all the songs, and then listen to it repeatedly. I highly recommend it. I anxiously await their next album.

Speaking of little-known bands that should be well-known. I highly recommend checking out New York indie band, Fountains of Wayne. If you are looking for an A+ pop band with witty lyrics and catchy tunes, Fountains of Wayne is as far as you need look. Both albums are excellent.

Hello, I don't speak english... I'm sorry. Mais je pense comprendre vos textes ! Votre musique me "ravie" : depuis quelques mois déjà... Je ne l'écoute jamais par hasard. Votre pochette me séduit (je suis graphiste...) Ecouter Soulwax est un réel plaisir. J'aimerai vous entendre en France (à Paris ? Peut-être une date ?) Merci pour cet album

I went out on a limb for this one, my Belgian penpal kept on hyping this one up. So I bought it. This is my best buy of the year. I'd say of the past two to three years: this CD is awesome!! It combines in a clever way guitares with drumcomputers, violins with steaming base, going from soft pop (Saturday) to mean riffs (My Cruel Joke duet with Tracy Bonham). From the first track till the last, this CD is amazing!! Check out the cool drumline on the closing track Funny, when it battles with a guitar going mad. I LOVE IT!

Soulwax shows their ability to handle all types of music on this debut album. The tunes are quite sophisticated with many interesting chord progressions and rhythms. I plan to give this one many repeat listens, because these songs have many layers which are not obvious the first time around. "Proverbial Pants" is one I'd add to the first reviewers list of favorites. Some aspects of this album remind me of Squeeze's COSI FAN TUTTI FRUITI. Let's hope this album gets the promotion it deserves and that more will be heard from this band.

It's a must to have 'Much against everyone's advice'. It's one of the best cd's I ever heard. And I mean it seriously. Songs like Much against everone's advice and saturday and conversation intercom are too good to be just good.

Belgium is hardly the sort of country you'd associate with rock bands-chocolate,bureaucracy the strange dish of mussel's and chips even-but rock bands not really.Well all that is changing right now.First we had the magnificent "dEUS" and now even better Soulwax.

This is a c.d. of great songs,innovative sounds,brilliantly funny lyrics and a set of remixes to boot.How would you describe their music-well it's all pretty varied.The first song Conversation Intercom is a good example of this.Drum machines,swirling synths,slide acoustic guitar,heavy guitar-it all collides in four minutes of pulsating,riveting,toe-tapping music.A great song!The quality does not lull at all on this c.d.Song 2 may not be as manic but it's quiet laidback start leads to a frenetic ending.By the way it's very catchy also.Song 3-is a gentle ballad-so this group can do tender moments too!The title track sounds a bit like heavy T-Rex,lots of guitar,terrific harmonies on the chorus-mixed with swirling,distorted guitars and vocals.Another great song.The next song is a winner too-by virtue of having one of the best titles ever-Overweight Karate Kid-lyrically it's quite ingenious!

Now anyone who listens to song 8 "Too Many D.J's" and can't admit that this is a great song well they must be tone deaf!From the first strumming of the acoustic guitar-this song goes into so many musical genres and directions and yet it never sounds like total chaos-acoustic guitar,heavy loud guitar,gentle end of verse,very loud and heavy chorus,then into a bit of techno!!It's like this all the way through-you never know which way this song is going to.Yeah I suppose you could say I like this song!Unfortunately it's the best song on the album.The next song calms things down-heavy organ chord-a bit like Grandaddy-then acoustic driven acoustic chorus-with a catch that any budding artist would kill to create.

The songs I've listed are my favourites-yet I can't say there is a weak song on this c.d.If you do get bored with this and I have to say that would be difficult you've got the other c.d. of live tracks,remixes,acoustic versions,etc.It gives some of the songs a nice new perspective and it's worth paying the extra for.Yeah Belgium-my attitude is changing fast about that place.Buy this c.d. and you'll see for yourself!

Come on and join the belgian soul-disco-vader Abraham-rockers... go to their concert and you will be amased by the power and velocity without them even playing metal!! They can be soft as toiletpaper on a Sunday afternoon but hard as diamonds on their way to Antwerp... Good luck to the fabulous band from Gent!

This is definitely one of the best albums of this decade! It's funny, cool and you get optimistic of it! I would like to tell you : buy it!