Customer Reviews

All About Chemistry

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Okay, so I bought the UK version with the two extra songs. My take on Semisonic's third cd is that it's more pop than their previous two and that it works. The only shortcoming I found was upon repeated listenings it's too poppy, catchy, simple, whatever you like to call it. This can lead to a premature listening burnout. I collect quite a bit of music each year and I have to say that "All About Chemistry" is a solid pop cd. There are plenty of catchy and memorable songs like "Chemistry", "Act Naturally", "Sunshine & Chocolate", "Get A Grip" and on the UK version, the bonus song "Girlfriend". I have a feeling that radio, record company and the average listening audience is going to overlook this nice cd. I haven't seen a video nor heard any songs on our radio stations here. It's a shame because it seems that Semisonic have something to offer that's fresh. It's worth getting the import with the pink chemistry beakers on the cover and the two extra tracks "Girlfriend" and "Ordinary Life".

All great bands make at least one major leap in their careers. Those rare bands that create masterpieces sometimes do so unexpectedly. Such is the case with Semisonic. Before "All About Chemistry" Semisonic executed moments of great promise. There were songs on each of their first two albums that suggested the band were capable of clever hooks at the least and perhaps more. I, for one, did not realize the songwriting genius that was brewing inside of Dan Wilson; and I definitely did not expect the band to put together an album of songs which all work together the way these twelve do.

"All About Chemistry" is a rare album where every track is top-notch in all the ways in which one can measure greatness. Fans who wanted another 'Closing Time' from the album won't find it here. The songwriting is truly original; Dan Wilson has created wonderful textures and moving pop-symphonies in the tradition of another great songwriter from California, Brian Wilson. 'Act Naurally' and 'She's Got My Number' are both stand-out tracks. However, Wilson ups the ante on the second half of the album. 'Who's Stopping You' and 'I Wish' succesfully provide a build-up which culminates in the wonderful collaboration with Carole King on 'One True Love.'

Semisonic realize exactly what is needed on each song on the album. Their choices of instruments are never too sparse nor too embellished. 'Get a grip' is perfectly articulated on the electric guitar.

And in the finale, 'El Matador' it becomes evident that there is more songwriting talent in the band besides Wilson's. Like "Pet Sounds," This album contains a great cycle of songs which can be enjoyed separately, but they are more effectively appreciated together in sequence. This is the most well-concieved album of the year; and again, like "Pet Sounds" it is an album that I suspect will be better understood years down the road when it is has survived the test of time.

I don't usually write reviews, but I felt it necessary to contradict bologna4's statements. I bought this album on a whim, having only sort of liked Feeling Strangely Fine (to be exact, I love five songs on it, and hate the rest).

Are Feeling Strangely Fine and All About Chemistry the same album? Most definitely not. I think the latter is better. Though the energetic rock vibe that make "Closing Time" and "Singing In My Sleep" so classic is sacrificed to a degree, it's all for the sake of maturation. While surely the radio-friendly "Chemistry," "Sunshine & Chocolate" and "Get A Grip" (all, along with several other tracks on the album, alluding heavily to the maturity and immaturity of sex) will be the more popular of the album, I disagree.

The ballads "Act Naturally," "She's Got My Number" and "One True Love" are already classics in my book. There's also a hint of experimentation with the moody "Bed" and out-of-tempo-but-still-cool "Who's Stopping You?" However, by far my favorite track is the drummer-written-but-guitarist-sung "El Matador," who's lyrical and musical maturity is something you will find nothing like on Feeling Strangely Fine or Great Divide.

In conclusion, don't be like me and write this album off as a sell-out follow-up of a one-hit wonder. It's a lot more, and worth fifteen bucks. It hasn't left my CD player in the past two weeks.

Semisonic's departure from the lyrical style of a "secret between two people" is disappointing, considering the quality of the new lyrics, fashioned to resemble a "party". While the album does have its high points ("Matador" is just as good as anything off "Feeling Strangely Fine" or its predecessors, "One True Love" is sweet and "Chemistry" is reminiscent of the recently departed Ben Folds Five), the poor lyrics of songs like "Bed" destroy any credibility the music might have presented (the opening sequence of "Bed" is particularly catchy).

Semisonic falls back on cliches like "when the party is through there are always a few with nobody to do" which, despite their mildly humorous superficial outlook, are encountered as pathetic and embarassing after a few listens. The band's intelligent, introspective lyrics of the past are more or less gone from this album (aside from "Matador").

Musically, the album is head and shoulders above most others on the market. There are the usual Semisonic hooks, drawing more and more on the piano rather than their trademark guitar. Even these hooks, however, can't live up to the simple progressions from songs like "Sing..." off of "Feeling Strangely Fine".

The album is good, overall, but it doesn't live up to Semisonic's past work and draws too heavily on the idea of being "at a party" rather than simply writing good lyrics. This is a musically inspired album killed by unsophisticated lyrics.

I actually heard most of these songs for the first time at their House of Blues concert in Hollywood and afterward I really wanted the album. As with Feeling Strangely Fine, the albums songs are hit and miss for most people. I tend to like their upbeat, poppy songs more, and their harder edged stuff less. I am the type of person who likes to listen to a CD all the way through, and this one is tough for me to do that with. The album has some standouts: Chemistry, Act Naturally, and One True Love are my three favorites. I really do see the progression the band is taking and I think this is great pop, and I just wish they could be a little more consistent. Definitely worth the purchase and the listen.

I had no clue these were the guys who did "Closing Time"....not that I am particularly found of that song. I hadn't heard anything else by them either. So maybe I was at an advantage coming to this album with no expectations.

It came up as a recommendation on Amazon and I gave it a listen.

This has quickly become a CD that I can pop in, hit play, and let it go the whole way through.

Every track has something I like.

So, maybe now I will explore the rest of their albums and see just what the other reviewers liked in the previous releases and didn't find here.

If you're like me and have little or no previous experience with Semisonic, ignore the reviews that wax nostalgic and listen for yourself.

Semisonic has always made albums which grow on you, and Chemistry is no exception. The band has undergone another major change of sound, much as they did between Great Divide and Feeling Strangely Fine, and thus it may be a bit of an adjustment for long-time fans of the band. This album is marked jointly by what I feel is the best musicianship by the band and by songwriting and production which lacks some of the edginess and intimacy that distinguished many earlier Semisonic songs. Songs like the title track and Follow get a little sugary for my tastes, but other songs like I Wish, Surprise, and She's Got My Number create a warm soundscape without coming off as overly pop. Other songs like El Matador and One True Love would be too sweet if they weren't so good. If you don't generally find anything involving guitars to be too sweet, you will love this album from first listen. If you liked the more electric pop of Singing in My Sleep, buy Great Divide before you buy Chemistry; it's lived in my CD player for 8 years. In any event, Chemistry is an excellent album worth owning.

Closing Time will no doubt be the pinnacle of Semisonic's creative powers, but this album comes pretty close to matching it. Sonically, the music has taken new twists and turns along with some pleasant suprises. I have always loved the lush orchestration and deep, layered, atmospheric music that this group produces, along with Dan Wilson's very boyish and Californian voice, creating a very unique pop/rock sound. "She's Got My Number" is a steady, almost techno-ish rocker with some great vocal work and layered sound. "All About Chemistry" is straightfoward, light-aired pop. Though admittedly the rest of the songs fail to impress me as much as these two, the CD's highlight is "El Matador", which for me, is Semisonic's best song since Closing Time. The soft, lush acoustic guitar and the muted drumbeats really make this the kind of song you'd listen to lying on the hammock watching the summer sunset go down. It's beautiful. If you like U2, Oasis, The Verve, Radiohead or any atmospheric rock, you'll find good "chemistry" with Semisonic. If not, it doesn't matter. This is pop rock - evolved.

I heard "Chemistry" on the radio and loved the song, but I typically wait for atleast three songs to come out before I purchase a CD. But I'm glad I broke my own rule on this one. "All About Chemistry" is great and a needed break from the teen pop and rap rock on the radio these days. I can't stop hitting replay on the songs "One True Love", "Act Naturally", "Who's Stopping You", and ofcourse "Chemistry". If you liked the CD Feeling Strangly Fine, you'll soon realize this CD sounds different, but it is still worth your hard earned money.

I will say I was very enticed by the catchy first single. I'd been singing "Chemistry" for days, so I really anticipating the album. I put it on and the first track was "Chemistry" so I was feelin real good. Then we hit track 2 "Bed" it wasn't immediately catchy and it sounded odd, so I moved on to track 3 "Act Naturally" this was instantly loveable. It had a beautiful melody and great lyrics so I was feelin good again. got to #4 "She's got my number" wasn't very impressed, quickly moved on to #5 thought it was O.K.. After that song I thought the album started to die rather quickly "sunshine and chocolate" was kind of annoying "who's stopping you" failed to impress me and "Wish" didn't catch my ear either. But then it redeemed it's self with the amazing "One True Love" which was co-authored by none other than the amazing Carole King. That song was by far the stand out track of the album. After that song I decided to quit while I was ahead, I turned off the album feeling rather dissapointed but I knew it could be an album that takes a little while to stick. So I put it on again two days later and I haven't taken it out of my cd player since. Every listen reveals something new. There is now not a single song on the album that I don't love. Semisonic is a great rock band. Dan Wilson is a great songwriter. All About Chemistry is a great album. It's not a legendary album but it is a nice relief from all of the completely worthless trendy music out there today.