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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beautifully crafted Brit-pop..., May 25, 2001
Amidst the ashes caused by the fallout of the seminal group The La's (i.e., originators of the legendary "There She Goes"), rose Cast.Cast were Brit-pop to their very core. From their Adidas Sambas, to their harmonized vocals and synchronzied guitars. I suppose Cast represent a long line of one-album wonders of the Brit pop world. Such bands as The Dylans, The Wendys, Birdland, The Bluetones, Northside, and, of course, The La's, have all fallen far into the netherworld. Other bands have barely scraped by that fate (Mighty Lemon Drops, Ride, Slowdive, Chapterhouse). Still, Cast had a dam* good sound that I'm surprised never caught on in the States. They created a largely acoustic-at-heart based brit-pop. You can always hear the acoustic guitar being played in every one of their songs. Yet, they do not fail to deliver the electric goods either. And, there is a certain 60's-ness about their music---the harmonies, the short chord changes on some songs, etc. But, it's all very good. Perhaps their biggest hit was "Alright," followed by "Walkaway." Vocally, they sound similar to....well, I can't quite put my finger on it. Kind of cross between the vocals of The Church (although nowhere as deep) and The Ocean Blue and The Alarm. I know, before you say it, that offers no help. Well, I apolgize. I'm still trying to get over the fact that I'm writing the first review of this record, six years after its release! If you are at all partial to the brit-pop sound, I wager you will dig this cd. The track stand outs are 1, 9, 12, 7, 11, and 6. Check this out.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Something amazing happened in the UK in the mid-90s..., April 10, 2005
What happened between 1994 and 1996 in England? All I can say is, has there ever been such a concentration of classic albums released?:
Blur: Parklife
Oasis: Morning Glory
Supergrass: Alright
Dodgy: Three Peace Sweet
Longpigs: The Sun is Often Out
Pulp: Different Class
Radiohead: The Bends
....AND CAST "ALL CHANGE"!
It certainly is a Britpop classic. Songs like "Alright", "Sandstorm" and "Fine time" will buzz around in your head and never leave you alone.
These days British bands like Coldplay and Turin Brakes are great, but they're just too glum and self-reflective....sometimes you need to put a record like Cast "All Change" in your CD player and cheer up for the day.
And while you're at it, buy Dodgy "Three Peace Sweet", which is arguably an even better record.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
There He Goes, June 28, 2003
Four years after the last sighting of the La's, John Power, bassist and backing vocalist of that band, reemerged as the frontman of Cast. "All Change" is his band's debut release.It's a very solid effort, a better representation of Brit Pop than many bands that are much more famous for similar work (Oasis, etc.). All those years with Lee Mavers, the principal force behind the La's, certainly weren't lost on Power. (Even if the La's only managed to finish one album, but that's a whole 'nother story). For those familiar with the La's, the songs here will have a familiar feel, although they tend to be much more heavily produced and textured than Lee Mavers ever would have stood for. Imagine though if the La's had made a cd based more on electric guitars and with more production, and you won't be far off the mark - although there aren't any songs as stunning here as The La's There She Goes, Timeless Melody or Looking Glass. On the other hand, virtually every song is very good, and some are excellent - "Alright," "Walkaway" and "Tell It Like It Is", for example. "Alright," the opening track, serves as probably the best symbol for the album and Power's intent. The La's used to perform the song live acoustically. The version here though is loaded with electric guitars and is heavily produced, which is a bit jarring for those that recall the La's stripped down version. In any event, fans of the La's and Brit Pop will probably enjoy this cd, and it's good to see that Power emerged from the La's meltdown intact. However, it does leave one wishing Lee Mavers could return from the Wasteland and release some of the tracks he's said to be sitting on...
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