Customer Reviews

All Change

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

 

 

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.

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.

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...

Although their later efforts are unmemorable, Cast's debut album must rank as one of the best and most underrated albums of the last decade. Three of the tracks are absolute classics (Alright, Finetime and Walkaway.) This was released during Britpop's biggest year and whilst bands such as Blur, Oasis and Pulp achieved great success, Cast went virtually unnoticed, which is baffling to anyone who has had the pleasure of listening to this fine album.

rock is out - britpop is in!! This title has some really out of the world tracks like four walls, walkaway and alright. a definite buy for any britpop lover. reminds me of other bands like space and radiohead. guys, check it out!

It's always self dating to claim a connection to the Britpop scene. That being the case, Cast's debut is an easy way to transport you back to the mid 90s, when English music just seemed to play second fiddle to endless clones of Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

Mix in Oasis and lead singer John Power's previous band The La's and you pretty much have Cast. Songs full of bright guitars and way cool harmonies.

This is definitely Cast's finest work; "Finetime" and the driving "History" are my favorites.

I found out about Cast in 1997 on a local television station that showed the videos for Alright and Sandstorm. I obviously was interested in both of those songs and went to my local record store and bought the cd for a heavy price (import). What a gem I ended up buying. At the time I didn't know that John Power was a member The La's and I didn't know what a great band Cast was and is. Honestly, there isn't a song I don't like on this album. Alright, Promised Land, Sandstorm are all stellar songs. I f***in love Mankind, Tell It Like It Is, Finetime, Back Of My Mind, Walkaway, and the grand finale,Two Of A Kind.
These song are in actuality,very simple and I said to myself upon first hearing them, "These songs sound so familiar" and "Why hasn't anybody written these songs before? The truth is that this was a perfect band for the perfect time. The mixture of Electric guitar with Acoustic is a unique sound that many bands of any genre don't use often if at all. Here, it sounds truly amazing. When hearing the beginning of Promised Land, you will understand. Cast would continue to make good music as shown in their following albums "Beetroot, Magic Hour,
and "Mother Nature Calls". The only problem was that they couldn't make a great album top to bottom as this one. As a total junkie from the Golden Age of Brit-Pop with the bands like Oasis, Radiohead, Suede, Supergrass,Pulp, Gene, Blur, The Verve, Black Grape, Kula Shaker, etc.Cast and this album ranks along with any of these bands for the time and era. A must own album for any lover of true Brittish rock.

Seeing as how I was too young to appreciate most of the Britpop that came out in the early to mid 90's, I went on a musical discovery of that era. Oasis, Blur, Longpigs, and a few others. Then I heard Walkaway and thought, lets have a look this Cast. Not trying to offend anyone, but this CD is not enjoyable. I would dare to say that they were a one hit wonder. Grab the two good songs and run. Good thing I got this at a used place.

"All Change" is the absolute epitome of mediocrity in music. Sure, "Alright" is a catchy tune, but its power wears off after about 3 listens, and there ain't any other songs on this record that even possess said powers. I love the La's, but you'd be hard pressed to tell that there was any connection. How could anyone be excited about this music? It's so boring and derivative and lifeless... ugh. NEXT.