Customer Reviews

Babylon Rewound

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

 

 

Many bands don't really take the time to remix themselves anymore. Underworld used to do it, the Orb became great at doing it. Being a huge Thievery fan, I was really looking forward to see hoe they'd reinterpret the songs. I wasn't disappointed. I should start by saying that I've always thought that remixes should different from the original (otherwise, what's the point?), while retaining enough to know it's the same song (why bother calling it a remix when all you've done is sample a snippet of vocal?). This is what Thievery's done. They've taken enough of the song's background bits and pieces and brought them up to the foreground. Despite what the other reviewers will tell you, this is actually what dub is. The original producers wanted to take vocals out, but make enough of a song, so they took little melodies that were pushed into the background and brought them up front. Dub is not just having a loud bassline, chopped up beats, and melodies that drop in and out at the push of a button. So it succeeds at making new versions of songs, and succeeds as a dub album. But how are the tracks themselves? State of the Union is very up-tempo and has a more traditionally-reggae beat to it. Very good to dance to. Until the Morning is more laid-back, with a real beat and some serious bass to it, as well as the requisite chopped-up vocals. The Outernationalist has kept the same bass line, only started it at a different point, which makes it sound different, and has a great instrumental break. Exilio has also been given a dancier beat, and some nice little organ, but mostly the same. The Kid Loco version of Until the Morning is one of those tracks for which the label "lounge" was invented. Relaxed windwoods, cool little guitar licks, it's very nice. Resolution is the most dub-like here. The melodies are chopped-up, the bass is pushed to the foreground, and all that good stuff. I guess the reviewers who said this isn't dub expect for all dub to have a 'one-drop' beat to it. Truth and Rights is decent song. Sleepy Wonder goes into full rat-a-tat rhyming style here, and does so very well. The Voidd remix of Un Simple Histoire is good, but sort of out-of-place. It's more typical-dance-floor style than the other tracks, and really only adds a more four-to-the-floor beat, but is still good. This CD also has the video for Richest Man in Babylon on it, and points to Rob and Eric for making Notch the focus. Most bands who have a single with a guest vocalist either ignore them in the video, or splice scenes in that have been clearly shot without the band, making it seem like two videos thrown together. This is definitely worth it. I sort of hope they do this idea again with Cosmic Game.

While this album has a few good tracks, I found the remixes to not have the same flavor and flow of typical TC albums. While I think most people will enjoy this album, whether TC fans or not, I personally have to rate this as my least favorite TC disc overall.

If you have the rest of the TC lineup, get it; otherwise, you may want to look elsewhere to spend your $10.

The Corporation is back in business! 2004 has been a great year for the Thievery boys as they gave as the fantastic mix cd "Outernational Sound" and now a dub reworking of select cuts from 2003's "The Richest Man in Babylon". All of the tracks have been "rewound" by the Corporation as well as two remixes by Kid locco and Voidd. Kid Locco's mix of "Until the Morning.." is simply gorgeous and def. something in similar vein to the Thievery sound. Voidd's mix is house-y but still so smooth that it will have the ladies undressing in no time! There's also a never before heard track called "Truth & Rights" that is a politically charged skank down with toasting to die for! Pick this up ( I got mine for 7.99) it's cheap and amazing....need more of an invitation?

I do not know what the other reviewer was listening to but this remix cd is nice. You have to listen to this for what it is and not what you think it should be. The reggae remixes are nice and funky. The remix of Until the morning is nice. Not as good as the orginal. I am a little bias as the original is one of my favorite thievery tracks! I give 4 star, as it is hard for me to give remix CDs 5 stars. If you a thievery fan or just a fan of good music you must buy this.

It took a little bit to warm up to, but this is a great disc to own for you big Thievery Corporation fans. Nice compliment to The Richest Man... and it goes cheap. My only complaint is that its too short...works nicely if you are "out of this world" however ;).

Pick it up while you still can...great remixes by the band themselves.

I'm a great fan from THIEVERY CORPORATION, I have all their albums, and of course this one. I'm very dissapointed because this Babylon Rewound is not what I thought it suppose to be, this tracks are not DUB at all, they sounds more like reggae dancehall, so I don't like reggae dancehall!! I hate it!! here in Panama I'm sick and tired of that stupid kind of music! Maybe 2 or 3 songs are not soo bad at all.
But once again this is not a DUB album!! so please if your looking for serious DUB don't buy this album, sorry Thievery guys!
(or if you like reggae in general you can purchase anyway!)

I listened to "Babylon Rewind" before I heard "Richest Man in Babylon" so I am less biased towards the original versions of these songs. Perhaps its just a matter of the first impressions being the best, because my opinion is that these dub versions are MUCH better than the water downed originals. I cannot see how anyone will not want to be moving with the premiere reggae dub track "State of the Union" -- a fitting op-ed on the current state of politics. Contrast that with the downtempo, sensual French lyrics of the closing track, "Une Simple Histoire". In the middle of it lies the 100% ambient track "Resolution" sans vocals. Some might misconstrue this to be some dancehall reggae dub album. No, no, no.. this AMBIENT dub with a tinge of ambient, reggae, folk, and world music. As with all works of Thievery Corporation, this blissful music is a category unto itself. This rates as my second fav Thievery Corp album!

PS - Dub: Reggae dub, but the generic use is for the layering of an original track, intermixed with floaty rhythms with or without vocals.

This set reminds me of being at a Thievery concert for some reason. Only 8 tracks but a must have for every T.C. fan

There oughta be a law.
Here comes Thievery Corporation putting "DUB" in
really big letters on their CD, thus exciting dub-heads
to buy the CD at once. And then what happens?
Surprise! This is not a dub album at all, but SATURATED
with vocals to an unbearable degree. Some great dub CDs
have snippets of vocals here & there, and dub-heads put
up with that if the music is great, but this CD is LOADED
with vocals which not only disappoint but torture dub purists.
Hey Thievery Corporation, you're professional musicians,
don't you know what DUB is??? How dare you plaster three
gigantic lettters "DUB" on your CD when it is overflowing
with vocals. You should have used "DUD" instead.