Customer Reviews

Black City

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

 

 

Division of Laura Lee are from Sweden and are therefore part of the 'Swedish Invasion,' but don't think this is a Hives knockoff or a (International) Noise Conspiracy retread. No, DOLL prefer to fuse their punk energy with red-blooded rock 'n' roll, new wave flourishes (in a good way), and in some cases a dark goth mentality.

This combination is sweet and intoxicating, like a perfectly blended screwdriver. Balls out rockers like the opener "Need to Get Some," "Access Identity," "Black City" and "Second Rule Is" rub elbows with ethereal slow-movers like the claustrophobically superb "Trapped In" and "I Walk on Broken Glass," but nothing feels forced or contrived. The rockers move and shake like nothing yet this year, and the slower songs give you a chance to breathe and think for a moment before your head gets rocked again.

This may be a bold statement, but here it is: DOLL are better than the Hives, and I love the Hives. Don't pass this up.

to quote the Kerrang review....'Black City' is a tremendous album. Its 12 tightly-wound, retro-punk tracks mix the brooding sensuality of Girls Against Boys with the dark atmospherics of Joy Division and the hip-shaking drive of latter-day Primal Scream. Throw in cool lyrics like ''I'm not your toy for penetration" and smartly subversive titles such as 'The Truth Is F**ked' and 'We've Been Planning This For Years', and - to borrow a phrase from The Hives - DOLL could well prove to be your new favourite band.

I wasn't aware of Division of Laura Lee's Swedish citizenship when I first heard their music, and knowing that now makes more sense of their garage-like sound. I was expecting more of a punk-rock sound from this band, seeing as how they share the same label as Pennywise and NOFX. Their sound is pretty rock and roll, but in a more ...Trail of Dead, At the Drive-In way. If you like a heavier rock sound with a more moderate pace and stronger melody and clear vocals, you should like Division of Laura Lee.

With all of the hype around the Hives, Refused(R.I.P.) and International Noise Conspiracy you may think they were the only Sweeds worth checkin out. But oh how wrong you were. Division of Laura Lee's Black City is a good solid rock album comparible to early Jesus and Mary Chain and Pond. This is a wonderful record from begining to end & I strongly believe this is the best over looked album of 2002. Buy it.

Overall, I think this is one of the greatest rock groups coming up now and I hope they hit it big. Some of my favorite tracks are numbers 3,4,10, and 11. But the whole album is good! BUY IT!
...Anyway, buy this!!!!!

"Need To Get Some" (5/5): A really rockin' opener.
"We've Been Planning This..." (5/5): This one keeps you jumpin'.
"Number One" (3/5): This one isn't amazing, but not bad at all.
"Trapped In" (4/5): A slow paced track that works really well.
"Access Identity" (5/5): A great riff drives this winner home.
"I Guess I'm Healed" (4/5): This song keeps the album going.
"The Truth Is F****d" (5/5): Another very powerful tune.
"Black City" (4/5): Nothing bad about this one, just not great.
"I Walk On Broken Glass" (2/5): The first just flat out bad song.
"Second Rule Is" (5/5): One of the best tracks follows the worst.
"Pretty Electric" (3/5): This one isn't memorable, but not bad.
"Wild And Crazy" (2/5): Just dissapointing noise.

At first I liked the stuff on this album. But then i realized that it's just the same stuff that is being put out by the hives. It's a waste. I chucked it into the drawer. Goodday!!!!

This is my pick for the best rock and roll album of the year. The more I listen to it the better it gets. This blows the Hives away.