Customer Reviews

Booming Back at You

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

 

 

i just recently got into electro but i found this album to be pretty good. i am not a hardcore jxl fan so i don't have much nostalgia about his previous albums. to be fair, it is not the most interesting electro that i've heard but i gave it five stars because i really believe it deservees a higher rating. i personally enjoy the "obnoxious" tunes and also the lo-fi synth parts because i love the grungy, buzzy, hip-hoppy electro. and that is exactly what this is. also, this seems to be a very danceable album. i liked it.

"I loved the previous albums (A Broadcast From Hell Cabin & Today), can't say the same for this one. It's a little edgier than the last two but not nearly as polished. I like the idea behind the disc especially with the additions from Lauren Rocket but just can't recommend this one. If your like JXL you may agree (or disagree) with me but either way JXL is still very good at what he does and I expect to see more great albums in the future."

At first listen, when skimming over this disc I thought there might've been promise. None of the tracks really jumped out at me as being bad, but at the same time nothing struck me as particularily good either. After the 2nd listen (the 1st full listen really) I knew I'd made a terrible mistake picking this CD up.

...This is Junkie XL? What happened? There are honestly only a handful of tracks worth checking out on this album, the rest is this god awful regurgitated electro sound that we've already heard plenty before & I don't remember anyone being particularly fond of it in the 1st place. The majority of this album sounds like something you'd hear off one of Oakenfold's studio albums; just kinda corny, drab, poppy, recycled electro house. Maybe something from Hyper's studio's album or a really bad Mylo wannabe. Not stuff that I can imagine anyone getting overly excited over aside from the few mindless souls that'll listen to anything so long as it's electronic. Yet reading some of these other reviews you'd think JXL was some kind of musical genius. In the past I agree Junkie's made some great music not the least of which being his collaboration with Sasha on his "Airdrawndagger" album. Listening to that & then listening to this you'd make absolutely no connection between the 2 unless someone told you. One track in particular track #6 "More" (the longest track on the album I might add) will make you wanna violently stab pens & pencils in your ears to stop the musical raping of your ear drums. This has got to be by far one of the stupidest songs in the history of music. I can't imagine anyone (much less JXL) finishing that song and then saying to themselves "Oh ya baby, that's going on my album!!". I mean seriously, how embarassing. They should've titled it "Less" & cut the run time down to 2 seconds. As I mentioned above all the tracks on the album are extremely short too, the longest track (More) clocking in at 6:01 & the rest averaging between 4 & 4:30 minutes. It's unmixed & only 12 tracks long, so there's really no excuse for this other than just sloppy/lazy/lame music. "Stratosphere", "1967 Poem" & "Zage" are all worth a listen, but not at all making the CD's price justifiable. Use whatever DL service you use & check out these particular tracks & even than I'd use caution actually paying for any of these. The rest of the album really is just a big mess. This might've been okay a couple years ago when Electro was really starting to take off, but we've all already heard this before & we've all moved on to bigger & better things since. I know I'll be returning my copy & getting my money back ASAP.

This is the reason electronic music doesn't sell here in the US. This is the mainstream garbage that we line our Electronic Dance sections in our stores with. Are we that brain dead that this is the best that we can come up with when there are SOOOOOOOO Many other artists that never make it to our shores unless we pay the imported price. There's literally a whole genre of music out there that most Americans just don't get to hear & therefore will never understand. So our music stores are litered with garbage & we get Oakenfold, Hyper, DJ Irene, 4 Strings, Darude, ATB & Cicada. It's really kind of sad. Anyway, bottom line, !!!Do Not Buy This Album!!!

I heard a few tracks on Pandora, and I had to buy the album. I'll admit, I can see why it's gotten some low ratings here- it's nothing like Junkie XL's other work. However, I consider it a /highly/ successful experiment. I was looking for heavy, noisy, grimy beats and that's exactly what this album delivers. One of my favorite CDs.

My problem may be that I was looking for a reprise to something like his last album, Today, which I thought was very good (also my first JXL album--maybe it was unusual for him and his old stuff sounded more like this one). Some great musical talent and substance in it. This album is bad. It sounds like any number of simply forgettable people who mix in their basement...maybe send a track to friends and their friends go "yeah, it's not bad", but it's simply a hobby to them.

I'm positive that for some songs he used a $69 keyboard from Radioshack (beginning of track 4 really is the worst for that), because it is that bad. One reviewer said his stuff sounded like something from an Oakenfold album, which I think is nuts. Oakenfold can be hit or miss but generally has stuff worth listening to.

I have tried with this one, I really have. It just not good music, let's be honest about it. In fact, the only single good part about the album is in track 2 (cities in dust) at 2:20. It sounds just at that point for about 45 seconds what we had from Today. If being generous, I'll give that track 12 is not bad, either.

Yeah, it's right up there in our faces, nasty schoolgirls and all. But to me (and I'm a huge Junkie XL fan), there just isn't anything here of interest. It's an exploration of a particular sound, an exploit of attitude, and doesn't have much to do with making good music. Two stars for doing something different. But different isn't always better.

I have followed Junkie XL for some time now. I love his style; he's evrything that other dance artists are trying to be. I'm not saying that they are better or worse, just different. I appreciate artists like JXL in their endeavors of trying new things while maintaining what's familiar to their signature style. At the same time, like most artists, they must mature and grow in their ways and it shows through their music. Some people stick to that one album of any artist like a security blanket. Instead, they should take in something different from what's given to them. The music industry has a lot to do with marketing one's record to the company's specs. But the artist's creativity is untainted. JXL's ability to put out great music is the one thing the record companies have little to do with... it's all him. I love all the greats in dance and electronica. I think Junkie XL has always pushed the envelope. In this case, he has done very well. In ceating new music and trying new things, he has figured out how to make it pallatable to the other crowd of a different style. I'm not so big on profanity in songs, but this adds an edge to his talents as an artist. This album is chock full of club music. The likes of which would set the mood for those all-nighters out there. Thankfully, it has sultry and soul, with no achey or corny themes. It's new age electro rock with Orbital and (Sasha)esque qualities. The single "More" has that element of late night clubbing in Miami feel to it. I find it to be more of a stepping stone for something bigger. But a step with his best foot forward into the right direction.

Save your $. This is a half-hearted attempt. I'm often amazed why artists bother putting out this stuff, especially when they've created great works prior. I call it "boat payment music." They must be strapped for cash to pay bills. This is a big yawn. Skip it.

Okay, any professional reviewer on dance music that says this album is "safe" and ordinary is absolutely insane. There is throwback to some earlier decades but definitely a fresh approach to some creative editing. The title track has some killer kick and vocal editing. Not sure how he does it, but there are so many little creative things going on at all times. Listen to this on the headphones and you will be amazed at the detail of these edits, and it is so much fun!!! Just makes you want to get up and hit the gym or dance floor!!!

Killer tracks!

I'm a little disappointed at the outcome of this album when playing it. It's a little too noisy at times and much different from "Today" or his previous release, which I have both the 1 and 2 cd editions. JXL does know how to write, mix and create dance music masterpieces, ballads or hardcore techno stuff, but with "BBAY", I'm left wanting more. Perhaps it's because once again, there's only a small handful of collaborating artists on the album, compared to the "Radio JXL - A broadcast from the computer hell cabin" compilation. Lauren White (Lauren Rocket) has an okay voice but the songs featuring her are a bit obnoxious. Even track one (the title track) is noisy and makes an obnoxious opener.

BBAY is long eonugh though, which is fine. And we got the lyrics once again, to the songs which have lyrics. There's only 1 photo of JXL which is found on the front cover. Artwork on disc follows along the design concept for the front cover, which also left me wanting or expecting more. 'Cities in Dust' would have to be my favorite track so far, although 'More' really isn't a bad track at all.

I've been following JXL for a couple of years now and was turned onto his music by my bud, whom introduced me to the "RJXL - ABFTCHC" compilation. When "Today" came out, I bought the UK and Canadian editions + a cool remix radio promo of the same track as well. All JXL's music is worth listening to, but I just don't feel this is his best work to date. Perhaps BBAY will grow on me, but just not now.