Customer Reviews

Calm Animals

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Since the reviews didn't carry over, I'll briefly highlight this CD and invite you to look at the other version for many additional informed reviews.

The Fixx maintained a high level of of quality throughout their career, and still do in the latest effort, Want That Life. The earlier works, Phantoms and Reach the Beach were spare, challenging works that probably stand as the height of the band's creativity. This album, along with Walkabout and Ink, represents the waning period of their popularity, but not their muse. The sounds here are rich and full and the songs absolute gems, all of them. Here there are the first couple of ballad-type songs, "Precious Stone" and "The Flow", a trend continued on Ink, absolutely wonderful songs that deserved a much wider hearing. "Driven Out" and "Subterranean" did get some airplay, strong songs with clever lyrics.

If you listen to this for the first time, you'll be amazed that an album of such great songs and performances is so unknown. Many bands hit the heights and fade away, but darn few continue to produce this kind of quality music. The Fixx have not yet produced a weak album. For a band of such longevity, they may be unique in that regard.

In 1988, The Fixx switched record labels (from MCA Records to RCA Records) and released their fifth album, "Calm Animals." This is arguably the Fixx's last *truly* great album to date. Although I've enjoyed the band's albums that have followed "Calm Animals" ("Ink," "Elemental" and "Want That Life"), they just seem to be missing that little extra special magic that graces the Fixx's first five albums. I'm not at all saying they're bad---I like them---I'm just saying that they're missing a little something. "Calm Animals," however, is outstanding Fixx music all the way through. Had there been the right amount of promotion, the album could've been a big comeback hit for the band. And it should've been: the songs totally rock, and lead singer Cy Curnin, guitarist Jamie West-Oram & company sound very inspired throughout. The band's sound & approach is tougher, and the album also boasts great sound quality & production, courtesy of producer William Wittman. The songs may not have been hits (shame on you, radio programmers), but they're all first-rate tunes: "I'm Life," "Driven Out," "Precious Stone," the title song, "The Flow," "World Weary," and all the rest....simply awesome. Although a bit underrated in the group's catalog, "Calm Animals" nonetheless remains one of the Fixx's very best releases.

The FIXX was practically written off as a top act by the time Calm Animals came out in 1988. In fact, I found an editorial in a 1984 music magazine that claimed the FIXX hit there peak in 1981 and were, in effect, washed up (apparently, the editor forgot about 1983's Reach the Beach with the huge hit singles "One Thing Leads to Another" and "Saved By Zero"). Calm Animals was to be the FIXX's big comeback, at least that is what MTV advertised when it premiered the video for "Driven Out." I loved the song so much, I rushed out and bought the 45 single. It is still one of my favorite FIXX tracks. It rocks and sports some very clever lyrics: "I'm cooking with microwaves, to warm up food that's not seen the soil. Plugged in to my T.V., I'm used to the lies they're telling me."

I finally bought the album about ten years ago and it is as amazing as anything the FIXX has put out. They did not find the success they may have anticipated, but it was not for lack of quality material. Like "Driven Out," most of the tracks have a social, late Cold War condemnation of the arms-race driven, self-absorbed, apathetic society; "Subterranean" ("Let's escape this cold war comfort"), "Calm Animals" ("the chance was given to think social, but we choke on greed and excess"), "Cause to Be Alarmed" ("go see bird and tell bird that a love bird got shot"). Most of the tracks rock! "Calm Animals" is another one of my FIXX favorites. "Precious Stone" and "The Flow" are slow numbers. "The Flow" is one of the most beautiful songs the FIXX has done and is always included on my FIXX compilation tapes. "World Weary" has a different feel to it. It even has some native chanting that is appropriate for the theme of the album. I'm not crazy about "Precious Stone," but, for the most part, Calm Animals is very solid. Any fan of the FIXX is going to enjoy this album.

Yeah, not much to say about a decade old CD that got no play at the time and most people don't even know exists . . . except that it's an absolutely solid piece of work, and essential. The ballads here are breathaking, particularly "The Flow" and "Precious Stone", a beautiful song with the usual West-Orram shining ornaments. Every single original CD the Fixx released is full of great songs, and this is no exception. I can't imagine living without it.

This CD rarely left my Conciousness after I played the crap out of the Cassette I somehow came to own. Cy's Insightful and Prophetic Lyrics of us Humans being 'Fueled by a fattening GREED', 'A Race with Gestures has Lost it's Way', 'Who feeds the Dove and gives the World it's Charm' BURNED into my mind with Infamous Wisdom. The Music Crunches and Hits these Points Home, but its the Desperate Wasteland of this Modern Society expressed thru the eyes o' Cy, which give great Pause and Reflection. Get this...it will Sear ur Soul+++p/mondopace@hotmail

I got this record for two reasons: 1 The Fixx has been one of my favorite bands since hearing "Stand or Fall" and 2 Back when it was released, "Driven Out" was in my opinion one of the songs that made radio worth listening to. I like the way that Cy Curnin changes his voice within the songs. There is one song on this record that seems maybe a little out of place. That is "Precious Stone". Lyrically it fits well with the rest of the songs, but the music and singing are a little odd. If you are a fan of the Fixx but don't have this one yet, then I highly recommend getting it. It has plenty of their signature sound.

was skeptical about purchasing for years. But after listening to it there are about 4 good songs on it with title track being the best!If you are a fan this would be a fine addition to your fixx discography!reminds me of walkabout and phantoms mixed together!

Another Great Album of a Great Group. Classic songs: Driven Out, The Flow, Calm Animals... Five Stars

A sadly overlooked album, due mainly to its lack of radio friendly songs, but that doesn't make it a bad record. The Fixx venture into new terriory with harder hitting more guitar based songs that find the band flexing more muscle. To some extent, one could even call this a concept record with a reoccurring theme of man as merely civilized animals.
Overall, this album is more dirty than you expect from a band with such musical clarity. And all the normal Fixx elements are found throughout the record, just more subtle than normal. Again, though this is their least commercial record, the songs work well in this format. Making it an enjoyable surprise at first, giving way to a subtle masterpiece.

Except for one or two cuts, Ink left me cold. So, when I returned to this one I was wondering if I had mis-gauged The Fixx entirely. But, no.

While not up to the heights of Walkabout (what on Earth is?), Calm Animals delivers. In spades. From an inauspicious beginning (I'm Life, which sounds like a bad Fixx imitation with a wacky waltz section) each cut thereafter raises the stakes until you just don't think they can keep it up. But incredibly they do.

Heavily guitar-oriented, some of the cuts out-U2 U2, especially Precious Stone. A number, like Gypsy Feet and The Flow, recall the atmospherix of Walkabout. Grab it. It's out there cheap. You can thank me later.