Customer Reviews

Candy Carol

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

 

 

This is pretty much just pure fun. The songs evoke colorful pictures in your head, of flowers, butterflies and sunny days. It's not all that deep, so if you're looking for some introspection or commentary on modern society this isn't it. But if you want, light, fun, colorful music, or music you can dance to, this is it!

Even a song called "Miss Meloncholy" isn't really sad. Songs such as "Counting the Rosaries" and " Butterfly" might even pass for children's songs. "Alice Everyday," with a little bit harder guitars sound might be a fun party song, and "Wall Song," which is mostly instrumental, has a gentle, waltzy beat.

This might not be their very best, but it contains many enjoyable tracks and I'd recommend it if you're a fan of Book of Love, or of happy, colorful songs.

Wow. Although I subscribe to several alt music magazines and get my weekly EW, I was not aware of these releases until quite recently when BOL sent out an email flyer about their NY gig to promote the reissues. Any re-release is a "good" release in my opinion; it brings awareness to new collecters and music enthusiasts. Not to mention the material is re-mastered; 'loud' isn't always for the better, I don't have to turn the music level on my iPod higher when listening to these newer BOL releases.

I do agree with some reviewers, the packaging could have been better, with a booklet showcasing all of the LP artwork; singles; etcetera; the historical write-up for all four reissues is informative and fantastic though. At least the Amazon track listing is correct for this album. I remember being extremely confused about the direction of BOL with this release, maybe a little let-down after the masterpiece that is "Lullaby", but there are quite a few gems on this album, and is a cohesive story, getting better with age.

For the third BOL album, although production costs may have been higher, I wish the disc had been 'enhanced CD' and contained the "Alice Everyday" music video, I would have loved to have seen the band members playing their instruments in that snow-globe getting shook around again. The last two BOL releases, as well as "Lullaby", should also have contained a second, supplement disc of extras. The version of "Quiver" (Extended) is sorely missed from the track listing; extremely happy "Alice Everyday" (Sam The Butcher Mix) found its way on the disc, a much darker, and playful version of the original song.

Had I been in charge of this reissue and disc compilation, here's what the extended track listing or additional disc listing would have been; maybe an iTunes Playlist:

Disc 2:
01. Alice Everyday (Sunshine Day Edit)
02. Counting The Rosaries (Single Remix)
03. Sunny Day (2001 Version) [from the 2001 Best Of album]
04. Quiver (Extended Mix)
05. Alice Everyday (Sam The Butcher Edit)
06. Counting The Rosaries (Insomnia Mix)
07. Alice Everyday (Everday-Glo Edit)
08. Counting The Rosaries (Partial Confession Mix)
09. Sunny Day (Heal Your Positive Body Mix)
10. Alice Everday (Sunshine Day Mix)
11. Counting The Rosaries (Crying Angels Mix)
12. Counting The Rosaries (Full Confession Mix)

Extremely excited about these reissues and ANY BOL release.

Okay, so maybe this album is so sugary that it is the number one cause of diabetic iPods. But if you can swallow your pride, you will find that some of these songs are just downright GREAT! And if you are just too cool, then the loss is yours. So buy it and go for a drive. I won't tell anyone. But then again, when your iPod starts needing daily insulin injections, people just might figure out what's up.

Book of Love was always, and will always be, one of my all-time favorite bands. Beautiful melodies, heavenly harmonies, heart-wrenching instrumental passages. 'Turn the World', has got to be one of the most incredible songs ever composed on this planet, in any time of history. I could list each of the tracks and the reason(s) I love them all, but I think I'll just suffice to say that Candy Carol is one of the best albums ever made, hands down.

I remember now looking back, when I was a freshman in High School, the memories I had listeneing to I Touch Roses, Happy Day,and Your Eyes. I would listen to every song they had to offer, and to this day and throughout the years it has been very inspiring to listen to. When I need to listen to a voice, a friend, or a good song it is there. Thanks to a liftime of song, and verse. When I hear their words their style, and their pop, I know it has carried me another day. To all the BOL fans keep it up.

Given three years between their sophomore release and this third effort, New York City's Book of Love finally carved out some new ground. Though still making most of their music with keyboards, their beats had less dance floor thump, and their vocals and melodies took on the bright shades of `60s sunshine pop and light psychedelia. It's as if the Paisley Underground had revived girl-group with synthesizers instead of Byrdsian chime and Velvet Underground drone with guitars. Their revised sound is more Dukes of the Stratosphere and twee pop than Erasure. The opening "Turn the World" borrows the bass line riff of Tommy James' "Draggin' the Line" and layers it with lush vocal overdubs, and the animated vocals and revving car of "Orange Flip" suggests an update of Gary Usher. Those who found the group's first two albums too heavy with dance beats may enjoy hearing this pure strain of the band's sugar-sweet pop. Noble Rot's reissue adds four remixes to the dozen original tracks; the disc is stuffed inside a three-panel cardboard slip-sleeve (no plastic bed for the disc) with liner notes by Michael Paloetta. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

One of Book of Love's most playful CDs, much of the music does feel like children's Christmas carols, as one of the other reviewers here has noted, and this CD also features Turn the World Around, which is one of my favorite Book of Love tracks of all time and should have been released as a single. Almost inspired by 60s bubblegum pop, these tracks are less heavy on the "erasure-ish" synthdance feel than Book's first two albums. That's where the Everyday Glo mix of Alice Everyday comes in, perfectly remixing the song into a synthdance classic that can stand beside Erasure's Chorus on the dance floor. The other remixes from this period weren't as club friendly, but the CD singles did have quite a bit more mixes than are being offered as bonus tracks here. So unless you have the CD singles for Alice Everyday and Counting the Rosaries, you do not have the complete output from this album on this reissue (that would have taken a 2-disc set). Also important to note is that 2 years later, an 'extended remix' of Quiver would appear as a bonus track on the "Boy Pop" CD single. That mix also could have been on here as a great bonus. If you weren't collection Book of Love when this album was originally released and don't have those CD singles, you may want to hunt them down if you like what you hear.

This is the second disc I received from my pre order, and just like the other one (Lullaby), it is Superb!
It is like a soundtrack to a Gothic Christmas!!!...infectious beats wrapped around sugar coated lyrics that allow you to open before Dec25th!!!....alas...same packaging...need I say more...no...except to all BOL fans and newcomers...get this disc...you'll be glad you did....!

Apparently the kids in Book of Love never grew up, and this is a good thing. Here they have made a very sweet and sometimes silly album of charming, happy, lovable songs that connects with the eternal kid in all the rest of us. Yet the craftsmanship and songwriting and execution are superb. "Sunny Day" is a sublime achievement.

Put this album on, and you will be transported from the weary troubles of this world to a happy and positive place full of the beautiful harmonies and delightful sonic embellishments in which Book of Love so excels.

This is a very good CD. My favorite song on here are Alice Everyday, Counting the Rosaries, and Turn the World. After I heard it on a tape I had ordered the CD very cheap. Well worth it. I only wish it was longer. I may even buy their other albums sometime but this is their best one.