Customer Reviews

Clear: Us Mix

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

 

 

Most people in the US have no idea who Bomb is, but most of us know all about the acts that he has produced (Soul to Soul, Sinead etc.) This album has many of his artists on it - but still packs the artist's own flavor - not unlike DJ Shadow's presence on the phenomenal UNKLE LP. This album truly fills your room. Big luscious bass chords and brilliantly orchestrated drum tracks get inside your head from early on...and while I don't like them all ("If you reach the border" is particularly creepy) the songs are fresh and original - each different from the last but again, with the deep, textured richness of Bomb the Bass. Justin Warfield writes great lyrics for "Braindead," and "Bug Powder Dust." How often do you have Men at Work, Jeff Spicoli and Wm. Burroughs all referenced in the same rap? Sinead and B. Zaphrania do a damn fine job in "Empire" as well. Great to chill to, make love to, drink to, smoke to - and probably in that order as well. Grab this one, y'all - most folks don't have it - but will regret that when hearing your copy.

I remember Bomb the Bass back when they (he) were kickin' a** with 'Into the Dragon'. Back then my friends and I prayed to only two gods: Theme from S'Express, by S'Express, and Megablast by Bomb the Bass. Those songs served as my long-overdue introduction to house music.

'Clear' is several years down the road and a musical genre away from 'Into the Dragon', and despite my love of house I connect with the rap and rhythm here much better than I do with the mindless (yet fun) sampling that defines their earlier effort. This is as amazing a CD now as it was ten years ago, and I suspect I'll feel the same in another ten years.

I won't go into a track by track analysis, but there is much here to love. The only track I will mention is still my favorite - Braindead. Other songs may have received more press but this track is by far the best, in my opinion. I don't know what vocalist Justin Warfield did after this work but I hope it was just as impressive. The collaboration here with Tim Simenon is nigh on perfect. You need to check it out.

OK, one more track. If You Reach the Border, as another reviewer mentions, is a weird, odd, unsettling track. Still, you've got to hear it. It's amazing how Simenon and Leslie Winer created a song where you can somehow see the wasted, washed out woman speaking/singing the words here, drawing you down into a seedy, fleabag hotel of a world that's set to a trip-hop beat. I don't do drugs, but if I did I'd listen to this song while wasted.

I'm actually not a huge fan of this particular genre but this is undoubtedly a classic. After hearing a few songs on an internet radio station I bought this CD and was happy to find the same strength found on those tracks throughout the album. This is a punchy, hard rhythmed CD that never fails to get my head bobbing driving down the road.

This CD beats Massive Attack's "Mezzanine", in my mind, as the best trip-hop CD yet. Standout tracks are One to One Religion, Tidal Wave, Braindead, and Bug Powder.

Great vocals, a super chillout CD. If you're into K&D get this! The last track is a K&D remix that everyone loves... A super album for a late night or rainy day.