Customer Reviews

Dance Factory: Level 2

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was so excited to find out that Louie D put out a new cd. I have almost every one. I have noticed however that many of his songs are songs that Johnny Vicious puts out on his cds months before. I can count a few on this cd that follow that observation. Since no other reviewer has done so, here is a play by play:

1. Look @ Me Now (also on Ultra Dance Party 3 presented by Johnny Vicious)-- I love this song. It's one of those "woman power" songs as my bf likes to call it. But very danceable and singable.

2. Boys of Summer (also on Ultra Dance Party 3 presented by Johnny Vicious) -- Love this song.

3. I Engineer -- Cool song. It had to grow on me. I can just picture a whole bunch of people singing along to it in a club.

4. E (also on Ultra Dance Party 3 presented by Johnny Vicious) --This song is ok. I actually skip right over it on the cd.

5. Time to Rock -- I used to like this song, but I find it quite dumb now. I thought the radio version was the one that was censored but I come to find that's how the original is as well.

6. Take on Me -- I've always loved this song, and this version is excellent! Too bad there is no singing.

7. Rhythm is A Dancer 2003 -- Another song I've always liked. This version is a little more upbeat but still keeps true to the original.

8. The Sound of Violence (also on Ultra Dance Party 3 presented by Johnny Vicious) -- This is a cool song. It's pretty chilled out, you almost feel like you could relax to it.

9. Two Months Off -- Another song I skip over.

10. Head (also on Ultra Dance Party 3 presented by Johnny Vicious)-- I like this song a lot. It sounds like it loops an 80s song, but I can't put my finger on it. Very cool.

11. Holiday -- I don't think so! I just dislike Madhouse. Their version of "Like A Prayer" was ok, but then it was played out. Now this song is just a poor attempt.

12. Shout -- I sometimes skip over this song. The woman's singing annoys me because it sounds very gospel like/preachy.

13. Loneliness (also on Ultra Dance Party 3 presented by Johnny Vicious) -- This song could be better. I like to skip over this one as well. The beat is pretty good, it's mostly the woman's singing that is very flat and uninteresting.

14. Breathe -- I just think of the Mitsubishi commercial. It's a good song but it's a little on the boring side.

15. Never -- I like this song a lot, but again, a little too boring to put on a dance cd. Perhaps it's this mix, but I heard one that was a little more upbeat.

16. No Way No How -- I've always loved Jocelyn Enriquez. This is a very sweet song, plus it has a good beat, and it's a cool song to sing along to when you are driving around.

17. If You Love Me -- Yet another boring song.

18. I Do -- Tina Ann is pretty cool. This song is actually growing on me. This is another song that you can easily sing along to.

19. Through the Rain -- I dislike Mariah very much. This song is of course a mixed version, but I didn't like the original and this mix either.

20. Dance Factory Level 2 Mega Mix -- I like the mega mixes always, even if there are full songs I don't like on the cd, because on the mega mix you only hear about 10-30 second snippets of those songs. Plus they sound cool blended together.

Louie D did a better job on Dance Factory 1 and his NYC Underground Party cds. 6 songs on his cd are the same as Johnny Vicious' cd that was put out a few months before. I give Louie the benefit of the doubt, there really isn't that many exciting or good songs out right now, but he could have included Benny Benassi "Satisfaction", a song I recently heard that by far kicks some of these songs' butts. All in all a good effort. Check it out, you may think differently.

It's no wonder that Louie DeVito has been voted the #1 DJ in America. There's his NYC Underground Party series and this, Louie DeVito's Dance Factory. Volume 2 features 19 tracks. It includes DJ Sammy's "Boys Of Summer" (A nice song indeed). There's also the song "E" by Drunken Munky. But I really liked the updated version of "Rhythm Is A Dancer" by Snap! I still like the classic "RIAD" from 1992 though. Now in a new trancish form remixed by CJ Stone. Plus like in all of Louie DeVito's NYCUP compilations, a Megamix by Bad Boy Joe. That's all I could explain for now. I'd like to know when NYCUP volume 6 will come out.

This is a DJ dance mix CD with a kind of party feel. Nearly all the songs have vocals up front and the length of the songs is short, so it feels partly like pop and partly like dance. Adding to that feel is the inclusion of old pop songs or remakes of old pop songs: Don Henley's "Boys Of Summer" performed by DJ Sammy, Madonna's "Holiday" performed by Mad'House, "Through The Rain" by Mariah Carey, "Rhythm Is A Dancer 2003" by Snap!, and an instrumental remake of A-Ha's "Take On Me" by Fusion 808. Even the dance hits, such as "Never" by The Roc Project featuring Tina Arena, have more of a pop music structure. Adding to these "popifying" elements is that sometimes there is a bit of a jolt from one song to the next, particularly in terms of style, rather than a smooth mix.

The album is rather variable in quality; some songs I really like, such as "Look At Me Now" by Jessy, the amusing song "Head" by Thunderpuss and Barnes ("Welcome to my head...welcome to my mind..."), and the very melodic "No Way No How" by Jocelyn Enriquez. Other songs I like, but wouldn't say I REALLY like, and some songs I dislike, such as "The Sound of Violence" by Cassuis and "Two Months Off" by Underworld.

DJ Tiesto is more my style, I guess. For example, his mix of "Never," I really like--it's a nine and a half minute classy dance track, but the version on this album is a four and a half minute pop-sounding version.

I do enjoy this album, though, when I want to listen to pop-format dance tunes and a variety of dance music with a party atmosphere. Many of the songs have a rich electronic sound, which I particularly like.

I was waiting for Devito to come out with a new cd. After not wanting Dance Divas and not too happy with NYC Dance Party Vol 5, I needed a good Louie fix. Dance Factory 1 was better than this new one, but like a previous review mentioned Louie had better songs to work with. Club songs now do not compare to the songs from a year or two back. "No Way No How", "E", and "I Do" are my three favorite picks, with "Loneliness" being up there also with up and coming hit "Never". My only real complaint is the length of the songs, once again most of them are too short. I suggest longer mixes next time. I would get this cd because it is still the best club cd out there now. I wish for a best of Louie cd, compiling the best dance songs he has ever mixed on his cds.

This one just doesn't measure up to the first volume of Dance Factory. Nearly all the songs on the original were definite hits, placed perfectly and blended together seamlessly. I might be going out on a limb here, but I think that the first Dance Factory singlehandedly brought dance music back into the mainstream (where I live, anyhow). Whether that is for good or for ill is for you to decide.

On the 2nd volume, Louie's song choices were not the best. The first half of the cd, up to about track 9, is decent. Then the last half seems to lose its energy and fade out. All the excitement dissipates because the songs are not stand-outs and the tempo does not change from song to song at all. Individually, I am sure they are good songs, but they do not work on this compilation.

There are some good songs, but there are also some really, really bad ones. "Time to Rock" is one of the most irritating songs I've heard in a long time, as is "Two Months Off." On the other side of the fence, "Look @ Me Now", "Boys of Summer", "I Engineer", and "The Sound of Violence" are great songs. If you ask me, though, the only song that is on the level of the first dance factory is "Look @ Me Now".

Overall, Mr. DeVito seems to be resting on his laurels on this disc. The spontaneity and creativity of some of his other stuff is missing. It feels very repetitive and flat after a while, and that is something that I dislike a lot.

I say give it a listen before you decide to buy it or not; you might end up loving it, and you might end up thinking it's terrible. Everyone has different taste, so even if I was not that impressed, you should still give it a chance.

Being a club DJ I'm picky when it comes to CD's. I've never been disappointed with the Louie Devito CD's and I got this copy from Tampa a couple years back and I'm in love! I played it for my friends and they liked it too.

Im really upset to have been so excited when i purchased this CD to wanting to throw it out the window. The songs chosen for this CD are just not hot enough. The only songs that make the CD keepworthy are numbers 1 and 2 and maybe even the mariah carey song. The drunkenmonkey song makes me mad because it is not appealing at all. Actually it samples eminems song "Without Me" but its still wack. Dont purchase this album. The first dance factory is way better.

I do have to admit that Louie DeVito is slippin. I have mixed feelings about the cd. Theres a few good songs on this album and I love how it all flows together but 'Dance Factory' was a much better cd. I liked 'Look @ me now', 'Time to rock', 'Breathe' and a few others on Level 2. The Megamix with Bad Boy Joe is always the best!! I hated 'Holiday' and 'Rhythm is a dancer.' Im kinda bored with all of it though. Im waiting for him to come out with something that will defend his friggin title.

Some people argue its not really that good. I agree it wasn't one of his best cds but it still has many good songs on it. I still got to give this cd a good rating. I love louie devito and how he blends one song into the next. Some good tracks include; Jessy - look @ me now and Gabry Ponte - Time to rock. Id have to say the first half of the cd keeps ya going but the other half kinda brings u down. All in all i still think everyone should buy a copy.

LOUIE DEVITO AND BADBOYJOE DID IT AGAIN I THINK THIS IS THE BEST MIXED CD EVER MADE THE MIXING IT BY FAR THE BEST!!!
YOU HAVE TO GET THIS ,AND THE MEGAMIX AT THE END BY BADBOYJOE
"OUT OF CONTROL" IT'S GREAT!!!!