Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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137 of 144 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Dumbing Down Of Love, November 10, 2002
In my own humble opinion, Frou Frou's 'Details' is the best album to come out (so far) in 2002 and is one of the best debuts I've ever heard before. I admit to being an eccentric music fan who's purchased quite a lot of CDs this year but Frou Frou's 'Details' is the one that I find myself listening to the most. And while everyone can compare Imogen Heap's darkly lavished vocals to the likes of Beth Orton and pop goddess Dido, Imogen's brooding and crooning has a sound that's delightfully her own. And what makes this pop-electronic album even better is the fact that Imogen's backed up by producer/arranger Guy Sigsworth, whos worked with such remarkable talents as Bjork and Madonna. The lyrics (which mostly deal with relationships and breakups) are as sassy and as cunning as the hooking melody lines themselves. There's honestly not one bad song on here, and they're all extremely catchy. "Let Go" gives hope to mend a broken heart by expressing how there's beauty in the breakdown while "Maddening Shroud" merrily portrays how the pains of hoping to fix something that's already damaged just isn't worth the time or exasperation. "It's Good To Be In Love" seems to set loose from all of the gloom and points out the finer times of being in love, but it's on songs like "Must Be Dreaming", "Psychobbable" and "Ssh" that Frou Frou (whom are named after the French word for the rustle of silk) truly shine on. 'Details' in an amazing album and I am eagerly hoping and anticipating a follow-up to this incredible accomplishment! This receives my Highest recommendation!
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54 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's all in the "Details", September 11, 2004
"Frou Frou" apparently means "rustle of silk," a seemingly appropriate name for one of the best trip-hop bands since Portishead. Their debut album "Details" is shimmery, textured music, mixing feathery ballads with funky pop, and all sung in Imogene Heap's sweet vocals.
Catchy trip-hop forms the core of this, especially the solid, fast-paced "Breathe In," which has a slightly fantastical sound. It doesn't get much more fun than the swirling catchy "Must Be Dreaming," bouncy little pop song "Shh," or the delicately pensive "Maddening Shroud." These songs mix pop rhythms with ambient sound, and end up getting the best of both.
There's a softer, less poppy side to Frou Frou as well. "Let Go" is a delicate little song accompanied by piano and little electronic swooshes. So is "The Dumbing Down of Love," a gentle blend of electronica and piano melody, and the minimalist electronica of "Psychobabble," which is mostly Heap's breathy voice against some dark electronic sounds.
Imogene Heap returns in a big way with producer Guy Sigsworth. And this time around, Heap gets all the attention she deserves. A few of the songs aren't quite top-quality, but each one has its own sweet appeal. And most surprisingly, Frou Frou manages to do ballads and trip-hop equally well, giving a haunted air to the former and a bright one to the latter.
It's virtually impossible to blend pop, electronica and ambient music this seamlessly. But somehow Frou Frou does it. The best qualities of each musical style are all captured and blended together, usually in a blend of slow piano, shimmery synth and low-key guitar. If it doesn't make your ears tingle, then you must be deaf.
Heap's voice is a bit like pop newcomer Jem's -- it's sweet and wispy, yet surprisingly strong. And it has the smooth quality of someone who is completely in tune with the music. And she brings a lot of feeling to the wistful songs about emotional turmoil and losing love: "If love is surrender/Then whose war is it anyway?"
Funky, catchy trip-hop and delicate ballads are what Frou Frou is all about. Sweet, shimmery and catchy, this is a must-have for lovers of good pop.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Downright Sublime Experience, January 7, 2006
This is the best female artist album I own. I treasure it more than Madonna's Ray Of Light, Natalie Imbruglia's Left Of The Middle, any of Sarah McLachlan's albums, more than any female artist album I can think of. It's easily one of my all-time favorite albums. I cannot believe it was originally released in 2000. I didn't discover this cd until shortly after hearing Let Go in the film Garden State.
It was love from the beginning. Let Go's appearance at the end of Garden State is a landmark moment in my life of media exposure. It defined a feeling I was looking for, a life-change that I needed. Let Go is one of my favorite songs ever.
I purchased Frou Frou's Details a couple months after watching Garden State. I remember how excited I was just to own an album with Let Go on it. Now I'm excited when I hear any song from Details. Let Go amazed me with its violin samples, beautiful introduction, simple keyboard melody, lullaby resemblance, vocal track, and on and on. The album is the same. Digitized bass, woodwind samples, high hats, warped vocals, beautiful ambience and amazing sound effects... this is electronica perfection. Imogene Heap's voice is simultaneously heart-breaking and hopeful. Samples of her voice slide through the air like sheets of silk slide between bodies, which likely explains why the band chose its name (see Amazon review). Breathe In... I don't know how to explain it. Most of these songs I associate with images and feelings, not concrete descriptions. Just the sound of Heap calling out "Cause I love you..." is enough to make my day. Her whispers haunt me. It's Good To Be In Love is beautiful. "I'm happy you're in love." Must Be Dreaming is an excellent track with a fast tempo that makes the song borderline techno/trance.
"Euphoria, I can't take anymore..."
Then Psychobabble scares the crap out of everyone. Bells and possessed bass lines, violins, chilling vocals and the harsh truth make this song great. Only Got One is so good it actually made me like the cliche "you've only got one life to live."
Then there's this Shh song. The glowing, reverberating bells... the free-flowing vocal harmonies... "Are we having fun yet..." I still can't believe how classic this whole album is. Shh is fantastic. Hear Me Out defies rejection and will forever typify the sentiment of the hopeless lover. When you don't care what anyone thinks about your refusal to let go of someone, this is the song to listen to. This is the song that defines being in that position. It's amazing.
Maddening Shroud is so good it's ridiculous. It's bedtime music. It's wedding music. It's movie music. I mean, I hear this song and life becomes good. It's all ok. Throw away what hurts you. Flicks is another great song. The layers of Heap's voice come together and bliss is what I feel. Song after song I tell you. Love drips from this album. The Dumbing Down Of Love elegantly closes the casket on this masterpiece: cry.
I am truly at a loss for words here. I love this album. I will remember this album for life. This is music for life.
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Imogen Heap shares her favorite music with Amazon customers. See all artists' picks on our Music You Should Hear page.
by Frou Frou 
