Don't Be Afraid V 1 3

Information Society | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 8, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dancing Ferret Discs
• ASIN: B0017ILO8G
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,461 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Remastered version of original album with two new songs, September 10, 2008

By 

K. H. Larson "Kurt Larson" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Don't Be Afraid V 1 3 (Audio CD)

This re-release of Information Society's 1997 album has been entirely re-mastered, and more importantly, has two new songs on it. "White Roses" was previously only available to those who had the patience to go on a long and torturous treasure hunt using obscure clues embedded in the album itself. Now with this version of the album, you get it without any effort. The new song, "Kebabträume" is a cover of an old DAF song, and was recorded recently, in 2007.
The re-mastering might not make a difference to casual listeners, but to anyone who's spent a fair amount of time with this album, it's a big improvement. The songs feel more alive and aren't all squashed in the mid-range like they were on the original.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "24 metric tons" of Artistic Greatness, June 2, 2009

By 

Sarah R. Hoffman "SH" (Cornelius, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Don't Be Afraid..V.1.3 (MP3 Download)

I have no experience with the 1997 version - I had no idea that this album existed until 2009 - so all of my judgments are based on the remaster and the remaster alone.

Sound quality is excellent - crystal clear and worth 99 cents per track for the quality, especially considering the length of each song. I downloaded the entire album for $8.99 and couldn't be happier.

This album is "a real page-turner." It is spellbinding, deep, and presented much like a Mark Z. Danielewski novel - intricate, layered. It is difficult to turn off, and once it is over it begs to be reheard, reexamined. I highly recommend this album. But as great as it sounds in a car, I do not recommend driving while listening to it for the first time...

As noted by other reviewers, "Kebabträume" (mislabeled "White Roses") does not fit well into the album's context but is a good song by itself. To me, it sounds like a relief track - the upbeat calm after the storm - rather than part of the DBA artistic statement.

While the last two track titles are mixed up, I am not taking away any stars because I consider it a technical error that is not the fault of the artist, and the order can be switched before burning onto a CD or sending to a portable device. I've also noticed this error on other albums featured on Amazon.

I grant this MP3 album 5 stars and wish to request more from its composer but it appears I am 12 years too late! If you enjoy this album, you won't necessarily enjoy Synthesizer or any other InSoc material. This is certainly a whole different ball game.

4.0 out of 5 stars Crisp remix, stellar album art, shabby proofreading, September 30, 2008

By 

Pi - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Be Afraid V 1 3 (Audio CD)

The remastered tracks on this disk are crisp, clean, and beautiful, with the exception of the slightly maddening skip towards the third minute of Empty 3.0.

Additionally, the new album art is absolute beauty. The lyrics page captures the mood of the entire album perfectly. You know exactly what you're going to get when you open the jewel case, now --- instead of a plainly labeled inoffensive blue, you see the Black Deer and a Man In A Long Coat. Lifting the disk reveals Kurt in concert, with an old-style analog clock superimposed in the corner.

The cons:

Kebabtraeume seems out of place, and would probably have been better in its labeled position instead of where it ended up. This is easily remedied with a programmable CD player.

The part I liked the least, and the second part of what kept this from getting a 5 star, is the fact that on the label spines, it's labeled "Don't Be Affraid", with two "f"s. Call me a nitpicker, if you must.