Customer Reviews

Don't Try This at Home

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

 

 

This is the third release from former music video director Jesse Hartman aka "Laptop" - so named because his early albums were said to be entirely produced on an IBM think pad. Laptop once again borrows from and reinvents synth-grooves from the 1980s and structures them into sarcastic, yet outgoing ditties.

Because of the hints of glam rock 'cooler than thou' songwriting, none of songs sink particularly deep. Most of the songs bemoan how hard it is to hip such as "Don't Try This At Home", "Let's Not and Say We Did," and "Want In?". There are a few songs on love and even a duet, but for the most part the topics are as shallow as the 80s were. However, this album avoids the cheese-factor so often found in 80s synth pop, not only because it isn't as dated, but because its charming and catchy songs don't take themselves too seriously and only intend to be danceable.

Some disgree whether or not this is the best album to introduce yourself to Laptop with, the other favorite is "The New Me Vs. The Old You," which is another good album. Like the synthpop of the 80s, his music is an acquired taste. If you require music with an guitar, or angst you can take serioulsy, Laptop is not the band for you. Fans of 80s Bowie, Roxy Music, New Order should definitely check out what Laptop has in on his hard drive. He does a much better of emulating his junior high school favorite bands than the more heavily favored Interpol.

Bowie, Magnetic Fields, Sleepy Jackson, T-Rex...it's good.

at least every other track is good.

3 and 1/2 stars.

... Opening Credits II and III seem to be what people wanted on Laptop's second and third fill-length CD releases. Opening Credits is a fine record. But it definitely could be improved on.

Whole Wide World is great. Ratso Rizzo is the most rhythmic (ethnic?) sounding Laptop song - certainly it's immediately catchy and deserving to be a single. It's been 5 years since Opening Credits. Don't Try this at Home is an evolution of music product that sounds retro/current at the same time, while incorporating more emotion in the vocals and more varied instrumentation/programming.

Other highlights here are Want In, So Funny, Surprise, Surprise, and Don't Try This at Home. Very much looking forward to the next Laptop release.

Laptop's last two records End Credits and The Old Me Vs The New You were really extraordinary pieces of synth pop, the hooks were strong, the lyrics were laugh out loud funny, and yet the record had a feeling of poignancy that gave it some heft. Don't Try This at Home is missing all the elements that gave the previous releases such charm. It feels like Jesse Hartman is trying to hard with his music and lyrics this time, rather than the effortless charm of his past releases. Also, Ratso Rizzo could be one of the worst songs I've ever heard. Seriously. What gives??

Do not start your Laptop collection with this record. Stick to the past two releases.

Sounds like a deadpan David Bowie (Cat People era)fronting early Talking Heads, covering Television...not bad. But do we really need that? If your answer is "yes", dive in.