Customer Reviews

El Subliminoso

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

dada's third (and final)IRS release "El Subliminoso" is their only self-produced effort (to date, anyway). For this 1996 release, the group finally got control of the `helm'. The dense pile of multiple overdubbed layers on most tracks, the occasional stylistic departures, and the overall extended song lengths of this disc are evidence of the group flexing their studio "muscles" and letting themselves capture their full vision for the songs without someone else calling the shots or reigning them in. Close study of the results reveals a fascinating set of songs that were labored over for many months-songs that continue to reveal hidden details even after years of listening. Their extensive efforts paid off with the creation of one of the most varied and distinctive discs in an already high-quality catalog.

There are plenty of songs that stay firmly within the alt-rock-power-trio-with-harmony-vocals musical territory staked out in their tasty '92 debut "Puzzle" and the sumptuous '94 follow-up "American Highway Flower". These include the soft verses/loud choruses dynamics of "I Get High" , "Rise", and the disc opener "Time Is Your Friend", a rumination on mortality's ever-ticking clock. Also somewhat conventional dada-sounding are the rockin' "Sick in Santorini", the scathing rumination on self-centeredness called "Fleecing of America" and one of the disc's highlights, "A Trip with My Dad". This humorous, surrealistic tale of father/son bonding is craftily worded so that you are never quite sure whether this is the recounting of an actual point-A-to-point-B car trip, or whether maybe the two simply climbed in the station wagon, dropped acid in the driveway and never even started the engine.

A few songs stray farther from the dada `comfort zone' with generally good results. "Bob the Drummer" slightly resembles the spoken-word (not quite rapping) style of a song from their debut disc called "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" but incorporates a hip-hop beat. The sci-fi influenced "Spirit of 2009" employs some of the most densely-fuzzed bass on the planet to go with futuristic guitar sounds, distorted vocals and strangely muted drumming. "Star You Are" has an easy-listening, all acoustic, lush-harmony sound-but this deceptively sugary package hides a poisonous sting: lyrics representing the twisted world view of a deluded, homicidal "fan". This is easily the most chilling and disturbing song in the entire dada catalog if you listen closely enough.

"El Subliminoso" ranks as the most distinctive disc in the dada discography, and its occasionally challenging passages make it harder to absorb that the more immediately likeable other three 90's discs of dada. This disc, however, is most representative of the bands' vision and will ultimately reward the listener for making the investment in time it will take to fall in love with it. (Try it with headphones, by the way--amazing).

After this came out, IRS records imploded. After a self-titled 1998 disc on MCA failed to trouble the charts, dada entered the new millennium on a label-less, multi-year, self-imposed hiatus. The good news for fans is that after years silence or side projects (such a Butterfly Jones) they've revved up again in 2003. Look for more this year and beyond from this amazingly talented group.

El Subliminoso is one of those albums that you "try out" because you've heard some stuff by the artist (in this case, Dada), and you really score. I can't think of one track I don't like on this album. It's creative, original, ... you'll find yourself just bopping and banging pretend drums to the music. The mood is pretty upbeat, yet with enough poignancy to get to your emotions. It's kind of hard to tell what they're actually singing about, but that doesn't really matter, because the music is killer. I guess the genre is rock... mood or ambient rock? with a bite. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

It's a crime how unsung this band is. Three extremely gifted (and quite multi-talented) musicians and songwriters. How these guys found each other and have hung together so long in such a wicked industry is a neat little testament to how good music can find a way to be created no matter what the odds.

"El Subliminoso" is the paramount of their efforts. The opener - "Time Is Your Friend" is a classic Dadaism: wry, witty, telling lyrics that mock and mourn at the same time...driven by a really kickin' hook and riff. "Bob The Drummer", "Trip With My Dad" and "Sick In Santorini" are idiosyncratic gems. "Star You Are" is a sweet ode to a soon-to-be-ex-talking-head as seen through the twisted eyes of a lonely madman. "The Fleecing of America" is an urgent anti-anthem written for the architects of the Patriot Act (even though this song was written well before that travesty became law). The added bonus tracks are all excellent as well - particularly their cover of "California Dreamin'". Don't be a schmuck - pick this one up.

This is Dada's third album, yet another 5-star effort, though I like the first 2 slightly better. "The Spirit of 2009" and "No One" are outstanding tracks which would have fit right in on the earlier albums, but Dada begin exploring some more varied styles on other fine songs like "Sick in Santorini" and "Bob The Drummer". Another winner.

This is probably one of their more experimental CD's by this band and maybe the least accessible, I'd venture to say. It has some great tunes: Rise, You Won't Know Me, Bob The Drummer, and Star You Are being a few of my favorites. All of their trademark sounds are here in spades, shimmering harmonies, solid yet interesting rhythm section as well as the experimental/bluesy/Hendrix-type guitar work. If you are new to this band I'd recommend getting Puzzle first, it is very accessible.

If you can find this one with the additional 4 tunes at the end, just buy it. The added songs are worth the price of the disc alone. Their version of California Dreaming has some interesting deviations from the Mama's & Papa's original throughout much of the song and Michael's guitar solo is incendiary - arguably the best wah user since Hendrix. Honestly, it is this song that turned me on to this band as it was the last of their set while opening for Sting in 1994. Mystery Date is hysterically funny, but dark. Put Me Down just plain rocks during the outtro.

This band has had a bad run of luck with record labels and it is really unfortunate they are not more well-known as all three members are really talented. If you ever get to see them live, you'll understand that there are still real musicians out there along with all those "Rock Stars".

After listening to literally tens of thousands of musicians, albums, etc. I have never encountered a band that is overall better than Dada. They are the single best band in my opinion (if you could only listen to one band that is). The absolutely brilliant creativity, originality, and quality of the instruments and how they're mixed, the vocals, and the imaginative lyrics are downright "interesting" are unparalleled. If ever there was the perfect combination of "pure genius in musical form", Dada is it. You can simply listen to and enjoy the "raw sound" of their music or if you're sipping a cup of coffee or tea on a Saturday morning and your mind wants to delve into something "deeper" you can try to figure out the lyrics and perhaps relate them to something in your own life experience. Sorry if I sound like I'm praising the band too much, there are obviously many good bands, but Dada is so unique and interesting that I've not found anything that comes close yet. If I had to pick a band that comes the closest though, Rush would probably be the next closest band (they're awesome too, and "decent chaps" to boot if they are anything in real life as they were in a recent television interview, with Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee of course). Try Dada if you're looking for an ultra high quality, ultra interesting, never boring source of music. They are the type of band where the more you listen to them, the better you like them (but for me, it doesn't stop). Hopefully you will enjoy them too. If you base your decision as to whether you like their music from listening to an MP3 through your computer or something, you'll never get to hear how really good they are. I'd recommend either buying a real CD or play the MP3s through something with high enough quality to hear what they truly sound like. Good luck, and enjoy something like you've never heard before in what might possibly called "intellectual rock" disguised as "pure musical enjoyment".

DADA expands their sound and their songwriting subject matter in this, their 3rd full-length release. Killer riffs and hooks galore (I especially love Joie's bass intro on "You Won't Know Me"), plus some interesting 'storytelling'-type songs to complement the more standard DADA fare, are what you'll happily find on this album. Some of the lyric writing ('I Get High' and 'Rise') falls a bit short of the stratospheric standard set on their first two CD's, but even those songs are still plenty good overall, due to the band's utterly amazing chops. (And other songs here are some of the best Michael and company have written to date!) Compared to their first two, this one might take a little 'grow time' for ya, but there's still no mistaking "El Subliminoso" for anything other than another killer DADA album!

This one didn't light my fire. Disappointing. The music is not bad though -- it just didn't live up to the previous two albums. I have had this album for several years and rarely played it (unlike Puzzle which I loved immediately and play often). Reading other's reviews here, I will try it again to see if it grows on me (I have my doubts though!). Don't give up on Dada though they are a tremendously talented band -- the best American band in decades (ever?).

UPDATE: Well I tried it again, and still did not care for it. Puzzle is the one to get. I read a comment recently from somebody that they thought bands should break up more often so that new more innovative bands can form -- I disagreed at the time (its bad when your favorite band breaks up) but perhaps he had a point. Where would we be now if Eric Clapton stuck with the Yardbirds -- no Blues Breakers legacy (so perhaps no Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac, Gary Moore, etc.), no Cream (and so perhaps no Van Halen?), no Led Zepplin? ...

The content of this CD is excellent and is probably their most consistant effort aside from the "Puzzle." I would say their catalog is about as good as any underrated band out there.

As far as the previous reviewer's lovely musings on the "Fleecing of America," (sarcasm implied), how does he feel about Dada releasing remasters of CDs that came out 10 years ago? I would call that more of a true definition of "fleecing." Why they didn't release a separate CD of all the unreleased tracks instead of forcing the rabid fan to buy all of the CDs again is obvious. They too, no matter how much they might not admit it, need to make a buck and had to soak their fans the extra cash. I know a lot of people would be more apt to buy a "b-sides" CD than the CDs they already owned again.