Customer Reviews

Elastica

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As has been noted in nearly every published review of this CD, and as even a superficial listen to it bears out, Elastica was influenced by Wire. To complain about this, however, is like complaining that The Rolling Stones were influenced by Chuck Berry, that Interpol were influenced by Joy Division, or that REM were influenced by The Velvet Underground, The Byrds, and Big Star. Music is a continuum, an evolving dialog with listeners. That Elastica use Wire as a starting point is perfectly fine with me! Our heroine's troubles with heroin meant that her muse was killed as quickly as it came, but she left behind a very nice monument to the sounds of agitated punk girl group rock - circa mid 1990s (now approaching two decades old). No, it's not groundbreaking or original, but it is good. If any of the foregoing review interests you, check this CD out. If not, you'll survive if you pass it by.

I always forget how good Elastica's eponymous debut album is, so it's a pleasant surprise to pop it into the stereo. There's nothing particularly revolutionary about this record (although having three out of four band-members being female is, sadly, still something of a rarity), but what it lacks in originality, it makes up for in spontaneity. This is a fun, bouncy, catchy bunch of songs and no mistake.

The tracks don't deviate from their guitar-bass-drums sound. They're all short and fast-paced. It's slightly punkish sounding, with a harder edge to it than most of the rest of the Brit-pop that was out around this time. There are some really nice melodies running through here. It's hard, but not too hard -- tuneful, but not too tuneful. A few of the songs are great, and none of them are bad. There's nothing on here that's any worse than solid.

The album has a very consistent sound (perhaps a polite way of saying all the songs sound the same, which is a fair criticism, but since I like them, it's not something I'm going to complain about). If you liked "Connection" (which was all over the airways when this first came out) you'll probably like this; if you hated that song, then the rest of the album probably isn't your cup of tea either.

Oh, and Suede fans will note that Brett Anderson gets a song writing credit in "See That Animal" (did every song he was writing in the mid-90s have some reference to animals?!).

It can be tough to pick favorite things. I don't have any trouble at all identifying this album as -- by far -- the greatest I have ever heard. It is so far above every other album that I will shocked if I ever hear its equal.

Some of the songs -- "Connection", "Stutter", and "Waking Up" come to mind -- are instant classics, and others, like "Line Up" and "Annie", grow on you quickly. What ties all the songs together is the perfection of the art of pop-rock (with just a hint of punk). From the opening chords, Donna (resident guitar goddess) grabs you by the throat with her simple but precise playing, and Justine Frischmann makes you fall in love with her when she delivers the vocals on "Never Here" with the perfect mix of affection, bitterness, and seduction.

Please don't think I'm letting hyperbole get the best of me; it's impossible to say enough good things about this album. The songs are short but very sweet, and each one is excellent; there's so much parity -- albeit at a very high level -- that I'm reluctant to name any standouts, but my favorites are:

"Stutter", probably my single favorite song; "Connection", which you've probably heard and which gives a decent idea of what the record sounds like; and "Hold Me Now", which is a slower, stacatto piece that showcases Justine's talent as a vocalist and lyricist.

Elastica isn't easily compared to other bands, but their primary inspiration is British pop and punk, and they're a little like a poppier Veruca Salt with an attitude, or a more polished Sleater-Kinney with prettier vocals and less anger. If you've given this album enough consideration that you're reading this review, you'll be doing yourself an injustice if you don't get it.

Elastica is dead, long live Elastica.

Justine et all put together perhaps one of the best albums to come down the pike in the nearly barren wasteland of the 1990's (heck that extends to the 2000's).

Stutter and Connection are the obvious songs on the CD and are the glue that holds it together. Intermixed beside these two incredible songs are a load of very good songs (2:1, Vaseline, Car Song, etc.), which is a tough trick no matter what band you are.

If you do not own this CD, get out from under your rock and buy it. It is not too late.

Elastica's song Connections was featured rather prominently in a couple of episodes of the short-lived television series My So-Called Life, and I was so enamored with this song that I bought Elastica's album. I thought it was pretty good music at the time; about a year ago, I decided to listen to the CD for the first time in several years - I hated it; I couldn't even get halfway through the album. Today, I decided to give the CD another try, and some of the old magic must have been in the air because suddenly I was impressed once again. Who knows what I will think next time? I think my unpredictable reaction to this music is, in large part, due to the fact that I haven't roamed through the musical landscape in which it dwells - I'm not even sure if this particular album falls under old wave or new wave music. I would say there is a strong punk influence here, but I may be wrong because I've never even come close to going through a punk phase. In any event, Elastica's sound is strong, raw, unadorned, and unrestrained; to my ears, it sounds like this band is rocking out in a neighbor's garage - this is a good thing, by the way. Elastica didn't worry about impressing listeners with a bunch of fancy, fake musical shenanigans. The tracks are all relatively short (the entire album of 16 songs has a running time of only 40 minutes) - it's as if the energy could only sustain its maximum effect for so long, and Elastica refused to sacrifice an ounce of musical integrity by padding the songs with the least bit of musical filler.

Elastica never came close to recapturing the magic of this album, but this Britpop group did leave its mark on 90s music. Today, more than ever, their music is a refreshing breath of fresh air rising above the general miasma of 90s rock. Besides Connected, there is great rocking to be found on tracks such as Annie, Waking Up, All Nighter, Vaseline, and several others. Stutter, a song about a boyfriend's little "performance" problem features a gripping tempo and some of Frischmann's most passionate vocals. Hold Me Now has something of an electronic feel to it - Justine Frischmann's voice never seems to wander far from the same note, giving this tune an ethereal quality that increases its impact on the listener. 2:1 is a wonderful song, with Frischmann's vocals taking on something of a haunting quality contrasted against the more artificial sound of the backing vocals. Never Here describes how love at first sight can quickly turn into something fleeting and forgettable; at almost four and a half minutes, this song stands out in both quantity and quality.

This isn't an album I listen to very often, but it does have a timeless appeal and unique energy to it that can connect quite strongly with the listener. I'm hard pressed to explain why I reacted so negatively to this album a year ago. I think it may come down to the fact that Elastica just isn't like all the other groups out there on the music scene; it's hard to grow complacent with this band's unusual style and presentation. I can love it one day and find myself hating it the next. The music is bound to stir up something different inside you every time you listen to it, though, and that in itself is something rare enough to be appreciated.

I've been trying this experiment lately. It all started when I heard a song on an episode of [...] As Folk that I absolutely loved and played endlessly. Suddenly, I was swept up in nostalgia, and I was recalling my Sophomore year of university in waves and waves of emotions, sounds and smells and memories that I didn't even know I had. So, I went further into this experiment and began dragging out old mixes and albums.

Here I found Elastica. Sigh. I was about 13, it was my Freshman year of high school. There was this girl on the bus that I knew because we had been riding the same route for a few years. One day, I hear her humming "Car Lover" and I began singing along to it. We became fast friends.

This is playing in my car right now. "Stutter", "Hold Me Now", "Annie", and of course "Hold Me Now" neatly sum up this album for me. I recommended it highly.

This album has become an essential staple in my Cd player since i was lucky enough to find it at a local store.
Its sixteen, relatively short songs, are energy bursts full of spunk and punky magnificence.
Such songs as the most popular, "Stutter" and "Connection", "Car Song", "Waking Up" and "2:1" are filled the catchiness and wittiness to keep you coming back for more.

Quite Reccomended.

I recently bought the Elastica album used for 6.99 remembering them from my high school days in the mid-90s(i feel old suddenly!) I was very impressed with the album.
The band uses a very angular, catchy style with amazing hooks that leave you in a coffee-buzz sort of feeling craving more.
Justine Frishmann, the singer-guitarist has a unique, attractive voice that is leagues above any other female 90s voice.
The songs themselves are well-done and have a great alternative feel to them. Track 7 "S.O.F.T" has a great "can't stop time" feel to it.
The hit "connection" is a mid-90s Britpop classic with irresistible pop hooks, while "Stutter" is a buzzsaw punk gem that flat out rocks. Track 11, "Waking Up" is beautiful stuff. Give this album a chance, you won't regret it. It beats anything on the radio today and will make a great addition to your cd collection.

My music collection is nearing 200 CDs and this is literally the best one I own. There are no bad songs on the album, and the closest I can come to a complaint is that most of the songs are very short. The band recognizes that most great pop songs are quite short, and the music on this album definitely has a strong element of pop to it, although it would be a mistake to call them a pop band and ignore the element of rock that runs throughout. This British group's debut album relies on simple, old tricks, but makes them work fabulously well. The strongest tracks on the album are those with a heavy, definitive beat and which emphasize lead singer Justine Frischmann's voice ("Connection", "Hold Me Now", "Never Here"), while fancy guitar-work makes "Car Song", "S.O.F.T.", and "Waking Up" well worth the listen. Each song is a success, though "Connection", "Hold Me Now", "Waking Up", and "Stutter" are the best, while "Vaseline", the minute-and-a-quarter closer, is a little weaker, though by no means an unpleasant listen. I recommend this album with my heart and soul.

It's hard to actually understand what went wrong with Elastica . When they first emerged on the european music scene they were the most promising band around . They had smart lyrics , they had the energy , they had the personallity and certaintly had the attitude in order to stand out . And they did - rightly so .

Eight years after it's initial release , their self tittled debut sounds as fresh as ever . " Blue " and " Stutter " are pure dynamite , " The Car Song " is bold ... while " Never Here " is more melancholic and sensitive . The best of all tracks though is no other than " Waking Up " , a melody with clear lines and powerful ( yet never harsh ) riffs .

Elastica's second following failed to live up to the expectations they themselfs have created with their wonderful debut . Their moment seems now to have been long gone . Yet one thing is sure : it was one to be remembered .