Customer Reviews

Elektrodelica

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a stark-raving-mad Anything Box fan who wore out his copies of "Hope" and especially the "lost album" "Worth," obviously I had huge expectations for this CD. But even if I hadn't been expecting much, it's pretty safe to say that I still would have found this album less than stellar.

Fans of the bands previous albums expecting the light, danceable synth-pop of "Peace," the complex songcraft of "Worth" or the melodic techno/trance of "Hope" will find none of those sounds on "Elecktrodelika." Claude S. and company offer a harsher, darker sound here...but that isn't the problem. The CD seems to be filled with unfinished songs...there are a lot of promising ideas and rich textures here, but the quickie tunes end before they even seem to begin. The tracks here can hardly be considered "songs," actually, and only the Beatle-esque "Conscious" recalls the Anything Box of old. Dania Morales, who always provided exquisite backing vocals on the previous releases, left before the making of this album, and her presence is also sorely missed here.

I admire Claude's determination and unwillingness to compromise the Anything Box "vision" (which prompted the band to leave Sony Music after the release of their debut album), but this album is not a step in the right direction. What Anything Box offered in the past...beautiful melodies, heartfelt lyrics, flawless harmonies, catchy SONGS...isn't anywhere to be found on "Elektrodelica." I must say that the album is an interesting experiment into new territory, but the material leaves much to be desired. So this is my personal plea to Claude S.....PLEASE go back to doing what you do best, and PLEASE finish writing a song before you record it!

This CD does have one thing going for it...it made me appreciate the previous albums even more. I sincerely hope the next album gets better than this...AND BRING BACK DANIA!

I picked up this album after having only heard the Peace release, and there is quite a bit of difference in styles. I think the vocals have become more polished as the band matures. The bouncy pop sound has been transmuted into a more trancy - space feel, and yet it still works well. My favorite tracks on this album are "Automatons & Emitter" (Two tracks that are blended into one), the instrumental "V C F" which is exceptionally simple and deep at the same time, and "Conscious" which seems like a tribute to the Beetles.

Many of the tracks are short, at around 2 minutes in length. In a way it reminds me of a buffet meal where you take small portions of lots of great food. In this case its small songs that each have a different flavor. I don't think it's necessary to draw out a song to get the feel, and I respect an artist able to put so much variety on one disc. This is one of the few albums where every track makes it onto my portable music player.

Since Diana left the band, Claude S. seems to be strugling to make great music like the old days. Claude S. experimented with new sounds that sounds terible. The addition of guitars and spacy pop noises just didn't do it for me (a long time fan). The music is not good at all like the old synth-pop sounds we all came to love from Anything Box. I also dont care much for the lyrics in this album (very cheezy). Their later release "universe is expanding" is much better than "Electrodelica" as they improved the new sound that the group was aiming for with this album but it is still nothing like the old days. This is the bands worst album to date and although I am a big fan, I do not recomend this album unless you are a die hard fan and just want to have all their stuff to keep in your collection and not ever listen to it like myself.

As someone who found Anything Box's previous releases a bit bland, I was pleasantly surprised by Elektrodelica's depth of texture and pop songcraft. The vocals are excellent- tight harmonies sometimes giving way to a pleasant, rough-edged singing style which imbues the songs with warmth. The synth work is rich and layered. The songs never overstay their welcome (many tracks are only two minutes long) resulting in a CD which is best experienced in its entirety from start to finish rather than as individual songs. Standout tracks do exist, though, such as "Automatons," "Mine," "Small," and "Popsong."

The only real negative on this disk is the track "Conscious" which is too reminiscent of Mott the Hoople's Bowie-penned hit "All the Young Dudes" for my tastes.

This groundbreaking album is a must for all music lovers. Anythingbox pushes the limits of sound like most bands have been afraid to in recent years. It gets better with every listen.

This cd is quite different from "hope", "peace", and there lost album "worth". It has more beats and synth to it. However, since Dania left, Claude still has new stuff to show. Overall the album is original and good. There are a lot of tracks and each one of them is worth listening to. Turn it up!!!!

I read the reviews and was a bit skeptacle when I purchased this. It certainly is different than Peace and Hope (the only other two I own) but it is still one of the best CDs I have heard in years. I just recently discovered these guys as they were cited as being an influence for the Echoing Green. Since the EG's new CD seems like I will be old and frail before it ever comes out I needed to find something to get that "fix".

This CD is great pop music. It has that synthpop sound with guitars and sort of a "Beatles" prescence to it. The vocals are top notch!! Almost every song is a sing along!!

I wish I could afford to buy a copy of Worth but will probably just download it someday. I hope the next CD I purchase is half as good as this and I will be happy!! Continue to hear conflicting reports of their sound after this CD. Someone even went so far as to compare their sound to the Partridge Family on a few CDs. YIKES!! But I am not quick to judge. I can handle the PF in moderation.

If you are a big fan of Anything Box's first three albums, and want the same hook laden pop songs, then you may want to think twice about this album. I admire Claude S, for taking a chance and trying something new. This album is covered in new ideas that last for a minute or two and then that's it. And that's the problem. Anything Box never seem to fully complete or fill out any of the songs on this album. It's as if they quickly get bored with a track and move on to something else. It sometimes sounds as if this is a compilation album put together by a few various bands. "Conscious" was released as a single, but didn't do well. "Negaverse" is one of the few tracks that stand out to me. "Autumn" as well.

This is my personal fav from them. I like the more rock influence in the songs. I realy dig this album. Some of there stuff is too fluffy.

I must say, I bought the first A-Box album only for Living in Oblivion, and I never really felt much for any of the other songs but Lady in Waiting and All These Hours Undone. And I never really liked Hope or Worth... But then came Elektrodelica. Sure, I didn't know it existed for the longest time (the US Army PX being the only media outlet in the area), but once I heard the songs, I was blown away. Gone are the sappy, sophomoric lyrics. You actually have to think about what the songs mean. And the music is amazing. Not the clean synth sound that they used to have; DM's Violator album sounded the death knell for that style. This is new, and at the same time, older than the 80's, hearkening back to the 60's and 70's. I love it.