Elevator

Hot Hot Heat | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 5, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire
• ASIN: B0007US8ES
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,076 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Hot Hot Heat hail from Victoria, B.C., a town best known for imitating the queen's England in the service of tourism. But never fear: the high teas and manicured gardens are all well and good, this band knows that bad manners are what rock is all about. Case in point, the song "Goodnight Goodnight," in which a former girlfriend learns "you're embarrassing me, you're embarrassing you...this isn't goodnight, this is goodbye." There's nothing quite so much fun as a good dis song, and the Heat keeps the fun going on their newest album, Elevator. Virtually every track on the CD is short and sweet with plenty of energetic, poppy goodness. Standouts include "Ladies and Gentleman" (another semiburn: "everybody's got the same story--we never wanted him here, he showed up anyway."), "Middle of Nowhere," "Soldier in a Box"--well, I'll stop before I list them all. --Leah Weathersby

Product Description

Hot Hot Heat has scorched the college charts and warmed the hearts of critics with its most recent pair of indie albums. Now Canada's top Modern Rock outfit makes its major-label debut with Elevator, produced by Dave Sardy. With Elevator, Hot Hot Heat is on its way to the top with an album that, keeping with superstition, purposefully has no 13th track. Warner. 2005.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Seriously. It's THAT good! May 8, 2005

By M J Heilbron Jr. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

I must respectfully disagree with the majority of the reviewers here.

I totally loved this album, and I think it blows the doors off their last one.

If The Killers make you remember how great 80's music could be, then Hot Hot Heat here shows you how great and totally FUN it could be as well.

I really like The Killers "Hot Fuss" (and their singles are stupendous, no argument here) but I believe "Elevator" is it's equivalent. This is a WAY better album than, say, The Bravery.

There are several outstanding songs...full-on, well-crafted songs with irresistible melodies, terrific guitars and crashing drums, and lyrics you "get" by the end of the tune. The other songs are still worth a listen or two; this is one of the rare recent albums where I don't feel the need, or have the urge, to hit 'skip' every now and then.

When was the last time you heard "hooks" as good as these? Or more than one in a song? There are hooks galore here, from beginning to end.

"Running Out of Time" and "Goodnight Goodnight" are the knockout one-two punch opening songs, and the consensus appears to be that the latter is a great song. Even by some of those who aren't as impressed with the rest of the record.

But even songs like "Ladies and Gentleman" and "You Owe Me An IOU" have catchy parts, even if they don't quite reach the heights of those first two gems.

Later on, there's a song called "Pickin' It Up" which is a glorious punky-pop rock tune, like a fast Clash song with a boozy Robert Smith vocal....

And the single "Middle of Nowhere" stands head and shoulders above some of the pap currently heard on "modern rock" radio (although overall, modern rock radio IS in a better state of health compared to when Limp Bizkit appeared with regularity on their playlists).

The finale, "Elevator" SOUNDS like a great "last-song-of-the-record" song.

Nowadays, artists throw their worst tunes at the end as filler, and album sequencing feels random. In the 'old days', it was important to have certain songs end one side, or be the first on "side B". Not this album.

I love this album, and honestly, I am totally surprised that I do. I didn't expect this at all.

Seriously. It's THAT good! Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great CD that has been criminally neglected by radio! March 1, 2006

By Sactown

Format:Audio CD

I bought this CD about 6 months ago on the strength of the first single ("Middle of Nowhere") and also what I'd heard from their last offering. There are several tracks on this CD that ought to be getting way overplayed on radio right now -- however, we (at least here in the U.S.) instead get to listen to yet another ditty from Rob Thomas or Kelly Clarkson instead. It's just criminal! "Middle of Nowhere" is (to me) almost the perfect pop-rock song, a modern-day version of the gems Elvis Costello used to put out, but this is a bit more polished (not in a bad way). "Running out of Time" is instantly intoxicating as well. The only reason I gave this CD 4 stars instead of 5 is that, well, there IS some "filler" on it. However, the vast majority of tracks will grab you pleasantly by the ears, either on the first listen ("Running out of Time") or by the fifth ("Dirty Mouth"). Put it this way... 80 percent of the songs on this CD are better than 80 percent of what you'll hear on radio today.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I actually prefer this to Make up the Breakdown April 5, 2005

By Voltron00x

Format:Audio CD

First off, its nice to see some publications out there giving props to the Hot Hot Heat for being among the first on the retro-80s bandwagon... as these types of bands become more and more common, its nice when someone points out to all those Killers fans that a lot of bands starting exploring that sound first.

That said, as much as I like Make up the Breakdown, I think I actually prefer this album. It definitely has a more polished sound to it, and that may turn off some of their older fans, but I like it... this isn't a perfect album, but it is extremely catchy, and I think the hooks the band unleashes here will net them more fans than 2 years touring in support of Breakdown did. Whether or not you think that's a good thing is up to you.

Best tracks? Island of the Honest man is one of the catchiest, so I can see why they chose to leak that one... but I think my favorite is Elevcator. I also like Middle of Nowhere... Jingle Jangle... Pickin' it Up and You Owe me an IOU are somewhat silly songs, but enjoyable.

In some ways I guess you could say this album sort of comes full circle... it sounds a lot like the bands that Make up the Breakdown inspired... so older fans may be disappointed. But taken on its own merits, this is a very good cd, one that will hopefully earn the band some much-deserved respect (and success).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More Please. April 12, 2005

By Rob

Format:Audio CD

This is no doubt Hot Hot Heat's best album. They have perfected the art of melodic pop rock song.

I strongly recommend this if you were into Phantom Planet's "The Guest" or Rooney. Do we really need anymore lame bands out there that like to complain about their lives and wear all black? (My Chemical Romance) Or how about some more whiners who write quiet acoustic guitar songs about losing their girl. (Straylight Run) Jesus. Its like when someone makes a rock record thats not a therapy session everyone goes stupid.

This is a good record with good songs. I recommend it if you like sunlight instead of sitting in a dark room hating the world.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth a try April 7, 2005

By Stephen

Format:Audio CD

I purchased this outing from Victoria indie rockers Hot Hot Heat the day it hit stores, with fairly high expectations of their major label debut. I was not disappointed.

The first thing that one notices is the fairly minimalist jacket and liner booklet. The track listing on the back of the album is listed with 15 at the top, much like the buttons on an elevator. There is no 13th track, much like most office towers have no 13th floor. A very neat touch.

The record starts with the useless Introduction. One wonders why it was included. However, it follows it with Running Out Of Time, a hook-laden song with a catchy chorus. The third track is the album's single, Goodnight Goodnight. My initial reaction to it is that the chorus doesn't seem to fit the verses, but after a couple of listens, I started appreciating the stylistic changes. Like the track which precedes it, it is laden with hooks.

Track 4 begins with a chant reminiscent of any other indie band, and a crunchy guitar intro. This is Ladies and Gentleman, a fairly dark ballad with plenty of plays on words, telling the tale of an extroverted gentleman who was ostracized by his peers. The track reeks of their influences, but is still a fun intro.

Track 5 starts with a lighthearted intro on the piano. You Owe Me An IOU, a throwback to their lyrical style established on 2002's Make Up The Breakdown. The verses are catchy and full of plays on words, and the chorus is memorable. It is followed up by a useless musical interlude (called No Jokes - Fact,) and then the entirely forgettable Jingle Jangle. This is a low-tempo ballad which feels entirely too much like a Jet song.... Fortunately it leads into the irresistable Pickin' It Up, coloured by yet another memorable chorus, and a bouncy riff that seems hard not to dance along to. Island Of The Honest Man comes next, a very interesting ska tune which mixes very fast verses and a slow, dramatic chorus. Track 10 is my personal favourite on the record, a ballad called The Middle Of Nowhere. This is what one would call the most mainstream song on the album, which simply means that the song is fairly safe. However, since this is Hot Hot Heat, the chorus is sheer gold. Track 11 is a 1980's style rocker called Dirty Mouth. Not much can be said about it. Track 12 is the very cool, very innovative Soldier In A Box. This is an excellent song, with one of the best choruses on the record.

There is no 13th song, but track 14 makes up for this omission. Shame On You is an up-tempo ska song reminiscent of the Clash's music during the 80s, but their lyrics during the 70s. "Running with scissors wasn't smart, I tripped and cut open your heart." The backbeat in this song seems like it's taken from a club in 1990's eastern europe, but on the whole the song manages to be very fun.

The album closes with the title track, Elevator. The verses are something of a sleeping pill, but on hearing the chorus, one cannot help but adore this song. The chorus is somewhat depressing, but it is delivered in such a way that it just sounds beautiful.

On the whole, the album has good flow from track to track. It's a nuisance that on a record which promises 15 tracks, there are only 12 songs. It is also annoying that the longest song is 4:03, however it is hard to hold it against these guys. In 20 years, we won't remember Hot Hot Heat, but for 2005, this is a fun album to put in to unwind. Read more ›