Girls Just Want To Have Fun & Bohemian Rhapsody [Import]

Emilie Autumn | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 26, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Trisol
• ASIN: B001BFPIEQ
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,601 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2008 CD EP from the Goth/Industrial artist best known as being the 'anarchy violinist' in Courtney Love's touring band. In her emotionally charged and absolutely incomparable "Victoriandustrial" style, studded with killer beats and spattered with violins and harpsichords, Emilie mesmerizes us once more. Never one to play by the rules, she ignores the standard release schedule established by other artists, and offers up her deliciously ironic renditions of two of the most notorious songs of all time: 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Includes five versions of 'Girls Just...', 'Gentlemen Aren't Nice', live versions of 'Mad Girl' and 'Asleep' plus 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. AFM.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Teatime, indeed., December 13, 2008

By 

Teja Johnson-Lewis (Wellsville, New York) - See all my reviews

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Harpsichord Rendezvous)
4. Asleep (Live)
5. Mad Girl (Live)
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Teatime Remix by EA)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Asylum Remix by Inkydust)
8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Bad Girl Remix by The Fire)
9. Gentlemen Aren't Nice (hidden track)

This record is really lovely, but I think you have to already really love Emilie Autumn and some of the themes she likes to work with - the asylum, Victorian teatime, just to name a couple - in order to feel it. The whole thing is like a sunny tea party with your girlfriends, and if you're ever so inclined to have one, this would make great background music. If 4 O'Clock was the dark side of the asylum, this EP is the daydreamy Alice in Wonderland half. The different renditions of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun are all well-suited to different elements of that: the first is pure fun, and the cello solo by Bloody Crumpet Lady Joon Hee makes it feel even more gal-pal-ish; the harpsichord version is light and tinkly; the teatime remix has a Misery Loves Company-esque synth sound; the asylum mix sounds like a midnight romp in an old-fashioned toystore; and the bad girl mix is the sound with an added, classic-rock sounding guitar, and makes me think of the Pink Ladies from Grease. Bohemian Rhapsody, of course, is Emilie's take on Queen's big hit and it is outrageously girlish, as though you're listening to a friend sing it. The two live songs add to the atmosphere, the first being an introduction to Mad Girl, which of course suits it, and since it's live it feels sort of intimate.
The last song is perfect. She sounds as though she's having a lot of fun singing it, and it's definitely the sort of thing one girl would say to her coterie when complaining about her gentleman.

This is all done in a self-conscious way, however, so that it knows it's a put-on tea party, and if you're interested in that, it doesn't matter whether you too are an innocent tea party-going girl or not (I think I fall in the latter category myself). But it's all wonderfully summed up with the title of the main song, and that's what you're getting in this album.

As an album, for someone who is less into the overall summation, it does have its flaws; the Bohemian Rhapsody cover just doesn't go far enough and it does sound like she's just singing it to show that she can, rather than owning the piece as she does Girls, Asleep feels like filler, and the last two remixes sound desperate and then dull: the Asylum one is kind of a rehash of all the other version in a way that doesn't quite add up to a coherent, consistent sound of its own, and the Bad Girl one never does enough with the guitar to sound very interesting, and you might as well be listening to the original track. But I really think, overall, that it's worth it, even for someone who is just beginning to take an interest in Emilie Autumn.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great rendition of Lauper's classic, but the rest falls flat., September 7, 2008

By 

Nicola Jarvis (Herts, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Still riding on her success of Opheliac and its style, Emilie Autumn has now released an EP with two covers of the most distinctive songs ever recorded: Cyndi Lauper's `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and Queen's `Bohemian Rhapsody'.

Two very difficult songs to make your own and two very difficult songs to sell different versions of as the originals are so culturally and historically well-known. Autumn's attempt does not work with both songs.

This EP contains nine tracks. There are five versions of `Girls Just Want To Have Fun', one of `Bohemian Rhapsody', two live tracks from her recent tour and an extra exclusive recording. Veteran Autumn fans will recognise the format easily enough, but for new fans this EP may be a bit baffling.

Her rendition of `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' stems from her impulse decision to perform it live on her tour, and it turned out to be so popular that it was in high demand for Autumn to record it. This is for good reason. Autumn's version of the classic is a triumph. It fits perfectly with her stage persona and attitude, and she has adapted it to her own unique style, which of course includes her second favourite instrument - the harpsichord. Unlike the original the electronics are at a minimum (just a drum machine for the beat) and some violin is thrown in for good measure. Her vocal delivery is as sarcastic and fun as ever. Probably one of her best recordings.

On the other end of the scale `Bohemian Rhapsody' is not so immediately convincing. The arrangement is the same as her other recordings, with her strings and her drum machine (and a welcome electric violin that replaces the guitar) but it remains difficult to accept the changes. The original is a full blown production that screams fullness and atmosphere. This version pales in comparison. It is clear, however, that she is not taking it completely seriously and her vocals verge on comic, but the song feels simply empty.

Fortunately, her `Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' dominates the EP with four remixes along with her original. The first remix takes out the drum machine and has only her harpsichord and vocals pull the song through. The second is almost opposite, emphasizing on the drum machine over the other instruments. The third takes it a step up and focuses on a heavier electronic percussion. The fourth remix has a more authentic rock band feel. Unlike Autumn's earlier remixes on other EPs, there is not much vocal manipulation in any of these remixes - they pretty much remain the same.

The live tracks are nothing special, and are an odd choice. One is an exclusive track called `Asleep' which acts as an introduction to the second live track `Mad Girl' that originally came from her Liar/Dead is the New Alive EP. The recorded version is superior - the live tracks only seem to perform the function of filling up the EP.

The last track is hidden and is not credited in the booklet or CD cover (the song was added at the last minute before production). It is an exclusive track called `Gentleman Aren't Nice'. It's a short narrative song with a simple harpsichord accompanying - its tone is quite cabaret/jazz.

The Limited Edition of this EP (still available at time of writing, though it will be re-released in a jewel case once it sells out) is in a digipak with a colourful, glossy booklet with photos of her from her tour. There are also two new photos from her Opheliac photoshoot in the fold out cover.

The full track list to this EP is as follows:

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Harpsichord Rendezvous)
4. Asleep (Live)
5. Mad Girl (Live)
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Teatime Remix by EA)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Asylum Remix by Inkydust)
8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Bad Girl Remix by The Fire)
9. Gentleman Aren't Nice

Like any of Autumn's EPs, this is not for beginners. For dedicated fans, the title track is a real treat, along with the remixes though they do not deviate from her original recording that much. The rest of the EP is a big let down, and whilst you can only admire Autumn's courage to tackle `Bohemian Rhapsody' and the vocals let you know it is not to be taken too seriously, it is still difficult not to feel a little bit uncomfortable with it.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Cup of Tea, September 14, 2008

By 

Vindictive Vinny "CreepyKookySpooky" (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Girls Just Want To Have Fun & Bohemian Rhapsody (Audio CD)

First of all the tracklist:

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Harpsichord Rendezvous)
4. Asleep (Live)
5. Mad Girl (Live)
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Emilie Autumn Teatime Edit)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Inkydust Edit)
8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Asylum Edit)

Having seen Emilie perform "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" in concert in an amazing Asylum gone wild fashion, I can attest to how great this cover is. Emilie takes the song into the Asylum, infests it with her plague, adds double spoonfuls of sugar, and creates her own song out of this classic. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is even better coming from a woman's point of view (especially when that woman is Emilie Autumn). This song fits into her violin-dustrial world of maddened inmates, like a well tailored straight jacket. Although I haven't received my copy at this time of writing (it is on its way though, and eagerly await being infected with the plague once more as though it were my first Emilie album), I simply refuse to let someone say this is a bad cover, having gave it one star.

No, don't listen to them. If you want to hear Emilie's "Bohemian Rhapsody" go to her myspace page and listen for yourself. Emilie is multi-talented prodigy well skilled in violin, both classical and electric rock violin. She infuses her tunes with the harpsichord adding a very unique, and thoroughly enjoyable sound all her own. I can't wait to hear the remixes of "Girls..." and knowing what she sounds like live; I am not one bit disappointed by the inclusion of live tracks on this release. In the future I can only hope that Emilie release a DVD of her live in concert, as well as her long-awaited "The Asylum For Wayward Victorian Girls" and "The Alphabet Book of X-Boyfriends". I am with Emilie in whatever mad endeavors she comes out with next. I hope you discover her and get the plague with the rest of us who are already contaminated.