Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Broadcast's lovely "sound, June 28, 2004
What is Broadcast? Broadcast is dreamy, swirly indie-pop-rock that manages to be experimental and familiar all at once, with hints of jazz, trip-hop, and general melodic confusion. Does the British band's third release, "Haha Sound," pull itself together into a good album? In a word, yes.A gently dischordant opener kicks off the entrancing, quirky "Colour Me In." Following it up is the slightly staticky rockers like "Pendulum" and the vaguely spooky "Man is Not A Bird," sparkly pop like "Lunch Hour Pops" and "Ominous Cloud," and offbeat ballads like "Before We Begin" and the ethereal "Valerie." Not to mention stately soundscapes like the shimmering "Minim" and experimental spazzing in "Distorsion." You don't really expect rock to be pretty, or pop to explore new musical ground. But Broadcast manages both at the same time. They effortlessly switch from mellow to childlike to jaded. And their music is a neo-60s tangle that sorts itself out into simple, jangly melodies. Trish Keenan's voice is well suited to the dreamy music; she has that sort of high, sweet voice that is often associated with schoolgirls. But in some songs like "Little Bell," her voice dips down and becomes much throatier. Okay, you can't really understand what she's saying, but if you dig down to the lyrics, you'll get some evocative, wintry songs with lots of references to sleep, snow, ice and cold. At times the lyrics can border on sappy ("You are the only one/To keep me sane when all is wrong") but it never quite crosses that border. Psychedelic guitar riffs are the core of Broadcast's sound in this CD. But not the only part of the sound: There's quite a bit of distortion and fuzziness in some of the rock songs, augmented by some subtle work on the drums -- particularly the eerie, drippy solo at the end of "Man Is Not A Bird." Adding to the atmosphere are the cymbals, and adding a more delicate note is the triangle. The retro-60s sound of Broadcast is polished further in "Haha Sound," a pretty collection of musically adventurous pop-rock. Highly recommended.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Captivating!, March 29, 2004
Broadcast is one of the few current bands that I give two nickels about, and this disc proves that they continue to evolve and grow. I remember being a poor teen who could only afford (or convince his parents to purchase) one or two 'tapes' a month. Of course, I listened-the-heck out of those tapes, which is something I do less often now, seeing how I have more CDs and less time to listen to them (if only I could make the $ without working). Upon buying Haha Sound, though, I listened-the-heck out of it for five days straight - this disc reeled me in, and I was forced to explore what was going on. Come on!! You can't even tell what instrument is being played half the time, or how it's being played. Some moments on this disc are the poppiest Broadcast moments ever (pop='emotionally affecting', not 'sell-out'), yet others push the rollercoaster of weirdness to greater heights. Broadcast, like every great band, has influences and roots in the past, yet they continue to push forward and create music that couldn't have existed at any other time. This is what, years from now, will put Broadcast heads and shoulders above the legions of revivalists and imitators littering the scene right now. With this album, Broadcast continues to move ahead, while taking rock and pop with them.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mo Pop, April 21, 2004
I first heard Broadcast a few years ago. I heard one of their EPs and was disappointed. I had high hopes because other people mentioned them to me often. But recently I saw them play this year and heard this new full album. I was excited by it. It seems like everything you would want in a record: psychedelic, dreamy, and rhythmic... You often hear John Barry and Morricione mentioned when people talk about Broadcast. I think that Broadcast takes soundtrack music to a more interesting and darker place. "Pendulum" is a great song and it's great that they include it on this album. Where other bands like them have either went electro or loss their focus or even quit altogether, it's wonderful that Broadcast has come out this year seeming like one of the freshest, most original bands of the year. Songs like "Before We Begin" and "Valerie" show off their more subtle and mellow side. You then remember that they are on Warp Records and not some independent French label. The album length allows them to explore sound and use noise. They do this as well as more regular songs. It's important in music today to be original and not just rehash your record collection. Broadcast are definitely one of those special groups that have a distinct sound that looks forward and backwards, and celebrates everything great in music about right now. History is bunk. Hopefully more people will stop following trends and worrying about what is cool, and just listen to bands like Broadcast. Who cares about your haircut?
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