Hi-Fi-Sci-Fi

Dramarama | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 15, 1993)
• Original Release Date: 1993
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chameleon / Wea
• ASIN: B000001A3P
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #179,337 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Dramarama has always been a hard band to peg. Since starting out in Wayne, New Jersey, in the mid-'80s, the band has synthesized early '70s glam rock influences with enough skill to avoid the retro tag at the same time that it's managed to avoid sounding current. The group's big-hair metal look and choreographed stage show were too slick to be alternative but the band members were too geeky and obsessive to be mainstream FM rockers. Auteurs Chris Carter and John Easdale must be tired of not belonging, because on Hi-Fi-Sci-Fi, they all too eagerly embrace the played-out grunge movement. The result is jacked-up, tuneless noise, but things are even worse when the group abandons the fuzzy formula to indulge in cocktail-lounge jazz. Only "Late Night Phone Call" recalls the catchy magic of early Dramarama releases such as Cinema Vérité and Box Office Bomb. --Jim DeRogatis

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's all relative, January 29, 2001

By 

wreckords33 "tombetz" (Austin, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hi Fi Sci-Fi (Audio CD)

Those of us who hang out in the Austin area pride ourselves in thinking that we're on top of all things musical. I regret that 6 years after the demise of Dramarama I stumbled onto their work as I was going through the process of culling some old CDs that I had collected over the years but hadn't listened to and decided to take a listen to Dramaram's Vinyl before I tossed it. Regretably all of my local music expert friends are equally ignorant of this band.

Doing a review of a cut-out CD seems rather pointless, especially since my impression is that only persons who are already familiar with the work of this band will even bother to check this out and they already know the facts.

Hi-Fi Sci-Fi I would rate as 5 stars relative to what we are being presented with as rock music these days; however, it probably isn't Dramarama's best work. Vinyl is probably better on the whole, and parts of Stuck in Wonderamaland are tops, including Last Cigarette. That's not to take away from Hi-Fi Sci-Fi, cause there isn't a dog on the entire CD and it holds up well on repeated listening. Standouts are the second track, "Work for Food", "Shadowless Heart", "Where's the Manual", and "Prayer". "Don't Feel Like Doing Drugs" is a fairly straightforward title, but "Prayer" is more to the point on the same subject, and it's better musically.

Hi fi and stereo magazines commonly base their reviews on artistic talents and production values. This CD excels on both and has some of the best bass definition in rock music, Check out that on "Where's the Manual".

That's about it. Maybe some sole lost on the Internet will stumble across this and decide to buy this cutout. If so, great, cause this is a band that deserves far more attention than it got. But don't stop with this CD, buy all their stuff that you can find. After I saw the Matrix, I really have a difficult time watching most movies. After I listened to Dramarama, I really have a difficult time listening to most rock music. These guys really raised the bar, and hardly anyone knows it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars kick ass rock and roll, December 4, 2003

By 

Raegan Butcher (Rain City, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hi-Fi-Sci-Fi (Audio CD)

I think Dramarama is one of the best rock and roll bands ever and it always amazes me that they never became hugely successful. This album is one of their best. John Easedale is a fantastic singer/songwriter and songs such as "Work for Food", "Don't feel Like Doing Drugs" and "Prayer" deserve much wider recognition.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Love Good Rock N' Roll..., December 27, 1999

By 

"deafula" (Ypsilanti, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hi-Fi-Sci-Fi (Audio CD)

One of the most underrated albums of any decade. Every song is dripping with good rock n' roll. This is the fantastic, sloppy rock that the Replacements shaped out of punk and the Rolling Stones back in the '80s. Heart-aching ballads, full speed rockers, and the most genuine, wonderful voice in rock, John Easdale. This is their last album, and a high point in their career. Virtually everything they did was good, but rarely were their albums as solid as this one is. I rarely rave about albums like this, so I'm not some drooling fan.