Customer Reviews

Hyperactive!

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EMI's bank balance must have dipped again; by my reckoning, this is the fifth Thomas Dolby compilation in the last five years - the others being Retrospectacle: The Best of Thomas Dolby, Premium Gold Collection, Hyperactive, 12 x 12. And, no, that isn't a typo - this is the second Thomas Dolby compilation to be titled Hyperactive (the first one was released by Disky, also distributed by EMI), although this one retains the exclamation point.

In spirit, Hyperactive! most closely resembles Retrospectacle. However, where Retrospectacle included the singles from Astronauts & Heretics (released on Virgin in the UK), plus "Urges" and "Leipzig" from the first edition of The Golden Age of Wireless, Hyperactive! sticks to material from Dolby's three EMI recordings.

That doesn't necessarily mean that it sticks only with the tried and true. Included in the track listing are "Cloud burst on Shingle Street" (from The Golden Age of Wireless), "The key to her Ferrari", and "The ability to swing" (both from Aliens Ate My Buick).

Of course, the key singles are represented as well - "Europa and the pirate twins", "She blinded me with science", "Hyperactive!", "Airhead", and the second Dolby's Cube single (before settlement of a suit brought by Dolby Laboratories restricted Thomas Dolby from using "Dolby" in anything other than his own name), "May the cube be with you".

So, overall, Hyperactive! is a well-balanced sampler of the Thomas Dolby catalog. As a budget-priced collection, this is a good place to start for the person who is curious about Dolby, but isn't sure which of the three original albums to get first.

Of the various Dolby collections out there, this one's the best mix of his popular and experimental works. It has the quirky hits "She Blinded Me With Science" and "Hyperactive" but also the hooky melodies of "Radio Silence" and "White City." " Dissidents" is a nice surprise in lyric and tune. And my favorite Dobly oddity, "One Of Our Submarines (is Missing)," explores a naval disaster. He is more hummable than you ever imagined.

Hyperactive was a favorite album for long drives when I was younger. It includes the popular, semi-wacky Hyperactive and She Blinded Me With Science, as well as quiet, introspective tracks like Mulu the Rain Forest. This is one of Dolby's more introspective albums, and it's an eclectic mix. I wouldn't buy this for your first Dolby album - try the classic Golden Age of Wireless - but if you loved that and want more, enjoy this work from a pioneer in electronic music and sampling.

I bought this because I was dissatisfied with the sound quality on the intitial GAOW and FL CDs and wanted to see if sound could be improved. It is, but I am expecting the new releases of the first 2 CDs to out do this. Hyperactive the CD is well done. I like how it dispenses with the 2 pop hits at the beginning and then transitions into more moody, melancholy zones. Hyperactive the song and Science may have paid the bills, but moody and melancholy is what Dolby does best.

This brings back great memories. Thomas Dolby is of the Dolby sound system fame. He does an excellent job showing off his talent with sound effects of the period using his techno-instrument and vocals for a great funky album. His first two songs are likely most familiar to the casual listener but the rest of the album is well worth going through. The first time you might be put off--go ahead and listen another time or two and you'll start hearing some of the sound tricks he does--that for the time was new. Headphones are best for listening. Realize that this was first put out about 25 or so years ago.--Jim Staudenmeier

I always Respected the different sounds&Grooves that Thomas Dolby always came up with.She Blinded me with Science alone was a Jam that rocked non-stop.he was always about trying something different.I feel he is very Underrated.he was into different styles&vibes.worth a Listen.