Customer Reviews

Liquid

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought this CD in good faith, relying simply on the reputation of Alan Wilder and my memory of some marvelous tracks from the previous Recoil release, Unsound Methods. While I expected certain things, such as emphasis on lyrics and some beautiful harmonies, what I didn't expect were the gloominess and unrelenting darkness of all songs. As a fan of the more moody releases of Depeche Mode and goth music in general, it was a pleasant surprise. Liquid can be almost frightening, however, with as much anguish and terror as it projects on the listener. Some numbers are a bit overdone, such as Strange Hours or Vertigen, but even they possess an ability to haunt for hours afterward. Chrome, especially, is uniquely and beautifully dark - "life doesn't mean telling lies, it means enduring what you despise" seems a defining theme for the entire CD. I believe this isn't for everyone. I'm certain that even fans of Recoil or Depeche Mode might have a hard time listening to Liquid. Before you buy this, sample it if you can. But if you find a certain appeal in the poetry of darkness... you won't be disappointed. I, for one, can't wait for more.

It seems for the latest Recoil installment that the music has taken a backseat and this album is more a showcase for vocals. I must admit, while the album has its moments, I fail to see the supposed theme. A pilot, who is killed in a plane crash, sees his life flash before him in the contents of the music, which is bookended by an intro and outro. However, his life is apparently filled with stories of twisted seductresses, murderers and the wife of Ahab, Jezebel. I fail to see the connection. If you like soft and hard textured voices, spoken word and urban trash stories than this is for you. If you like more of an electronic, sophisticated, layered sound, go with the '97 album "Unsound Methods". It is worthy to mention that "Liquid" has great artwork and a very consistent image, physically. As for the music...

This latest outing from the former Depeche Mode maestro does not disappoint. Continuing in the direction of "Unsound Methods," this album is basically a continuation of the musical motifs from the previous album, but is certainly more narrative. There is a much stronger emphasis on the lyrics than on "Unsound Methods," stressing that the words take center stage. Nicole Blackman's tracks are the best in my opinion (but that is mainly because I have been a Blackman fan since Golden Palaminos), and her readings take on a sinister erotic nature here, almost moreso than on anything else she's ever done. She sounds like a seductress ready to chew you up and spit you out. The same can be said of Samantha Coerbell, especially on the semi-title track "Last Call for Liquid Courage" (interesting to note that she was drunk when she recorded that track). Diamanda Galas takes on the track "Strange Hours," the first single, and probably the best track on the album. This song most closely resembles the formula of "Unsound Methods," not unlike "Red River Cargo," but with a more New Orleans-y feel. Galas' voice carries the song to many levels, from a passionate southern songstress, to the quiet angelic tones in the chorus, to an almost evil melange of random vocal snippits in the closing, not unlike some of the devices employed by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. A very malevolent, but still potent track, and one with a subject that could stir some controversy among listeners. The album also contains a great deal of harsh guitar sounds as well, usually with lots of echo and distortion. To put simply, this album sounds much like Maggie Estep's tracks from "Unsound Methods," street poetry read amidst anarachic soundscapes of violence and subtle eroticism. The emphasis on the lyrics on this album does however take away from the music somewhat, but this is the album's only real flaw. Overall, it is a worthy follow-up to it's predecessor. An album of fine sonic craftsmanship and poetic ecstasy.

I was a great fan of Unsound Methods, and after hearing the sound samples for Liquid off of Recoil's site, I braced for a phenomenal album. And there *are* many points that are phenomenal--just about every song has something fantastic going for it. The problem for me was that it's heavily diluted with spoken word lyrics and slow, atmospheric synths...

Recoil fans should expect more tracks akin to Luscious Apparatus and less like Drifting. As one reviewer put it, the spoken word tracks are extremely effective if used in moderation (I think Luscious Apparatus was one of the best tracks from Unsound Methods), but they simply had too much of a presence with this album.

I felt at times I was being teased by Wilder's talent--especially with Virtigen, which would occasionally break out into wonderful musical flourishes but would quickly revert to a slower and more stark soundscape. I think that this album had the potential to be brilliant. I love the fact that Wilder experiments and I love the unconventional nature of his songs, but I miss the more musical content of Unsound Methods.

If this is your first Recoil album to buy, I strongly recommend you to ignore all those reviews from hardcore fans who rated this album with one or two stars only. I rather think that "Liquid" is the first Recoil album which is also palatable and accessible for not-fans. Alan Wilder's band has always been an avant-garde project, and there are too many people who want him to be synth pop band like Depeche Mode. Thank God, Alan ditched the cold, synthesized arrangements of previous albums and invited a real backing band to create a more organic and concise sound. There are even flashes of electro-rock similar to Nine Inch Nails. "Liquid" features some of the most incredible female singers I've ever listened to. These voices are like a deadly nightshade: Seductive and intriguing, but just so dangerous and lethal. Along with the singularly spectral and dark musical backing, the lyrics and vocals carry you through frightening but very attractive sonic landscapes. Standout tracks are all songs featuring Nicole Blackman and certainly "Strange hours". I don't want to be blatant, but I think "Liquid" is a contender for "Best Of 2000". I

How can you narrow-minded lads give a lot of "not helpful" votes to people who love this album? I guess you're full of prejudice towards "Liquid". It's Alan's most difficult but also most rewarding album. If you're keen on slick synth pop, buy something from Depeche Mode! If you're looking for a fascinating listening adventure, then immerse yourself into the dense, threatening atmosphere of "Liquid". As this is an enhaced CD, there's also some stuff for your computer on this disc. It gets even better after several listenings because everything fits perfectly together. Glad I didn't add my review below to my member page, so your negative and silly feedback doesn't touch me at all. Before you bash other people's musical tastes, write your own review!

Having never heard Recoil before, I was played a copy of this and was instantly hooked (so I have no bias or loyalty to Alan Wilder). From the other reviews here it seems that some people just don't like the dark tone of this album ... that's more a comment of individual taste than quality of the music. If, like me, you like music that artfully explores the darker depths then you'll find "Liquid" is a real treat. This is twisted and menacing, while being kinda funky and soothing at the same time ... like a chilled out version of NINs Downward Spiral album. If you want pop-synth there's plenty of that floating around elsewhere, but finding dark music of this quality aint easy.

Great artwork and very creative production. Check out the video which is on the CD. As good as his other albums and has created his own niche. Would like to hear more of Allan's vocal ability and possibly some chorus's. Otherwise delighted with this imaginative piece of work.

I am a HUGE fan of DM, but I feel hit and miss with Recoil. I haven't heard Hydrology, I LOVE Bloodline, I HATED Unsound Methods... so that leads me to Liquid. Liquid is hands down better than Unsound Methods. It is much more subtle, more focused and, as a plus Maggie Estep is nowhere to be heard! But seriously, there is a lot of nuance on liquid. It is very slow, very careful, and very, very dark. In that way, it is similar to Unsound. But Liquid seems to take off from where Unsound Methods left off, and surpasses that entire album in its first two tracks, Black Box (pt. 1) and Want. There is so much darkness in these two tracks alone; all tension, total blackness, no halflight to be seen anywhere. In fact, as the album progresses, the unthinkable happens: the atmosphere becomes even more claustrophobic and impenetrable. Strange Hours is close to perfect... Diamanda Galas is note perfect uncamped creepiness. Vertigen is beautiful, even if you can't understand Rosa M. Torres's vocals - the way she speaks is still breathtaking. The other tracks here all succeed; all fit together, except one - Jezebel, a Moby-style song where Wilder has sampled an old Jazz quartet singing and put it to synth. Its not so much that it is a bad track, as it doesn't work with the rest of the album. It just doesn't fit the way the others do. And as it is the third track, it breaks the flow where it should be helping it to progress. But this imperfection is not enough to lower my rating. I am not a huge fan of ambient music... it takes a lot to make me like anything ambient. I LOVE Liquid. It really has the power to provoke thought, to affect, and most of all, to frighten. A wonderfully bleak work of brilliance.

Back in Depeche Mode's heyday, I was a fan of some of the darker aspects of music that hid underneath DM's underbelly, bands like Skinny Puppy, Controlled Bleeding, RevCo, Poesie Noire and My life w/ the Thrill Kill Kult. Depeche Mode was one of the few bands in my repertoire that moved me to such an extent that even to this day I can still put on "Music for the Masses" and find my soul submerged within it's deep and beautiful currents. On the other hand those other bands had really nothing of value to offer but a shallow one dimensional aspect to human nature, and as such I can't really listen to any of those monotonous bands anymore without becoming completely bored. Unfortunately with "Liquid", ex Depeche Moder Alan Wilder's latest release under the Recoil nameplate, it sounds as if he's taken over the reins from those other bands who's formula has gotten so old and stagnant that none of them put any albums out anymore. Yes, Wilder's a master at painting sound but unfortunately the album doesn't go anywhere. The music is only a backdrop to vocals that wouldn't sound out of place on My Life w/ the TKK's best known and aptly titled album "Confessions of a Knife". If you still subscribe to that nocturnal age of years gone past in music, then yes come out of your bat cave and purchase this record. On the other hand, if you've grown up a bit since your Front 242 days and are looking for something that's a tad more emotionally stimulating than a comical and predictable formula of darkness and perversion ..... then "Liquid" isn't for you.