Customer Reviews

Living in a Magazine

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, ever since Jacques Lu Cont kick-started the now-emerging electro-clash, or electro, or third wave electronica (Whatever) scene back in '99 under his Les Rythmes Digitales guise (an as-yet-not acknowledged fact, mind you), he's been working an even more 80's muse, and now equipped with squelchy keyboards-...guitars and, er, two other guys, he's turned in what amounts to a Duran Duran album for the Radiohead generation under the Zoot Woman guise.

But beneath the electro-dance numbers ("Information First"), the vague ...eroticisms ("Jessie") and the cheeky but daring Kraftwerk cover ("The Model") lies the burgeoning songwriter in Lu Cont, as evidenced on the slightly-too-daring acoustic closer, "Holiday Home".

Unfortunately for Lu Cont, this is another album that has passed under the North America radar, but even the few people I know who've listened to Living In A Magazine are really feeling this record ...

ok so zoot woman rules. they are kind of like electro hall and oats. it's VERY 80s, and has a kind of soft-rock feel to it, but in the best possible way. hell, they even cover kraftwerk's "the model" and make it sound kind of like mister mister or something. i don't know what i'm talking about, just buy it.

I purchased this CD from Amazon after having heard "Nobody Knows" on a different compilation CD. This is one of those CDs you listen to after a difficult day at work. Their sound is very lush. The music is rich with vintage synth and electric piano sounds. The songs themselves are pop all the way, but not too contrived or trivial to endure multiple listenings. The music and singing remind me of Gary Wright (Dream Weaver) from the 70s. I played this CD 4 times in a row when I first got it. My favorite tracks: It's Automatic, Nobody Knows, Jesse, and Holiday Home.

this album is absolutely amazing, worth the price. it's like a radically updated duran duran, with incredibly slick, savvy production in the vein of moroder or alan braxe and fred falke. buy it!

Madonna loves them and so shall you.

If you long for 1981 to1987 when groups like Spandau Ballet and Johnny Hates Jazz ran amok on the airwaves, long no more. Zoot Woman (aka: Les Rythmes Digitales) have just the saave for you. Syncopated and sequenced, airbrushed to perfection. Songs like "Living in a Magazine" and "You and I" dirty up the water by adding squelching guitar burbles and slightly distorted vocals to keep it fresh. The cover of Kraftwerks "The Model" could have been lifted from a Cars album circa 1981 in its tone (and synthesizer drone) but with pretty boy vocals. Finally songs like "It's Automatic" with its TR808 drum rolls and hi hats, vocoder harmonizing and Fender Rhodes melody make it a perfect song to dance lazily to.

To sum up, If groups like ABC, Breathe, and Level 42 litter your old record collection then"Living in a Magazine" may be your salvation. Enjoy!

I guess I'm a little behind, cus I just discovered this. I have been a long time fan of Les Rythmes and I wanted to find more of Stuart Price's work. Come to find out he's got these groups Phoenix and Zoot Woman, and the music is great. And THEN, I hear the music all over, such as in the movie Lost in Translation (Phoenix - Too Young). I don't care if this album came out a couple years ago. It feels superfresh and it's worth the price. U can play this in your Volksvagen for your hipster buddies, and you'll be the Dude.

Definately better than the 2nd depression self-titled album. The hooks are catchy and the music is actually what I would call deeper than usual underground pop.

The keyboards and retro sound are fitted with inspired lyrics all fitting together on a theme of a ravenous (somewhat ridiculous world) filled with marketing, commercialization, and lack of human touch.

Believe me, this album is what I would title the "Hopeful" album and the other I would title the "Hopeless" album. I'm waiting for the 3rd release which will hopefully make it to these shores.