Customer Reviews

Love At Absolute Zero

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

 

 

This is one amazing piece of work. Can you seriously say you are hearing anything better than "Absolute Zero" or "Absolute Beginners Again" on the radio these days? This band takes what was good about 80s music to a whole new level. Sure there are numerous New Wave influences here, but this CD is a testament to the fact that My Favorite have a style all their own. What's most impressive about this CD, a virtual rarity these days even among the most popular artists, is that there is not one bad, or even mediocre track included. This is simply a superb collection of songs that one can listen to over and over again.

I've been a fan of My Favorite for years, having done sound for them way back in the mid-90's at a little dump of a bar on Lond Island. They blew me away back then, and they continue to impress me today, with this surprising comeback after years of hearing absolutely zero (:)) about them! This full length (certainly not their first, but first official I suppose) is an impressive blend of new wave synths, dark lyrics about suburban angst and an overall emotive feel...

Much more polished then their (nearly impossible to find) "The Day the World Turned Blue" full length and "Briton Riot Tape" first demo, "Love At Absolute Zero" will appeal to any fan of New Order, The Smiths, The The, or newer acts such as Belle & Sebastian (less acoustic), The Sea & Cake, etc. Don't forget to pick up their 3 new EP's as well, or simply get "The Happiest Days Of Our Lives", which includes all three EP's plus a disc of remixes... you WON'T be disappointed... these guys write amazing songs with equally amazing lyrics, and capture suburban life like no other band around today. Not to be missed...

For Eighties pop lovers -- I discovered this album accidentally and couldn't believe there could be a band this unknown and this good. 17 Berlin is an unbelievable song. Human League meets Simple Minds meets early OMD. If you like 80s synth pop, and love bands like Magnetic Fields, Barcelona or Laptop, by all means buy this album; you won't regret it.

I recommend this CD, its very catchy and you can listen to it over and over. I drove from Delaware to Arizona and listened to it at least a handful of times. Never got tired of it! Normally not into this type of music, but I enjoyed it a lot. VERY reasonably priced as well! Get a lot of bang for the buck. =)

Although the album sounds strange (hissy highs but in a muffled kind of way), the songs shine through here. Absolute Beginners Again, Informers, The Truth About Lake Ronkonkoma, all excellent. Not a big fan of Party Crashers. Question: who out there is better, Mr. Negative review?

It must be difficult when you're touted as New Wave revivalists yet you can't convincingly demonstrate that you have the slightest grasp on the genre. Sure, this record is stuffed with 80s references, both musical and lyrical, but they only go as deep as evoking images and moods of John Hughes films. From sappy lyrics about parties and party dresses, right down to the trying *way* too hard to be 80s album title. In short, they have the substance of an 80s party band, yet they're too wimpy and sentimental to play at any party. They really should've just put a photo of Molly Ringwald on the cover to drive the point home.

Truthfully, the music only occasionally hints at New Wave, as on the title track and the pretty, synth-based ballad "You Belong With Us." But, more often they play their songs like a brash 90s indie pop band, eschewing (or completely oblivious to) the subtlety, atmosphere, and melodicism so intrinsic to New Wave.

Particularly irksome is the male vocalist's fake English accent. Sure, English accents sound beautiful to these ears, but only when the person singing is English! It plain smacks of poseurdom and is all the more frustrating given that the female vocalist has a pleasing, lovely voice that we only get to hear some of the time.

Clearly there are bands guilty of far greater crimes against humanity. But, I suppose what bothers me so much are the comparisons to brilliant 80s bands like New Order, the Cure, the Smiths, etc., that My Favorite's fans like to toss around, when My Favorite absolutely pales next to these bands. Maybe to all the indie kids who were too young to experience 80s music beyond the John Hughes film soundtracks their older sisters were playing, this stuff might seem like a fairly accurate throwback. But to people with a much firmer grasp on the genre, the comparisons are inaccurate and the substance-free music is of very little consequence.