Customer Reviews

Love Box

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This album should be called "Glove Box," simply because you'll want to keep it in that portion of your vehicle for those times when you really need a soundtrack for your drive. With that said, this is not a chill-out album for drives in the countryside. Although it has its fair share of downtempo grooves, it's loaded with addictive head-bouncers that will have you pounding your palms against the steering wheel between gears.

While "Purple Haze" is a typically good intro track, something GA has been very adept at, it's a bit of a departure and doesn't fully fit. The album, to me, starts at "Groove Is On," a bouncy-yet-smooth number with flowing, gravelly hip hop and Neneh Cherry's sultry vocals.

"The Final Shakedown" features energetic reggae upstart Red Rat on vocals and should become one of the year's top club tunes, proving that the previous album's Grammy-nominated "Superstylin'" was no fluke in bringing ragga vibes to house music. Also bound to be a great club stomper is "Easy," a Sunshine Anderson-mic'ed house tune that seems to share some DNA with Andy Cato's side project, Weekend Players.

The band even take a grooved out Beatles-esque (don't you love that term?) turn on "Tuning In," which is also reminiscent of early 90's Manchester psychedelia in some ways.

"Madder" is an absolutely rockin' tune, with an energy that captures the vibe of their amazing full-band performance at the Glastonbury Festival - including the rain, the bright lights, and the thousands of people bouncing up anddown in unison. It stands as a testament to Groove Armada's capabilities as a band.

Unfortunately, the factor preventing this from being a five-star review is something a friend pointed out immediately: The order of the tracks. While the downtempo numbers are every bit as good as the standouts above, the fast song - slow song - fast song nature of the album tends to disrupt the flow for general listening. As amazing as Richie Havens' voice still sounds after all these years (on "Hands of Time"), it just shows up on the wrong part of the album.

But even with this track order, if you slide this album in your car stereo on the right day, you could find "Glove -" er... "Love Box" to be the perfect CD to match the syncopated pace of traffic over a one-hour drive between cities. (This CD has been road tested on the Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose.)

I have had this CD for about 3 weeks now and I keep trying to get into it with no avail. I love and have sought and purchased everything Groove Armada has ever put out(that I could find), but this is really different. Groove Armada set the standard for downtempo and chill music, the album vertigo is a classic masterpiece. This CD still shows the true genius of GA but it sounds like they are trying to shake their image of chill hipsters and gun for the big beat scene. There are still a few chill songs on here, but mostly house anthems and drabble you'll likely hear at the next drunken frat party. If all you want to hear stuff like the Fatboy slim cut of "I see you baby" buy this album, but if you want a little more go back and buy GA's Back to mine or even better Another late night if you can find it, either way you will still be supporting a great band.

After the incredible 'Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)' the dynamic duo came back with an album that reverberates as funkier in the early stages, much in the same fashion as their counterpart DJ duo Basement Jaxx did with their latest production. However, in spite of the very soulful (perhaps groovy, should I say?) opening of the album, it has to be said that the general trend of the album picks up where their previous production left off. A good example of this are the contagious track #6, "Final Shakedown" and #8, "Hands of Time" were Richie Havens once again lent his beautiful voice to complement the Armada's work. My favorite track, hands down, is the album's closer... Pure Groove Armada.

Though it might come accross as a demanding rating, I 'only' give it four stars, because they sound very much like they did 2-3 years ago, in spite of today's evolving dance scene. There are traces of evolution, however for the most part, they got stuck in a safe place, where they know that the public will continue to love them. But don't dismiss it as a bad album! Far from that: I'd much rather stick with an average Groove Armada album (not that this is the case) than most of the dance music out there, but I know these guys have more to give than a 'Love Box'. For sure I will stay tuned for their next production.

I just can't help myself, I own every little bit of music these guys ever created/remixed and yes, I am a bit biased but again, this is a great album, very diverse. It has some hip-hop elements, a lot of classic house, a tear-jerker and some free-style stuff and frankly, that is exactly what I expect from Groove Armada, they sure know how to mix it up and just keep on doing their own thing.

I am shocked at the musical range of Groove Armada. They've got not only hip hop and R&B groves on this album, but heavy metal, reggae and disco just to name a few. And they all kick @ss!

Notable tracks include "Easy", "Groove is on" and "Madder."

This is fast becoming my favorite album, so I definitely recommend picking it up.

I bought this having heard none of the singles--I've been hooked on Groove Armada since the beginning. This record is such a mish-match of musical styles that at first listen, I wasn't sure what to think. But listening over and over has caused me to truly appreciate the changes and experiements in their sound. Don't be sad--there is still some mellow chillout ("Remember") and awesome dance ("Lovebox")--but the rock influence is nothing to sneeze at either. It's definitely a funky album, and I think it's my favorite from GA.

Some acts keep cranking out the same stuff, album after album. Heck, with GA I'd be content with that, and I'd still buy all of it.

But Groove Armada seems to me to be among the select few that actually evolves over time, and their music evolves with them. Mind you, Love Box is no huge departure--but this is louder, rougher around the edges, and it's absolutely slamming.

Keep it coming!

This is a terrific CD with great up- and down-tempo songs. I have a hard time getting past the haunting "Remember", it is so mellow and cool. I just cannot stop listening to it.
"Hands of Time" is another great one, with the jazz organ in the background.
But there are many other high points on the album. Groove Armada has a great way of taking catchy melodies and distilling them into something so simple and clean that they are addicting. Can't wait to get to my car and play it again.

The latest album from GA has been receiving a lot of mixed reviews, most notably from the UK, their home country. The reviews for "Lovebox" have been their strongest in America, where dance music is usually ignored. I have been a fan of GA since their early days and felt their last album was a masterpiece.
"Lovebox" continues to showcase GA's strive to distance themselves from the "chill-out" moniker, without abandoning the genre totally. The opener "Purple Haze" hits hard with it's guitars and driving bassline, not to mention drug filled lyrics.
"The Groove is on" continues the hip-hop vibe before "Remember" brings the tempo down some. GA staple MC M.A.D. drops some tights rhymes on the rock infused hip-hop of "Madder".
Things slow down again on the genius "Think Twice...", which should certainly be a single. Singles are aplenty on this album in fact. The first US single, "Final Shakedown" takes GA back to the dancefloor with its ragga influenced house beats. I challenge you to not dance to this. "Hands of Time" takes things back to the last album time period, but still works.
The album hits it's climax now with the bombardment of "Tunning In", which has a very Aerosmith-like bassline and the storming "Easy", which with it's driving strings, should also send dancefloor fantics grooving in bliss. A potential single indeed. The title track, "Lovebox" hits hard with it's bass and also shows the boys still riding house train, this one will be a big hit with DJ's like Fatboy and the X-Press 2 boys. Very Skint sounding.
The album concludes with the stoner-reggae chants on "But I Feel Good" with has a SKA/Reggae feel to it, which is not a bad thing. All in all a good album, one that has a lot of styles and diversity. Has something for everyone. Nothing as amazing as "My Friend" but truely picks up where the last album left off

In my mind, "Love Box" pales a wee bit in comparison to its 2001 predecessor, "Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)," but that doesn't mean Groove Armada's latest isn't noteworthy. It is. They bring on the funk on smooth cuts like the aptly named "Groove Is On," and they spin the disco ball on house-ed up jams like "Final Shakedown," "Easy," and the title track. But for me, "Love Box" is a noteable record because it marks the return of the gone-but-mostly-forgotten Neneh Cherry, who lends her voice on the piano-laced slow jam "Think Twice." But there's no need to "think twice" about getting this disc. Groove Armada have been leaders in smart, beat-heavy electro pop, and they've released a party of an album worth crashing. Open the "box," and jump in.