2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Sure, It's Derivative, But Also Lots Of Fun, May 1, 2010
This review is from: Lovegod (Audio CD)
Making a positive adjustment to the rapidly changing nature of the "Alternative" scene in Great Britain was perhaps the greatest talent of the Soup Dragons, whose first two releases ("Hang Ten" and 'This Is Our Art") were deft explorations of aggressive post-punk and punk-pop music, respectively. Whether intentionally casting about for the "Next Great Thing" or not, the band soon emerged as a poppier, hook-laden spear-carrier of the "Madchester" scene, and began their third incarnation as a guitar-driven band selling the scene's big stinky grooves with catchy percussion, clever sequencer programming, superficial yet shout'em back lyrics, and the warm, deep richness of lead singer Sean Dickson's vocals.
And lest you think I'm some sort of elitist urban sophisticate mourning the death of college radio and its emphasis on the insularity of its scene (rather than the all-embracing universality of Modern Rock stations replacing them as Corporate America warmed up to the potential for some pioneering, previously independent bands to shift major units), let me make it quite clear that I am not dismissive of what the Soup Dragons accomplished with this release; this is at least the second time in the past 20 years that I've replaced a worn-out copy of "Lovegod". Even without the ubiquitous "I'm Free" in heavy rotation during the early fall of 1990, this CD contained a number of other supercharged dance-floor tracks ("Drive the Pain", "Backwards Dog", and "Sweetmeat") that made it a flagship release of the nascent Modern Rock Radio Scene here in the US, with "Softly", "Mother Universe", and "Lovegod" all getting airtime as well. 'Lovegod" is loaded with melodic, psychedelically-tinged tunes that are well-formed, highly danceable, and pleasing to listen to, and I'd stack any of them up against the death-laughs-forever, world won't listen, fashionably alienated pseudo-heavy-metal masquerading as modern rock today. If you're even thinking about getting this, don't think; just buy. You will not regret it.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lovegood, September 26, 2007
This review is from: Lovegod (Audio CD)
The Beth Massa review is dead-on when it comes to this album and the brief music scene it was part of. For long I cherished this time when you could dance to rock music. But, thank god, it's all coming back. What was then Primal Scream, The Stone Roses, The Farm, EMF, Happy Mondays, Jesus Jones, Inspiral Carpets and the Charlatans UK is now Kasabian, The Killers, The Dandy Warhols, Muse, Franz Ferdinand, Hard-Fi and Kaiser Chiefs. If you like any of those bands and that brief period of Baggy music, gone too soon before grunge took over, you should give this album a try. The cover of I'm free -I dare to say- is better than the Stones original. Too bad this album is not available for download because that song alone is worth having.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good listening with a psychedelic edge., March 12, 2007
This review is from: Lovegod (Audio CD)
I'm no expert on this band's history. I basically wanted their version of "I'm Free" to upload. Everything else is decent. It keeps you moving with a back to the 60's (that really happened in the 70's) beat, and my 14 yo kids like it.
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