Customer Reviews

Made From Technetium

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

 

 

To like this album takes an appreciation for the subtleties that separate the songs as each as that 'similar sound' feeling despite the songs being very different. This album is probably geared more for Astro-Man fans than the casual listener. However, there are some nice gems that anybody would like such as the sound waves reversing with it's cleverly inserted 50's sci-fi quotes. Lo-Battery is a cool intro to the album and one of the few times you'll hear Astro-men singing. But what really makes this album stand out from earlier Astro-Man offerings is the raw guitars. Gone is the twang.

Made From Technetium is about as close to present day modernism as the Astro-Men have travelled. Earlier efforts were obviously from the past while later efforts illustrate what happens when you don't watch your step and fall into a wormhole. Those looking for more 'edge' from the Astro-Men will find it here in full gamut. Took me a great while to accept this album, but once I did I started using it as a pace keeper for my long rush hour drives in Chicago traffic on the Kennedy Expressway. Once Mr. Microphone rolled around, I knew it was time to stomp on the throttle and get there. The tempos are appropriately placed along the album's length not tiring the listener's ear out before it's over. Think of a slow steady build in the background as opposed to an extravert's spotlight. Starts fast, slows down for a while keeping a steady pace, then picks it up again at the end after a brief rest for the final kick.

More singing on this album than any other Astro-man album if that means anything....but I wouldn't call it singing as much - voice acting probably more accurate. Much like the accompanying EP of it's time, 1000x, Made from Technetium integrates sound FX more into the songs instead of merely laying them on top, or at the head/tail like on previous efforts. This album is a very cohesive effort by the Astro-Men and a sign they've arrived on the big stage.

This, along with "Eeviac: Operational index and reference guide, including other modern computational devices", is one of the Man or Astro-man? albums I listen to most often. The CD layout is, as always, just beautiful, and the quality of the songs are superb. From the hypnotic "The sound waves reversing", to the mesmerizing, "Theoretical sounds of slow motion", just beautiful music. And don't miss the amazing combination of "Evert l pipkin" and "Weightless at zero return".

Man or Astro-man? is the only band in the world that could make an air-raid siren sound good ("Muzak for cybernetics", track #9).

This year the theme for my wedding will be space monkeys. I'll be renting a giant inflatable romper room. I'll be serving mushroom tea to my family and friends. And for dining and dancing music I'll also be hiring MAN OR ASTRO-MAN? to play my wedding. I only hope I can afford the fuel for their jetpacks. My future father-in-law thinks it might be a little bit too much.

How much is too much to pay to hear MAN OR ASTRO-MAN? on the most important day of my life?

Forget yer Malmsteems, Vias, Johnsons, blah blah etc. THIS IS GUITAR!

It rocks, it's got soul, it's from Outer Space.

Ten years on and still nuthin' touches it.

If Satriani went surfin' with the aliens - he was too busy surfin' to learn any guitar from them - THIS IS THE ALIENS.

Come back to us Astromen! The world need you now more than ever...

When Star Crunch, the former guitar player of MoAM, left the band, he took all of his talent with him. Gone are the good 'ol days of "Experiment Zero" and "Is It Man... Or Astroman?", where the guitar riffs were fast, furious and (most importantly) melodic. Now with their "new" lead guitar player (he used to be the rythm player) Trace Reading, all of their songs sound more or less identical.

This album, much like its cousin EEVIAC, suffers from track after track of similar bland passages of heavy palm muting and distortion. No less than ten of the tracks on this album could be considered throw-away fluff.

And again, just like EEVIAC, there are a few tracks which merit me giving this album a higher rating than I would without them. "Struato" is a great high-speed pickfest, and "The Sounds of Waves Reversing" has excellent dynamics, sounding much like the "classic" MoAM stuff (granted, with added distortion). "Weightless at Zero Return" is a fun song which is over way to soon, and "Lo Batt" is a hauntingly delicious little tune.

I'm more of a fan of the old (Star Crunch-made) stuff -- in my opinion Experiment Zero is one of the best albums ever made -- but Trace Reading definitly has potential. I recently saw them live, and he certainly isn't without talent, but there will never be another Star Crunch. Some might call the tracks on this album the "evolution" of MoAM's sound, but as a guitar player myself, I'm more likely to concur that they are just the meanderings of an instrumentalist who is trying to live up to something he can't atttain.