Customer Reviews

Make It Better

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

 

 

After meeting Sarah Blackwood in a London pub recently, I can safely say that it was make or break time for the Dubstar crew based on the success of this album. Why then did they not stay together? From the first powerful pop/ rock guitar riffs of "Take It" to the final breathy vocals of "Swansong" it is hard to imagine that past fans have passed this third album by. Songs like "Self Same Thing" and the truly blissful "Another Word" become the strongest ballads of the bands career, whereas the deliciously funky "Believe in Me" and the northern attitude that accompanies gems like "Stay" and "Take it" load the Dubstar engine with the fuel to drive this into an energtic and poetic masterpiece. Okay, so its not as twinkly and innocent as "Disgraceful" or as playful as "Goodbye", but when have Dubstar ever stuck to a strict formula or failed to produce original work? The outstanding "I (Friday Night)" is proof that this is as good as mature pop gets, and listening to it as background music is robbing it of its credibility.

This is an awfully overlooked album even if I think it's formidable pop. I think it is one of the very few late pop efforts which achieves being fashioned while being elegant and still having a very eighties feeling. I would dare to say this was definetely released at the peak of Dubstar's work. Sarah's voice is spectacular all over and the production is very much in detail while remaining very modern, straight, vivid and youthful: "Take it", "Rise to the top", or the very impressive "I'm conscious of myself" are good examples of this. Any of these could have
been a huge single if they had ever been played, but to be frank I never even got to see the music clips (had to buy them) even if I use to watch hours of after midnight MTV every week.
Make it better sounds fresh, it has "something" in common with best Pet Shop Boys in parts which could be due to the way both bands craft their tunes (lyrics and musically too) and the sort of audience they aim at (eighties lovers, techno-pop fans, female/gay/eccentric male UK indie pop fans, gay people, ...), some ABBA (Arc of fire), even some Cocteau twins type of ethereal stuff as in "Stay" or the Enya-esque sort of production in the very last track Swansong. But don't get misled, this is pure Dubstar most of the time; for the very first time this CD is totally consistent and varied all the way through; I always thought the two previous albums are not that good at all though there are pop gems therein (Dubstar fans know EPs contain some of their greatest stuff).
The EP for Self same thing is also one of the most amazing CDs last year, not only for the tacky melodious single but for the two duets there (with Gary Numan and Ian Broodie of the
Lighting seeds). They produce very moody tracks about loosing someone or dumping somebody in a relationship. If you like well crafted melodious and shophisticated pop music you'll surely love both the CD and this EP.

Thanks Dubstar for these fabulous stuff.

This is Dubstar's 3rd studio album where here, they continue to be innovative with newer material, while maintaining the sound from when they first started off since their 95' "Disgraceful" album. I've already listened to this album about half-a-dozen times already in the first week I've had it, so I give it 5 stars! The singles "i" and "Swansong" never really did it for me but my Favorite tracks are: "The Self Same Thing";
"Mercury", "Arc of Fire" and "Believe in Me". I heard that they were working on a new album in late 2008, which got put on hold because Sarah Blackwood remains to stay busy with her band; "Client". That's too bad because I'd love to hear what the next album is going to sound like!

dubstar is one of the world's most underrated bands. i think im not so manic now and st. swithin's day are pure pop confections that everyone should be listening to. if there is justice in the world, dubstar should be the biggest band in the world right now!!!

I have every major label Dubstar release--every import album, single, etc.--and I have to say this is some of their finest work. The songwriting maintains a lot of their usual themes of lost love, but seems to have an air of added maturity. Musically, it is a bit edgier; I wasn't expecting the bite in the first track and it took me by surprise. I great Dubstar album, and moreover, great album in general.

I love Dubstar. why did they breakup?!????? this is expensive and I've had it for a while now but I still haven't gotten tired of her beautiful voice

Dubstar's 3rd(and final) album:

I could go on about how incredible this CD is. Mysuggestion, check out the realaudio snippets [of]Rise to the Top (a my sharon-meets-we will rock you ROCKINANTHEM), Self Same Thing (a mountainous melodious masterpiece aboutcommunicating with your loved one), Take It (a mad breakbeatrocker)...

Dubstar is a late 90s, female-voiced version of TheSmiths, by way of St Etienne, and infused with a smidge of slick popproduction.

They recently broke up, so get their trilogy ofmasterpieces (Disgraceful, Goodbye (the complete UK version), and MakeIt Better). END

The group has a great way of mixing melodic music with harmonic voices while keeping lyrics simple. I recommend this cd to the listener who wants to enjoy tunes and really appreciates good lyrics.