Customer Reviews

More Fun in the New World

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

X was one of the tragically overlooked American bands of the 1980s who made excellent, vital music while the hair bands ruled the airwaves. But nobody made a better album than this in the 1980s. The first side of the LP (yes, I'm dating myself) from "The New World" to "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" is spectacular. And side two is very good as well but not mind-blowing like side one. Years later this remix puts the punch back into the recording. And best of all this album still sounds fresh in 2002.

This is the last of the great albums from the original X lineup, and my favorite. "Los Angeles", "Wild Gift", "Under the Big Black Sun" and this one showed the band always growing and branching out from their punk roots. Following this the band lost its way with a lame attempt at sounding radio friendly ("Ain't Love Grand") and partially redeemed themselves with "See How We Are" which was spotty but had moments of brilliance.

X was never easy to pigeonhole and this album showcases everything that was good about the band: great songwriting, a sense of humor, unique harmonies, smart lyrics, amazing guitar work (Billy Zoom was awesome) and a true rock 'n' roll attitude.

If you haven't experienced X there's not a better place to start than right here.

X had a pitch perfect four album run in the early 80's - Los Angeles, Wild Gift, Under the Big Black Sun, and then More Fun in The New World were gifts to the music world. They're punk/ beat/ rockability explosions that each took a different foray into the ethos and assertion of rock at its most furious. More Fun had moments of great politics, like "The New World," the fist-pumping opener sung from the persona of a drunk who can't get booze on election day. But it also groped at painful emotions made only more painful in their constructions - "The Hot House" sings of romantic malaise under an ironically bounceable beat, and "I See Red" may be the loudest I-caught-you-cheating song ever recorded. John Doe and Exene Cervenka always had a slithering chemistry in their voices and writing that made them thrilling cohorts, and More Fun marked the last time the band had a creative vision. After this record, they made an unsettling couple of studio-friendly record, but this album proved this was the period where they were having much more fun.

It's an outrage there are only 9 other reviews of this album. This is, in my opinion, their best - with Wild Gift a close second. I remember my older sister listening to X a lot when I was growing up, but I honestly didn't really get into this band until this year when a listener-sponsored radio station played "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" while I was stuck in traffic and it blew my mind. I've been hooked ever since. Why all of the rock stations here in LA, X's home town, refuse to play this band remains a mystery. More Fun... is about the best rock album you'll ever buy. Play it loud.

This album is the follow up to their masterwork "Under the Big Black Sun." While they weren't able to capture the magic that makes it their best album, some of X's finest songs are found right here. I bought this album after hearing "Breathless" in the Richard Gere film of the same name. I rented the tape and just rewound the closing credits over and over to listen to Exene kick out this insane Jerry Lee Lewis song. Between her pounded out vocals and Zoom's attacking gutiar, I felt this giddy insanity in music that I had never heard before. (I was probably thirteen at the time.) When I got the name of the band off the credits, I RAN to the record store on the other side of town and bought "More fun" expecting that same explosive screaming music. As I found out, there was much more to X. The album's title track starts the album off in mid tempo with this great anti-anthemic gutiar riff. You can almost hear Regan telling us how great everything was and how much Exene disagreed with this sentiment. The rest of the first side stays pretty mid tempo including "Poor Girl" by john doe. If you like this song, check out X's Under the Big Black Sun. THis is X's best CD and doe's track here just sounds like it should have been on that album. The guy is a great crooner. "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts," starts out subdued'folky and ends with a bang. THIS IS A GREAT SONG. THE PUNK VERSION OF THE BEATLE'S "A Day in the Life." BUY THIS ALBUM FOR THIS SONG ALONE. The second half of the album rocks. Here is where you fine "Breathless" "Devil Doll," "and "I See Red," another whirling dervish sung by Exene. This is a great band; for my money the best American band of the 80's, both lyrically and musically. The style changes that bands like REM and U2 achieved in their twenty year careers, X did in ten years. From punk, to rockabilly fusion punk/folk whith a little metal here and there, they did it all and did it well. This and Under the Big Black Sun give you a picture of music, youth, and culture at large not seen on the evening news or MTV during the 80's.

This is perhaps the bands most consistent and song oriented album. They don't make bands like X anymore.Most of the criticism aimed toward this album is misguided and sad.The band's
talent and range of influences merely outgrew the incredibly narrow parameters of punk rock and I think this upset a few of their fans who owned a little too many Bad Brains and Dag Nasty
records.A beautiful flip side to the horrible Axle Rose/Tommy Lee schtick that was beginning to pervade the city during the 80's. Decent people making decent music, yet I doubt its even sold 20,000 copies. Very sad.

Is it punk? Is it rock? Is it country? Who freakin cares!! This band has never been duplicated.

I've had "Los Angeles" and "Wild Gift" for quite some time now, for some strange reason I always thought I wouldn't like any other X album, I was wrong, "More Fun in the new world" along with "Under the big black sun" are by far my favorite X albums,
I remember hearing all of these songs when they came out, when I was a kid, because I dad is a huge X fan, but I never realized just how good they were. This is truly X's last great album.

I have to agree with the review that says this is one of the best album sides in rock history, the first 7 songs are amazing. my personal favorites are "We're having much more fun", and "Poor girl", those 2 songs make the album worth buying alone, they really show how much X had grown as songwriters, "The New World", "True Love", "Make the Music go Bang" and their cover of "Breathless" are also amazing songs, and "I must not think bad thoughts" is totally different from what X usually does but its a really cool song. The first 7 songs are so good, I can't see how this album didn't go multi-platinum.

The rest of the album is good, its just not as good as the first half, "Devil Doll", "Painting the town blue", and "I see red" are all great songs, if you like X you won't be disapointed, "Drunk in my past" is one of my favorites on the album, "Hot House" is an alright song, its worth listening to, its just not up to par with the rest of the album, and the only track I don't like is "True Love pt. 2", for some reason it just doesn't vibe with me, maybe its the Doobie brothers like intro, but I think the song just drags, luckily its the last song on the album.

John Doe, Exene, Billy Zoom and D.J. Bonebreak all shine on this album and I like this album (along with "Under the big black sun") probably more than "Los Angeles". I would highly recomend this or any of the first 4 X albums for that matter, to anybody who apreciates good rock music.

This cd represents an end of an era for X - it is the last of the classic, harder edged punk studio performances. The songs are brash, aggressive, and catchy. Xene and John have a great acerbic sense of humor, which sparkles on songs like "The New World" and "True Love." "Devil Doll" is one of my favorite X rockers; "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" is one of X's best ballads. There are no low points here.

Turn up the volume, let it rip, wake up the neighbors. It doesn't get much better than this.

This is one CD I keep in the car at all times. It's diverse, eclectic, fun and brash all at the same time. Great musicianship on behalf of the entire band. Very underrated (as X is and was) but an essential if you are a fan of American punk rock (or great music for that matter). I love "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" and "Devil Doll". Their cover of "Breathless" is also great, even if it was in that cheesy Richard Gere movie.

I enjoy Los Angeles, Wild Gift, and Under the Big Black Sun much more and think that they are all better albums, but More Fun is still better than a majority of albums that are produced. This album seems to be a little more commercially designed and palatable than previous albums. If you've never heard X before buy Wild Gift. If you are a fan and looking to fill out your collection this is a worthy addition.