Customer Reviews

Nearly God

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and got introduced to the world of Tricky with 'Blowback' 2001. I wanted to hear more and bought 'Maxinquaye' and 'Pre-Millenium Tension'. With Maxinquaye
being the masterwork and PMT the follow-up, I was attracted by the pseudonym Nearly God. I was sure that it'd be worth the money

First I didn't get into a couple of songs like Tattoo or Keep Your Mouth Shut but after the 2nd listen the whole CD turned into
pure enjoyment. And if you liked Martina on 'Maxinquaye', you'll definitely like this. 'Poems' is one of the most sensitive songs ever written, first there's Tricky's spoken rap, acoustic guitar in between, Terry Hall's singing brings it to the climax and then
comes...Martina. You count every line she sings, you wish she'll never stop and when she's gone, sad feelings overcome you as if
they were real.Switch over to 'Black Coffee'.

Also the guest singers did a good job here. Terry Hall on 'Poems'
and 'Bubbles', Björk is as good as ever but Neneh Cherry doesn't fit to the atmosphere of this beautiful and dark album. Some of the best music I've ever heard, and probably you after you read my review.

This is a masterpiece !
This cd illustrates Tricky's full trip hop ability. All the songs all have the same mood and nothing is out of place. Bjork is featured on this cd along with Martina(His X Girlfriend). The music is classic and the stand out track is a Creepy masterpiece called "Poems". Which I believe "Broken Homes" on "Angels with Dirty Faces" was crafted after. Tricky is on a slow path to destruction, His 1st three efforts were really great this includes Maxinqueye, Nearly God, Pre millennium Tension. After these three efforts the split between Tricky and his girlfriend Martina really made a difference. You can tell that her voice was a huge motivation in his music. With the abscence of her voice you can tell that the creativity just wasn't there. Tricky isn't a singer and with out a female voice over his voice,it lacks alot. His new effort "BlowBack" is completley crap, it is basically a attempt at rock music because he is bullheaded and just can't except the fact he can't sing. "Ruff Guide" which is supposidly a Greatest Hits that will give you a basic outline of Tricky's career. And if you compare the notes with each song you will see the difference in the material. "Angels with Dirty Faces" only hints at the magic that Tricky and Martina once had. "Broken Homes" is the masterpiece on that cd, and that is it. But anyway I hope this review has been extremley helpful to someone. Because Lord knows! I quit purchasing Tricky after I bought Juxtapose and got a rude awakening. Tricky his know longer on the right path, Hopefully someone can convince him to get another female vocalist and do the creepy, Haunting creative abtract beats that made him Famous!

1. Maxinqueye *****
2. Nearly God *****
3. Pre Millenium Tension *** 1/2
4. Angels with Dirty Faces **
5. Juxtapose *
6. Blowback (-*)
7. Ruff Guide ****
8. Grass roots ep **
(I hope this is helpful to anyone out there)
Arish

Ok, Nearly God is something I bought without consciously knowing I was looking for it. I found it in a used store ... and figured I'd give it a try. Well, let me tell you, NOW I'm hooked.
At first listen, you might not like it because it's not your typical techno trancy stuff. The trick is, you have to listen to it numerous times to truly appreciate the album. It is genuinely worth the effort, though. I'll tell u why.
Some of the best tracks on this record are "Poems", which will turn you on in no time flat. "Make a Change" is also very meditative. Even "Keep Your Mouth Shut", with its slight hip-hop intro will blow your ...world, friend:)
I only give it 4 stars because, while the record is truly amazing, it is hard to play it the whole way through. I'm telling you, though, purchase this album because it's really good and you will find youself repeating certain tracks over and over again. If u are looking for a dope experience without the marijuana, then go to ur nearest record store, buy the cd and play it with some fine wine and a good friend (and make amazing love):)

This is like touching the hand of old friend, it leads you down a road where you slip into some kind of funky-wonderful. The blend is nearly perfect, beacuse it mixes the pungent flavor of old jazz tunes with down right blusey moods and stereophonic bouquets of wonderful artists. I felt a bit '80's nostalgic hearing Neneh Cherry and Allison Moyet, just to name a few. Tricky seems to bring the best out of everyone featured on the CD. I would like to see this expression explored more. I miss the part of him that taps into the endearing nature of primal exotica. It is a CD that is well worth the listen.

Nearly God is technically a collective of artists, but Tricky is clearly in the driver's seat. Some of these songs are rather gloomy while others are more carefree. I've been told this is a great album to meditate to and I believe it. Especially with the mesmerizing "Poems." Also "Tattoo" is a deeply atmospheric track and I was thrilled to find out that it was written by one of my favorite groups - Siouxsie and the Banshees. Bjork and Tricky make an intriguing vocal duo, especially on "Keep Your Mouth Shut" which sounds like a dungeon until the opiate-haze interlude sung by Bjork. It's quite disconcerting when a brutal segment from a rap song cuts through the song, yet effective. Nearly God contains many strange sounds and great vocal performances. This is essential chill-out Tricky.

This album is a nightmare-like dream, very claustrophobic. It gave me nightmares the first time i listened to it. The music sounds like something out of the future but more like an apocalyptic future full of doom. The instruments Tricky uses in this don't sound like real instruments at all like guitar, bass or the normal percussion. The beats are more industrial and like the pounding of tools than anything else. Its totally a new sound I've never heard of before. Nearly God sounds like a combination of Tricky's Maxinquaye and Pre-Millenium Tension albums put into one. It has the industrially loud drum beats and the scratching of guitars that were present on the track "Vent" from the album PMT and the hammer pounding sounds on "Aftermath" from Maxinquaye. The vocals are amazing with Martina(Tricky's girlfriend)singing this time with special guests Terry Hall from the Specials, Bjork, Neneh Cherry and Alison Moyet. Breathtaking tracks include the haunting "Poems," the soulful "I Sing For You" the surreal "Black Coffee" and the beautiful last track "Children's Story" sung by Martina Topley Bird. This album is nothing short of an underground masterpiece. It's Tricky's most daring work to date and the most experimental. Only die hard fans will stick with this and consider it one of Tricky's best.

Alongside Maxinquaye this is Tricky's better work. As brilliant as it is however, it is amazing low key, not at all entertaining a danceable atmosphere. Almost stripped in places, yet it all works, brilliantly too I might add. The fantastic moments felt on Poems, I be the Prophet, Make a Change, Black Coffee, and I Sing for You, are enough to make the entire album shine like gold. Brilliantly done.

This album is probably the most claustrophobic Tricky album. This is not an album to listen at one time, because the hermetic music is completely difficult to digest. But is pretty much worth it. Here, you can feel like a horror movie coming trough your mind while you are listening this record. With atmospheric and innovative sounds, an the incredible voices of Neneh Cherry, Bjork and Martina, among others, Nearly God is an excelent way to show how an artist can tell a story of apocalypse in every note.

Stunning, numbing, Tricky outdoes himself on this album, his best. What this man does with rhythm is absolutely unique. He scares people and that's a good thing. Also see the brilliant Pre-Millennium Tension for more music of the gods.

2 1/2


Sluggish electro-grime still has some of the effectively sleazy sway lost on later outings.