Customer Reviews

Oedipus Schmoedipus

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I came to be aware of Barry Adamson via his work with Nick Cave. With no friends who are fans already to offer advice on which Adamson CD is best, I took a shot in the dark and settled on this one.
It took a couple of listens to get used to his style. Much of it does indeed sound, as others have said, like music from a movie soundtrack. I find it enjoyable just to sit and listen to or to have on in the background while I work.
My favorite cuts are the sultry The Vibes Ain't Nothin' But the Vibes, the uptempo, jazzy Miles and The Sweetest Embrace, which features a guest appearance by the great Nick Cave on vocals. The rest of the CD is pretty good, too. There is nothing on it I dislike, there just aren't enough great tunes to warrant a five-star rating.
Barry Adamson is obviously very talented and I am looking forward to obtaining some other CDs of his work. Its impossible to really classify Adamson's music. Is it lounge? soul? jazz? industrial? If you are one who is musically adventurous, you will probably enjoy Oedipus Schmoedipus regardless of its classification. It is cool, it sophisticated, and it is very entertaining.

This record hit me like a ton of bricks. From the smooth haunting sound of "Something Wicked This way Comes," to jazzy, vibraphone laden lounge tunes that reek of smokey nights and broken promises, this record pulls you in and graps you by your soul. "The Sweetest Embrace" is the most cathartic post-relationship tune I'm aware of--dark, beautiful, resolved. Oedipus Schmoedipus is my favorite Adamson record and the most accessible. A masterpiece.

Apparently, he doesn't tour much in the U.S. as I keep looking for him to come to Chicago, but no such luck. My dream bill: Barry Adamson & Jah Wobble.

I first heard of Barry adamson off the Lost Highway soundtrack (something wicked this way). The song just seamed so calming, the music drew me in. Took me awhile to find the actual CD, but low and behold amazon.com has them all, i couldnt even find this in stores. Let alone, this is a very well made CD, almost has a nine inch nails sound to it, with the clutter of a distorted symphony in the background up against some mellow voices and some really nice drum and bass, I would highly suggest this CD to anyone out there who even just has a taste for "Jazz". But mainly this has a Massive attack type feel to it. Its great!

one of my favourite cds - very original and unusual but very rewarding to listen to.

I hope Barry adamson gets the recognition he deserves - a serious piece of music

One of those rare CDs that I couldn't be without. I heard Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Pelvis on 88.5 in Atlanta Ga. and rushed to find this disc. It's mix of dance, soul and pop is wonderful. And for 1996 it was very original. Many bands have picked up this sound since but few have mastered it like it is on Oedipus Schmoedipus. A blind buy for me after hearing one song and I've never regretted it...even after the 100s of times I've played the disc.

The maturity level of Barry's music shines through on his 1996 album Oedipus Schmoedipus. Unpredictable as Soul Murder, but with a more smoothness to the overall texture, this album shows that greatness is in the ability to break any barrier that stands in the way of expression. I can see this is a much more personal album for Barry than any previous works. Not that I pretend to understand the guy or anything...

Soundtrucking music from the ex-Bad Seed. The disc starts out with the smooth, soulful, jazzy-funk "Set The Controls For The Heart of The Pelvis", featuring Pulp's Jarvis Cocker on vocals. Radio and phone squawks are injected throughout the CD and add to the soundtrack-like atmosphere. Overall, Adamson manages to infuse elements from all sorts of influences, mostly jazz, and make it his own.

Nick Cave cowrote "The Sweetest Embrace" with Adamson, which sounds like it would belong well on Cave's The Boatmen's Call. The lone cover on the CD is the Miles Davis' track "Miles."

This is a great album!

...That ain't the way to have fun, son... So, mama's boys, grab this CD and it'll make you feel funky fine about growing up male in this old world. Barry says you can be badazz and mean, sensitive and sweet, or the slickest willie to bamboozle the babes down off their goddess pedestals by getting them to roll around between the sheets with you.

Pulp's Jarvis Cocker sighs, swaggers and squeals his way through "Set the Controls For the Heart of the Pelvis." Nick Cave plays sensitive but distant lover on "The Sweetest Embrace." Barry himself schmoozes his way through "The Vibes...," a raconteur in a smoky bar telling tales of black boys and white girls pretending that the world isn't looking while they get busy.

The rest is spy movie/noir pop, bloody good and wicked, like sipping a perfectly chilled martini in the Dresden Room, wearing a sharp suit (zoot or cat), while Martin Denny takes his lumps from James Bond. The sneaky little Massive Attack sample on "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (thanx Ray Bradbury) will make your booty shake.

Gals, if anyone knows what's up, Dirty Barry is the man. Finger lickin' good.

Barry Adamson- His music jumps up and grabs you. This album was the one that got me, and it's fantastic. Forget Nine Inch Nails, grab Barry and revel in an adult view of the darker acceptance of life.

If you like Portishead but it is too much of a downer check this out. Came across it in a small record shop in Pecs, Hungary and am truly satisfied.