Passionoia

Black Box Recorder, ??????????????? | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 2, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: One Little Indian Us
• ASIN: B0000AYL46
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,970 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their best yet, and one of the best albums of the year, April 25, 2003

By 

Paul Ferrell Brown (Williamsburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Passionoia (Audio CD)

So far, there's no word of a U.S. release for this album. With any luck that situation will be corrected soon, as "Passionoia" is the best Black Box Recorder album yet. The sound is a shade brighter than their past efforts-- a little more emphasis on synthesizers, pretty much an even split between live drums and programmed rhythms-- but this only serves to enhance the cynicism and bleakness of the words Sarah Nixey sings in her incongruously ethereal voice. The album opener, "School Song", extends the grand British tradition of castigating the rigidity and individuality-destroying aspects of the educational system, with Nixey speak-singing the role of the cold, embittered teacher; and things only get darker from there, with tales of romantic disaster ("GSOH Q.E.D.") and unhealthy celebrity obsession ("The New Diana"), all set to stunningly gorgeous melodies. There's even a trace of hip-hop influence in the semi-rapped section of "When Britain Refused To Sing"-- and believe me, it works a whole lot better than Madonna's clumsy flow on "American Life". This is genuinely uncompromising music, all the more cutting for its deceptively upbeat sonic surfaces, and it's one of the finest albums of the year so far.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where are the lyrics?, December 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Passionoia (Audio CD)

Like REM, Black Box Recorder seem to have a tradition of not having the lyrics in their album inlays. I had to print the lyrics for their two previous albums off of the Internet, but I can't seem to find the full lyrics for this new album which is really a shame because lyrics are essential with this band. This is the only complaint I have, though. Passionoia is pretty similar to Black Box Recorder's previous album, The Facts Of Life, so if you enjoyed it you'll love this. As usual, the sharp writing team of Haines & Moore keep exploring the beauty of the United Kingdom with an ever-present edge of irony & observation. Here they focus on the country's obsession with the royal family, the death of Princess Diana & rich celebrities. "These Are The Things" was a clever choice for a first single & it's entirely our loss that it didn't get any exposure. "Andrew Ridgley" evokes sweet memories from the 1980's (even if you didn't like Wham!). Basically all of the songs are equally good so I don't wanna do a song by song review as the album is really short & sweet & I want my review to reflect that. Buy this if you like The Facts Of Life, Britpop or Britain in general.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Afraid To Be Pop, April 30, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Passionoia (Audio CD)

Black Box Recorder goes lush pop! If their previous record was BBR doing Air, Passionoia sounds a bit like Different Class PULP if BBR's Sarah Nixey was singing instead of Jarvis Cocker. There are lots of great hooks and fat sounds on this record. It's nice to hear a group not trying to obscure their pop side, which seemed to be the trend of the 90s and early 2000s.

My criticisms are minor. Sometimes, they are trying too hard to be clever. The "We are English, We are Cheeky, and We are Black Box Recorder" routine wears on the nerves after a while. I also wish they'd use other vocalists in addition to Sarah Nixey's. She can do the timid, fey, girlie thing - but this album rocks in places where her vocals don't.