Puppy

Fluke | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 1, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: One Little Indian Us
• ASIN: B000255JU4
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,498 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2003 album from the three-piece combo hailed as one of electronic's most longstanding heavyweights, features 11 tracks. One Little Indian.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent return for Fluke..., July 7, 2005

By 

Geopainter (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puppy (Audio CD)

Though most probably only know Fluke from their big beat/movie sountrack tracks "Atom Bomb" and "Absurd" from 1997's "Risotto", the band have been around throughout the 90s, making a constantly changing collecion of electronic masterpieces. It's amazing how many styles they tore through, and true to form, "Puppy" is a change of pace, a step towards trance and electrorock.

The album starts with a blast, as the industrial-sounding "Snapshot" agressively declares that this is not going to be a gutless record. Jon Fugler's vocals have always been a little dark and scary, but here he's over the top.
From there, the LP shifts into a continuous mix groove for the next four tracks. "My Spine", "another Kind of Blues " (revision of "Zion" from the Matrix Reloaded Soundtrack), "Hang Tough" and "Switch/Twitch" all merge by way of evolving basslines, great hooks, and driving 4-4 beats. Incredibly danceable stuff here.
The rest of the disc is pretty standard Fluke fare...interesting arrangements, some almost ambient, others layered and more uptempo, and always changing. The vocal tracks "Baby Pain" and "Blue Sky" are accentuated by female vocalists and choir backing. Some of the lyrics are a little bland, but hey, this is dance music, not folk music!
This album may not be a progression for the genre as a whole, but it shows that Fluke have survived the rise and fall of big beat, as well as a reduction from 3 to 2 members, unscathed.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Techno Album of 2004, A Classic to follow up a Masterpiece, November 19, 2004

By 

Grand Master B - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puppy (Audio CD)

IF YOU LIKE FLUKE, BUY 2 BIT PIE!
If you liked Risotto, then this album should not disappoint you. Although it is honestly not as groundbreaking as it probably should be for us to wait 6 years (Fluke admits this album took to long, but it was due to circumstances outside their control), but it is still damn good. Especially when you consider their competition. The Prodigy attempted to be innovative and reinvent themselves and failed miserably. The Prodigy's Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned is honestly crap compared to Fat of the Land. Underworld created a decent yet still comparably mediocre album with One Hundred Days. Orbital's Blue Album is better than The Altogether, from which I can only honestly listen to two songs, but the Blue Album still doesn't hold a candle to Middle of Nowhere. The Chemical Brothers are barely worth mentioning at this point, same with other groups and producers like Aphex Twin, Crystal Method, BT, etc.

Fluke did not try to reinvent themselves, or be extremely innovative. I am almost glad they did not. They have a formula that works, and I, for one, love it. This CD is still original. It is still undoubtedly Fluke, which is one of the few techno acts that I could honestly pick out if I hear a DJ mixing them at a club, and yet this CD is original. It is not a second release of Risotto. The songs on this album not only sound unique compared to their old work, but also to the other songs on the CD. Somehow, though, they mix together seamlessly. No other techno group has consistently put out great music for the amount of time Fluke has. They are definitely an extraordinary anomaly in the industry. This CD is great and I have nothing bad to say about it.

This album is awesome. I don't understand how people can say it is anything less. At a time when their peers in the techno world are releasing crap, Fluke maintains and consistently releases more great music. Not only is the music great, but the lyrics are the best of any techno album, arguably any album period. This CD has been a savior to me. It was exactly what I needed when it came out. Going through some hard times in my life, I don't know if I would have made it through them without this album. When I need a pick me up I start the CD at "My Spine", when I need to keep pushing myself I just listen to "Hang Tough" which glides smoothly into "Switch/Twitch", and, no matter what type of mood I am in, by the time I get to "Blue Sky" I'm feeling good. So why is this CD so good? Here's 11 reasons:

1. Snapshot - One of the hardest Fluke tracks out there, except maybe "Pulse" (ßGet this track if you can!). More industrial flavored than I expected, but growing up on Nine Inch Nails, Stabbing Westward, and such I could appreciate this one.
2. My Spine - Usually where I start the CD. Kicking bass line wakes and picks you right up. Makes you want to move, just like all good techno should. This track is right up there with "Atom Bomb" and "Absurd". Listen to this and you feel as though your "feet don't touch the ground".
3. Another Kind of Blues - An abridged, remixed "Zion" from the "Matrix Reloaded" fame. We've all seen the movie. Need I say more?
4. Hang Tough - Like I said, this song has got me through some tough times. It has reminded me to dig deep and dream on. I honestly don't think I would be where I am today if I did not have these words of advice. When think you've reached your limit and you're ready to throw in the towel, pump this track and you're good to go.
5. Switch/Twitch - Definitely a highlight of this CD. It builds and builds and builds. With a great guitar riff running through it, and yet it is still undoubtedly more techno than industrial. It something unique. There is no song out there quite like it, and it kicks ass. I don't mind the fact it goes on for over 9 minutes. In fact, I wouldn't mind if it were longer. Tracks 2-5 are mixed seamlessly, and it is almost like listening to an incredible 25 minute track!
6. YKK - This is when the album begins to loose steam, but I am one of those exceptions that likes Fluke when they are mellow as much as when they are fully charged. This track is dark and brooding. Somehow it is probably the darkest and meanest track on the album. It's just downright evil, but in a good way.
7. Expo - A great track, but probably my least favorite on the album. It just lacks the intensity of the other tracks. Still it has its place. It is the mellow, let's "lie on the beach and have a j or make out or something like" that track. It is also the beginning of the building of the second part of the album, and flows right into...
8. Electric Blue - This song slowly has grown on me. Not one of the best tracks on the album, but still great. I think the lyrics and other vocals account for most of that. It is mellow, yet it still has groove. Many people complain that Fluke's albums loose their energy towards the middle, but I can appreciate why they do this. Being an armature DJ as a hobby, I realized they do this to make their albums like good trance and techno songs (and even many good dance floor sets). You start off strong, keep the momentum going for as long as you feel you can get away with it, then break down, slowly build, and then climax. That it is the way Puppy (and even other Fluke albums) is set up.
9. Nebulus - This track is a venture into DnB for Fluke. It is a great, mellow track comparable to "Ok" and "Kitten Moon" (except for the fact it is not really trance). An excellent experimentation for Fluke. It proves they can make any electronic music out there, and better than anyone else.
10. Baby Pain - Really dark for a love song, and yet it works. Intense and sexy (a combination that hasn't worked this well since Massive Attack's "Inertia"). A great track, but not sure how good it is that I can really relate to it (once you listen to the lyrics you will understand what I mean).
11. Blue Sky - One of the best (if not the best) songs on the album. Maybe their best song to date (god I love this song). Great lyrics. Great use of female choir vocals. No matter what type of mood you are in, after listening to this song you feel great. You will also long to be on a beach sipping a drink with a parasol. I think it is the "climax" or "release" of the album. An awesome way to end a great album. This song is why no matter what mood you are in when you listen to this album, you will feel great by the end of this song.
If you like high energy, hard techno and you miss the golden techno years of the mid-nineties, then you will love Puppy. Even if you just like techno, you will like Puppy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, May 1, 2005

By 

Frederick Reyes "The Correctness" (Pluto) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Puppy (Audio CD)

I am just getting around to reviewing this album now after it has been out a while. BUT WOW!!!! This album is simply incredible! From start to finish, it is spectacular. Everyone I let hear this album praises it to all ends. The last track is really the only sleeper here. But even it grows on you. Everyone made fun of it because it was called "PUPPY" and because of the artwork on the front, but when they hear it, they are shocked. A very nice effort on Fluke's part. I am certainly looking forward to another great album. Start to finish, this album will not disappoint! Go get it!