Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A soundtrack that for once is not an excuse to rip you off, February 20, 2004
When I first heard that the powers that be were releasing a soundtrack to show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", I expected the usual attempt to lure viewers of a successful program to buy a product that they otherwise would not buy without the tie-in. The results are generally disastrous and the marketing department laughs all the way to the bank at our expense.To my surprise the executive producers got it just right. Although many of these songs have not appeared on the show (yet), the song selection is outstanding and jam-packed with great dance tunes from a combination of known and lesser known acts. The CD starts of with the show's obligatory (extended version) theme song. Some may be disappointed that it varies from the original but I liked it. But it is what follows that is amazing as every single song (with the exception of) is fun and at worst represents an extremely well selected mix of songs that will keep you dancing, exercising, or even shaking in your couch if you can't/don't dance. THE GOOD: Although I am not as huge a fan of some of Basement Jaxx's work, "Good Luck" hits it out of the ballpark with an amazing lead performance by Lisa Kekaula and a great arrangement that combines a bunch of elements and it works like a charm. Get Lisa a recording contract at once! Her aggressive vocals reminiscent of Nona Hendrix but may even be better. Kylie's "Slow" (Chemical Brothers Mix) is so hot that you may need to take a cold shower after listening to it. I am listening to it right now and I like it more with each listen. The slinky beat and slow burn makes this one of the catchiest songs I've heard in a long time. "Move Your Feet" by Junior Senior has a retro tropical feel, a fun rap, and very strong female vocals. I'd never heard of them before, but that is the beauty of this mix as it does not let up in quality. "You Promised Me" by InGrid has a totally original French-inspired feel that represents Europop at its finest. Try not reacting to the accordion riff. You'll fail.... It's that good. Next comes "Superstar" by Jamilia which has an 80s feel and it's quite frothy. The chorus is quite addictive. "Everybody Wants You To Emerge" is an amazing mix of songs that will make Billy Squier fans rejoice and will certainly explode on the dance charts. Who would have thought "Everybody Wants You" or Billy Squier would ever wind up on a dance chart. Barry Harris' imaginative amalgamation of two quite different songs makes for a fully original experience. Duran Duran's new track titled "Sunrise" is surprisingly strong and it manages to remain faithful to their original sound while somehow making the end result sound more than current. I love it!! The remix of Sting's "Never Coming Home" has him sounding very soulful, although the original mix may have a stronger impact. Ok Go's "You're So Damn Hot" is a tight song with an alternative edge that somehow fits perfectly with the rest of the songs. It's not as catchy as others but I like it. Liz Phair's "Extraordinary" is infectious (almost like a better version of the current Madonna) and gave me a window into a respected artist that for some reason I'd always avoided. THE NOT SO GOOD: The only songs that did not much for me were Prophet Omega's "An Area Big Enough To Do It In" as to me it sounds a little like uninspired Duran Duran. Also Elton's remix of "Are You Ready For Love" is not bad but the mix bring little new to the table and to me feels out of place in this collection. It's still a good song, but I would have liked to hear something great from Sir Elton John. In a nutshell, this is a remarkable mix that does not skimp on talent. 11 out of 13 songs are top notch and I am really glad that I took a chance on something that could have been a waste of money as it was an impulse purchase. This soundtrack easily earns 4 stars and it makes me yearn for spring as these songs are so light and fun.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fab Soundtrack for the Fab Five, February 20, 2004
Just like the TV show, the soundtrack for "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is full of infectious energy and bright sunshine. For any "Queer Eye" fanatics, this CD is a real gift. From the concise and informative liner notes (featuring little Hip Tips) to the amazingly diverse roundup of pop, R&B, and rock artists to that FAB photo of the "Queer Eye" experts on the cover, it is a very well put-together package.Now onto the tracks. The ones performed by the Established Artistes are a great load of fun to listen to. Kylie Minogue improves greatly once she gets the Chemical Brothers treatment, the Duran Duran and Sting dance remixes are FAB (interesting meeting of the original Fab Five and the new Fab Five -- Duran Duran's track is a new, as-yet unreleased one), Ok Go and Liz Phair smoke up the joint with their surprisingly electric rock, Junior Senior get represented with their mega club hit, Elton John manages to remain sensitive in his disco-era track, and one of the greatest highlights of the whole CD is the delightful Fischerspooner/Billy Squier mashup (which SHOULD succeed in bringing new fans to BOTH artists). I'm most especially appreciative, though, of the tracks by the newer artists. The show's theme, performed by Widelife, gets a jazzed-up dance treatment for the compilation, and while the original is far superior, the dance mix is still delightful. InGrid and Prophet Omega are STUNNING. And Jamelia is a revelation -- truly a dance floor superstar for a new generation. What's intriguing about this compilation is how few weaknesses there are in the compilation and how they really don't compromise anything. Liz Phair's track would shock the pants off some of her First Generation fans (note: I'm going by personal experience here) at first -- before they realized how similar the traditional track is to her _Exile in Guyville_-era untraditionalism. Elton John never truly managed to achieve the disco sound on his track, but still manages to hold onto the sweet tenderness he is best at. The Widelife and Duran Duran tracks are best experienced as their originals (though in the case of DD, you'd have to wait until their new album comes out), but the versions that show up on the compilation are still quite lovely. And some might argue that Ok Go are little more than Blink 182 with the stupidity removed, but those people are far too serious for their own good. In short -- pick this compilation up if you want a ready-made good musical time, if you're a "Queer Eye" fanatic, or if you're just in the market for some really nice sophisticated party songs.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Just for the Straight Guys, February 26, 2004
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", a television phenomenom as of late, seems destined to inundate us with products now that their success is one of the latest crazes to hit the States. I bought their CD with a bit of hesitation, just not sure I would enjoy it. And needless to say, I was wonderfully surprised. This CD is quite enjoyable and fun. Some of my favorite music includes the theme to Queer Eye "All Things Keep Getting Better" as well as a surprise return of Duran Duran remix, "Sunrise". And just yesterday, I found myself humming Junior Senior's song, "Move Your Feet". Don't worry, this CD is not just hype, but a fun disk you'll have in your player for some time to come!
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