Customer Reviews

R.E.T.R.O.

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If you look back at my reviews of MIAB's previous efforts, you will clearly see that I love this band. That is why I gave this album a few listens to grow on me. If you are a fan of MIAB, then you will like this album after a bit of time and patience because you can feel their prints all over it. They have taken a few classic video game themes and re-worked them as well as added a few new compositions of their own. As usual, their lyics are fascinating and the composition and song structure is great. On the downside - I don't feel this album is a good example of what MIAB is capable of and is a lackluster follow-up to Crossroads. If there were one or two video game re-works, that wold have been jus fine, but I feel like they just wanted to get an album out and decided to do some "homework" and create filler.

Some people have griped about the 64 bit theme behind the album. I have no problems with that part of it - the album is named Retro for goodness sake. To their credit, MIAB has taken 64 bit musical composition to a new level and shows that when done right, and sparingly, there is life in those old worn out Commodores yet! (grin)

If you are new to MIAB - I agree with the other reivewer who stated that you should get the other 3 albums first, otherwise, you just won't get this band.

If you're a serious listener to electronic music, just go out and buy everything MIAB has produced so far. You won't regret it, and it's likely to occupy a lot of your listening time for the next few years.

MIAB is _different_ from any other electronic band out there. There's a story, a mood, that loops through their first three CDs. Once you get into it, it starts to make a lot of other music seem sort of pointless, or incomplete.

After the brilliance of the first three they've released RETRO. First few listens? I didn't like it. Now, I think it's pretty great. It's a stepping stone to whatever they're doing next.

RETRO breaks into two parts -- remakes of themes from video games, and some new songs that bridge forwards from Crossroads. There's a strong audio aesthetic at work in the remakes, one that took me a little while to appreciate (an 8-bit sound).

The strongest songs are the new MIAB compositions. They're great.

Don't start here if you're new to Mind in a Box. Get the first three albums, then buy RETRO for an "alternate world view".

If you like 8-bit beats, then you'll love this album. I found myself a bit unimpressed with it especially after three powerful albums with an ongoing story line, then to follow that up with this seemed a little less than thrilling. There are some great tracks. 8-Bit and a few others, but on a whole I would suggest previewing it before purchasing as it very little like any of the prior albums.