Customer Reviews

Robyn

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I became a Robyn fan when Do You Know (What It Takes) came out in the U.S. back in 1997, and four albums later I am more of a Robyn fan than ever.

This record possesses a maturity, variety in styles, hooky arrangements, and writing strength (as well as sincere vocals) that is tough to find in new music. From the introduction which builds up Robyn's talents and marks the start of a new era in Robyn's career (after three successful albums on RCA/BMG she decided to start her own label) and launches perfectly into the spirited Who's That Girl, you know you're in for a treat.

The tempo drops a bit for Handle Me, a slick track about Robyn being a tough gal and not taking any nonsense from a guy. It then segways into the delicate but assertive Robotboy before the glorious Be Mine, a delicious mix of beats and strings set to a perfect vocal from Robyn. An interlude is the perfect lead-in to the feisty Crash & Burn Girl where Robyn tries to reason with a girl who fails to recognize she is the cause of her own problems.

Another quick interlude of Robyn mixing it up in the studio leads into the guilty pleasure that is Konichiwa Bitches (could this be a slight teaser reference to Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Girls?), where Robyn takes the lyrics to a new level of adult-themed fun and also does a fantastic job on her first rap song! The fun calms a bit for the addictive guitar ballad Bum Like You where Robyn proclaims "my new favourite thing to do is wasting my time on a bum like you" as she professes her love and support for a man despite his faults and shortcomings.

This leads nicely into the haunting Eclipse, probably Robyn's finest downtempo moment (tied with the piano version of Be Mine which features on the Be Mine CD-single). Lyrically, this is Robyn's deepest song on the album, and her voice sounds like she is fighting back the tears throughout the song. From the opening line "there's an eclipse in your eye, where I used to shine" you will be captivated by this song.

Then it's onto the triumphant "Should Have Known" which is a fantastic reworking of a track from her last album. If you have ever been heartbroken and wanted to slap yourself for not reading the signs, this song will become your anthem. If nothing else, buy this album for the breakdown bit at the end of this track...it's well worth a listen. The album concludes with the atomspheric and emotional Anytime You Like where Robyn battles the need for attention and love from her man and pleads with him to tell her what's on his mind...another song where it sounds like she is holding back from crying as she sings.

Robyn is no cookie-cutter popster, she is an original artist who's been writing songs since age 11 as her way of coping with the good and bad in life. How fitting that this, her fourth album, is self-titled, because it seems to be the finest embodiment of Robyn's artistic ability to date.

Alright, so I'll be honest with everyone. I didn't know Robyn was still putting albums out until I found her self-titled album, but even then...it was expensive! I didn't buy the actual CD (shhh) but the version I own is completely legal. Anyway, the point is that I haven't heard the albums inbetween her first smash album and this one. You can imagine how extremely shocked I was to hear, firstly, how different this album is, and then how similar it is.

There is a hard, almost crystalline structure to this album. Robyn, here, is a glitzy, hard-a**ed celebrity who doesn't want any food in her jacuzzi and fills her jeans to bursting. The beats are unforgiving and jagged, the lyrics are sharp and jagged. That is what hit me first about this album. Then you find the soft underbelly, whether it be in the "sing out loud" chorus of "Who's That Girl", or the alluring guitar that backs up the chorus of "Handle Me". Then there's Robyn's voice, which is both hard and soft. This chick can sing, and the sad part is that we've known that for years now.

Robyn starts off with a jarring introduction to the platinum-haired singer, not only with her being a demanding diva, but the scary "thunder, lightning, and hells bells" accompanied by a quick-talking dark sinister voice, hyping her up for the world. This drops into "Who's That Girl", Robyn's take on the way her man sees her, I believe. She noticed that other girls are always pretty, while she's only sometimes pretty. She doesn't like the rules of the relationship, and she asks her man who the girl is that he wants her to be, because she definitely isn't that girl. This is followed by my favorite song on the album, "Handle Me". In this song, she talks about how this guy is obviously attractive, well put together, got everything going for him, but he can't handle her. She's too much for him, no matter how cool she thinks he is. This song is fantastic, but they censor out the word "Nazi" for some reason. After hearing the whole album ("Should Have Known" for example) you'll understand how this is a tad weird.

I'm not a fan of the slower songs on the album. Not because they are bad, but because the subject matter is a little strange. Like "Robotboy". Good music, weird lyrics. I just can't get into it. "Be Mine", "Crash and Burn Girl", "Konichiwa B****es", "Bum Like You", and "Should Have Known" are all exemplary tracks as well.

I think this album is good, and I look forward to more from her in the future.

Robyn has always been an awesome artist. I loooove this cd, and a friend of mines put me on to it. I didn't even know it exsisted until' she was like "You ever heard of Robyn? She has a new cd out!" Man every single track on her is great! You can play the whole cd through. "Handle Me" is my favorite song though. It's hot!

I just don't get why Sweden's Robyn isn't a global superstar - sure, she scored a few teen-pop singles in the U.S. back in the 90s (Show Me Love), but since then, she's released several amazing full-length albums that have been discouragingly NOT even released in the U.S. by her own label - WTF?! Actually I do know why her label let her down in America: she's simply TOO GOOD and takes too many RISKS with her image/content - is that a bad thing? Hell 2 the no! But it's a harder sell for lazy suits who only care about the dollar. Anyway, this new one shows Robyn shedding her pop image and going into a more introspective yet multi-faceted vein, shifting gears from electro-rap (Kinichiwa Bitches, anyone?) to soulful yet quirky R&B (Should Have Known, Handle Me, Be Mine), and a few tracks that are just plain odd, and all the better for it. Bottom line: the quality of the songs here are just TOO GOOD to get mainstream play and might be a hard sell for the label - that explains why they never even gave her a real shot in the U.S. Too bad, because Robyn is the real deal and so much more talented and inspired than most of her peers. Check out her "Rakamonie" EP as well, which includes a nice cover of "LIST OF DEMANDS" w/ co-lead vocals by Rilo Kiley's Jenny Wilson, her own take on Teddybear's "COBRASTYLE" and even a raw "live" remake of PRINCE's "JACK U OFF" - now that girl's got some balls!

Really don't understand why Robyn is not an international star. Especially considering that so many really are not all that talented and most are rather uninspiring to be kind. And this cd just goes to show that unless you are part of the big machine you simply will not chart (unless you are in Sweden of course).
This cd would have to be one of the best, most solid albums produced by a female artist in the last few years. I don't say that lightly either.
Every track on this cd is a winner. From the infectious Konichiwa Bitches to the very Prince-esqe Should Have Known there is literally not a weak track among the bunch.
Over the last year or two there have been a lot of really good albums out there... Gorillaz Demon Days, The Roots Game Theory, Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium... This is up there with any of those.
Do yourself a favour and buy this cd. Support one of the most prolific and underrated female artists out there. And get an album that you will still be listening to six months after purchasing it.

Let's be frank here. Pop's been having a rough time the past few years. Not many fresh faces, and those who remain from the big boom round the turn of the decade are starting to look a bit silly if not completely washed up.

What a shock it was to find, years after she vanished from our shores, an artist like Robyn still lingering in her homeland, still releasing compelling and successful albums. Now I was never a fan of Robyn when she was releasing in North America. I found "Show Me Love" annoying and "(Do You Know) What It Takes" was alright...the first 835 times they played it on the radio. It grew a bit annoying after that. So imagine my surprise to find the quality of this record would allow to completely change my opinion of the songs, nevermind of the artist in question. Robyn is, quite simply, a far more significant artist than she's ever been given proper credit for. A highly underrated artist of our time.

I've seen a reviewer here and there do the typical generalization and say that Robyn had no hand in this record beyond singing what "her people" told her. Here's the first great difference between this album and most other pop records over the past few years. Robyn is the main writer for these songs, and has been the main writer of a good majority of her discography. It is far too easy to assume that a pop singer is completely incapable of writing his/her own songs. It's a common error of one who's unfamiliar with pop music in general and those are generally dismissive of pop music.

No, Robyn writes her own music, and this record has been released by her own record company, which she owns and operates, and does a beautiful job on this record.

Radically different in sound and in image from "Don't Stop The Music", Robyn has opted on this album to go for a grittier, more cartoonish "street" persona. Of course, it's not meant to be a true-to-life account of life of a girl in ghetto. This girl's been a successful singer since she was 15, she's had no time for that.
This risk has paid off immensely, drawing in inspiration not only from hip-hop, but also from sunny pop, indie, and electronica; co-opting them into a somehow cohesive package of songs that while they might all hail from different regions of popular music, are brought together in a way that's extremely harmonious, and irresistable.

The album opener is a rather odd affair, striking you as an intro more to an arrogant American rapper's album than to a pop album. But it works, even if it does strike you as a little...well...unusual.
The album immediately kicks into high gear. "Who's That Girl?" with its hard-hitting beats and electronic bassline are nearly mesmerizing. The fusion of 80s synth with the heavy beats of later 80s artists like Janet Jackson is irresistible, and the song's strong, catchy hook is enough to sell the song.

The heavy beats continue with a shift downtempo with the far more modern "Handle Me". Definitely inspired by more modern minimalist R&B and Hip-Hop records, this song takes the current sound and makes a more layered package from it. With lower strings, guitars and harmony thrown in with lyrics that take you back to the days not-so-long-ago when women could actually come across as dominant and independant on their records (i'm looking at you, Destiny's Child. Cater 2 U indeed.)

Robotboy is probably the only song on the album that seems out of place. Despite a strong melody line, it seems more suited to a British singer-songwriter than to Robyn. Despite it's underpinnings, it continues the trend of electronics fused with live string instrumentation. Very fitting, but probably one of the weaker songs on the album.

And then we come to what probably is the best pop single released in about 3 years. "Be Mine!" is surprisingly melancholy and reflective in its subject matter, contrasting surprisingly well with its upbeat and springy music. I find the contrast seems to bring it to another level. Not often lately have I heard pop singers actually take on normal, relatable subject matters, like romance, sadness and loss. You know. LIFE.

Bionic Woman / Crash & Burn Girl is quite good. Again sticking with the electronics/live instrument theme. This time with a slick Chic-esque sensibility to it. The slick minimalist electro-disco tune is slick, yet frantic. It's all about contrast with this album, and this song's another example of this.

The next track is an interlude I cannot pronounce. This leads into the EXCELLENT Konichiwa Bitches. Talk about going to the old school (ok, yes. That sounded very dorky. So sue me.) This track is so tongue-in-cheek and fun you'll quickly realize what's missing from hip-hop today. Too much bling, too little energy. Of course this isn't serious. More of a tribute to hip-hop of years past. Excellent track, one of my favourite tracks on the album.

The tempo drops rather suddenly on "Bum Like You". This track is such a twist from the rest of the album in a way. Not electronic whatsoever, this track is a bit of an indie-lite ballad that retains some of the "ghetto" imagery prevalent throughout the album not musically, but via the subject matter, which concerns a girl nurturing a man in and out of jail and being a general vagrant.

Tempo remains low on "Eclipse", a very soft ballad, that's extremely beautiful with a tragic edge to it. Highly emotional and extremely engaging despite the minimal instrumentation.

"Should Have Known" is actually a track from "Don't Stop The Music" that has been remixed and re-recorded for the new album. Another sparse track, Should Have Known isn't extremely exciting, but is somehow rather soulful track, with a strong hook and simple but compelling lyrics. The mix from this album is actually quite a bit better than the mix found on Don't Stop The Music. Less unneccesarily busy, more mellow, but just as resonant.

As the album closer, Anytime You Like is quite a mellow end to a great album. It seems the best track follow up the equally sparse, but far more frustrated-sounding Should Have Known. This track is not quite up to the standard of most of the album. However, it does feature a rather nifty title hook, distributed all throughout the track. I also like end of the song, as the song develops into a very pleading, almost pained performance where you're not quite sure what's happening, but it can't possibly be good.
As well, the build-up throughout the album is a very effective dramatic tool that never quite builds up to the point of being superfluous.


All in all, Robyn's self-titled fourth album is DEFINITELY worth the money, no matter what the cost. I truly wish Robyn would release the album worldwide. I believe it would flip the image of pop music around the world onto its head. But from the sounds of things, Robyn's plan to release the album in the UK have fallen through. It's a shame as this could probably resuccitate the dying pop market in that country. An excellent album of this calibre is just what the world needs right now. Quite a tour de force.

Like many people, my first experience of Robyn came on her 1997 album "Robyn Is Here." I instantly fell in love with the songs "Do You Know (What It Takes)", "Show Me Love" and "How". Some of these songs were released a couple years prior (1995 I believe) in her home country but I digress. There wasn't a song on her debut album that I didn't like or didn't listen to constantly. I actually thought that this was the end of the teen sensation as I knew her (musically) until a chance encounter with a friend on an automotive message board, turned me on to the international music scene. That's where I resumed my love for Robyn's music. As fast as I could I purchased "My Truth" and "Don't Stop the Music." Both of these albums showed Robyn's growth and directional leadership she has taken over her career (a far cry from what seem to be manufactured pop on her debut album). Songs like "O Baby", "Don't Stop the Music" and "Play" provided a good beat and were easy to listen to, something that not many American artists (in her genre) can claim with their music. When I found out that Robyn would be releasing a 4th album this year, I waited patiently as I could until I was able to purchase this CD for my listening enjoyment. I have to say, that I was not disappointed. One sign of a great musical artist is the ability to "re-invent" one's self, with a flip of a switch and the change of the times. While Robyn (more or less) is still in the Pop genre of music, she isn't afraid to dabble in something a little foreign. This is what you get on her track entitled "Konichiwa Bitches" as she tries her hand at a little rap. "Be Mine" is also a very excellent track that if this CD was released in the U.S. I could see it as a top 20 track. Robotboy, in my opinion, is light hearted and whimisical but sends a strong message about being one's self and not giving in...well that's what the song meant to me. Overall I think this CD is excellent however I only gave it 4 stars because the overall play of the CD seems to be significantly shorter than her other albums (I believe this one is about 40 minutes or or less) and I was expecting something a little longer (at least 50 minutes). For more information on Robyn (including the video for "Be Mine") check out www.robyn.com. In closing I'll say there aren't many musical artists that I will buy CDs from based on name value alone but Robyn is one of those few that in the future if she releases another album I will buy it without listening to one single track, because the merit of her previous work speaks volumes for her future releases.

Here's the deal, you can listen to all the Britney, Christina, Kylie, Madonna, or Gwen that you want, but none of it will ever reach the level that Robyn reaches on this album. Her more dance-oriented tracks are unbelievably successful at making you dance. Her fun tracks make you smile every time. Her ballads make you listen, not roll your eyes. There's no superfluous beat, no wasted space, and only a couple instances of "wait...what?" lyrics. She may not have the most powerful voice in pop music, but what she does have she uses like nobody's business. Buy this album - there's absolutely no way you could be disappointed.

Tracks:

Who's That Girl - Possibly my favorite song on the album, and definitely one of the most effective album-openers I've ever encountered. This track is endlessly infectious and a great example of how Robyn writes music that fits her voice perfectly

Handle Me - Fun, light, awesome. The subtle touches on this song are great

Robotboy - The harmonizing is perfect and the piano and strings serve as the first sign of Robyn's masterful grasp of how to craft a great ballad-type song.

Be Mine - This is the song that convinced me to buy the album. It's like Pringles, once you pop, you just can't stop. I defy you to resist listening to this song more than two or three times in a row.

Crash and Burn Girl - Once again, the beat, effects, synth, and vocals blend to perfection. "Stop listen what's that sound, supersonic spinning round, you don't mind the fall until your face hits the ground." It's power pop with lyrics that actually SAY something

Konichiwa Bitches - I can't not smile during this song. It's just the perfect amount of ridiculous. And the ripping jeans sound effect is genius

Bum Like You - It starts slow and quiet, and it builds up to be a little less slow, a little less quiet, and totally resonant.

Eclipse - This track is amazing. It's so minimalist and unbelievably beautiful throughout. Again, the lyrics actually say something original while the vocals carry the perfect amount of ethos. This song is ridiculously good

Should Have Seen it Coming - Probably the weakest track on the album, if only for the fact that the swearing rings a little false. Plus, it kind of sounds like a Brandy song. But whatever, everyone's allowed a hint of "good" in a sea of neverending greatness

Anything You Like - Slow, cool, makes me think of Queen and David Bowie. You'll understand when you hear it

The bottom line is that whether "Robyn" is hitting you with the throbbing pulse of the perfect dance track or stunning you with the poignancy of an emotionally driven song, there's always the promise of gripping lyrics and an energetic, powerful melody. Which is, ultimately, what makes this probably the greatest pop album of the past decade at least.

OK, it's a bit different from her first album "Robyn Is Here", but actually it is much better! If you liked "My Truth" you'd probably love this CD! The biggest hits on it is "Be Mine" and "Who's That Girl". Other great songs is the early Madonna inspired "Crash & Burn Girl" and very much Teddybears Sthlm "Handle Me". On "Konichiwa Bitches" Robyn takes another step in a new direction... she's rapping! "Should Have Known" is also on this album, but in a better version. I really suggest you should but this! For sound samples, visit Robyn's official site at www.robyn.com, or the fantastic fansite with a lot of stuff at (...)

well, i first heard of robyn, like most people with the song "show me love" i loved that song, but after it, i never heard of robyn again. anyway a couple of months ago, i was on a music forum and heard that robyn had just released a new single and album in sweeden, so i downloaded the song "be mine" and thought it was amazing!!! i decided to import the album and it is an amazing pop/rNb album.

1. curriclium vitae (intro) 4 out of 5
this is an intro, its very well dont, its listing all of robyn's achivment, althoughj most of them are made up and its in a jokey way, very kool intro to the album

2. who's that girl 5 out of 5

amazing song, so cool, just makes you wanna dance!!! its the second single to be released after be mine

3. handle me 5 out of 5

very funky song, deffenitly should be a single

4. robot boy 4 out of 5

at first i didnt like this song, but after a couple of listens it grows on you and turns out to be one of the best songs on the album!!!

5. be mine! 5 out of 5

amazing song, this was the first single release in sweeden, and its such a fun pop song, one of the best, if not the best song on the album

6.bionic woman/crash and burn girl 4 out of 5

bionic woman is an interlude which goes directly into crash. this song is a very funky dance tune that just makes you wantr to dance!!!

7. tomteverkstan/konichiwa bitches 4 out of 5

tomteverkstan is an interlude, which goes into konichiwa bitches, this song is fun, and is and robyn raps in it, however dont let that put you off, shes actual;ly quite good, its probabily my least fave on the album, but its still good.

8. bum like you 5 out of 5

this song is kinnda acoustic, its a song about robyn being in love with a waste of space, but she dosnt care, cause shes so in love. excellent

9. eclipse 5 out of 5 (album fave)

this is the first realt ballad on the album. it is an amzing song, its not soppy or over produced its siple and elegant, and a verty emotional song its just an amazing song

10. should have known 5 out of 5

this is another excellent song, it was also featured on her dont stp the music album, however thsi version is a whole lot better.

11. anytime you like 4 out of 5

this song is very chilled out! its a cool end to the album, but again is not one of my faves.

overall 5 out of 5

one of the greatest pop albums i have ever heard!!!!!!
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and then BUY BUY BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!