Customer Reviews

Romances

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

 

 

I would consider myself a semi-fan of Mike Patton's past work. I've loved albums such as Mister Bungle's California, but found much of his music to be self indulgent and clever, rather than inspired. Romances blows my mind, however. Overall, this work would probably best be described as a collection of soundscapes rather than songs; and within this context it suceeds brilliantly. Throughout this album layer after layer of shimmering instrumental and evocative vocal tracks create of mood that can only be described as dreamy, sensual and yes -- romantic! In fact, what Patton & Kaada may have produced here is the most bizzare makout album of all time! If you're looking to rock out stay away from Romances. But if you're in search of something different and could use a soundtrack for getting hot and bothered with the coolest and weirdest significant other possible, I highly recommend this album.

I bought this album, because I'm a big fan of Mike Patton's work with Faith No More, Bungle, Fantomas, and Tomahawk. I know Patton is a complete nut. However, I was not familiar with John Kaada at the time of my purchase. Even though, I'm very familiar with Patton's other work, what this album had in store was very unexpected. It is possibly the creepiest, trippiest, most intriguing album I've ever heard. It is not for your average listener, by any means. This is the type of music that will take hold of one's mind, give extremely vivid hallucinations of what is going on, and wrap around the brain, squeezing it into insanity. There are abrupt dynamic and instrumentation chnages that will either confuse the hell out of you, or make you more and more curious as to what will happen next. Buy this album if you are looking for an emotional rollercoaster. It is one of the most interesting soundscapes in my collection. I personally love it. Most probably wouldn't know what to think of it.

A few tracks into "Romances," you'll probably find yourself asking the question: What movie is this from? With all that gothic ambience and sudden ups-and-downs, it sounds like the soundtrack from a surrealist vampire flick. As a result, it's a pleasant if unexceptional listen.

To some degree, it's what you'd expect of Fantomas frontman Mike Patton, when he collaborates with Norwegian melting-pot master Kaada. The opening song is a dense, built-up colossus of ghostly vocals (either high and creepy or deep and foreboding), weird synth and over-the-top organ. It sounds like Patton and Kaada are trying to scare you with the woo-woo effects.

That flavour sticks around in lesser forms in the songs that follow, which generally pair ambient effects, bells, steel guitar, electronic wibbling and some seriously sad songwriting. Patton is more restrained here than in his main band, and he is able to croon in a suitably mournful manner.

Despite the dark tone, there is some unexpected hilarity in "L'absent," which sounds like the Polyphonic Spree misplaced their meds. I've never heard "la la la" sung with such gloom. And "Pitie Pour Mes Larmes" mixes in hymns, uplifting pop with that ambient sound and some heavy crashing drums. Just try to classify that!

"Romances" is an interesting listen while it's actually on, but with at least half of each song made of gothic ambience, it feels somehow incomplete and insubstantial. A few songs have a solid sound to tap into -- such as the opening song "Invocations" -- but most of them meander with lots of creepy sound effects.

It is a pretty listen, though, with some solid instrumentation in the form of bass, steel guitar, drums, and clarinet, with multilayered washes of sound sweeping over it all. And Patton's mournful wails are suitably creepy, just the sort of thing you'd expect in a haunted castle, abandoned palace, decrepit opera house, or something of the sort.

"Romances" is not exactly a revelation, but it is a moderately entertaining piece of gothic ambient music. Patton and Kaada could have done better, but at least they did well enough.

This is an incredible album, its so layered with sounds and beauty, it would be hard to break all the sounds up and dissect them. My favorite tracks are pitie pour mes larmes, aubade, seule, pensee des morts. Parts of Aubade could be on Disco Volante and Dead Goon when the main section is over. Listen to this with the lights out with quality headphones and youre in for a quality time. NOw the question is, to get into the romantic mood, would you listen to this or Lovage...hmmm, for true love, I would say Patton and Kaada. For wild...you get the drift.

A great release. Kaada and Patton are in perfect form here. Not only is the album about literal romance (Kissy-kissy/I'll love you forever/Where did our love go? and so on), it is also about creative romance -- of musicians with music, and of musicians with other musicians. From Simon and Garfunkel and Rogers and Hammerstein, to Time Rice and Lloyd Weber, to a number of other composing duos whose names I forget at the moment -- playful homage is paid to all, while at the same time the totally unique duo of Kaada and Patton give us something we've never quite heard from either one of them (or anyone else) before.

Contrary to what some mediocre minded music mavens may say, this does not need a little spike, nor is it by-the-numbers Bungle. The people (you know who you are) who keep insisting on the latter have got to get over this delusion already, move on, get a new tic, reset the needle, etc., etc.

This is great music. Buy it. Listen to it. You'll enjoy it for years to come.

tasteful odd arrangements, yet a lot more accessible than a lot of Patton's other collaborations (MALDOROR). cool organ arrangements, with Patton crooning, not screaming, over top. worth checking out if you enjoyed LOVAGE or TOMAHAWK's first release.

Last night, in an inspired fit of re-combination, i chopped this album into two-bar sections using Pro Tools. Then, i did the same thing with Maldoror's "She", Tomahawk's "Mit Gas", Fantomas' "Delerium Cordia" and John Zorn's "Hemophiliac." Then, i took those two-bar sections and massed them, layered them, alternated them, looped them, and created a new song. I played it, and realized i had written the next Mr. Bungle album. That's what is always interesting about Patton's work.
Unlike Joe Strummer, who took the individual song identities of the Clash (dub, reggae, punk, rock, pop, world) and massed them into a kind of edgy pop bricolage in his solo years, Patton does the opposite. He takes small ideas he explored in the past, and by stretching them out to album length, pushes these ideas farther than Bungle ever did.
What shocks about Patton is regardless of how much of a failure an album might be, it's always infused with emotional and artistic investment. He hasn't sold out, he doesn't pander, he doesn't rely on pre-tested formulas.
What even more shocking about Patton is how he makes music about human emotions that we haven't made up words to define. Yet we relate. We understand, though we are beyond words, beyond the bulldozer simplicity and stupidity of language. Listen to track 8. Then, make up a word for how you feel. You can't. It wouldn't do it justice. But you feel better that someone else has made you feel less alone.

I have followed Patton works since the beginning. FNM, Mr Bungle, Fantomas, Tomahawk, John Zorn, just to name a few... But this cd with Kaada (?) is one of the most boring and out of interest creation I have ever heard. Sounds like people who never done music before and try to make something different. A real joke. The packaging is nice though... But Mike Patton is a guy who can really surprise you, on a positive manner everytime but this time, on a very negative one. What's the point ????

FNM were great. Mike Patton's sound experiments on Tzadik were great. Mondo Cane is a hoot. Crank is exciting. Tomahawk is powerful. This CD is a total disappointment. For what its worth, I found it devoid of ideas or inspiration--just sort of plods along; sounds like two guys with a mic and electronic equipment killing time while waiting in a doctor's office.

Another half-cooked, lighthearted experiment from the former FNM vocalist just feels typically overindulgent without having much substance to back up an enforced style of whimsical morbidity.