Customer Reviews

Saturday Teenage Kick

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Tom Holkenborg was still in the band 'Weekend at Waikiki' the music made was not very spectacular. The he started on his own, got a heart attack and bought some computers. Then he teamed up with Rude Boy from the Urban Dance Squad and things started rolling. After the single Billy Club came out it was followed by the debut album.

And it will blow you away! The sounds are load, sometimes almost industrial, harder than the prodigy and a lot smarter. The Rude Boy raps add a perfect mix. I will guarentee you will listen to this CD a lot, especially when jogging it will make you pumped up.
Billy Club, Saturday Teenage Kicks and Metrolike are the best songs but there isn't a bad one on here. Certainly the best album out of Holland in the last 5 years.

I've been a fan of Junkie XL since 1997-98, when I first heard "Saturday Teenage Kick" and had my attention captured by its one-of-a-kind mix of breakbeat, rap, and good old pure electronics (Prodigy's "Fat of the Land" nothing...that one was a bit of a downer after "Music for the Jilted Generation," and this album is above and beyond that...WAY beyond).

Even though they (and by "they," I really mean founder and only permenant member, Tom Holkenberg...fans were all sad to hear about rapper Rudeboy's departure in 2000 following the losses of Dino and Baz) have continually refined and sharpened their sound since the beginning, this first album has a certain unique, underground edge that isn't as present in "Big Sounds of the Drags" or purely-electronic promo singles like "Bon Voyage," "B Y Whop to the Y," or the lost "Red Heat." This is probably mostly due to Tom's decision to take the band towards more dance-based music for Big Sounds (except for the standout track "Zerotonine," quite possibly one of the most unique electronic pieces I've ever heard, even considering Teenage Kick), but word has it that the next album, due out in September, is closer to breakbeat as Teenage Kick was, which is very, very good news. I'm looking forward to it, because I'm confident that Tom can do it again, even without Rudeboy.

A solid 5. Anyone with good taste in music should have this album, as well as Big Sounds, as well as the next album.

This is probably one of the singularly best albums I have ever owned, hands down.

The first track I ever remember hearing by Junkie XL was "Def Beat", which was featured in a number of driving games, such as Need For Speed: High Stakes and Gran Turismo 3. It's probably still to this day the best instrumental track I've ever heard, and I got this album not knowing what else to expect. Thankfully, I was rewarded with a very unique and un-Prodigy-like experience with tracks like "Billy Club", "Metrolike"(which unfolds like a dance team routine or something, IMHO), and "Melange". Ronin's vocals sound somewhat like Zach De La Rocha of Rage against the Machine, but their higher range and almost serrated edginess really lends a quality to every track he's on that has to be experienced to be understood.

Long story short, buy this album. If you like good honest big-beat electronica, you won't be sorry.

This Album is good, but sometimes it sounds a bit too much like the prodigy. It isn't as good, but comes close. Best songs are underachiever, billy club and saturday teenage kick!

First of all, this has become a worldwide electronic/rock/hiphop fusion classic, setting a standard that Prodigy and other electronic artists are still trying to match. (No offense to the Prodigy). I would just like to clear something up that I see very often misrepresented; Future in Computer Hell (Part 1)is not a 17 minute Opus. That song is only 3 minutes and ten seconds long and is a radio-ready rock anthem. It is followed by a few minutes of silence, and a bonus track called "Mulu" which lasts for 9:48 and is exceptionally cool.

I've always been a fan of (the silver surfin') Rude Boy since he was in Urban Dance Squad. His rap & voice are interesting and unique, no one else sounds like rude boy. Its great to hear his voice layered ontop of great breaks and synth by Tom Holkenberg, (worked with Fear Factory as DJ for awhile). and the guitar noises done by Dino (Fear Factory) are great mixed into the tracks. They all have created a wonderfull album that sets high standards for people to follow. I can't compare it to prodigy (since I only listen to their older, less "pop" album's "Music for the Jilted Generation and Experince). Its in a very different class. This is where industrial music should be going...

I give this CD five stars simply because it has the guts to exist. Basically, if you liked the Prodigy song "Breathe", you will like this whole album. Period.

I saw JXL at a local club a couple of months ago and the live show just reinforced how much he kicks a$$! I own around 1500 CD's and I can say "Saturday Teenage Kick" is easily in my top 5 all time favorites along with JXL's "Big Sounds of the Drags" I can pop in STK on Monday morning and commute to and from work (45 min each way) for the entire week and never want to change the disc! JXL's lays down sonic charged beats and crunchy bass with tons of cool effects. Your car woofers will never be the same!

This album is way ahead of its time. If it was released recently and had a big promotion engine behind it this album would be huge. Too bad all it will be is a little known oddity in the electronic world. It's about as quality as it gets, and a some of the stuff Junkie XL does on this album is what the Crystal Method have been doing on their recent Tweekend Album and a lot of the tracks eaisly cross over to appeal to the "extreme music format fan" with the music's hard edge. Great album and a true jewel in any collection. I would say dealing with the roster is far and a way the best track on the album.

This is a seriously amazing album, and totally under-rated as I hadn't even heard of them until I got the 'Blade' Soundtrack. There is such diversity in the sounds here it's just fantastic - right from the almost hip-hop style of 'Saturday Teenage Kick' to the electronica sounds of 'Dealing With the Roster'. Some of the other tunes really surprised me as well. A lot of people have described Junkie XL as Prodigy like, which they are in places, but that's not a bad thing at all. I loved the Prodigy and now they're gone it's good to have someone new there instead. Can't wait for another album!