Customer Reviews

Señor Smoke

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First off, forget what you heard and what you think you know about the guys in E6. These songs on Senor Smoke have more rock, more hidden commentary, and more dirty one liners than anything else out today.
From the first song, Rock n' Roll Evacuation, which is just a minor warm-up, you get the sense of the maddness that is to come. An example is the impressive statement of the lack of "rockin'" Mr. "Dub-ya" has to offer us, and I mean us as the "Evil Generation".
Some of my favorites are "Bite Me", just for the silly lyrics that Dick screams with conviction, to "Dance Epidemic" for the ultra hip porno riff as well as the mention of much needed sex, to "Dance-a-thon 2005" for the pure enjoyment of the keyboard!!! Yeah Nucleus!!! Not to forget, the ever repeatable hit song, "Vibrator" in which we all become Dick's girl in an elevator, can it get much better???
These song have an unbelievable edge of both humor as well as high brow intellectualism, yeah sounds weird but take a listen to "Jimmy Carter". One thing is for sure, Electric Six has immense talent in making full sounding danceable nu-clear music that kids everywhere should, and will be improperly dancing to in the middle of the streets.

Finally, the album is released here in the states! Personally I enjoy this one equally if not more than Fire. In fact, my two favorite Electric Six songs are Jimmy Carter and The Future Is In The Future, both on this release. It still has all the energy of their previous release (and hopefully their next release, which will be out in a few months - and this time it'll be available in the US).

Since the album's already been out for a while and there's nothing different about this release, I'll spare you the full review. Others have done a much better job on the import version's page.

Enjoy!

I am extremely disappointed that everyone seems to want to compare this album to Fire. If I wanted to fall into that category, I would agree that, yes, this doesn't really sound anything like Fire. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that Dick Valentine's vocals are rather distinct, I wouldn't have been able to tell you that E6 made this album.

With that said, I have to tell you that I am completely enamored with this album. I love the fact that this features more dance-groove-oriented music (with the exceptions of "Jimmy Carter" and "Taxi To Nowhere"). It's a proven fact that Electric Six makes it their sole responsibility to make you dance. If you don't get up out your seat and bust a move, well, quite frankly, they haven't done their job.

A lot of these songs have potential to be singles. My personal favorite on the album is "Dance Epidemic", which is my official "Song of 2005". I also love the fact that the boys decided to flex their funny bones and added some extremely hilarious lyrics to their already booty-shaking rhythms. Who else has the balls to sing about vibrators or the fact that our current president doesn't know how to rock?

I highly recommend this album for some great windows-rolled-down, stereo-blasting, hot-summer-day listening. Or, if you're looking to spice up your next party or romantic encounter, this album surely aims to please.

Like many an E6 fan, I remain mystified as to why this wildly unique and innovative band has not blown up to monstrous levels of popularity. After hearing the album "Fire" back in 2004, I nervously anticipated seeing a gang of hip young sillouhettes spazzing around in a new IPod commercial to the song "Dance Commander" at any moment. In a purely selfish way, I kind of love the fact that they still have only an underground cult following(it's way more enjoyable to attend live performances in smaller venues with more intimate groups of hardcore fans), but I do hope these guys eventually get more of the recognition they deserve.

Owning every bit of sound ever recorded by Electric Six that I could get my obsessive little hands on, I say without a doubt that Senor Smoke is their tightest and most consistent album so far. Every song pops, rocks, bumps, and grinds in all the right places. Dick Valentine's hilarious exaggerated rock god/sex symbol (yet somehow still geeky average guy underneath) persona is in its finest form here, as are his brilliantly irreverant lyrics, which manage to incorporate an impressive spectrum of subjects ranging from male hyperlust to fast food to pop culture to politics(!). And the music is hooks galore! If you like hard rock with your funk and disco with your punk, and you agree with Frank Zappa that humor DOES belong in music, then please please for the love of the Supreme Being, pick up this album!! If you're not pumping your fist in the air, shaking your butt and smiling, then you should probably mention it to your physician. Cause maybe you're slightly anemic and need a B-12 shot or something.

This is the best music i have ever heard in my entire life, if you though that fire was good, you will be blown away. there is not one bad or even mediocre song on this album. Rock and roll evacuation, Devil nights, jimmy carter, and dance epidemic are the best songs. The focus of this album has shifted from nuclear war on fire, to zombies. You cant go wrong with this

Electric Six play a sort of stone faced, tongue in cheek, bombastic hybrid of hard rock and dance music. Its a send up of how unintentionally silly rock and roll can be sometimes (only E6 is very intentional with their silliness). They could very easily be nothing more than a stupid novelty band except for one important thing:

They write fantastic songs.

Almost all the songs on this album will make you dance or rock out, all the while making you laugh your [...] off.

What sold me on giving the Electric Six a shot was their hilarious lyrics so if these make you laugh, you NEED this album:


"If money talks, then I'm a mime/If time is money, then I'm out of time"

"You were walkin' down the street/You were just across the street/So I had to cross the street/To get to your side of the street."

"Your body goes to waste every minute you don't give it to me./I'm dyin' for your sins on the dance floor, can't you see?!"

"Have a seat, I'll tell you what I did/I can't sit down 'cause I'm a dancer."

"She don't like it too hot/She don't like it too cold/ROOM TEMPERATURE!/ROOM TEMPERATURE!"

"Are you ready for my sucky sucky?/Are you ready to be set free?/Are you ready to siphon gasoline/Are you ready for the number three?"

"This is who you are/five dancing teenage boys who sing their way into our hearts/backstreets back... alright."


That last quote was from "Jimmy Carter," a song that almost made me pee my pants the first time I heard it.

Simply put, the Electric Six are hilarious (trust me when I say those lyrics I printed are only the tip of the iceberg), and their music is genuinely creative, fun, energetic and catchy, so even after you memorize all the jokey lyrics, you'll still have no problem dancing around the room playing air-guitar to this thing. Even their cover of "Radio Ga Ga" is pretty sharp.

If you like bands that can make fun of rock while they rock (Spinal Tap, The Dictators, The Aquabats), than you need "Senor Smoke" by the Electric Six. Its their best album.

This is my first Electric Six album, and I must say....I Love the hell out of it!!!! How to describe the style of music...err, ...umm....I guess it's kinda disco-metal, or something wiered like that. It's truly a hilarious album that makes you giggle your a** off, and yet, it's not cheesey or un-talented. The music is actually verry good. All in all....Wow! What a fun record!

If you liked Fire, you'll like Senior Smoke. There's no Gay Bar on here, but it's still got some gems like Rock and Roll Evacuation. When I saw them at the Key Club in Hollywood, the crowd went nuts for it. Moshing and everything. So great.

Despite being more funk than punk, Senor Smoke is a welcome follow-up to the excellent debut release, Fire. People expecting more of the same will need to adjust their radio, but be no less impressed by the tongue-in-cheek good fun rhythm of Electric Six.

Frankly, I am surprised at the fact that they featured Radio Ga Ga, seeing as almost every other song on the album is better. Seems that the label managers prefer to push the covers. The album features enough variety and depth to not lean on a cover as a feature track.

Notable wonders are 'Rock and Roll Evacuation', 'Jimmy Carter', 'Dance Epidemic' and 'Future Boys'. More Disco synths make this a popular choice for clubs and I would imagine remixes.

Highly recommended.

I bought Fire about a year ago and played the s!*t out it!. Amazing feaux-dace/rock/a little metal. Q: What was it? A: Awesome.

I saw them live in Chicago. They played a small venue and melted my face off. Very Fun!

Bought Senor Smoke, got it home any ran through it a couple of times. My initial review would be not as consistent as Fire, but the highs are higher. That highest point would be "Be My Dark Angel". While a little clumsy ("I was walkin' down the street, you were walking down the street, so I had to cross the street to get to your side of the street") has a great "build-up" intro and crushing guitar chord that would make Aldo Nova or Bon Jovi say "Why didn't I think of that?". It crescendos nicely into a bouncy, bititng chorus.

The album also opens with the anthemic Rock and Roll Evacuation that has a fist pumping chorus. Dance Epidemic rocks with a more.....well...dance/disco sound.

Bite Me and Vibrator are twisted, funny, uncomfortable and rockin' all at the same time somehow.

I'm a little dismayed by the more socially reflective tracks, Jimmy Carter, Future Boys, Taxi to Nowhere. They sound outdated, but have some melodic hooks as a saving grace. I do occasionally find myself skipping them to get to the meaty stuff on the CD.

This collection of songs come off a little disjointed on the same album, but that actually detracts very little from the fact that this album has some amazing, silly, wild stuff on it. It's a very fun album.

My advice would be to buy Fire and then Senor Smoke. Put them on the good stereo in the den and tell the wife and kids to "go outside, daddy's gonna' rock now." I pre-ordered Switzerland, their forthcoming album and have high hopes and new speakers. Can't wait.

Best small venue show I ever saw, too. Check and see if there coming to your town and get a ticket to see Dick Valentine and the wild ride that is E6.