Customer Reviews

Serious Fun

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

 

 

Like probably everyone else I learned of THE KNACK through their monsterhit MY SHARONA (does anybody agree with me that the second half of that song is the best? With the incredible guitar solo and the intrumental bit).
SERIOUS FUN was their early nineties reunion album and, as I understand, it was universally panned.
I have to disagree with that though (why else would I be giving it four stars?). Sure, it isn't the best KNACK album and Don Was' production is a little bit to timely for that, but it's (serious) fun in it's own right.

THE KNACK for me where always so good 'cause off their really hardhitting playing style (it's THE BEATLES meets punk) and their mastery off those same instruments (like I said, I'll always be a metalhead). But it's the amazing songwriting that's most important.
There are some real gems on this album, like the title track, LET'S GET LOST and ONE DAY AT THE TIME. Best of all, there's bonustracks included.

Buy the cd to find out!

I ordered this CD three times, from three seperate dealers and always ended up getting the 1991 Charisma records release, without the extra tracks. Make sure the seller you're buying from has listed the correct CD! You may want to ASK the seller before ordering if it is indeed the 2002 re-release with four extra tracks (16 total).

Great comeback album for the Knack! Not "classic" Knack, but certainly an interesting direction!

JM

I'm glad to write a review for Serious Fun, this is my very favorite Knack album, I love their power pop sound but on this one the Knack got down to some serious rocking!! The opening track Rocket O Love sets the stage for the whole affair, the boys come out of the gate rocking and hardly ever stop!!
Everything is harder and louder on Serious Fun, the Knack really showing what they can do, it's just a shame that good music like this gets completely looked over these days, maybe by reissueing these Knack albums they will get the attention they should have in the first place!!
Serious Fun is my very favorite Knack studio album, rush out and get it because the Knack are rocking!!

I am a die hard fan of The knacks self titled album and was pleasantly surprised to get my hands on this CD. These guys still have that same edge and sound to Serious Fun. Some bands change over the years but the knack still have what initially made them more than one hit wonders as far as I'm concerned.
The production and songwriting material is ace with classic knack vocal style and lead breaks with a catchy choruses just be aware the album requires more than one listen to grow on you. .

The Knack's best, but largely unappreciated, album. I was shocked to see it go so quickly to "cut-out" in its first release on CD. Great to see its re-genesis with the Knack remasters. BY FAR, the best "road" disc you could ever take on a trip. The miles fly by as you bop maniacally in your seat. If you don't have this one--get it!!

Perhaps the buying public had a difficult time putting a label on The Knack's evolving music. Perhaps The Knack shouldn't have challenged their fans so soon with "Round Trip". Anyways, those that jumped on the bandwagon that weren't real fans faded away and missed out on this. Yes, that included me too. Sure, I enjoyed their first three releases but it may be said...thats only the begining! Serious Fun" is that and more! I missed it because of the reviews...until now... but I'm enjoying a vintage pleasure! Don't miss out!

I stumbled across this album in a Dollar Tree which was an amazing find, and I must say the music on this album is a real jewel, from slower relaxing tracks like Won't Let Go to some of the more upbeat ones like Doin' The Dog. And you just gotta love the album artwork.

The Knack's first album, "Get the Knack," took elements of early rock & roll and updated them with the production values and musicianship of the late 1970s, creating an instantly recognizable and yet original sound. By their breakup in '81, the Knack had broadened their musical inspiration into the extremely varied and powerful "Round Trip." Both of these albums are timeless -- though inspired by sounds of earlier eras, they could have been recorded yesterday. So I was surprised to find that their first reunion album, "Serious Fun" is stuck in the late 1980s, despite having been released in 1991. The songs are very well crafted, and impeccably played, making for a generally enjoyable listen. Doug Feiger's voice is terrific, Burton Averre's guitar work likewise. Unfortunately, the equally masterful rhythm section is trapped by the uniformly moderate tempos and predictable beats that dominated late '80s rock. It's almost painful for me to hear a bass virtuoso like Prescott Niles playing this kind of music -- there's simply no room for him to shine. If you thought rock & roll really started to hit its stride with "St. Elmo's Fire" and then reached its ultimate embodiment in Bon Jovi, then you should buy this album immediately. For everyone else, this will probably be a surprisingly listenable reminder of a time you would rather forget.

Aside from "Get the Knack" (after which came their second and most dismal release), "Serious Fun" is a straight-forward guitar-driven rock-and-roll album. "Rocket O' Love" and "I Want Love," with their catchy vocals and excellent guitar work, are well worth the price of the album. The rest is mostly average work, (with some notable exceptions, such as "The River of Sighs") with the same glossy melodies.

It is a far cry from their first album, but that's not necesarrily (sp:?) bad. Altogether, the sound is more hardcore-rock, and the production is very polished. The vocals are dead-on, and put together very well. In the same vein, the songwriting is also far superior to their two previous albums (and way better then that of the preceeding album, which was lackluster at best).

So, to sum it all up, the songs either smoke, or they're so-so. You'll probably find three or four on there that you'll like, and the rest can be pitched.

Serious Fun was The Knack's "return" album. Critics always had a hard time with The Knack. I never paid much attention to them, I loved The Knack's raw edgy sound. Everyone always said they were trying to be modern day Beatles, but The Knack were simply a talented group that put everything into there music. After caving to the critics and releasing Round Trip in 1981 (my least favorite album), the band disappeared for awhile. Serious Fun marked the return and a return to the musical style that brought them to fame in the first place. It also marked the first album that the late Bruce Gary did not play on. The album opens strong with "Rocket O' Love", a straight ahead upbeat song that was a hit for the band. The title track is also very catchy. Most of the songs are faster tempo, and I find the album great to listen to when driving. A recommendation...get the digitally remastered version with the bonus tracks. They are getting harder to find (and getting pricey) and I had to purchase a second copy when I found that my son had removed a bunch of my CD's from their cases and the first copy dissappeared. The second copy will be recorded to my ipod shortly. Bottom line, this is a good album. If your a Knack fan it's a must. If your a fan of good music, it's highly recommended.