Customer Reviews

Sinister Nostalgia: A Switchblade Symphony Remix Collection

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

 

 

My mind was filling with doubt as I was buying this. I am not one for remixes or other best of's, and compilations. But since I can't wait for something that will probably never happen, which is a new Switchblade studio album, I thought what the hell.

And...I love it!! OK, of course, all tracks are not equal, and some, like DISSOLVE (Messy Mix) are downright skipped when I play the CD. But other tracks are real good. If it was only for tracks 5, 6 and 11, I would still get this CD.

CLOWN (Mother's Mix) is a great track, even though it is true that the original was maybe Switchblade's best song, and this isn't that far from the original.

INSECT (6am eternal's Mix) is awesome, with pounding industrial beats layered on top of a beautiful music track, and the distorted voice of Tina.

NAKED BIRTHDAY (Gothtastic Mix) is the most grooving track on that CD. More simple approach that the other remixes, with hallucinating vocal samples and heavy guitar and drums use. You have to listen to this.

Another song you don't want to miss it the ending title, WICKED, remixed by none other than Susan Wallace! This one has twisted filtered drums and vocals, along with slide guitar, all blending into a great 14mn epic. Unbelievable.

A must have for anyone into Switchblade Symphony or just into great goth remixes!

The band has been on haitus for around a year now and i think that anything from the band would be a blessing. The mixes here range from annoying to amazing! In my opinion though most do stay true to thier original counterparts with a few exeptions here and there. This is not a cd to start out with when listening to the band - Get either Serpentine Gallery or 3 Calamities. I must admit this cd really caught me off guard when released because what I thought was coming out was a followup to thier O.O.P. scrapbook cd but they released a mix disc instead. I am giving it 4 out of 5 just because a few of the mixes do drone a little but most mix cd's will do that- the cd however is a must for anyone who loves this band....

Some remixes were left out, ones that were great back in the day. Then of course there were some great remixes on this disc, the one by 6am or something like that was really good. I look at this more like a remixed best of, and lets be honest. That's what it is. Cleopatras last milking of the wonderful lil band. Switchblade Symphony was a great band, they released some of my fave songs and yes, they released some songs I wanted to run from. I shouldn't say was though, they may be back one day better then ever. My only serious comment is this, if you are new to the band, get Serpentine Gallery first. I'd recommend Scrapbook first but it's out of print. But if you already followed the yellow brick road, this disc is worth the price. It has some catchy stuff on it and it's great for the car.

This album should not have been released. Switchblade Symphony easily could have done without a remix album, or at least without one sounding like this. Because of sound clips given for the first five tracks, only one of which is any good, I seriously considered not purchasing it. Considering it is by Switchblade Symphony, generally a respectable music group, I decided to give it a try.
Needless to say, it was quite disappointing. The first four tracks sound like pop music remixes. Switchblade Symphony is NOT a techno band and was never intended to sound like one. After that, the remixes do improve in quality although they never live up to typical Switchblade Symphony expectations. The only tracks I ever listen to are the remixes of "Invisible," "Rampid," and "Naked Birthday" (I made MP3s of those tracks to listen to on my computer). I was interested in hearing the remix of "Wicked" since it was edited by a band member, but this, like the rest of the CD, was very disappointing. For about ten minutes, a few synth sounds are constantly repeated, and the original version of the song is played afterwards.
I believe the reason this CD was released was to make the Cleopatra record label extra money. They know people will buy this, as it is a release from a respectable music group. The label has released an extremely large number of mediocre "tribute" albums, etc. over the past few years. As much as I hate to say it, this may be one of the releases being used to bring the label money.
I hope Switchblade Symphony collaborates soon to release brand new material. I usually listen to a Switchblade Symphony album for weeks at a time, but this was in my CD player for a day, and it wasn't even in it for that long. I bought it the week it came out, and it hasn't been back in my CD player since.

Sinister Nostalgia is by far, the best CD I have invested in recently. Tina Root and Susan Wallace may not be working together anymore, but it is a pleasure to see that their music will still go on. These remixes are darker, drearier, but some of the tracks have an almost dance-ish feel. The trippy, heady feeling associated in Serpentine Gallery, Bread and Jam, and The Three Calamites is multiplied in Sinister Nostalgia. This is definately one of the gothic-must-haves of 2001.

I must say I was very happy to see a new SBS CD come out, even if it was a remix, because I know this is as new as SBS is going get since they're broken up. A few songs are a little butchered by the remixing,especially one of Cocoon, and I wish they didn't repeat some songs, but overall the songs are enhanced (most songs still carry the original tune) and the singing made all that more beautiful.
It takes a little getting used hearing the melodic songs spliced up and thrown into the industrial music, but I think it's well worth the buy.

This album serves as a reminder of the importance of arrangement, and specifically, of Susan Wallace.

I might be coming from a slightly biased perspective. I really enjoy Switchblade Symphony, so I might be somewhat less receptive. Also, I am not generally fond of dance/electronica. I'm sorry, but the same 4/4 drum pattern and two-measure synth loop gets old after five minutes.

There are a few songs which I can stand on this album (Rampid and Clown), but my affection ends there. The rest seem horribly disjointed; we're not talking about a little forgivable mixplay, but rather an attrocity. Most of these songs sound like some raverboy added Tina's vocals to whatever bouncy-... electronica happened to be in his Casio's memory at the time. Not everything needs or warrents a full-blast drum machine assault, and not everything can be a dance song (at least not without some serious work).

Granted it's hard as ... to match Susan's style, but this is a shame.

If you like Switchblade Symphony there is no excuse not to own this album as well! Great remixs...I only wish they would put out another remix album with a different collection of songs. Very very cool album, and one that requires that the volume be turned UP!

switcblade symphony does it again with all these really cool remixes... the razed in black remix of dollhouse is my personal fav...

this is a album of techno remixes of ss best songs. what else is to be said except that the song rock!