Customer Reviews

Southern Lands

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

 

 

Cetu Javu was a short-lived German New Wave band that belonged in the 1980s more than the grunge-influenced early 1990s. This album, chock full of listenable tunes is catchy and remarkably devoid of duds. Chart hit Situations is present. However, you'll be disappointed by the album track of Have in Mind, as it is NOT the version that charted in US clubs. That was Have In Mind (Kalimba Mix), which is sold as a CD single (or downloaded for free, of course). I can't say enough about Cetu Javu's talent, and this was the strongest of their two albums. Even Words Without Thoughts, Southern Lands and China Girl are extremely synthy, catchy and are sure to be enjoyed by those who have a penchant for Kraftwerk, Camouflage and Alphaville. I make you this promise: if you're an 80's New Wave fan, you WILL find "Situations" catchy. I guarantee it. It's that memorable a song. It ruled the US Dance Charts for weeks, which is not easy for a tune intended as synth rather than club music. One parting shot: Cetu Javu's songs are about mature topics, such as environmental destruction (Southern Lands and Have in Mind), which is a throwback to OMD singing about nuclear energy and hydroelectric power on their chart hit "Electricity" from 1981.

This is classic old school new wave with music and voices like the 80's Depeche Mode and New Order styles. Cete Javu has more mid tempo music suitable for dancing and pure listening enjoyment alike. If you are a Depeche Mode or New Order fan, you just might like this one.

1993? I bought this cd in 1989. It is one of my all-time favorite synthpop albums. Highlights include: "Have in Mind", "Situations", "Words Without Thoughts", and "Fight Without a Reason", although its all great. Check out their Spain only (I believe) second release..."Where is Where". Not as good as Southern Lands, but definately worth picking up, if you can find it that is.

... or maybe I should say 10 years too early. Either way, in the early 90's German outfit Cetu Javu put out an excellent album of addictive synth pop at a time when the world wanted nothing to do this slick new wave sound. Too bad, people missed out on some of the best electronic pop music written.
I was tempted to only give this 4 stars simply because there are some misses and filler contained herein, but when CJ hits the mark they really hit it, so I went back to 5. I truly believe that had "Situations" been released prior to 1986 it would have become one the true synth new wave anthems in the vein of Visage's "Fade to grey", Alphaville's "Big in Japan", Camouflage's "Great Commandment" or Yaz's "Situation"... hey, isn't that a neat coincidence. Having made those comparisons, I'd have to say that this song is most similar to "Big in Japan" with its Asian influenced synth patch... it sounds like an analog simulation of plucking a koto. The chorus is insanely catchy: "We get together... nothing matters... situations like these I never like to miss." Say, did Mesh steal from this song on their hit "Situations Like These"? You bet they did.

The second single was the perky "Have in Mind", a linear, straighforward dance track that reminds me of a song by Anything Box. Another standout is the album's title track and leadoff song "Southern Lands". It starts with slinky synth line that grows in force until the beat and other hooks kick in. Personally this is my second favorite on the disc.

The Spanish-sung "Adonde" is crisp and will keep your head bobbing. I've always been disappointed that no synth-pop or electroclash club I've been to has busted this song out... pinhead DJs, what do they know? There are a couple of other Spanish tracks including the slowed down and dark "Quien Lo Sabia". I've also always been partial to "Bad Dreams", an admittedly slightly cheesy teen-angst song - but it just sounds so good so why not "Come along with me and all my bad dreams."

If you like synth then you will adore Cetu Javu - German synth done to perfection. I sometimes think that many of the acts out there today are mimicking Javu almost as often as DM or Human league. Great melodies, strong vocals... check it out.

... or maybe I could say 10 years too early. Either way, in the early 90's German outfit Cetu Javu put out an excellent album of addictive synth pop at a time when the world wanted nothing to do this slick new wave sound. Too bad, people missed out on some of the best electronic pop music written.

I was tempted to only give this 4 stars simply because there are some misses and filler contained herein, but when CJ hits the mark they really hit it, so I went back to 5. I truly believe that had "Situations" been released prior to 1986 it would have become one the true synth new wave anthems in the vein of Visage's "Fade to grey", Alphaville's "Big in Japan", Camouflage's "Great Commandment" or Yaz's "Situation"... hey, isn't that a neat coincidence. Having made those comparisons, I'd have to say that this song is most similar to "Big in Japan" with its Asian influenced synth patch... it sounds like an analog simulation of plucking a koto. The chorus is insanely catchy: "We get together... nothing matters... situations like these I never like to miss." Say, did Mesh steal from this song on their hit "Situations Like These"? You bet they did.

The second single was the perky "Have in Mind", a linear, straighforward dance track that reminds me of a song by Anything Box. Another standout is the album's title track and leadoff song "Southern Lands". It starts with slinky synth line that grows in force until the beat and other hooks kick in. Personally this is my second favorite on the disc.

The Spanish-sung "Adonde" is crisp and will keep your head bobbing. I've always been disappointed that no synth-pop or electroclash club I've been to has busted this song out... pinhead DJs, what do they know? There are a couple of other Spanish tracks including the slowed down and dark "Quien Lo Sabia". I've also always been partial to "Bad Dreams", an admittedly slightly cheesy teen-angst song - but it just sounds so good so why not "Come along with me and all my bad dreams."

If you like synth then you will adore Cetu Javu - German synth done to perfection. I sometimes think that many of the acts out there today are mimicking Javu almost as often as DM or Human league. Great melodies, strong vocals... check it out.

Do you remember dancing to Tea for Two and Cetu Javu, or Front 242 in the clubs in the late 80's? This reminds me of dancing at a club in San Antonio called 'Changes' back in the late 80's. Good dance music on Situations and Have in Mind. Title track is good also. Rest of CD is non-dance, and will take some getting used to.

The track that you probably know, and for which I bought this album, "Situations," is a standout. But, luckily, several other of the album tracks are as good if not better. The title track is a really excellent song, a great mood-setter and opener; well-produced, catchy, a little dark, quite Germanic, but totally 80s synth-pop and very likable. Track 2, "Love Me" is also very good, as are #4 "Words Without Thoughts," #6 "Get It," #8 "Bad Dream," #9 "Have in Mind," and the Spanish-language "Quien Lo Sabia?" is a long 7-minute almost symphonic ballad which originally closed the album. (There are 3 tracks sung in Spanish; the rest are in English, and though you can tell it's not their first language, the German accent is charming and cute.) One of the extra tracks, #11 "Fight Without A Reason" is also quite catchy. It's worth purchasing, especially if you liked what the 80s British/Euro-pop sound had evolved into in the mid to late 80s and very early 90s. Think Depeche Mode's "Some Great Reward" or "Violator" or the much more similar "Voices and Images" by the German group Camouflage with the hit single "The Great Commandment." Enjoy your trip in the musical Wayback Machine!

Situation and Have in Mind were both great underground club hits. This whole album is pretty good; very Mode/Camoflage esque! I recomend this to anyone interested in those club hits you never were able to identify!

This is just what I can call a CD, it is danceable, it has great songs and lyrics and it has one of the most classical songs in spanish techno Adonde which is great. Situations, Have in mind, Get it, Fight without a reason are great too. Quien lo sabía is a definition of a poem

I was a fan of this band when they first came out and never really got tired of them. If you're into bands like Camouflage, Red Flag, Alphaville, Depeche Mode etc you'll dig these guys. Musically it is quite simple and the production isn't sweet and fat like some of the a fore mentioned groups however the synth sounds are appealing and the lyrics are interesting. I especially like the Spanish songs Oye and Quien Lo Sabia? though their signature sound comes undoubtedly from tracks like Situations and Southern Lands. Fight Without a Reason is also a secondary favorite. This album won't blow you away but it's a solid 80's synth record that any fan of the genre should have.