Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Completely under the radar., March 30, 2008
This album was a bit of a surprise. I had no expectations at all about it. I'm familiar with Boom Bip but wouldn't necessarily call myself a fan. I haven't really payed attention to his career besides what little he did with Doseone back in the days. What really inspired me to check this band out was Gruff Rhys. For those not familiar with Gruff by name, he is the lead singer of Super Furry Animals. I'll tell you what, this band is pretty great...
It's an electronic 80s throwback album and the production is stellar. Gruff's voice works really nice with the production too. This album is a true gem.
"I Told Her In Alderaan" is my favorite. From the moment it begins, the 80s electronic melodies sound so pure it's hard to believe in came out in 2008 and not 1988. "I Lust U" is another great song. It's got a great dance beat and is just completely hypnotic. "Steel Your Girl" is a subtle, melodic gem. "Dream Girls" sports another incredible beat on the album with some 50s inspired vocal melodies. It's pretty good... I am just a big fan of this album. "Raquel" is like a pure 80s disco number. "Belfast" has an amazing melody to it. "Michael Douglas" is an atmospheric dance song.
All of those songs are stellar. There is something I don't like about this album, however. There are 3 songs on here that feature rapping. They just don't fit with the rest of this album and doesn't make much sense being here. I'll tell you what though, out of these songs, "Luxury Pool" isn't half bad.
These guys do an excellent job creating a homage to electronic and rock bands of the 80s who obviously influenced their direction such as The Cars, Depeche Mode, The Fixx and so on.
This album is awesome. It's as simple as that. I am completely blown away by it and am a giant fan of this act. I sincerely hope this is not the only album these guys will collaborate on because I just want more more more right now! Don't stop, please, give us more!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Throwback Album with Modern Edge, May 26, 2009
Acts as diverse as Pacific! to The Killers have proven that adding an eighties edge to modern pop/rock arrangments can be highly successful fusions. It is a refreshingly original trend, despite that implicit fact that the bands are merely taking their influences to a literal extreme.
Neon Neon, for instance, utilized many instruments manufactured in the eighties to create the sound on their debut effort "Stainless Style". The record is a unique concept album conceived around the high-profile playboy lifestyle of John DeLorean.
The eighties tribute theme is noticably prevalent on the album's strongest tracks: "I Lust U", "Dream Cars", "Belfast", and "I Told Her On Alderaan". These tracks constantly pop up on my playlists over a year after discovering this album!
Unfortunately, the other half of the record is constructed with more pedestrian fare. Tracks like "Trick for Treat", "Luxury Pool", and "Sweat Shop" tread typical modern R&B blueprints with yawn-inducing results.
Still, this is a grand record well worth the purchase...and isn't that a sweet album cover?
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW, December 20, 2008
First off, I am a huge fan of Gruff Rhys (solo records, stuff w/ SFA, and even his early JAMC-styled band, Ffa Coffi Pawb) and I know nothing about Boom Bip. When I heard about this LP, however, I thought it was brilliant.
The other reviewers have not mentioned that this is a CONCEPT ALBUM ABOUT CARMAKER JOHN DELOREAN. I cannot think of a more ridiculously awesome thing to make a concept album about, especially for dudes like me who: 1. grew up in the 80s 2. love cars 3. used to think the DeLorean was the pinnacle of cool cars during our childhood 4. love Back To The Future and so on.
I will agree with the other reviewers who say that the 3 hip-hop style tracks are totally out of place. Then again, I am not really a big fan of hip-hop. Regardless of that, the other tracks definitely garner this album five stars. The "Alderaan" song is possibly the most authenticly 80s-sounding non-80s song ever written - even more so than that M83 record that came out this year.
GET INTO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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