Customer Reviews

Temperamental

5 star:		(96)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

In the early 1980s, American music was hit by a sort of second British Invasion. Instead of bringing rock and pop, the Brits brought new wave and techno. Not surprisingly, a great deal of these bands had only one or a few hits, then vanished (anyone remember Haircut 100?). Others like Duran Duran and the Police (or at least Sting in his solo career) still manage to maintain some of the following they originally started off with, and if possible, continue to win new fans. One band that fits into the latter category is the duo of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt: Everything But The Girl. Although they have been releasing albums since 1984, it took more than a decade for Everything But The Girl to receive the recognition that was their due. Then in 1995, "Missing", a song off their AMPLIFIED HEART (1994) album was given a dance remix. After an astonishing 28 weeks on the charts, the song finally reached its peak of #2. After coming up with a follow-up to AMPLIFIED HEART with 1996's WALKING WOUNDED, Thorn and Watt took a break. They have since come up with probably their finest album ever in TEMPERAMENTAL. Before they hit it big with the dance version of "Missing", Everything But The Girl had sort of an acoustic, jazz-based sound that was the perfect vehicle for Tracy Thorn's sultry voice. Since then, most of what they have released has been tailored for the dance clubs, and TEMPERAMENTAL is no exception. The album opens with the deceptively upbeat "Five Fathoms". At first listen, this sounds like a re-recording of "Missing". But this song is representative of what is contained on TEMPERAMENTAL. At six and a half minutes, it's one of the longest songs on the album. The other nine are also quite lengthy, with only one song under four minutes. Next comes the R&B groove of "Low Tide Of The Night". This song has that appropriate feeling of a ship sailing across the sea with its catchy, almost wave-like sound. If you want to bump and grind, this is the perfect soundtrack. Another song in an R&B mode is the hip-hop-flavored slice of life "Hatfield 1980". The lyrics are quite enigmatic, which is made all the same by the disembodied voice of Thorn. In an odd change of styles, there's the percussive style of "Blame". A hypnotic ballad, the drums on this track threaten to overtake the entire song because of Thorn's practically ghostlike delivery. Only rarely is there a song of the singer actually admitting their guilt at the break-up of a relationship. There's no finger-pointing at all on "Blame". Of course, Thorn isn't the only star of TEMPERAMENTAL. Ben Watt could best be described as the musical director of Everthing But The Girl. Most of what they stand for would not be complete without Watt's ethereal musical backgrounds. It's on songs like the title track, "Blame" and "Five Fathoms" that give them their deserving reputation of creating dance music with a heart. While a majority of the songs on here break down several time-length barriers, they never become boring, and almost seem shorter than they actually are. Before you know it, the album is half over. Even after nearly two decades of also-ran status, Everything But The Girl soldiers on as if they didn't care about their lack of success. "Missing" may have been a lucky fluke, but TEMPERAMENTAL is the perfect document of a band staying together for reasons of music and creativity, not money and success.

EBTG's last album Walking Wounded must rate as one of the 90s' top-ten cruising CDs. If, like mine, your copy's suffered from ricocheting around the front seat of the Honda, never fear, a back-up's available: Temperamental. But the new EBTG album isn't just WWII; it's a continued journey into a trippier, more electronic sound for the group-and, with Tracey Thorn's lovely, haunting vocals leading the way, it's a journey through darkened streets and late-nite London nightscapes.

"Low Tide of the Night," "Blame," "Hatfield 1908," and "The Future of the Future" are all lovely tunes, but in "Lullaby of Clubland," when Tracey sings plaintively, swaddled in the gurgle of nocturnal dance music, "I'm on the dark side of the street, not the light side of the street; It's packed at 2 a.m.; I've got no coat; Are you on your own? When are you going home?" your heart will break along with her voice at the beauty and loneliness of the song.

"I'm not immune; I love this tune," she sings on "Fathoms Five," the album's first single. I found Temperamental's elegant come-down beats catching too. - Robert Stribley

After a long, successful career (in Europe, anyway), it seemed Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt had run out of steam with the bland jazz/pop of "The Language of Life" and especially "Worldwide," albums that made Kenny G sound like Roni Size. So it came as a pleasant surprise that they would go on to release three of the finest albums of the decade..."Amplified Heart, "Walking Wounded," and now "Temperamental."

After the Todd Terry remix of the "Amplified" single "Missing" became an enormous success, and perhaps inspired by Tracey Thorn's brilliant collaboration with Massive Attack on their "Protection" album, EBTG turned its attention to the dance floor. "Walking Wounded" was one of the best albums of 1996, and "Temperamental" offers more of the same. It kicks off with the fabulous "Five Fathoms," while Tracey Thorn's exquisite vocals soar over Ben Watt's groovy beats on ballads like "Low Tide of the Night" and "No Difference." "Temperamental" is not ballad-heavy, however...."Five Fathoms" has already become a huge hit in the clubs, while "Blame" has the potential to do the same. Although the album does contain one dud (the unnecessary instrumental track "Compression" could really have used Tracey Thorn's vocal to lift it above the ordinary), "Temperamental" is an absolute treasure. (As a bonus, the album also contains "The Future of the Future," EBTG's masterful collaboration with Deep Dish.)

The release of "Walking Wounded" in 1996 witnessed a completely new sound for EBTG - one which spurned their earlier jazz sound while reveling in techno dance music. It was an odd switch, one which shocked many of the group's fans (including yours truly).

EBTG's first two albums - a 1984 self-titled LP and "Love Not Money" in 1985 - were sweet, jazz-infused treasures. LPs released in the later 80s and early 90s, however, revealed a more heavily polished musical style, culminating with the abysmal "Language of Life" in 1990. As with many things it touches, Hollywood over-produced this album, which (thankfully) marked the end of EBTG's cloying late-80s lite jazz phase. ("Idlewild," released in 1988, is the stand-out exception in this "middle period" - it's a real gem).

In any event, "Temperamental" continues EBTG's exploration into the world of late-night club music. Don't let anyone tell you differently - it's a wonderful album. The band is clearly having *a lot* of fun making this music, and their energy and enthusiasm shines through on all the tracks. Tracey's liquid voice still sounds as great as ever as it seemingly coats the songs' haunting melodies with a cool sublimity (face it - this woman could sing about laundry detergent and make it sound good).

That said, some tracks are more successful than others. I particularly like the ones that feature the big, juicy, thumping base - Five Fathoms, Lullaby of Clubland, and the final cut, The Future of the Future. Sometimes the music and the singing don't quite mesh (hence my four-star review), but I have a feeling such quirks will iron themselves out in the band's next release.

To those who complain that EBTG has changed its sound - I feel the change was made of necessity, the result of the confluence of several unrelated incidents (Ben's 1992 battle with a life-threatening illness, for example, as well as Tracey's collaboration with Massive Attack in 1994). I think it is exemplary that the group refuses to continue making the same old music, over and over. After having been together for nearly two decades, Ben and Tracey are finally coming into their own with songs that are leaner, crisper, edgier, and sexier than ever before.

All in all, "Temperamental" is a great album. As an ardent fan since 1985, I look forward to their continued growth in this area of music.

Temperamental is the latest offering from Everything But the Girl (EBTG) aka Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn. This record has so many great tracks and once again we have that nice deep house sound as well as jungle influences -collaborations with Deep Dish and J Majik, respectively.

I really liked this album, there is something about EBTG's style. Another thumping house groove is the title track "Temperamental". You just can't help but move to this.

However, with all this said and done ... my favourite little gem on this is "Blame" co-written by the very talented Metalhead - J Majik. This track has hard kick slappin' drums, jazz elements and is topped off with Tracey's sweet voice ...

Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt are one of the most creative forces in music.I love their eclectic sound catalogue,which spans numerous years...even decades...because it keeps growing more sonicly immense than before and is superbly enriching.I like this album so much that I have it on cd and vinyl.Thorn and Watt's lyrics are killer,and Thorn's voice is even more enveloping.The whole album is awesome!My extreme favorites are "Low Tide of The Night","Hatfield 1980","Temperamental","Downhill Racer","No Difference",and "The Future of The Future (stay gold)".

I enjoy "Low Tide of The Night" because it speaks of self-identification and searching for purpose in surroundings that have become all too familiar,to the point of extinction-- like one's sole existence."Hatfield 1980" has some angelicly-distorted vocal effects driving Thorn's sentiments through the roof.It is a song about reflecting on where you came from and remembering all of its faltering imagery.That line: 'When I'm looking back / I look for everyone' carries sooo much weight in its meaning,at least from my perspective."Temperamental" is a grooving House tune.It paints a picture of dancefloor distress and relationship frailty.This track also has one of the most thought provoking lines that I have heard: 'This temperamental side / the one you say that you can't hide / do you ever see yourself / the way it looks to someone else?' "Temperamental" is also pure evidence for how heart-wrenching Thorn's vocals can be."Downhill Racer" is my absolute favorite.It is just pensive poetry,with concerned vocals,matched to a languorous soundscape."No Difference" bellows a hip hop/jazzy vibe.It sums up the battle between optimism and pessimism,contradiction and confirmation,and passivity and spontaneity.This song reminds me of a couple going through various issues,with one partner trying to change the dimming path.The way Thorn sings: 'You can make a difference to me / come on make a difference to me' certainly gets a response out of me...lol.Deep Dish adds production to the song,"The Future of The Future (Stay Gold)".This tune would add a wonderful and rousing close to an hour or so DJ's club mix.Life could not be more beautiful than how it is presented on this tune.It makes me want to dance because 'It's so bright tonight'.

One of the best albums ever,not just for 1999.Pick this up!!!

Aside from Todd Terry's breakthrough remix of Everything But The Girl's "Missing" (which ended up becoming a huge dance hit back in 94) I owned and knew nothing else about EBTG. It wasn't until I got my hands on this AMAZING ALBUM that I truly understood the hype of Tempermental. I always knew that I'd enjoy this if I bought it but was unprepared for just how much. I've had it for about a month now and I already consider it to be one of my all-time favorite albums. I just love how the soulful longing of Tracy Thorn's brooding vocals (which sometimes remind me of Sade) blend in with such accordance to the club and trip-hop mixings of beat provider Ben Watt, who also handles the bass, guitar, keyboards and scratching. Even Deep Dish contributes to the more techno sounding "The Future Of The Future (Stay Gold)". So without further ado, I recommend this album as a quintessential need in everyone's collection.

Every so often a group releases an album which can onlybe described as perfect - an album in which every play of track makes you want to hear the album more. This is such an album.

Admittedly, there are people who will not like this album. It's techno/house beats and sound play to a different sensibility than EBTG has in the past. It represents a growth and change which self-righteous fans will resent. Ignore them. If this album fails to impress you, and fails to become one of your all time favorites you are either dead or hopeless.

EBTG have succeeded in another club-oriented album, albeit further distancing themselves from their jazz-pop style that earned them their reputation (but hey, everyone is allowed to evolve). This album is a decent mix of club thumpers and laidback ambient grooves, and although the lyrics are emotional and introspective, these songs frequently miss the mark in doing Tracey Thorn's lush vocals justice. Still, despite a couple lengthy and dull tracks like "Compression", there are enough lovely ones like "Low Tide of the Night", "Hatfield 1980", "Lullaby of Clubland", "No Difference" and "The Future of the Future" to make this a worthwhile purchase.

I've liked ETBG since Amplified Heart, but found this album a little bland on first listen. But it sneaks up on you like subtle spices. What sounds conventional at first reveals beautiful lyrical touches and interesting overtones. Less insistent on faddish drum 'n' bass than Walking Wounded, this album approaches dance music on its own terms. I recommend listening to it as background music for awhile ... pretty soon the Future of the Future or Hatfield 80 will start buzzing in your head. And pick up Ben Watt's fascinating memoir "patient" - essential reading!