Customer Reviews

Things to Make and Do

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Moloko have definetely proved themselves as true artists from their debut "Do You Like My Tight Sweater?". Followed by the (in my opinion) mediocre "I Am Not A Doctor". Moloko's third effort passes the first two albums in quality. "Things to Make and Do" is also better than Moloko's fourth album "Statues". Moloko is such a versatile and refreshing band that anything they put out will be excellent.

THINGS TO MAKE AND DO

1) Radio Moscow - A little piano-based 25 second intro. ^5/5^

2) Pure Pleasure Seeker - *SECOND SINGLE* - A fun, funky song with cathy lines. Great song to make you dance. ^5/5^

3) Absent Minded Friends - A darker sounding song. Rosin's vocals are strong in this one. ^3/5^

4) Indigo - *THIRD SINGLE* - One of my favorites on the album. The video for this one is great. This song has fun lyrics that are great to sing along to. This one's pretty funky. ^5/5^

5) Being is Bewildering - One of the slower-paced songs on the album. I love Rosin's voice twoards the end where she croons "just being is bewildering". ^4/5^

6) Remain the Same - This one sounds a little similar to "Absent Minded Friends" until the chorus rolls around where Rosin sings rather loudly "CHANGE MY NAME I REMAIN THE SAME". ^3.5/5^

7) Drop in the Ocean - A calm slow song that lasts about 1 minute 58 seconds. I like this one because it's one of the good chill-out tracks on the album. ^5/5^

8) Dumb Inc. - A fun song with fun lyrics. (i.e. "Dumb Dumb / So sweet so young / You're not suppossed to swallow your bubble gum" and "You and me are free to be the dumbest in town") ^5/5^

9) The Time is Now - *FIRST SINGLE* - An awesome song with a folky-sort of mood. Great lyrics. ^5/5^

10) Mother - A jazzy song to Rosin's mother, although the lyrics may not be very flattering. ^5/5^

11) It's Your Problem - A funny minute long interlude with just tons of little elctronic bleeps and flurps. ^5/5^

12) It's Nothing - Frankly, this one is kinda slow and boring. ^2.5/5^

13) Bingo Massacre - A 23 second interlude with nice music. I think the music for this one could have been turned into a song. ^4/5^

14) Somebody Somewhere - A nice upbeat tune similar to "Pure Pleasure Seeker"; just not as good. ^3.5/5^

15) Just You and Me Dancing - This interlude starts off with Rosin screaming. This one is kinda fun to listen to even though its only about a minute and a half long. ^5/5^

16) If You Have A Cross To Bear You May As Well Use It As A Crutch - A weird song that is mostly instrumental with occasional saying: "If you have a cross to bear I think it's fair that you use it as a cruth" in this weird psychotic voice. This is a good song to rock out to though. ^4/5^

17) Keep Stepping - A pointless 19 second interlude to barely any music where we here something like "Hands in the air...I wanna see you moving...keep stepping..." ^2.5/5^

18) Sing It Back (Boris Musical Mix) - A nice remix of "Sing It Back". A bit long though because a lot of the song is just music. ^3.5/5^

Overall, this album is Moloko's best. I give Moloko 5 star in creativity, effort, and overall quality. I love this disc and HIGHLY recommend if you want something refreshing and intersting.

The number of tracks on this, Moloko's third full-length release, is somewhat false advertising: a handful of the tracks are more like short interludes. But, like the playful title and album cover, Moloko does not fall short of giving you something fresh to listen to. The catchy songs (like "Pure Pleasure Seeker," "Indigo," and "The Time is Now") are rightfully funky; while other tracks have acoustic, almost bluesy tones. Either way, Roisin Murphy's soulful vocals slide over Mark Brydon's intricate programming. The wide range of instruments gives this album its uncomfortableness--but maybe just because the range (Hammond Organ, Strings, Contra Bass Sax and Contra Bassoon mixed with digital drums and loops) is so uncommon. Moby labeled this album as one of his year's Top 5, and I can see why. Although I skip through some of the less melodic tracks, I give Moloko credit for creating an album with such versitality and energy that it is hard to compare this duo to another. And even if you don't enjoy all of the tracks, the album as a whole is fun and funny, with lyrics like the choir-shouting "Rameses! Colossus!" and teasing "You only wanna be in a garage band/You know you wanna give the gong a bang." Moloko knows how to be goofy and how to make a club hit, and makes it look easy; while there are actually two very bright talents crafting the music.

Moloko are one of the most original and experimental dance acts out there and this is, no doubt, very evident on this landmark album. Roisin Murphy's voice is breathtaking, full of emotion, and texture which makes her one of pop's and dance music's most interesting personalities. Many of the songs here are difficult at first, but work very well as an entire album. "Things To Make and Do" is definately for more creative listeners, so if pop and pop only is your kind of bag, then this probably won't go over too well with you. "The Time is Now" is the standout track here, which, in my opinion, is one of the best dance records composed in the last decade (Mixmag magazine readers agree). What's even better is that this CD is full of lyrical depth as well, which is a rare thing for dance records, but let's not forget that dance is only part of what is Moloko. The inclusion of club favorite "Sing It Back" is a definite plus. I can't wait 'till the next album.

The most interesting and arresting thing about this band is their quirky creativeness. The songs here are an odd and ambient collection (forever the soundtrack to a marevellous Greek holiday for me now!) Each track has it's own distinct style and personality and yet each is catchy, infectiously melodic and lyricaly, just the right side of sane.
Murphy's voice is full of range and surprise, it can be harmonious and completely shock at once.
Really great and different stuff, a delightful break from the mainstream, I defy you to find any bands doing similair stuff!
Highlight tracks are the beaty and heady, "Bring it Back" and the deliciously insightful "Absent Minded Freinds", a wry look at modern relationships.

i agree with some of the reviewers on here who have said that this album discards all of the kooky electro sounds of 'i am not a doctor' in favour of a 'big band' sound - which occasionally works but is nowhere near as bizarre or catchy as some of the tracks on 'i am not a doctor' ('dr. zee', the fantastic 'sorry', and 'knee deepen').

the vocals are great, but i prefer listening to 'i am not a doctor' instead of this because of the great production and songs which are more weird and reminiscent of bjork. there are some standout tracks on here such as 'absent minded friends', 'a drop in the ocean' (which is too short); while some tracks like 'somebody somewhere' are catchy (but the male vocals are amazingly irritating) - hopefully moloko's next album will contain some elements of the weirdness of 'doctor' combined with the great singing on this release..

still great to listen to, but not in the same way as 'i am not a doctor' where one could listen to the bizarre lyrics and sometimes quietly laugh at their ridiculousness but marvel at roisin's fantastic vocal delivery ('deflate your ego...') and the dancy, bassy tracks which were perfect for listening to in the car (and still are)...

get this but also try to get your hands on 'i am not a doctor' which grabs you right away.

Gone are the days when Moloko were a second rate Portishead--ever since last years hit of the summer 'Sing it Back',Moloko seem to have acquired a new confidence,with which to tell the world the 'Time Is Now',they've arrived.This c.d. is a monster over 60 minutes long,loads of tracks and a vast amount of musical styles.People expecting an entire c.d of the Ibiza hit 'Sing it Back' will be dissappointed because this group seem to ambitious than to play it safe by sticking to one musical formula.There are the old trip-hop influences but you can also add modern dance music,80's pop,70's disco.Added to this the best song I've heard in years The Time Is Now and you get one very good c.d.At times some of the lyrics are a bit silly, but Roisin Murphy has got such a good voice that she adapts readily to all the different styles on this album.Sometimes her voice is strong very like Annie Lennox during her most famous time in the mid 80's;then she's got the silky voice of a late night diva.There are plenty of really good songs on the c.d.-each with there own distinctive sound.All the songs have brilliant,really high quality instrumental backing to Roisin's great voice.My only slight qualm would be that the album is a bit too long and it does take the listener a long time to get to know the songs--but I would recommend to anybody to stick with it as the end result is worth it.

This is nothing like "Sing It Back". You're warned. This album is really eclectic. There are some rock and folk-like thingies, trip hop and drum-'n'-bass, and of course some nice dance-pop. "Remain The Same" is really fantastic, and track # 16 is really strange - but fun. And we can also say thank U for the "Sing It Back"-remix. Roisin Murphy has a nice voice - really childlike, a little bit like the Cardigans-singer. You can hear they've been having fun with this record, well, I also had a lot of fun listening to it.

I am always amazed at how Moloko continues to evolve from album to album, yet manages to stay interesting. Very few bands can make the same claim. Their sound generally falls somewhere between Cibo Matto's happy, upbeat dance, and Portishead's deep, funky churn. Roisin Murphy's voice is hypnotising.

UK dancepop duo Moloko are in fine form in "Things to Make And Do," their third blend of acid jazz and trippy electronica. The talented Roisin Murphy and Mark Brydon create a charmingly erratic dance album that sounds like nothing else, yet never fails to draw you in.

It opens with a peculiar piano solo, before kicking into the sexy sax-keyboard of "Pure Pleasure Seeker," and the ominously trippy "Absent Minded Friends." A darker note enters with songs like "Being Is Bewildering," which is technically a more "normal" song, a slow and rather melancholy song based on acoustic guitar and organ. Same with the lower-key pop song "The Time is Now."

There are also some more experimental songs, such as the nonsensical funk of "Indigo" or the creepy psycho-vocals of "If You Have A Cross To Bear You May As Well Use It As A Crutch." "Remain the Same" is perhaps the most experimental, with the vocal sampling and sound of the organ being overwhelmed and sunk by the electronic bleeps.

In this release, Moloko downplays the outright weirdness in favor of a more subtle sound. Call it experimental ultraquirk acid-jazz-funk-house-trip-hop. That more or less describes it. It's not just a fun album, but a richly engaging one with some deceptively simple-sounding songwriting.

Roisin (no, it doesn't rhyme with "raisin") Murphy has an excellent voice for this type of music -- it sounds clear and flexible, while being strong enough to rise over powerful music that could have overwhelmed her. And she brings depth to certain songs like "Mother," where she lashes out at her mother in a restrained manner: "I know somehow somewhere I'll be bumping into you/you see I'm blameless/I had a mother who was shameless/no wonder my life collapsed!" Elsewhere the songwriting is just deliciously bizarre.

Mark Brydon takes charge of the musical backdrop for Roisin's voice. And a fine job he does too, blending organic instrumentation like piano, acoustic guitar and rippling strings with some vocal sampling and deliciously wacked-out beats, sounding like anything from a DJ on acid to the funkier twin of Portishead.

Erratic it may be, but "Things to Make And Do" is also fun, wild and extremely eclectic, switching styles the way most musicians do instruments. It may not be their best album, but it is a wonderfully engaging, trippy one.

UK dancepop duo Moloko are in fine form in "Things to Make And Do," their third blend of acid jazz and trippy electronica. The talented Roisin Murphy and Mark Brydon create a charmingly erratic dance album that sounds like nothing else, yet never fails to draw you in.

It opens with a peculiar piano solo, before kicking into the sexy sax-keyboard of "Pure Pleasure Seeker," and the ominously trippy "Absent Minded Friends." A darker note enters with songs like "Being Is Bewildering," which is technically a more "normal" song, a slow and rather melancholy song based on acoustic guitar and organ. Same with the lower-key pop song "The Time is Now."

There are also some more experimental songs, such as the nonsensical funk of "Indigo" or the creepy psycho-vocals of "If You Have A Cross To Bear You May As Well Use It As A Crutch." "Remain the Same" is perhaps the most experimental, with the vocal sampling and sound of the organ being overwhelmed and sunk by the electronic bleeps.

In this release, Moloko downplays the outright weirdness in favor of a more subtle sound. Call it experimental ultraquirk acid-jazz-funk-house-trip-hop. That more or less describes it. It's not just a fun album, but a richly engaging one with some deceptively simple-sounding songwriting.

Roisin (no, it doesn't rhyme with "raisin") Murphy has an excellent voice for this type of music -- it sounds clear and flexible, while being strong enough to rise over powerful music that could have overwhelmed her. And she brings depth to certain songs like "Mother," where she lashes out at her mother in a restrained manner: "I know somehow somewhere I'll be bumping into you/you see I'm blameless/I had a mother who was shameless/no wonder my life collapsed!" Elsewhere the songwriting is just deliciously bizarre.

Mark Brydon takes charge of the musical backdrop for Roisin's voice. And a fine job he does too, blending organic instrumentation like piano, acoustic guitar and rippling strings with some vocal sampling and deliciously wacked-out beats, sounding like anything from a DJ on acid to the funkier twin of Portishead.

Erratic it may be, but "Things to Make And Do" is also fun, wild and extremely eclectic, switching styles the way most musicians do instruments. It may not be their best album, but it is a wonderfully engaging, trippy one.