Customer Reviews

Virtues of Life

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

 

 

Being a dance teacher, college (student) dance club guru and a living promotion for the local gym, this album is great for those who like "remix" type songs and definite pulses in the beat of "8" to jam to. My intention for buying this CD was for "Forever Young." I heard another remix of it and wanted to find as many versions as possible - this one is just as excellent. It starts out slowly and then slides into the core of the dance floor tune it is!!! The lyrics are uplifting! Right away the album starts out with "Craving Your Love" a good song to get you moving. "Too Young For Promises" has a childhood inspiration to it backed up by steady bass, quick beats and a catchy chorus. "You Make Me Happy" is a fun warm-up, "Everything", "Let Me Take You Away", "Never Say Goodbye" and "I Never Needed" all pick up the pace, great for loud car stereo roadtrips or cardio kick boxing!! "Music is My Life" isn't as power-packed as the other tracks, but it's still good. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a bass-synthesizer remix of the original. It's catchy/perfect for a winter evening of ten cups egg-nog and too many cookies while rocking around the Christmas tree. It's nice for those who like alternative routes than the slow-jam carols. I highly recommend this tune. Tracks: 1,6,10,13 and 16 are short interludes the segue into the next song. They're decent and fit perfectly with the following track and theme of the CD. They catch you off guard at first, not something you'd probably expect, but that's what makes this entire CD just an all around album intended for dancing feet and non-stop inspirational jamming. Roll down those car windows and get movin'!

If you're looking for the perfect dance music CD, you've found it. Now, I'm not talking about the newer trance/electronica with a hardcore beat. This album is your typical old-school dance music from the 90s - from the era of La Bouche, Le Click, Ace of Base, and many others.

Every song on "Virtues of Life" has a consistent style, yet no two are alike. It often happens that when groups produce music with enough quality to be consistent throughout the whole album, each song sounds the same. Not so with Temperance. While each song possesses that intoxicating classic 90s dance beat, the lyrics and music vary from light-hearted to serious... and there's not a song on here that isn't catchy.

Skipping the interlude tracks that are generally less than a minute long, I'll give you a rundown of the style of each song:

Craving Your Love - this song ranges from happy to sad, as the desperation in Lorraine's voice becomes plain as she pleads for her lover to be near to her.

Never Let You Go - on the serious side, torn between the duty that love and friendship bring, or the thought of walking away due to betrayal.

Too Young For Promises - an adorable, almost bubbly, track... guaranteed to make you smile. Unless you're an evil miser with a heart of stone.

You Make Me Happy - laidback & lighthearted :)

Everything - a rather dramatic song, with fast, engaging rhythm & beat. The verses are done in a rap style, but the chorus showcases Lorraine's wonderful voice.

Let Me Take You Away - very happy and upbeat!

Lost In Love - my least favorite, because the music makes it sound a bit goofy. But it's still a good track.

Never Say Goodbye - the music is quicker and more on the serious side. As with most of the songs, it has a focus on the bond that love brings and the emotions that are stirred up by passion.

I Never Needed - on the serious side again, it sings about returning to the comfort of a former lover.

Forever Young - an excellent dance cover of Alphaville's song from the 80s... you may remember Temperance's version from the radio. :) Personally, I find it more engaging than the original.

Music is My Life - the beat and vocals on this song are almost sensual, giving some "catwalk" feel.

Do They Know It's Christmas? - this is also a cover, but if you like dance music, you'll enjoy it!

Having such a fierce love for this CD, in concluding this review I can only say that it's a shame there isn't more of Temperance's talent in existence. Although they made a second album, "If You Don't Know", it has none of the spark of "Virtues of Life". If you're looking for more Temperance, you also might be able to grab their early EPs such as "Obsessive" or "Phantasy" (on iTunes perhaps).

I got this album back in 1996 when Forever Young was all over the radio. I was suprised to hear so many great songs on one dance album (which is so rare with most other dance albums I've bought).

6 years later, I still enjoy it. Sure the sound is very energetic and maybe a few years old, but it's still a great album.

Mark Ryan has done some great work here. I conned myself into buying the follow up album which I think is HORRIBLE! And noticed that his name wasn't even in there.

Check out this album if you find it, I know it's rare. Avoid the other one.

I have been searching high and low for the Bob Geldof version of Do They Know It's Christmas...and I thought my luck had turned around. My soul reason for the purchase of this CD was to own this song. However, I have been disappointed. It is the song I was looking for, but not the version. It's more of a techno/dance version that doesn't carry quite the same meaning on a quiet Christmas morn. Can anyone tell me where to find this song?