Outrospective [Enhanced]

Faithless

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 10, 2001)
• Original Release Date: July 10, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B00005LN6L
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #200,743 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

From the outset, with Donny X's spine-tingling synth-swathes and brooding sub-bass, it's evident that Outrospective plays to Faithless's strengths. The band has always been more than just a dance act. Deft practitioners of all areas of modern music, their specialties are texture, seductive atmosphere, and haunting melodrama. The single "We Come 1" has a familiar sound, combining Rollo's unnerving soundscapes, Sister Bliss's dance-floor mentality, and rapper Maxi Jazz's deadpan voice to recall the power of "Insomnia" from their 1997 release Reverence. "We Come 1," like "Tarantula" and "Machines R Us," also represents an increase in bpms that reasserts their club relevance--something which had diminished with their last long-player, the downcast Sunday 8pm. There's also a more up-tempo vibe present, with the gorgeous "One Step too Far" featuring the inevitable appearance of Rollo's sister Dido), and the Philly soul of "Muhammad Ali," with Maxi Jazz singing the praises of his childhood hero. But the lure of their third album, as ever, lies in Maxi Jazz's chilling monologues. The voice of inner thoughts, desires, and conflict, there's nothing quite as arresting as when he quietly muses on "Not Enuff Love": "Money in my pocket / But I just can't give no love." --Dan Gennoe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Faith in the Faithless, July 15, 2001

By	Salam (Missouri, United States) - See all my reviews

I'm new to Faithless, and Outrospective is my first album. After hearing it, I decided to go on and collect all the Faithless albums. Yes, Outrospective is that effective.

The album as a whole is flawless. It's a work of art. The album contains 12 rich, dreamy, and some trance tracks, and even my least favorite is very hearable, just not my taste.

The album starts with the track "Donny X". All kinda of things are going on the background, and very ambient. It's upbeat and a bit dark. The sound is almost 3-dimensional actually, which is very interesting and pleasing to the ears. Towards the end of the track, Maxi Jazz does his little rap. PLEASE - don't be shunned by the "rap", it's quite different than any other rap you have heard.

The second track is "Not Enuff Love", which is great for me. It's a good, sad song that may actually make you think a bit, sang by Dido's (which sings on a later track) brother, Rollo.

The third track is one of the hits, "We Come 1." It has the enigma, it has the instruments, and even the ambience. Trance and dance in one. Maxi Jazz does his rap (which is very cool), and the song actually has a deep, deep meaning(s). Try to figure it (or them) out. The song than takes momentum into a very danceable tune that will leave you tired; surely you'll starts busting a move to it. This track is 8: 14 minutes long - and every second is worth it! The track mixes into the next song...

..."Crazy English Summer", which is no more or less than beautiful. The song is actually sad, and it really touched me. A song most of us can relate to. Zoe, the vocalist, sounds like an angel in here. Her voice is deep and thick, yet retains a very attractive, sexy, and an angelic nature.

Track five is "Muhammad Ali." Just by the name, you might think it's not a very good song, but actually, it is. It sounds like a retro-70s/80s song. Unless you're an all around music lover, you might not like this song.

Track six, "Machines R Us", reminds me of Delerium's earlier, darker works. This track actually annoyed me a bit, with a bit of redundancy, but nothing that's too revolting. This track, luckily, mixes into the next wonder track...

..."One Step Too Far", which is sang by the angelic Dido, whom you might know from her song "Thank You" and her album "No Angel". The song is heavenly, and Dido sounds like an angel. Her voice is very romantic. The song, like all other songs, has a meaning and a common theme with all the other songs. All around good and rich, and it even mixes into the next energy-filled super move-buster...

..."Tarantula". Maxi does a his magic rap, which gives the song something to connect with, with the other songs and the album's main theme. The song than becomes one of the most energized songs I have ever heard in a long time. Close to perfection. This track is one of my favorites. The track even mixes into the next song...

..."Giving Myself Away", which isn't much for me. It's good, nonetheless. I haven't figured out how to connects to the theme of the album, but I will...meanwhile, the songs connects to the beginning of something that is amazing...

"Code" is the next track, which is nothing more than a cool, special opening for the next track...

..."Evergreen." Zoe sings once again, and her voice sounds haunting this time, yet retaining it's deep and angelic qualities. This song gives Enigma fans something to look for in Faithless, and although the whole album is amazingly satisfying, Evergreen hits just the exact buttons...so exact, that this song alone would inspire me to buy this album.

The final song is "Liontamer", which is not only very ambient and danceable - it's trance, haunting, dark, has a great message, and also will build up even more so in amazingness as you listen. Zoe and Maxi both sing in this amazing piece of artwork, and it's very impressive how rap and beauty both could entwine to create an atmosphere so rich, and so pleasing.

The album is great. It's like a book. There's a common theme that develops, and the songs will soon start making better sense. The more you hear, the more you find out, the more you think, and the better the songs will become.

Give out some of your faith to Faithless; to Outrospective. Regression is far away.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Funk to Chill, Faithless do it again!, July 10, 2001

By	"gvazjr" (Coral Gables, FL United States) - See all my reviews

In my opinion, this is perhaps their best work to date. If you enjoyed their previous works, you'll really get a jolt out of this new offering. "Outrospective" combines Fatithless' eclectic and funk laced beats with Maxi Jazz's vocals and deep lyrics yet again. But this time, the band has a couple of twists thrown in to keep you hitting the repeat button (listen to the vocals, there's a theme.) This album will fit any mood you're in, because it serves whatever need you have, mood-wise. From high-energy dance to music to just chill by, Outrospective is it!

In addition to their Maxi Jazz's voice, this new album offers a new female voice to the Faithless faithful: Zoe Johnston (whose voice is gorgeous) is on tracks 4 "Crazy English Summer" and 10 "Evergreen". Of course, Rollo's sister Dido, appears on track 7 "One Step too Far" along with Maxi. Like Dido's other Faithless works this song is just phenomenal, (it's a nice treat to hear her voice in a new song!)

Despite all of my accolades, the album will of course draw some to say the band has changed, and perhaps not everyone will be attracted to every song. But, alas, these 12 tracks that will keep even the most ardent Faithless fans glued to the CD.

Bottom line, "Outrospective" is a must have for any Faithless fan. I haven't heard music that can morph so well in a long time.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding, long anticipated follow up for this fan, July 16, 2001

By	Erica Anderson (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I have been waiting for new Faithless music for the past year. Their contribution to the "Back to Mine" series was a mere tidbit for me. I was somewhat worried that the band could not outdo the masterpiece "Sunday 8pm". Thankfully my worries were put to rest. "Outrospective" is perhaps the band's finest album to date. The first single off this gorgeous album is "We Come 1", another dance classic to go along with "God is a Dj" and "Insomnia". New bandmate Zoe Johnston makes an excellent addition to the band especially on the songs "Crazy English Summer", "Liontamer", and "Evergreen". It is quite evident that on "Outrospective", Rollo chose his role to be in the background and give Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz bigger roles. Of course Dido makes a couple of appearances on this cd. I should note that Dido was never a full time member of Faithless as some people might think she is. She was more of a part-time member of the band. "Outrospective" is definitely one of the brightest highlights of this year and is most certainly one of the top 5 favorite cds of this year for me.