Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
For Your Listening and Grooving Pleasure, November 18, 2001
Whatever formula these Australian mixers and sample connossieurs have come up with, for this debut album, seems to be some of the most refreshing sounds heard in a while from the genre of dub/electro/dance/house/mixing. I haven't been this impressed with an album of this kind, since DJ Cam's 'Mad Blunted Jazz' or even possibly the recent release from Pete Rock: 'Petestrumentals'. The Avalanches know how to generate some well-layered production and sample weaving. One of the fun aspects of listening to somewhat sample based records is figuring out the sample sources. "Since I Left You" starts the album off, with a 70s Pop feel, complete with strings, flute, a nice vocal dub, and that signature background guitar sound from that era. In "Stay Another Season", you will hear some of the music foundation from Madonna's "Holiday", before the sounds progress into a latin tinge, with a horse even joining in the medley. "Radio" serves as the pathway towards dancefloor groove, utilizing a myriad of synth ins and outs and pulsating bounce. It's certainly a House rocker! "Two Hearts In 3/4 Time" is probably the soundscape for 'ladies choice', when the ladies skim the party for a dance partner, who will offer a smooth presence and plenty of eye contact. The Fender Rhodes really make this tune an ultimate in the chill out and connection mood. I love "Avalanche Rock" because in 23 seconds, this songs drills in your head a sample of the beginning verse from Hip Hop MC Raekwon's "Glaciers of Ice". I am glad to see that some other people out there know of the Hip Hop group, Camp Lo. The Avalanches show their appreciation by using snippets from the Lo's "Sparkle", off of their classic first album, for "Close To You" and "Diners Only". I would describe these two songs as being neat breakbeats. "A Different Feeling" certainly creates that exact sentiment, with its ruminations through symphonic modernized disco and a little laughter! Those interstellar loops are also quite catchy. "Electricity" sounds like it takes its mass influence from the vibes of the west coast, and it even has that signature hi to low synth 'whistling' sound. This track could be like the current after-party funk sound for say, George Clinton. "Tonight" gets very alternative jazzy and swirls with a nice tone of Nancy Wilson. "Frontier Psychiatrist" is perfectly describe as a movie put to slightly Hip Hop music. The samples run the gamut, and that horse makes another vocal cameo appearance here. It reminds me of something DJ Vadim did with one of his last albums ('U.S.S.R.-Life From The Other Side'), and it will give the dancing crowd some 'therapy'! "Etoh" is basically a journey to another galaxy, with happy creatures whispering 'etoh'. Have a firm hand on your mixed drink, when this track comes on. "Live At Dominoes" shows the affects and effects of a party in full swing. This track would melt any House club. "Extra Kings" closes out the album by throwing listeners straight into oblivion, and echoing the album's circling mantra: 'Since the day I left you.' This is the kind of album that you can put on in your place while you are sitting alone or with your roommate or lover, and somehow the phone will start ringing and folks will start knocking on your door, hoping to be a part of this hip party that you have created. At least in theory, that is how it should work! Definitely get this album. You will be the talk of the town, and it is great to listen to while you are out driving to the club.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliance, March 31, 2002
Some people don't seem to be getting the humour of this album. This CD (while being wonderful) comes off as more of a parody of older music than a serious recording. It's the absolute weirdness of this album that makes it so good; even though they've recycled samplings throughout it and often haven't disgised them very well, take it like a fresh spin on an old song, rather than an old song with other stuff glued on. By the way, the vinyl crackling was done on purpose; it's not the fault of bad equipment! It gives the tracks a sort of..ambience, like you're actually listening to an old record instead of a cd. Well I have to admit that before I heard this album, the sort of music I was listening to was mostly old school rock; Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. I'd always looked on the dance scene as superficial and bland; then I heard Since I Left You. This song has single handedly changed my views on dance music, Australian music and even just music in general. After hearing only two songs from the CD (Since I Left You and Frontier Psychiatrist) I went and bought the whole CD. I have to admit that I didn't like it the first time I listened to it, but after a few listens I realised how amazing the music really is. And it's not music like music I've ever known before. The whole album works more like a painting than a CD, with each song flowing smoothly into the next, and elements intermeshed between songs and even popping up a couple of songs down the track. It all sounds like what I learned in Art at school - a painting should always have a few focal points, and the colours must be worked throughout it. In the case of this album, the "colours" are the odd little bits they've thrown in, like animal sounds and bells, which are truly worked throughout the CD perfectly: some are right in the foreground, while others are so subtle you don't even notice them until the 30th time you've played it. And the focal points are true brilliance- Since I Left You, Frontier Psychiatrist, Live At Dominoes and Extra Kings are the ones that stand out the most vividly in my mind. It sounds like a piece of artwork - vibrant, brilliant, glowing and most importantly, alive - each song has its own personality.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Aaahh sweet bliss......, February 1, 2003
Simply Amazing i tells ya!!! its one of those albums that just blows me away everytime I hear it. For an album made entirely out of samples, its an excellent combination of music/beats that blends so seamlessly together.The mixture of music works beautifully together, you would think the Avalanches played the music themselves, rather than them using little bits from other songs like Madonna's "holiday" catchy bassline used in their song "Stay another season".It just amazes me how perfectly and how easily the samples blend together, every sample sounds exactly where its supposed to go, nothing sounds out of place. The samples themselves are terrific, from 60's sounding tunes to horses, foghorns, carousels, etc. Lots of them still have that scratchy vinyl, warped sound which makes the music sound so much warmer. There's a lot going on within each song, often using little bits from other songs to keep with the consistency of the sound. Its great to listen to all in one go as each song flows easily one into the other. Aaahh,the avalanches have it all here from your upbeat dance tunes like "live at Dominoes" to the laid back,chillout ones like "Tonight". "Etoh" is one that really shines for me. Its starts off with these little voices singing "etoh" continusly then gradually this chillout beat is introduced with a catchy flute in the backround.....I could listen to this for hours!
Another favourite is "Electricity", I love the angelic voices at the beginning of the song, it then slowly builds up into a kickass funky beat that really gets your toes tapping."Two heats 3/4 time" is also great, the la di da vocals will stay in your head for a while, but its a happy tune that you won't mind having stuck in your head :) Do yourself a favour and be inspired,entertained and blown away by the most incredibly talented bunch around.
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by The Avalanches 
