Welcome to the Monkey House [ENHANCED]

Dandy Warhols

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 19, 2003)
• Original Release Date: May 5, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B0000AKX8G
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,970 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Dandy Warhols’ fourth album arrives with a cover that melds Sticky Fingers and The Velvet Underground and Nico. One therefore assumes that leader Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s claim that predecessor Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia was "the last classic rock album" was a bit tongue-in-cheek. (Actually, one had assumed that already.) Reversing rock’s usual guitars-front-keyboards-as-filigree, Monkey House takes the Dandys into a challenging sphere while remaining undeniably organic sounding. The band and co-producers Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran and Tony Visconti (Low, Electric Warrior) have built elaborate but never stifling arrangements of these songs--check out the way guest Nile Rodgers’s rhythm guitar part subtly funks up the last minute of "Scientist," or how the group makes the pulsing "(You Come In) Burned" perhaps the best yet of its trademark trancelike album closers. Taylor-Taylor continues to display growing self-knowledge in his "words of comic wisdom": "I Am Sound" isn’t a declaration of aural omniscience, but a simple affirmation of OK-ness, while "The Last High" dissects the end of a high-style love affair. Miss this and miss one of the year’s finest rock & roll records. --Rickey Wright

Product Description

Dandy Warhols Photos

More from Dandy Warhols

The Dandy Warhols Come Down

Odditorium or Warlords of Mars

Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Albums of 2003 !!!!, December 9, 2003

By	Paul A. Fucito "fabfriday" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are a fan of Britpop-sounding guitar bands (Radiohead, Blur, Suede, Stone Roses) then this American band is worth a listen for sure.

While more popular overseas than in their own country (perhaps from the use of so many of their songs in TV commercials), the Dandys do have a strong and loyal following stateside, and this particular album certainly has expanded their audience base. Perhaps the recent inclusion of "We Used To Be Friends" in an episode of Fox's new hit series "The OC" will continue to draw even more fans.

Welcome To The Monkey House is an experimental album, much like the last few Radiohead albums have been. The band's guitar riffs have become somewhat subdued, taking a back seat to the ever present electronic sounds courtesy in part to Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes, who produced the album. While some diehard fans frowned upon the band's direction with this album, it is a brilliant album spawning three equally great singles, "We Used To be Friends," "The Last High" and "Plan A"

After the short and mellow title track intro, "We Used To Be Friends" launches the album into an electronic groove guaranteed to leave you up for several nights trying to get the infectious "ah aha a ha... ah aha a ha..." or the high ranged "Come on now honey, bring it on, bring it on yeah...." out of your heads. Complete with the fabulous Daniel Ash-like vocal delivery by Courtney Taylor-Taylor, this is indeed a stand out track.

"Plan A" slows things down somewhat with a bit more guitar and Taylor-Taylor's wonderful falsetto "Oh there must be some kind of planet...." swirling throughout the song. A brilliant soundscape and one of my favorites on the CD.

"Wonderful You" complete with its pulsating electronic beats and syncopated breaths, sounds like an early 80's club song reinvented and "Scientist" sounds like an electronic aural assault against Oingo Boingo's "Weird Science." It is very good and could have easily made single number 4. Out of all of the songs, this is the most synthesized track on the album.

"The Last High" is a fantastic tongue and cheek ballad lamenting a failed relationship. Clearly, the lyrics suggest that the person is trying to show that he's so much better off now with great lyrics like "I am alone, but adored, by a 100,000 more, than I said when you were the last... and I have known love, ..., by at least 10,000 more, than I swore, when you were the last..." Yet, by the time the chorus arrives, the tone becomes a bit more moody. Eventually, you realise things are not fine, and he's sadly waiting by the phone. "Maybe you love me, and maybe you don't... maybe you'll call me, maybe you won't... oh" and that last "oh" sounds so disappointed that it just adds that final touch to a perfectly executed song.

The rest of the album is just as fabulous, and from start to finish a stellar CD for sure. Intelligent and humourous lyrics, avant garde instrumentation (for the Dandys anyway) with no loss in song quality, and Courtney Taylor-Taylor's crooning lower register vocals complimenting his unstrained falsetto, makes this such a refreshing album. Nothing else sounds like this, and music has been so boring lately. The Dandy Warhols just come in and throw convention out of the window and it couldn't sound any better.

Seek out the import singles from this album, as they contain some great b-side covers (Blondie, Frankie Goes To Hollywood) and mixes, including a great rework of "Everyday Is A Holiday".

Fans of Daniel Ash / Love and Rockets should really give this a spin, as Taylor-Taylor's lower register should sound a bit familliar.

A must have album, and one of the best for 2003.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You're In Good Hands, September 4, 2003

By	"damepearl" (United States) - See all my reviews

The Dandy Warhols have obviously taken a different direction with there music style and thats not a bad thing. Fans shouldn't expect another "13 Tales" or certainly not "Come Down" for that matter. What fans should expect is the unexpected with The Dandy Warhols. That's half the fun in buying the CD/listening to samples. You never know what Taylor-Taylor will say. His wittiness in lyrics and the collaborative efforts of Pete, Zia, Brent, and of course Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran are ambitious and simply fun.

1 & 2. Welcome to the Monkey House/ We Used to be Friends (8/10) The minute long intro with just Taylor-Taylor singing and accompanied by a fuzzy guitar isn't the best song around but it is an intro. 'We Used to be Friends' is really fun and catchy. It melds elecro-pop wonderfully.

3. Plan A (6/10) It's a pretty much steady song. Not much excitment but still solid enough to keep your attention.

4. The Dope (Wonderful You)(7/10) I've read that this one is not even listenable. I beg to differ. It's a great pop song with good beats and the addition of Taylor-Taylor's wavy vocals make it better.

5. Scientist (10/10) This is where the album really picks up and you forget about everything else you just heard (if you wern't satisfied with the previous). I love this song. It's so eighties. Yet it's so modern. It's really quirky and extremly catchy.

6. I am Over It (9/10) Taylor Taylor's drowning vocals are pitch perfect. The guitar is used very well and good sound effects :) and as always catchy catchy.

7. The Dany Warhols Love Almost Everyone (10/10) Very poppy and energetic! I love it! The only thing I wish is that it were longer! It's about 2 minutes.

8. Insincere (7/10) Aww. Yes. Now it's time to calm down. One could assume that this is "Monkey House's" "Sleep". Though not as entoxicating, it's enough to make you close your eyes and drift away.

9. You Were The Last High (10/10) It's the song that everyone's talking about. Why? It's just dreamy. If this song were ice cream, it'd be a hot fudge sundae with sprinkles, lots of whipped cream and a cherry on top. Yeah. It's that good.

10. Heavenly (7/10) I really can't describe this song musically but the chorus vocals are really haunting. It's like hearing a man with a deep voice singing a high pich note. It's creepy.

11. I Am Sound (10)10) Another 10/10. This is truely one of those songs that get lost amongst the other good songs. Don't be fooled by the dopey piano in the begining. Listen to words and you'll see. It also has a terrific hand sway chorus. It's brilliant!

12. Hit Rock Bottom (10/10) It's the T-Rex inspired, old fashined rock song. There's enough guitar play and hand claps to make anyone satisfied.

13. (You Come In) Burned (6/10) Come on it's the final song. Lets let them experiment for about. . . seven and a half minutes. It's pretty interesting.

I hope that people who read this who possibly haven't heard of The Dandy Warhols or are even a big fan of theirs but missed something with this album to really take time to LISTEN to it and appreciate the ambition, the creativity, and the originality, that "Monkey House" offers. It's definitly on my best list for this year.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The dandy warhols love almost everyone and I love them!!, October 16, 2003

By	Argyllsox (New jersey shore) - See all my reviews

First of all, if any of you have read my reviews before; you know I absolutely love it when a band refuses to fit into a pigeon hole. When an artist completely changes their direction (for better or worse), I applaud them. The Dandies have done just that with this CD. WTTMH has every kind of tune around. From the house rocking opening track to Bronski Beat flavored numbers, there is even a 70's AOR bringing down the stadium song.

They must have been listening to tons of 80's bands for the direction they take on here. Love and Rockets and the Bronski Beat do come to mind quite often.

1) Welcome to the monkey house: crunchy electric guitar. Great for a show into/opener.

2) We used to be friends: one of the best driving songs around. Punchy power chords and a big 80's chorus.

3) Plan A: Body swaying beats, Jimmy Somerville inspired vocals

4) Wonderful you: Electro Rick James beat, Vocals from the Daniel Ash handbook.

5) Scientist: Freaking amazing song! Catchy, eccentric, if you like "Discotheque" by U2, you'll love this.

6) I am over it: One of the sexiest songs to come out in recent years. Deep breathy vocals reminiscent of Love and Rockets.

7) The Dandy Warhols love almost everyone: Awesome, catchy as hell, very 80's.

8) Insincere: Spaced out 60's flavored, far out man!

9) The Last High: Bowing to Bowie on this cut, "We all know Major Toms a junkie," (get the reference?) They Dandies do.

10) Heavenly: Just a plain great song.

11) I am Sound: Probably one of the best songs on this CD.

12) Rock Bottom: This one has Marc Bolan all over it, great song.

13) (You come in) Burned: Allow them their fun (for about 7 minutes) This is a pretty damned good song, eccentric. If you listen carefully, I belive this one has parts from every song on the CD.

I hope you give this CD a chance and appreciate it for what it is. A Band that doesn't want to be lumped into one sound, so they try something new, maybe heavily influenced by the past, but isn't that where all musicians take their cues?