Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Competent but unessential, August 18, 2004
The two best things about this album are "I'm Not Dreaming of You" and "Aimee." Beyond that...well, here's the thing. There's no doubt that these guys have their hearts in the right place, that they've got the programming skills to match, or that they're continuing to evolve as songwriters. The problem is that most of these songs are pleasant enough and technically impressive enough -- but that's all they are. There's nothing here that makes me go "WHOA." The vast majority of this album simply goes in one of my ears and out the other, and I've listened to it enough times (in a genuine effort to get it to grow on me) that I'm fairly confident that this won't change.
Actually, _6FU_ reminds me of nothing so much as Camouflage's third album from 1991, _Meanwhile_, in which that band had clearly run out of ideas and fallen back on cliches. If you liked Camouflage's "Heaven (I Want You)," you'll probably like De/Vision's "Unputdownable," and vice versa. Me, I can't listen to either without reaching for a hearty helping of Mesh to get the bad taste of schmaltz out of my mouth.
(Since then, of course, Camouflage have regrouped and refocused, and 2003's _Sensor_ is a considerably more impressive effort than this one.)
I'd recommend this album for diehard fans of the genre, but for those who are just getting involved with Depeche Mode: The Next Generation, De/Vision still aren't the best place to start. That honor must continue to go to the aforementioned Camouflage and Mesh, Iris, or even VNV Nation for that matter.
|
|
|
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underrated --- intended for the serious synth/electro fan, August 9, 2005
The most common complaint for this album is its lack of catchy and/or dancable tracks. De/Vision has for a while now been catering less to the impatient ears of the dance-hungry majority of electronica fans, and more towards the smaller crowd who appreciates the neverending possiblities of computerized music. Notice the way in "take me to heaven" the song is in a shuffle, or how "turn me on" features a wonderfully odd drum beat you probably will never hear any popular synth artist use or come up with.
Melodically, the album varies from song to song, but maintains its atmosphere from start to finish, an atmospher which the ablum's title should clue you in to.
Guitars are used sparingly (in an outro for the first track, and an electric bass for "Aimee"), but provide just the right touch when needed, as well. The song "Klangmonaut" is so deliciously Kraftwerk in its nature, it's a treat to hear a group like D/V play with a style like this.
Much of the album takes getting into, something a lot of electro fans don't want to do. A song like "I'm not dreaming of you" grabs the listener and likely becomes the favorite of the album; it's readily likable and catchy. Most other tracks are much more complex, and strike a deeper chord with me. They are out there, different, orchestrated, composed and moody. They reflect two musicians who don't want to grow tired of what they're doing, so they keep their approach fresh and transitory. I would recommend this ablum especially for anyone who knows the time and effort it takes to [try to] compose electronic music without falling back on synth and drum cliches.
|
|
|
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lush and Enigmatic, February 6, 2005
Spacey, moody, dark, and entrancing are all suitable descriptions for this decidedly mellow album in comparison De/Vision's previous outings. I have become a very enthusiastic DV fan over the past few months and I have aquired a very extensive CD collection of theirs. I am very open to all new sounds and innovations from any group that I admire and respect but I can also admit that I'd take their earlier stuff over newer albums like "Void" and "Devolution" any day of the week. It's a matter of taste; I enjoy the faster, more club friendly side of dark synthpop rather than the slower, more ballad laden side of synthpop. And it seems to be an unwritten fact that when any synthpop band has been around for a while, their sound naturally evolves as they become older and more experienced and this almost always means that the new sounds become a bit slower and more softer than before. 6 Feet Underground is definitely evidence of this process to say the least but inferior, it is not. The soundscapes and synths on this album are absolutely gorgeous and totally entrancing. The music is smooth and much more ornately crafted than ever before. The songs are all either very emotional and tender( practically everything, but most notably "I'm not Enough" or the melancholy "Aimee", which is very reminiscent to another recent ballad called "Far too deep" ) or eerily cold( "Right on time", which reminds me of "Digital Dream" ), in stunning contrast to all the synth beats, all the while staying true to DV's uniquely darker sound.
Don't buy this expecting to hear another version of Devolution, despite those few similarities, this is far moodier and forboding than the previous effort. Think "Moments we Shared" in a "Void" type setting stripped of all the guitars. Each darkened melody is slickened with all the classic DV trappings except with a more tranquil and subdued demeanor. I am certainly an advocate for the faster brand of synth but this album is beyond words, and is so beautiful that thoughts of "Zehn" and "Fairyland" seem utterly foreign and forgotten while listening to this. No, I am not at all saying that this is their best effort or better than the two albums I just mentioned but it certainly deserves a spot in your DV/ Synthpop collection whether you prefer the slower stuff or not. You may not feel the urge to dance to every song but you will want to listen to this over and over, layer upon layer, and find yourself marveling at another newfound facet of this band's relentless dedication and newfound potential.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
by De/Vision 
