Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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63 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
let's talk about le tigre, October 27, 2004
i think the first mistake people are making when listening to this album is they are comparing this island to le tigre's debut self titled. their s/t, at this point, is a (indie) classic... le tigre will never release another album like it or as good. so you can't compare. there will never be another deceptacon. period. don't compare this island to the first album.. compare it to every other cd being released right now.
the other complaint i have heard about this island is that it is overproduced... the production is too slick. kathleen hanna has stated in a few interviews that the diy rough sound of their earlier work is a limitation of equipment (and perhaps knowledge) rather than an asthetic quality. i think the pop sound of this island is what le tigre has wanted all along.
technically this album is a pop masterpiece. they have obviously become drum machine pros... the drums are more complex than any of le tigre's earlier work. the synth is hot hot hot.. just listen to that sequence in i'm so excited. the vocals are perfectly produced and layered. maybe this is all the influence of ric ocasek (the cars) or nick sansano (sonic youth, public enemy). whatever. it's smart. it's radio friendly. it's solid.
the politics are there.. stronger than ever fuelled by the post-9/11 dubya lies. the biggest problem with feminist sweepstakes (pre-9/11) was that the politics became muddled. they knew what they believed in but who were they fighting? george w hadn't yet revealed his horns, it was great to be a lesbian marching, the fags and the ladies love le tigre... feminist sweepstakes wasn't saying much. fast forward a couple years and the world is in chaos. and this island is like the eye of the storm. the politics are there stronger than ever... just waiting for the casual listener under the slick production. hopefully a few teenage girls will be sucked in thinking this is the next destiny's child or teen queen ;-)
buy this album. don't hesitate. listen with an open mind. you'll be surprised.
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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
grow with Le Tigre, January 25, 2005
This is Le Tigre's first album with a major label (Universal). As such, it will not sound the same as their previous albums, but this one reflects their desire to reach a larger audience. (And what good activist wouldn't want to do that?) I, like many others, was at first turned off by the more polished sound of this album, but after giving it some time and a second listen, I really dig it. The concept of "electronic feminist punk" is as revolutionary as the ideas Hanna, Fateman, and Samson are expressing, and, I have to admit, that sound is better achieved on this album than on any of their previous, as close as Feminist Sweepstakes, self-titled, and From the Desk of Mr. Lady may be to my heart.
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24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
More synthetic but just as genuine, October 19, 2004
This Island is the first album since Le Tigre signed onto Universal, i.e.: a larger major label. This album is much more polished than those previously released and this has pros and cons. While the songs on this album could easily be heard on the radio, at a club or even as a backdrop for a commercial...they can seem less authentic at times. If you didn't pay attention to the lyrics you might find it to be formulaic and slightly uncharacteristic of this imaginative band....but the lyrics remind you of whom you are listening to. From the get-go, this album made me question what is said in fun and what is sincere, but I think they felt the need to sort of poke fun at mainstreaming and the balance between being music artists* and conveying eco-feminist messages.
The song "On the Verge" is an electro-rock song that is infused with eighties inflection. "Seconds" is one of my favorite songs. Kathleen belts out politically driven lyrics with an energy that brings Bikini Kill to mind. My only complaint is that it reminds me of "Punk singer" off of Hanna's solo album which was made with the intention of making fun of the generic quality of many punk songs. "Don't Drink Poison" seems to be a song about being anti-sellout and wanting fans to not take information out of context. I value the organization of the lyrics: choppy and inverse at times. There is a whirling sound that has a nightmarish quality in the background. "After Dark" is a really sexy song that is both danceable and thoughtful. It is my favorite, a song to go on repeat or for car boredom. "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" is a sassy high-beat song with plentiful gender references and one to Cynthia P Caster's Foundation. "TKO" is a chanting reprimand that moves from synthesized stanzas and obvious choruses to a climatic wave before coming to a closure.
"Tell You Now' is a soothing confrontation to past abuse and a gives a voice to past experience that is expected to fade or be suppressed. "New Kicks" is a pro-peace anti-bush anthem. It is the dyke march song for No War. "This is what democracy looks like; this is what democracy sounds like." It is a historical record through song representing the minority that speaks up. "This Island" is a catchy dance song that speaks to the isolation of self and a remembrance of what makes us feel alive. "I'm So Excited" is yes, a cover song, but done with enough originality that it is good. I think it could have done without some of the syllable repetition and emphasis but the reggae hook is quite cute and obviously it is hot to listen to them sing about seduction. "Sixteen" is a slow and rhythmic song about breaking up and wondering what if something could have been different......or not. "Punker Plus" is a really cute song with a signature Le Tigre creativity. It is funny, sarcastic, and genuine and makes you love these girls because they are working it hard for all the right reasons.
Alright, so I gave the album a 4 and maybe now I wanna give it a five but I still think there is a loss of real hand claps, shattering glass, dogs barking and typewriters.......not those things specifically, but you know. Still, buy it. It is good music and you should dance in your kitchen and car to something that says more than blah, blah blah.
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by Le Tigre 
