Nothing's Lost

Styrofoam

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 30, 2004)
• Original Release Date: November 30, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Morr Music / M.M.
• ASIN: B00069FKNM
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,262 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Arne Van Petegem is Styrofoam. For his fourth and most successfully realized effort, Van Petegem invited his favorite artists to collaborate on this dreamy recording. They include Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Markus Acher (the Notwist), Valerie Trebeljahr (Lali Puna), and Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set). Most traveled to Brussels to lay down their tracks, with the exception of Kenny, who swapped files via the Internet. Not too surprisingly--considering the personnel involved--the results sound like a cross between the electronic pop of the Notwist and the Postal Service with a little hip-hop on the side. "Misguided" features a rap from Alias, who also contributes beats, while the album's standout is "Couches in Alleys," in which Gibbard’s breathy vocals have been treated to sound otherworldly. (Van Petegem has a similar, if less distinctive voice.) Nothing's Lost marks Styrofoam as one of the premier electronic artist/producers of the 2000s. - Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description
* Belgium's Arne van Petegem aka STYROFOAM returns with his most accomplished effort to date. Electrnoic pop at its best with guest appearances by Ben Gibbard (DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, POSTAL SERVICE), Valerie Trebeljahr (LALI PUNA), Markus Acher (THE NOTWIST, LALI PUNA), ALIAS, Andrew Kenny (AMERICAN ANALOG SET), BENT VAN LOOY, and Japanese singer MIKI. * Part of Morr Music's U.S. tour with Lali Pun and The Go Find.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best albums i've heard in a long time, December 25, 2004

By	Michael A. Wallenstein "gun left behind" (boston, ma) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a huge Death Cab for Cutie fan so like most people that's what piqued my interest in Styrofoam. Couches in Alleys was the first and only song I had heard when I saw that Styrofoam was playing with The Go Find and Lali Puna at a favorite venue of mine in Boston. I went, and liked every song I heard by all three bands. Arne Van Petegem (Styrofoam) and Dieter Sermeus (The Go Find) did their sets together, with special guest Andrew Kenny from American Analog Set performing with Styrofoam. The entire show was just a blur of beautiful, relaxing music that's become one of my favorite genres. Styrofoam finished with Snow Crush Killing Song, a cover from the Norwegian acoustic project The Mountain Goats (and having heard Ben Gibbard praise them in an interview, I followed the trails and discovered yet another great band in them).

More on this album though. It starts out with the mellow Misguided, with Alias' rap coming in at the end for a surprising, unique, and ultimately wonderful hybrid of genres that finishes this song off perfectly. Then comes Ticket Out of Town, the long and soothing "kicker" that starts building the real momentum of this album. Couches in Alleys is just an amazing song that will blow you away, guaranteed. The next songs flow nicely in a Postal Service-esque session, and when you hear Andrew Kenny step in on Front to Back you'll hit the point where you know you've got something great in your player. Safe + Broken is dark and gives you an almost frightened feel, leading into Anything. This song is catchy and sincere, and serves as a fresh and clever bridge into the final track, Make it Mine, which is best described as a "sunburst" of emotion and finality that is definitely going to be a favorite track of many.

I give this album a 5, not to exaggerate but to say how well done and just really, really good it is. Your $14 cannot be better spent if you're looking for something fresh, clever, and all around worth your money. I recommend taking advantage of Amazon's "better together" deal and also netting yourself The Go Find's release, Miami. And for more Styrofoam, head to www.mp3search.ru for purchasable downloads for two more of their albums at ten cents per song. You will not be disappointed in any purchase regarding these bands.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent electronica with lots of cameos, May 18, 2005

By	Brad Baron - See all my reviews

Arne Van Petegem has put together another fine electronic album, and brought along several of his friends from the electronic music scene for cameo appearances.

The album has several high points. "Couches in Alleys," featuring the Postal Service's Ben Gibbard, is an electronic indie-pop delight. The album's closing song, "Make it Mine," clocking in around 9 minutes, features several of Petergem's collaborators, and makes excellent background music. The first track, "Misguided," features some variety, using a slightly harder beat, and rhymes provided by Alias.

Cameos on the album include Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie/The Postal Service, Markus Acher of the Notwist, Valerie Trebeljahr of Lali Puna, and Andrew Kenny of American Analog Set, and "Alias". If you are a fan of any of these artists, I strongly recommend that you check out Styrofoam's latest entry, "Nothing's Lost".

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice, December 2, 2004

By	Arpan M. Shah (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This album is suberb. Anyone can listen to most of the tracks at Morr's website at http://www.morrmusic.com

There are so many special guests on this album. I cant stop listening to Couches In Alleys. Ben's voice is awesome...its like an electronic deathcab song but not like the postal service.

Anyway I saw styrofoam at the morr fest a couple weeks ago and he played his whole set with the guy from the go find.

great stuff....