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37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Feel the future..., March 8, 2006
I've had the import version since last summer, and it's remained in very heavy rotation ever since. I dare say it's one of my all-time favorites. I absolutely love the first two albums, but with Supernature their sound has been perfected. Not only have they found their niche - they now rule it. Allison Goldfrapp has become the reigning queen of electronic pop. All others should kneel before her and weep with envy. Supernature is flawless. Every track is sheer aural magic. The majority of the album is ultra-swank disco-pop, but there are of course a couple of chill tracks akin to "Utopia," "Pilots," "Black Cherry," "Hairy Trees," and the like that will momentarily pull you out of the club and into that semi-familiar dreamworld of snow-capped mountains and fields of rainbow-colored blooms.
All that said... I don't think "Ooh La La" and "Number 1" were the best choices for the first singles. "Ooh La La" is the only track that seems a bit derivative of Black Cherry's hit singles, and "Number 1" is just not one of the best songs. Both are greats tracks - no doubt - but I would have chosen one of the more unique electro-disco-cabaret stormers like the suggestive "Slide In" or "Ride A White Horse," the cool, catchy, mid-tempo pop gem "Fly Me Away," or the gorgeous, Felt Mountain-esque "Time Out From The World." These four tracks - along with "You Never Know" and "Let It Take You" - are my personal favorites, but there really isn't a skippable track.
Perhaps there is something supernatural at work here... some type of witchcraft casting its spell over me... or maybe this is just a ridiculously talented duo that knows how to make damn fine music. In either case, do not miss this masterpiece!
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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A bit tempered, but a good trip regardless, March 7, 2006
I originally purchased "Supernature" as an import, so I've given this album a solid day in court. While it has grown on me in the last few months, my opinion still stands: "Supernature" is good solid stuff, but it doesn't measure up to Goldfrapp's first two albums.
"Felt Mountain" was a dreamy voyage through svelte lounge pop, and "Black Cherry" was a spewing geyser of electro-synth technolust. "Supernature" is, musically, a perfect chimera of the two: sedate-ish pop songs with time-signatures, progressions, and structure similar to those on "Felt Mountain", but using the electronic wall-of-sound from "Black Cherry". Like "Felt Mountain", the songs on "Supernature" are largely free of musical hooks. This lack of hooks contributed to "Felt Mountain" being a downtempo masterpiece, but it makes pop music seem ephemeral, which is "Supernature"'s greatest weakness: many of these songs don't stick around in your mind after they're over. They're nice to listen to, and as far as pop music goes they're very innovative, but they just doesn't leave you haunted.
I do enjoy this album, even though I initially found it underwhelming, because the duo are still putting together songs that are untraditional and interesting. The arrangements have a beautiful complexity and Allison's vocalwork are clearly among the top 1% of her peers. That said, I didn't notice this right away, and the uniqueness of the tracks really come out with repeated listens. They're more subtle and don't rely on either raw energy (ala "Black Cherry") or a unique lounge vibe ("Felt Mountain"). So if "Supernature" doesn't live up to your immediate expectations, give it some time. It may grow on you.
While I think this album is the weakest in their portfolio, it's still a good listen, and besides, even Goldfrapp on an off-day makes most radio-standard pop seem like algorithm-generated plodding.
Note: the US release differs from the original UK edition in that it has a bonus track, "Beautiful", a B-side from the "Number 1" single, and thankfully this is one of the strongest songs on the entire CD. For those completists out there who already have the UK version, it's really difficult to justify spending $15 just to get one new track, so if you're torn, you'd be better off tracking down the "Number 1" single (since it has "Beautiful" and another exclusive track, "All Night Operator", and some remixes).
(In case anyone out there is wondering, unlike the import version of this album, the US release has neither copy protection nor OpenDisc-based DRM technology, which can cause problems with computers, car stereos, portable disc players, etc. The US release is the way a music CD should be.)
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Supernatural Achievement, March 7, 2006
One of my favourite albums of last year was Goldfrapp's incredible third album "Supernature." Released in August 2005, the album stormed to No.2 in the UK album charts and has since gone platinum and spawned a slew of chart hits. The album was originally intended to be released in America soon after, but this release date got postponed until March 2006! That means I've been waiting seven months to review this absolute little beauty of electro-glam pop-rock. With the release of this album Goldfrapp have gone on to become one of the most loved and treasured bands in the UK, and their incredible rise in popularity was well deserved.
On this album, Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory took all the elements of their sophomore "Black Cherry" and re-energised it into this wonderful and high-speed concoction of disco pop wizardry. The sound of Goldfrapp has gradually evolved, becoming more commercial with each stunning album. Some say they've sold out, but I disagree. It's only natural for a band of Goldfrapp's calibre to expand and widen their horizons. They were already critics darlings from the word go, and it was only a matter of time before the general public caught on. Hopefully this album will push Goldfrapp into the stratosphere and onto the upper reaches of the Billboard Hot 100. However, with singers like James Blunt currently occupying the No.1 spot, I won't hold my breath.
The album opens with the lead single, "Ooh La La." This song became a huge chart smash in August 2005, peaking at No.4 on the UK charts. The song was used in adverts and promos, became a mainstay on national radio and seemed to be played on music channels every other minute. The beat to this song bubbles with an electric buzz that is pure Goldfrapp. The guitars are wonderfully, Alison's vocals dripping with sex and vigour. The instrumental section in the middle is an all-out riot and I go crazy in clubs dancing to that particular piece! "Lovely 2 C U" is another brilliant song that leads on where the last left off. This song is almost rocky with heavy screaming vocals and guitars that surge through your ears like a steam train. The electro-crunches make this song so unique, but it pales in comparison to the beauty that follows. The song is "Ride A White Horse," the third single to be released from the album. Opening with a funky beat, the song soon morphs into a glitter-ball aural wonderland with bright synths colouring the musical canvas and Alison's breathy vocals lifting the chorus to levels of beauty unmatched by the band previously. This could well be the pinnacle of the band's career. It's very camp and metro, made all the more evident by the whip-cracks just before the second chorus explodes. It's clocked up more than 130 plays on my iTunes and this number will only grow higher and higher!
"You Never Know" opens with screechy early Kate Bush vocals, although not quite as operatic. This song is memorable for its stop-start technique that works very well. It reminds me somewhat of a blend of "Tiptoe" and "Hairy Trees" from the previous album. The beat is wonderful and builds until a high climax of airy musical excellence. "Let It Take You" is the album's main slow song and what a song it is. This is a chance for you to kick back and relax to the gorgeous Bond-style strings that seep out slowly over Alison's seductive vocal stylings. The strings build to an expansive height at the third minute and there's a sense of release which is almost erotic. The strings are pretty heavy all the way through and pound over and over like a bell chiming to your soul. If this song were a colour it would be black, with occasional swathes of white.
"Fly Me Away" is a step down from the previous songs, but it's still a catchy pop song with a strong beat and vocal melody. The lyrics aren't up to much and Goldfrapp have definitely done a lot better, but it still works in context with the album and somehow makes me feel like I'm flying. "Slide In" is a very suggestive title for such a brilliant song. The beat starts off and soon spirals down as synths seem to drive in from every angle. This builds with breathy vocals up until the 37th second when this *incredible* beat just hits you and will have you up dancing in no time. The way its formed is just pure genius and it hits me like a hammer to the head every time I hear it. The chorus is chunky and bulky with more electro dance sonics for you to feast on than you could ever hope for.
"Koko" is another incredible song which I adore purely for the vocal melody. It opens beautifully with at-first indecipherable vocal lines from Alison, which soon become clearer as she sings, "Breathe! Back! Into Life! Stabs! Of! Happiness! Now! We're! Having Fun! Hold! Tight! Don't Look Down 'Til Dawn! You Glow!" It's absolutely wonderful and her vocal tone suggests pure ecstasy. "Satin Chic" is viewed by many to be one of the best songs on the album, but I can't see it! Hinted to be the album's fourth single, this song is a fusion of pop, rock and cabaret, but I've never clicked with it. "Time Out From This World" is the second of only two really slow and relaxing songs on the album. It's more akin to something you'd have found on "Felt Mountain," and has a beautiful chorus that reminds me of standing on top of a mountain. The album ends with the static "Number 1." This was the second single to be lifted from the album back in late 2005 and peaked at No.9 in the UK charts. The electro-ness of this song is gorgeous and startling with an achingly beautiful verse structure. The point at 1:16 where the melody becomes louder and more obvious is a revelation and will have you humming for life!
OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
Goldfrapp really struck gold with this album winning critical and commercial acclaim from the most varied of sources. I have been playing this album non-stop for nearly eight months now along with the band's previous two albums and I just can't see any reason for not continuing. The band have been criticised by some for being bland and unoriginal, which I just laugh at. Goldfrapp are anything but unoriginal. There's people imitating their sound, yes, and Goldfrapp have been influenced by a lot of music from the 1970s and 1980s, yes, but there's no one else out there doing it better. There's moments of pure pop genius electricity on this album, and that's why I predict Goldfrapp will be around for a long time.
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