Crazy Itch Radio

Basement Jaxx

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2006)
• Original Release Date: September 11, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Xl Recordings
• ASIN: B000GW8AUY
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #95,087 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Smashed up in a jam-packed stew, Basement Jaxx's Crazy Itch Radio is an extravagant lesson in musical jollies. Rippling with R&B, kitchen-sink funk, and a litany of resourceful MCs, it's a concept record with a boy-meets-girl storyline that exists mostly as a prop for Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Burton's manic inventiveness. On Jaxx records like Rooty and even 2003's Kish Kash, house masterminds Masters at Work and Green Velvet were the most often-mentioned reference points, but Radio blows out the kind of easy genre-hopping more associated with Prince, along with a Parliament/Funkadelic-style theatricality. Despite how much is going on, the whole thing sounds impeccably smooth, even when Ratcliffe and Burton decide to toss a banjo into "Take Me Back to Your House," or flirt with ballads on "Lights Go Down" and "Keep Keep On." The record lacks a dance floor jam like their breakthrough "Rendez-Vu" or Rooty's "Where's Your Head At" (though "Everybody" comes close), and the finale "U R On My Mind" wanders aimlessly. But wild ingenuity and the desire to stretch are qualities that threaten to keep Basement Jaxx relevant well into the next decade. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description
This album swerves from the all-out drama on the operatic "Intro" straight into the jet-packed kaleidoscopic pop of "Hush Boy". Next is "Take Me Back To Your House", a sexy, energetic moment of what they call "banjo house". Then there's Balkan folk woven into vocals from Swedish pop sensation Robyn on "Hey You", a hyper grime tune called "Run 4 Cover", and a Wil Malone-scored beauty with legendary British singer Linda Lewis called "Lights Go Down". A little special treat is tucked away at the end.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Basement Jaxx' Best, September 13, 2006

By	Steward Willons - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I've been a long time fan of Basement Jaxx and have enjoyed most everything they've done over the years. Crazy Itch Radio is an incredibly fun album. There's a nice variety of tunes, some amusing interludes, and as always, an amazing opening track (Hush Boy) that's basically worth the price of the CD itself. Crazy Itch definitely follows the Jaxx' stylistic development. It's a logical progression from Kish Kash, but is, in my opinion, a superior album. The production is pretty amazing. The songs are packed with little sounds, odd samples, and intricately arranged parts, which all find their own space in the mix.

Although there is a sort of narrative element, this isn't really a concept album, per se. It's thematically unified, but that's about it. The songs stand on their own. Of course some are better than others. I won't waste your time describing all the songs I liked - you'll find your own when you listen to it. I will say that you won't be disappointed. If you are familiar with Basement Jaxx, you pretty much know what to expect. If you're new to this music, this is an excellent place to start - it's a toss up between Crazy Itch and Rooty.

As an added bonus, you can watch the video for "Oh My Gosh". There's also an MP3 of the song. I'm not sure why it wasn't included on the album as it's incredibly catchy.

Ultimately, this album was worth the wait. Basement Jaxx is as creative as ever. I can highly recommend purchasing this album. For fans it's a no brainer. Enjoy!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More crazy dance music -- but not quite crazy enough, October 23, 2006

By	Nick (WA, USA) - See all my reviews

I had the pleasure of seeing Basement Jaxx live this summer and the biggest thing that struck me during their performance was an incredible sense of anything-goes energy. On their new album, Crazy Itch Radio, it's the songs with this kind of feeling that stand out amongst the rest.

The highlights of the album are easily the gypsy-folk-dance of Hey You (with an ace guest vocal from Robyn) and Run 4 Cover, which sounds a little like Hollaback Girl's frenetic, twisted cousin. As with Basement Jaxx's earlier work, Crazy Itch Radio tries to be a little bit of everything. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it's just a mess. Take Me Back To Your House sounds a bit like Kylie gone country and it's probably the most immediate pop song on the album. On the other side of the spectrum, Everybody incorporates so many different vocals, sounds and tones that it ends up being more of a sound collage than a real song.

All ten of the album's proper songs feature guest vocalists and are on the poppier (though still experimental) side of dance music. There are also interludes that give the impression that you're listening to the radio (of the crazy itch variety, apparently), which helps the album feel more cohesive. Still, while it's a pretty consistent listen, there isn't much on Crazy Itch Radio that really stands out. It's better and more self-contained than most dance records, but there's a lingering sense that it just could have been a bit better.

Key Tracks: Hey You, Run 4 Cover, Take Me Back To Your House

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crazy Carnival, October 10, 2006

By	Dogville (Sunny Island) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

By Crazy Itch Radio, Basement Jaxx has perfected their craft of mixing loud pompous and danceable music with diva-like or soulful female vocals. While the formula hasn't differed much since the splendid Rooty and the slightly uneven Kish Kash, the music here still seeks to thrill.

Sounding more carnival than ever, each track has a happy and melodic vibe. The disc begins with a grand and over-the-top dramatic intro. First single Hush Boy is all diva and too much of a chip of the block from Kish Kash. You'd be happier with Les Visiteurs Remix. Better tracks are elsewhere including the fun second single Take Me Back To Your House, the quasi-trippy Smoke Bubbles, the soulful electro track Lights Go Down, the reggae-influenced Keep Keep On and the riotous Everybody which contains a delightful Bollywood bridge. (B+)