Buy it- but you have to ask yourself- "Do I feel lucky?" ...Well, do ya?
Written: Aug 27 '01 (Updated Aug 27 '01)
Product Rating:
Pros: Full of variety! If nothing else, the music is interesting :)
Cons: Some songs are too repetitive, No music video(s) :(
The Bottom Line: Not my favorite album, but I don't have too many of those, anyway :) If you like electronica, punk, old school rap, and a little bit o'Latin- pick it up!
I'll admit- I bought this on a bit of a whim. This is not the first time I did this, but I had an extra *special* feeling with this group (group?).
I first heard "Clint Eastwood" while in a record store and I first said to myself "What the **** is this??". I continued to listen and I found myself starting to enjoy it. The lead singer had this kinda deadpan tone, but it made it almost comical. I particularly liked the music in it- kinda funky and maybe a little gothic sounding, but cool nonetheless.
THE BAND
When I came to find out that these guys were really cartoon characters, I wasn't in the least surprised. I had to wonder why, but I was never really surprised.
Lead Vocals - "2-D" [Damon Albarn]
Lead Guitar - "Murdoc" [Dan the Automator]
Bass - "Noodle" [Miho Hatori]
Drums - "Russel" [Del Tha Funky Homosapien]
Just as there is no band, there can't be any band instruments, but since this is a cartoon, let it be, man! :)
THE ALBUM
As a whole? Not bad. Some really interesting music, for sure. There were a few songs that seemed to drag along and others you wish they kept it going. For example, I think "Sound Check (Gravity)" was a little annoying as the lyrics were sung with a rather whiny style.
"Punk," on the other hand was waaaay too short- a mere 1min:36sec!! Doh! Although, I guess this isn't nearly as bad as Dave Matthews Band's "Pantala Naga Pampa" @ only 37sec- that was really too short.
There is no particular genre that this album fits neatly under. Almost every song is of different genre, fused with electronica of some sort- not techno, necessarily. The album is a little punk, a little rap, a little reggae, a little Latin, and even a little pop. Perhaps, the album could be seen as electronica as there are no real instruments being played- they're all samples of instruments and sounds that string the songs together- and very well, I might add.
THE SONGS
RE-HASH- kinda reminds me of Squeeze in the harmony, a little pop, a little rock
5/4- a little punk, not bad
TOMORROW COMES TODAY- kinda funky
NEW GENIOUS- very slick track, very cool- very funky. This would make for a great background track in a movie!
CLINT EASTWOOD- hit single that caught my ear- a little funk, a little rap
MAN RESEARCH- kinda pop, mostly electronica- too many "yeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeah"'s
PUNK- kick*ss punk song- too short, though.
SOUND CHECK- a little dragged out, repetitive, and whiny
DOUBLE BASS- pure electronica
ROCK THE HOUSE- Rap song- kinda groovy, too!
19-2000- Pop song, not bad- kinda cute
LATIN SIMONE- VERY COOL TRACK! Very funky!
STARSHINE- another dragged out song- goes nowhere
SLOW COUNTRY-Kinda cute electronica/soft rock
M1 A1- Annoying sampling from "Day of the Dead"- "Helloooo??? IS ANYONE THERE?? HELLOOO???" Over and over again with a rock guitar in the background is the intro. It only gets a little better, but it's still repetitive.
DRACULA- what I thought would be kinda cool from the title- it's a reggae tune with sampling from a Bugs Bunny Cartoon. Idunno. It's just a disappointment to find a Reggae song in place of something that was implied as being gothic or otherwise dark.
LEFT HAND SUZUKI METHOD- the last decent song on the album. Kinda funky, kinda dark with samples from Miho Hatori speaking in Japanese and then (translating?) in English. Make for an interesting musical insert in a movie or something.
SLIGHT DISAPPOINTMENT
After seeing the animated music video for "Clint Eastwood," I was hoping, as this is an Enhanced CD, that it would be on here. It's not. It's on the single. Oh, well...
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