Features

• Box set

Reviews (2)

Say Unkle!
Well first off, this is not exactly what I expect when I see a box set, 6 tracks? But as discouraging as it might seem, this is a very impressive set of remixes from some of the best producers out there! Incorporating remixes by so many unique and innovative artists was a smart move, each mix is totally different from the last and never gets boring in my opinion. Definately worth buying!

Too many remixes of the same tracks
I am all for remixes and alternate versions, but dozens of remixes of the same 6 tracks gets tiring after a while. And considering that this is a 4-disc box set, itwould have made more sense if there was a wider variety of material. I mean, do we really need 15 remixes of "Reign" including the original version, which can be found on "Never, Never, Land?"At any rate, it is still somewhat pleasing to hear some "newish" Unkle output until their new proper CD comes out later this year. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Ambient Breakbeat    3. Box Sets (Audio Only)    4. Dance    5. Dance Music    6. Electronica    7. England    8. Pop    9. Trip-Hop   

Editorial Review

Despite making it through a difficult four-year stretch in which the band temporarily broke up, singer Shirley Manson left her husband, and new technologies made the sleek electro-rock sound of its first three albums feel passé, Garbage resurfaces in rude health on Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (187)

best band ever!!!
too bad they broke up, but this album is a tie with version 2.0, shirley manson only gives her best in everyone of her music. she is a trully talented woman...wish the band hadn't broken up though.

a classic
I love this album! I see in the discussions someone said you would only like this if you are "bitter and angry"...well, that's not me...and I LOVE THIS ALBUM. Shirley Manson is amazing. Not only is she gorgeous, she is a fabulous singer, and a great, intelligent writer. Although I don't agree with all the philosophies she puts into her songs(though yes, I'm anti-war and think she articulated in "Boys Wanna Fight" what's going on really well, I don't think a "free love" revolution will solve anything on personal or political levels..."Sex is not the Enemy" is a great song music-wise though...end tangent), I think she's a great example for women in many ways. We're not all waiting for a man to come along and "make it all better." We're not all demure. Shirley's lyrics express that in a society that does not accept it. Go Shirley.
Garbage Bleeds
Shirley Manson and her rock band return with a good rocker album. Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl even makes a guest performance for the track "Bad Boyfriend". BLEED LIKE ME is a typical rock album. The guitars, bass, and drums are heavy and very rhythmic oriented with a lot of power chords. The guitars and bass also perform interesting counterpoint, but their distortion loose the melodic feel to their performance. Manson once again, gives a great performance in a rock style, but she also has some interesting melody lines as well. The contour to this record is well formed. Not all of the songs are a loud and heavy rock sound, some are quiet and have great harmonic progressions to them. The addition of keyboards and strings help in this aspect of the album. BLEED LIKE ME is interesting, and should be heard in its entirity.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

The first of two Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (30)

Trainlistening.
In a world where every other movie has it's own soundtrack, few stand out. This one does to me. Obviously a liking for the movie helps, but even without the film this is an excellent listen. A great mix of old and new, mellow and upbeat. I mean when you stick Iggy, Lou Reed, and New Order on the same disc as Brian Eno, Blur, and Bedrock.....well you can't go wrong. Still a great play ten years later, and should be found cheap anyplace.

Better than the movie...?
When I started listening to this, it had been a year or so since I had seen the movie (which I liked), and I couldn't remember which scenes correponded to which tracks. Therefore I enjoyed it as a completley seperate work of art. When I re-watched the movie recently, I was almost dissapointed; the music actually seemed weakened in the context of the scenes. Don't get me wrong, Trainspotting is excellent, but the soundtrack stands indepedently and possibly even above it as a pop-culture watermark. A must have for any lover of music.
I finally bought this CD after putting it off for years. I mainly bought it for Underworld, but this whole CD is cool. I'm not into Iggy or Lou, but I don't skip any tracks on this CD. This came out in 1996, but sounds so fresh and relevant to today's culture. My least favorite track is, Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," and my absolute favorite is, Blur's "Sing," which barely beat Primal Scream's "Trainspotting." The track that A track that surprised me is Pulp's hilarious "Mile End." Brian Eno is always good, and "Deep Blue Day" will give Eno more record sales. Blur's lead singer has the last track called, "Closet Romantic," which is a more of an electronic song. If you like emotionally charged tunes then go get this album. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Britpop    3. Electronica    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Soundtrack    7. Soundtracks    8. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (1)

Even better than the first
I was happy to see that the DFA released these on a compilation.I don't think they've released a bad mix yet.It starts off with Far From Home, which for some reason, reminds me of flying off into space for 10 minutes.The mix of Shake Your Coconuts manages to make shrieking feedback fit in with Junior Senior.The mix of Colours is probably the least "DFA-like", and isn't at all danceable, but highly listenable.She Wants to Move is an excellent take on this, complete with Nintendo-like sounds.The deep disco groove on The Hand That Feeds is a big surprise, as you wouldn't think Nine Inch Nails could be made this grooved-out (although Reznor's vocals sounds really hoarse when the production's taken away).The mix of Slide In is fantastic, with a great bass-and-horns line, and excellent use of Alison Goldfrapp's vocals.The mix of Destination Overdrive is about 5 minutes of danceable noise, and while not bad, isn't particularly memorable.Last is the mix of In A State, which starts off melancholy, and works it's way into a darker track, and serves as a great way to end the album.If you like the DFA, you were probably going to get it anyway, but this makes a great pickup for anyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dance Collections    2. Dance Music    3. Pop   

Editorial Review

M.I.A.'s debut record is both intensely urban and aggressively modern. The group's sole member, Maya Arul, infuses her blend of hip-hop and chunky electro with raw, tribal overtones and a healthy dose of sex appeal. There are elements of world music here, in Arul's multilingual vocal as well as the tonal shifts and instrumentation (like the drone that opens up "Hombre"). Her delivery uses a variety of yelps and tics full of street-wise confidence and bratty energy. But there's also an appealing melodic sense, like early Neneh Cherry or Miss Kitten when she's not in diva mode. M.I.A. doesn't really sound like anybody; the music is just experimental enough to wiggle out of easy comparisons. The IDM-style bleeps and beeps of "Galang," for example, give an already catchy song extra punch. The only problem with the record, a common flaw for debuts, is a sameness from track to track which robs it of the ability to surprise. Still, Arul is hugely talented and her abundant originality packs a wallop. --Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (154)

Love this CD
I received this album from a friend, it took me a couple of months to listen to it, but now i cant take it out of my player. I LOVE this CD.....its awesome and a big change from all of the crap that artist are putting out now. On some of her songs she actually has a message...why do you thing her American Visa has been revoked..check out the hidden track and her attack on the powers that be in the US.

Spectacular Arular
this album is great! its refreshing to discover a strong female artist who's unwilling to use her sexuality to sell records. think about it, there are really very few out there who aren't shaking their [...] to hide that they have no real talent. heck, i can drop it like its hot, it don't mean a thang. so i heard "galang" about a year ago and was blown away - awesome! i had to have the album so i scooped it up and from the first "ba-na-na" i was hooked. MIA throws down great lyrics, rapping, singing, chanting. really fun stuff, despite the content at times. i don't know that this album is appropriate for kids, but nowadays not much is. MIA's association with the Tamil Tigers (her father is/was a member) seems to be a basis for much of her writing and there is a fair amount of violence. MTV refused to play the "sunshowers" video because of her reference to the PLO. and MIA would not edit the track, except to remove an F-bomb or two. good for her!!! no compromise! so the album is full of gritty beats, danceable and interesting. Diplo mixed and if you are a fan, i recommend getting your hands on the ultra-rare "piracy funds terrorism" - (re)mixes mostly by Diplo of Arular songs and a TON of extras. "pop" and "ladykiller" are worth it alone. but back to Arular - if you're into strong ladies, socially conscious lyrics and funky beats, check it out. my fave songs include "sunshowers" "fire fire" and "amazon."

This is the good stuff
I first heard this at the gym and had to have it. Picked it up a few days back and I'm just loving it. There isn't a bad track on it. The few who are dissin this need to loosen up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Dancehall    5. Electronic    6. Hip-Hop    7. Pop   

Editorial Review

This Icelandic marvel is such an original that, even after four Sugarcubes albums and a brilliant solo Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. Electronica    5. Experimental Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Trip-Hop   

Editorial Review

Headline-grabbing personal upheavals turn into introspective surges on Read more

Reviews (298)

Bjork: HOMOGENIC (1997)
In 1997, Bjork released her fourth album entitled, HOMOGENIC. The title sure sounds weird, whereas the front album cover will have you looking at, while saying to yourself, "What the Hell is the matter with her?" But the album is brilliantly put together. Everything about it, the writing, the producing, the lyrics, the sound, the whole ancelotta, is worth the time, the money, and your listening pleasure.
the bridge between pop sensibility and innovation
I had a similar experience with Homogenic as some other reviewers- what once seemed cold and alienating became my personal favorite.
Bjork's Best
Bjork for me is one of those artists, where I cannot chose just one favourite album of theirs. Every Bjork album is very very good, but there has always been at least one track that I simply did not like. 'Homogenic' is an alienic, electronic and very unusual album, which will leave you thinking something like wtf (if you are new to Bjork), I don't get this (if the album hasn't grew on you yet), or this is really creative and unique (if you like it immediately). Sometimes, I love this album, and sometimes I hate it, but that is why I find it so fascinating.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. Electronica    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Trip-Hop   

Editorial Review

Bristol's Massive Attack released a classic with their first album, Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. Electronic    5. Electronica    6. Pop    7. Popular Music    8. Rock    9. Trip-Hop   

Editorial Review

Some albums really can change the world, and in 1989 this was one of them. The psychedlic dance extravaganza that was Read more

Reviews (221)

Overrated or Underrated?
This album may be considered overrated for anyone familiar with a some music-related publications, such as the New Musical Express (NME) and the British newspaper The Observer, which both placed it as #1 on a list of Best Albums and Best British Albums respectively. In another sense, it may be seen as underrated because when you mention "The Stone Roses", (unless, perhaps, you are somewhere in Great Britain or are talking to a well-versed music fan), nobody knows who you are talking about! At any rate, I feel that this album deserves attention.
answering mr. alan williamson
Mike and the Mechanics ushering in the Madchester scene? You must subscribe to Roling Stone magazine, 'lad'. "The Living Years" was just soft adult fake prog pablum created (or should I say, manufactured) by a bunch of aging second string hipsters with greying ponytails who couldn't usher in their own garbage tin from the street much less a new pop scene. In addition, they weren't even from Manchester, where you had to be from, to usher in the MADchester scene. Get it? The Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses were the real proginators of the Madchester scene.
Flawless
This is a flawless record. Everything is perfect. Not one song is bad.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Britain    4. British Trad Rock    5. Britpop    6. College Rock    7. Indie Pop    8. Indie Rock    9. Madchester    10. Pop    11. Rock    12. Rock/Pop    13. Shoegaze   

Reviews (30)

Good Hits collection...
But I have "POP!-20 Hits" already and think that was a better representation of why Erasure was so great.Btw, with this new collection having 3 covers of ABBA songs, why doesn't it have their great cover of Blondie's "Heart of Glass"?
already did this
These songs were already on pop. I still love it for my erasure collection. Its just redundent.

This cd is Great...
It is filled with lots of up beat songs. I can't stop listening to it. I even work out to it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. College Rock    5. Dance-Pop    6. House    7. Pop    8. Pop/Rock    9. Popular Music    10. Rock    11. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Normally, an artist such as Bjork with a mass audience across the globe steadily eases off as the back-catalog starts to grow. However, Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. Electronica    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Trip-Hop   

Editorial Review

If Monterrey, Mexico is, indeed, the center of the Latin alternative-music universe, then native sons Kinky are doing a great job of spreading the gospel. The five-piece collective's self-titled debut is an infectious collision of wah-wah guitars, pounding dance beats, and home-cooked rhythm and brass. The band injects just enough authentic tang in its music to raise an eyebrow with the traditionalists, while playing songs demented enough to lure in fans of new-school Mexican electro-pop acts like Plastilina Mosh and Titan. Produced by British tastemaker Chris Allison, whose previous clients include Coldplay and the Beta Band, the album floats on a blissful groove throughout, snaking through styles as diverse as retro shout-along funk ("Mas"), slick, Moby-like trance ("The Great Spot"), and Daft Punk-influenced electro ("Ejercicio #16"), without overpowering Kinky's own emerging identity. Read more

Reviews (33)

una de las bandas mas originales que haya escuchado
BUeno quiza para empezar pudiera decir que el disco lo tiene todo, desde salsa, rock, jazz, funk, electronica por supuesto, todo lo que un fanatico de la musica espera de un disco lo puede encontrar en este disco sin ningun riesgo de decepcion. LO recomiendo a quien sea que aprecie la musica en todos los sentidos. No hay ninguna cancion debil, todas son disfrutables y placenteras y por supuesto bailables jeje...
movin music!
Oh man, these latin electro fussion sounds are hot!I like to listen to Kinky in the SLK with the top down on a sunny day because it keeps me going 100mph even when I am at a stop light.A music drug of choice!

A great original
After listening to their disappointing sophomore album, "Atlas", I was compelled to write about how great Kinky's debut effort actually is. This album is all about unabashed creativity, while not trying to target any specific market. The sound is all over the map - you'd like to put it in some neat little category but it won't fit there. It doesn't fit anywhere, and that's what's great about it. Full of energy, with electric guitars, conga drums, electro-beats, the occasional vocoder, goofy Spanish lyrics, it's hard not to get a buzz listening to this CD. Not only do their songs sound like they could be used in commercials, they ARE used in commercials (ie. "Mas" used for the Nissan Altima). I've seen these guys live and they pumped even more energy into their songs than what was on the CD, which is hard to believe, and this made listening to "Atlas" (which I was initially really excited about) all the more disappointing. Regardless, "Kinky" will stay as one my road-trip favorites for a long time to come. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Electronic    3. Electronica    4. Funk    5. Latin Dance    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock en Español    9. Worldbeat   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (58)

A solid album with two classic New Order songs
"Blue Monday" probably stands as the very best techno-pop dance song that New Order ever did, and, indeed, must be considered one of the best songs of this genre.But "Blue Monday," and its instrumental (and somewhat redundant) counterpart "The Beach" are only a part of what makes "Power, Corruption and Lies" such a strong album, the second in New Order's discography.A much different song, but just as compelling, is "Age of Consent," with off-beat lyrics and bass line you can't get out of your head (copied, by the way, by "The Jesus and Mary Chain," towards the end of their classic "Head On").These two songs alone would probably make this a worthwhile album.Other strong tracks include "586" (I would have cut out the introduction and just gone right into the danceable part), the ethereal "Your Silent Face," and "Leave Me Alone."
Total Classic
One of the best rock records of all time. One of the best dance/electronic records of all time. Way ahead of the pack at 1983?!, timeless and not stuck in 80's /new wave AT ALL if you ask me. Much more musically varied and interesting than much of today's electronica scene as much as I like all of that too. Early electronic dance music with a post-punk attitude. Emotionally moody and yearning. Great imagery. Sumner's vocals are weak and strained but ultimatly that becomes a huge charm as it seems vulnerable and..well..punkish in spirit in an odd way. Also..a surprizingly soulful record too with the italo-disco element...but this time existentailly wounded. Funky and pyschedelic too with all the key bending stuff on the synths. If all alternative and dance music could be this interesting. All this AND one the best record covers of all time by Manchester graphic designer Peter Saville also..way ahead of the curve. A reason to have it on vinyl however(which includes a secret message in the color codes on the the back of the album which refer to Factory Records' release catalogue system!). This record is a total winner.

New Order's Apogee
If you think "Blue Monday," New Order's signature New Wave dance track, is the only song worthwhile on this 1983 release, you couldn't be more mistaken.As I'm sitting here attempting to collect the necessary words to write this review, I hear wave upon wave of Gillian's magnificent synths in "Your Silent Face."With an album filled with songs of this high calibre, where can one go wrong?I suppose I've got to say that POWER, CORRUPTION, & LIES is THE New Order album, my favourite out of the band's (currently) eight LPs.While the others have their own charm and spirit, this one perfectly captures and blends the post-punk ethos of Joy Division with the new lease on life that is New Order--and it's the one I find myself drawn to the most whenever I feel the need to pop in a CD and enjoy some music.Incessant, stacatto, almost militaristic beats courtesy of Stephen Morris and an assortment of drum machines icily pulse in the listener's ear while the aforementioned synthlines, delicate and forever lovely, create a dreamy, lush, and warm effect.This album is thus a very strange mixture of frost and warmth as displayed on the cover, a still-life of roses (now the desktop picture on my personal computer).When you're finished looking at the cover and you pop the CD into the stereo, you're instantly grabbed by the urgent riff of "Age of Consent"...and you're not let go until the last notes of "Leave Me Alone" fade away (well, unless you choose to listen to "The Beach," the instrumental/dubbed version of "Blue Monday," which was rather uselessly tacked onto the American re-release).While "The Beach" may ruin the ending flow of this masterpiece ("Leave Me Alone" is the PERFECT closer), "Blue Monday" fits snugly in between its prototype, "586" (quite possibly my favourite New Order song), and "Your Silent Face" (certainly in my top five).If you, however, feel the need to listen to the album minus the "bonus" tracks, feel free to do so.But I've written enough:if you're reading this page and looking for something new, something different, something grand, read some of the wonderful reviews already posted and do purchase this album.I can't guarantee you won't regret your decision, since we all have different musical tastes, but I can tell you that this album changed my life and the way I listen to music--and it continues to do so every day. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. College Rock    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Post-Punk    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. Synth Pop   

Editorial Review

Her first album following the breakup of the Sugarcubes, Read more

Reviews (147)

Bjork: DEBUT (1993)
In 1993, Bjork came onto the music scene with incredible debut album entitled...well, DEBUT. Bjork originally hails from Iceland, and she came to America to release her strange sounding (but with a creative techno twist) music, and it all started here with DEBUT.
better things to come
It had been years (literally) since I played Debut, so I pulled it off the shelf for a spin recently.When I'm in the Mood for Bjork, I grab Post, Homogenic, Medulla, even Vespertine, but never Debut, for some reason.Now I know why.Compared to the rest of Bjork's catalogue, Debut comes off as thin and, well, rather amateur.
An excellent first album
Though the Icelandic singer with the unearthly voice would go on to do better work, "Debut" remains one of the best first albums of all time. The tone of the album remains the same for most of the album; Light, poppy, and accessible. But what really stands out is the pure feeling that Bjork puts into her vocals. On "Human Behaviour", she sounds completely confused and disgusted at the habits and vulgarity of typical human life. And on "Big Time Sensuality", my personal favorite on the album, she sounds like she is excited to the point of orgasm (no eye-rolls please). She, in my opinion, has the best voice in the music business. It is just so nimble and strong; It can go from magical fairy to wild, untamed beast in just a split-second. She definetly deserved all the praise and recognization she got from this album ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. Electronica    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Trip-Hop   

Editorial Review

So much has been said about disco-punk's King Midas, New York musician/producer James Murphy, that it's kind of hard to believe that we've had to wait until 2005 for the debut album from his dancefloor project, LCD Soundsystem. LCD's classic triumvirate of early singles--"Losing My Edge," "Give It Up," and "Yeah"--joined the dots between punk-rock, disco, and funk in a way that hadn't been seen since the New York downtown scene of the early '80s, but these are bravely relegated to a bonus disc in favor of a suite of new material that reworks the band's influences in new, often explicit ways: take "Movement," for instance--a homage to the Fall that finds Murphy barking "It's a fat guy/ In a T-shirt/ Doing all the singing!" over punchy analog synths, or the quietly majestic "Great Release," a doff of the cap to Brian Eno circa Read more

Reviews (46)

A Confident Debut
Though the 2000s have suffered from a lack of decent electronic/dance-style music, LCD Soundsystem has come out with a surprisingly good collection of songs of that genre. The songwriting and the music come across as incredibly confident, for this being their first album. James Murphy's vocals have a sort of coolness (and even a hint of sarcasm) that really strengthens the album. Not for one moment do they give off the impression of a mediocre, unpolished group.
Brought back fun, but hazy,memories!Make it 4 1/2 stars.
I INHALED this CD.After all the hype and hyper blowin' up about this dance/punk/rock genius, I finally broke down and bought it.Not that I was old enough to get into the discos in the mid 70's-early/mid 80's(I was still in elementary school, then middle school), but I remember(and still love) the groups that influenced this disc...The Buzzcocks, Heaven 17, PiL, Blondie...hell even the Rolling Stones "Some Girls" album.And yes, I have to say(after finding "Death Disco-Songs Under the Dance Floor 1978-1984" CD and I'm ordering it)the old stuff is more fun.But for the hipsters who don't know this is not original genre,it's pretty great.No, it's very great.The first song "Daft Punk is Playing at my House" was fun, and both discs made it worth driving throughsnowy/sleety/frozen rain covered streets to work out at the gym these last couple weeks.

LCD Soundsystem Is Playing In My House... My House!
This is a band that doesn't care what the "sound of the moment" is. They just make music. Period. This double CD is a treat for the senses for anyone that appreciates good music. Indie, punk, funk, disco... You name it, there's a splash of everything everywhere.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Indie Electronic    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Depeche Mode's most foreboding album, leaning toward the gothic, is DM at their most bleak, black-armband, and nihilistic--no doubt played over and over by countless self-loathing teens as they dyed their hair black behind locked bedroom doors. The tracks are tastefully minimalist, yet the few sounds that dominate each song have a consuming, even overwhelming feel--like a big, heavy black cloud that descends upon and surrounds listeners until their knees buckle from the weight. Rhythmically, songs like "A Question of Time" are driven with moderately paced 16th notes pounded out on synths filling out the low end. Other tracks follow the path of "Stripped," an all-out lamentfest powered by David Gahan's overproduced baritone. Read more

Reviews (97)

An important moment in the history of alternative music

My favorite
Depeche Mode has always been one of my favorites.I had this tape since high school, but now everything is in CD form; so I replaced it with a CD.Now I get to hear in in the car!

Not so dark as it is romantic/emotive
Reviewers have taken at face value that name of the album and the name of some of its tracks perhaps a bit too much to heart. Yes, this is the darkest of the DM albums. But, Pornography it is not. Closer it is not. It's more a romantic album than a dark album. Even Fly on the Windscreen with lyrics like "there are lambs for the slaughter" feels more romantic than the alienation of Joy Division's Closer or the schizophrenia of the Cure's Pornography. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. College Rock    5. Pop    6. Popular Music    7. Post-Punk    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. Synth Pop   

Editorial Review

You'd have to stretch back to 1967 to London's psychedelic underground(a time and a place that Blur is admittedly fond of) to find a band that revelsas much in its Britishness. And on its third album, Blur takes 30 years of coolEnglish rock, throws it into an art-punk Cuisinart, and ends up with amasterpiece of timeless hooks and Cockney attitude. Like the Kinks at theirsatirical best, Blur paints warm and funny portraits of quintessentially Englishcharacters ("Tracy Jacks," "Parklife," "The DebtCollector"), delivering them with early Small Faces swagger, wiggy SydBarrett-via-Julian Cope production, XTC circa "Respectable Street"vocal hooks ("ooh-we-ooh"), and a cynical Buzzcocks detachment. Theband members are mods, of course, borrowing fashion tips from the pre-glam DavidBowie, tempos from the Jam, and actor Phil Daniels (the star ofRead more

Reviews (94)

MR ALAN WILLIAMSON IS BRILLIANT!!
OK. So I was duped. Alan Williamson--see The Stone Roses review--is the funniest man alive! Thinking he was serious, I got all riled up and blasted him a new one over this Stone Roses album and ended up sounding like a complete arrogant putz in the process. Bravo, sir! His reviews are hilarious and well worth searching out, especially the Beatles REVOLVERand the one (S) about Kelley Clarkson and womens shoes! Very funny stuff.
I don't like this album
When Mike and the Mechanics ushered in the Britpop era with Looking Back Over My Shoulder, it was only a matter of time before these dopes attempted to jump on the bandwagon. How they won so many Brit awards with this rubbish is beyond me. It must have been rigged!

Modern Life Is Rubbish.
High record sales are often inversely proportionate to the effect on the morale of the bands concerned. Blur became household names in Britain because of this album, especially through cheerful cockney singalong sinle "Parklife", but it messed them up in terms of moving on as a band: it is also the album which was responsible for singer/writer Damon Albarn's mental breakdown.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Britain    4. Britpop    5. Club/Dance    6. England    7. Indie Pop    8. Pop    9. Pop/Rock    10. Popular Music    11. Rock    12. Rock/Pop