PRINCE - TE AMO CORAZÓN

I can't remember if this was the first or second single from "3121", but I do remember it coming out.  I actually bought two copies of this single.  One of them was the actual CD single with an edit of the song as the only track.  The other copy was a double disc CD/DVD single.  The CD single was the same and the DVD was the video of the single edit.  The CD came in a standard jewel case while the DVD came in a cardboard gatefold.  The cover photos are the same.  Essentially, I'm throwing these two together and I'll separate them between CD and DVD.  

This is a lovely song and it's got a wonderful Latin vibe to it.  It's times like this, I wish I was more knowledgeable about these styles of music so I could accurately describe what I'm hearing.  I'll go more into this track and my feelings about it when I do my review for "3121".  For now let's just say, there's not much happening on these two items.  They're definitely for hardcore collectors or people who are only interested in the one song.

If you're going to pick one of them up, I'd suggest the gatefold as it offers the better deal.  For about $1 more retail, you could get the bonus DVD.  The cover art is a nice photo.  It's a nice addition to any Prince collection.  And a nice package to showcase a beautiful, under-rated tune.

My final words:  MORE FOR COMPLETE-ISTS OR CASUAL SINGLE BUYERS.  NOT MUCH VALUE ON ITS OWN BUT STILL LOVELY.

PRINCE - TE AMO CORAZÓN
CD
01. Te Amo Corazón
DVD
01. Te Amo Corazón

JUNIOR SENIOR - HEY HEY MY MY YO YO

Junior Senior are a duo from Denmark I discovered through my cousin!  He played me a couple of their songs and I really enjoyed them.  I bought the first album, (which I will review at some point), but I fell in love with the song 'Can I Get Get Get' from a Youtube clip of the video.  It was awesome!  And because of that, I bought the album on eBay.  I ended up receiving an advance promotional copy of the record.  But hey, that's cool.  The music is the same.

The first track, 'Hello' is actually the intro to the second track, 'Hip Hop A Lula'.  This track is a little awkward.  Sometimes bands who's first language isn't English but choose to perform in English write rhyming lyrics that are kinda ridiculous.  And this song is a perfect example of embarrassing lyrics.  I cringe when I hear them.  The music is OK.  But it's not dynamic enough to cover the cringe-worthiness of the lyrical content.  However, the third track is 'Can I Get Get Get' and there's simply no way I can praise this track enough.  It's got a great beat and it uses that old keyboard sound from mid 80's burgeoning rap genre.  It's old school with a modern sensibility and a catchy chorus!  There's no way you aren't going to love this song!  Trust me.

Now Junior Senior are composed to two guys.  One has a higher pitched vocal range and he sings most of the melodic parts while his partner has a deeper voice and raps.  'Take My Time' is a track that focuses on the singing side of the duo.  The music is pretty good and the song is well written.  It's enjoyable.  But it's missing a core ingredient...  It's the combination of the two that make this band so great!  Next up is 'Itch U Can't Skratch'.  This song is also quite musically interesting.  You have both members rapping.  Once again, the Junior or singing member of the band is prominent on the track.  There's a lot of old school sound in this track as well.  This group really has a specific area of music that's inspired them.  'We R The Handclaps' is up next and like the previous tracks, Junior dominates this one.  The music however, is perfection and this one is enjoyable from start to finish.  It incorporates the music from The Esquires' classic hit, 'Get On Up' and you just can't help shakin' it to this one.  There's no stopping it.  No stopping it.  No stopping.

'I Like Music (W.O.S.B)' is an interesting tune that sounds like something you'd hear from the Jackson Five.  Once again, the focus is on Junior.  I think my biggest problem with the album this far is that it's majorly a one-sided effort.  I'm more interested in the Senior member than Junior so it's hard for me to stay tuned in.  'Ur A Girl' is another Junior track.  And once again, the song has a huge Motown influence all the way through.  From chords to vocal arrangements.  'No No No's' is another carbon copy Motown sounding track.  'Dance, Chance, Romance' here we go again.  'Happy Rap' finally brings Senior back in.  It continues to feature that Motown sound.  It's a little more fun than the rest of the album.

My biggest problem with the album is it sounds more like a Junior solo record than a Junior Senior effort.  The noticeable absence of Senior makes me think the group actually broke up before this record was finished and the Junior side decided to finish the record on their own.  It relies to heavily on a borrowed sound and doesn't really create anything new.  The Senior character brings the most animation to the sound of the group.  Without him, the album is weak and mostly throw away.  

My final words:  A RECORD YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT, BUT THERE ARE SONGS EVERYONE SHOULD OWN.  DOWNLOAD INDIVIDUAL TRACKS.  DON'T BUY THE DISC.

JUNIOR SENIOR - HEY HEY MY MY YO YO
01. Hello
02. Hip Hop A Lula
03. Can I Get Get Get
04. Take My Time
05. Itch U Can't Skrach
06. We R The Handclaps
07. I Like Music (W.O.S.B)
08. Ur A Girl
09. No No No's
10. Dance, Chance, Romance
11. Happy Rap

YIP DECEIVER - YIP DECEIVER

This was the second disc I bought at the last E6 show I saw with Yip Deceiver as the opening act.  I'm going to guess it was probably the first thing the duo actually released together.  It's an EP of sorts.  Not really a single.  It's not given a title, so there's no lead track.  However, two of the songs are on the album.  Tracks 1 & 4.  The other two could be considered b-sides if you choose to see this as a single.

You can read my reviews of 'Obnoxia' and 'Get Strict' on my album review of "Medallius".  I should mention, the version of 'Obnoxia' appearing on this disc might be different from the one on the album.  When I listen to it, I think I hear some differences.  I'll have to compare them.  Track 2 is 'For All The Haters' and it's got a great pop beat and sound.  The subject matter is a little heavy.  But the tune is so upbeat, you don't really notice.  Once you learn the lyrics, this is a great one to sing along with.  

'Sadie Hawkins Day' is an amazing track.  There's a lot of stuff happening here.  The music is interesting and the lyrics are catchy.  The vocal arrangement is intriguing.  This is a band I'm constantly getting more and more excited about.  The more I hear from them, the more I want to hear.

I highly recommend you pick this up and start following this exciting up and coming duo.

My final words:  EP OR SINGLE...  IT WORKS AND YOU SHOULD OWN IT!  NOW GO GET IT!!!  RIGHT NOW!!!!

YIP DECEIVER - YIP DECEVER
01. Obnoxia
02. For All The Haters
03. Sadie Hawkins Day
04. Get Strict

NASH - BLACK SUIT, WHITE SUIT EP

Nash is probably best known for his work with Electric Six.  For those of you who don't know Johnny Na$hinal... he's also known as the White Wolf.  He's lead guitarist and this is his solo project.  It's a self release and you won't find it in stores.  You can, however, order it through bandcamp or pick it up at a show he's playing.

Let me first say, I sometimes have a hard time being objective when it comes to Electric Six and some of the side projects band members are involved in.  I love the music they release and because of that, I tend to lump the side project material in with their main body of work.

That being said, I like most of what I hear on this disc.  But I do find a couple of things distracting.  The tempo can be a bit slow.  I want it to speed up.  Especially on 'The Sound Of Ghosts'.  My other complaint is the echo on the vocals.  In my experience, overuse of the echo effect is because the vocalist doesn't feel confident.  That may be the reason for it here.  Too often, Nash's voice is completely lost in the mix.  He sounds so far away, it's hard to connect to the music. 

'Children Of Doom' is an interesting tune.  It starts off with a deep bass guitar motif that reminds me of 'Dance-A-Thon 2005'.  It's also interesting to note the inclusion of lyrics such as "Saturday" and "Knife Fight" which have all recently also appeared on music released by E6 bandmate, Christopher Tait on his side project, Belle Ghoul.  He sings the song with a breathy vocal and the echo effect is there.  With the deeper tones, a faster speed would give the song some energy.  However, those deeper tones also make you instinctively slow things down.  Minor chords and sounds often do.  

'Phone It In' is next and this track is pure bliss.  It starts off sounding like some Spanish guitar playing and it transitions into a conglomerate of sound mixing live and programmed drum sounds together along with some excellent mixing of guitar sound.  'The Sound Of Ghosts' is both lyrically and musically a great idea from start to finish.  The vocal arrangement and timing is similar to the lyrics of E6's 'Waste Of Time And Money'.  

'Mindy Kisses Stars' has a great beat, nice music...  It's followed by 'Black Suit, White Suit'.  Once again, you get some Spanish guitar up front.  Very acoustic and reminiscent of something you'd hear from early Adam And The Ants.  I actually like this number quite a bit.  It's got a lot of character and feel.  Next up is 'Good Times' and this is by far the best song on the disc.  This is one I'll be including on playlists for awhile from now on.  It's got a marvelous blend of synth sounds, guitars and drum tracks.  I can't praise this one enough.

The final track is 'Love Design'.  It starts off sounding like an early 80's new wave number.  I hear The Cars...  And finally, we hear Nash's voice without too much echo effect.  The vocal arrangement leaves a lot of room for animated punctuation, but Nash pulls his punches.  He seems almost embarrassed to animate his vocals.  He's hesitant, but that's not unusual.  It's not always easy to transition from singing backup to being the front man.  I really like this EP and I like what Nash is doing.  All of the reasons he's one of the main songwriters for Electric Six are here.  He's got great ideas, excellent timing musically and he comes up with some amazing melodies.  The tunes are fun and enjoyable to listen to.  I actually listen to this disc a lot while I'm driving.  

I want to hear more!  It would be interesting to see if Nash decides to put a full length project together.  The material is there...  The songwriting is there...  The musicianship is there...  Do it!

My final words:  A SOMETIMES WHISPY, BUT MOSTLY STRONG MUSICAL FORAY LEAVING ONE HUNGRY FOR MORE!  PLEASE, NASH, CAN WE HAVE SOME MORE???

NASH - BLACK SUIT, WHITE SUIT EP
01. Children Of Doom
02. Phone It In
03. The Sound Of Ghosts
04. Mindy Kisses Stars
05. Black Suit, White Suit
06. Good Times
07. Love Design

JUNO REACTOR - GODS & MONSTERS

Juno Reactor is considered an electronic/trance band.  Sometimes they're thrown in the world category because later releases began including some African drumming and other live traditional instrumentation.  I fell in love with the band after buying their first CD.  I'm trying to recall how I discovered them, but I can't quite remember.  I think I heard one of their tracks on a compilation disc and then purchased their first album when I found it in a store.  I loved it!  And I anxiously awaited additional releases.

Over the years, my interest has faded from it's original intensity.  And I think that's partially because of the direction the band ended up taking.  

"Gods & Monsters" was the first disc I didn't buy the day it came out.  In fact, I didn't buy it at all.  I put it on a wish list on Amazon and my sister gave it to me a year after it came out as a Christmas present.  Sadly, I'd heard the album streaming online before it came out and I didn't feel the need to pick it up.  

The disc starts out with what I would consider a more traditional Juno tune.  'Inca Steppa' has an amazing build and musically everything you want in a JR track with the exception of a vocalist singing throughout the number.  For some reason, I find the vocals distracting and completely out of place.  This vocalist features quite heavily on this album when you consider the group is known for it's instrumental pieces.  She appears again in the second track, 'Tokyo Dub'.  On this track, she sings the same 4 lines over and over.  Used more sparingly, this wouldn't be too annoying.  In its current state, it's right on the cusp of annoyance.  The number is very slow.  And that's not unusual for JR.  They've done some super slow beat numbers before and sometimes not nearly as interesting or as good musically as this one.  So the music is there, but the vocalization drags the song down.

'Las Vegas Future Past' is the first number that's really interesting on the disc.  It's got some energy, some internal drive pushing it along and some interesting use of some horns giving the song a Vegas lounge feel.  It's quite effective and a great example of how Juno Reactor is one of the most amazing composers of soundscapes.  I say soundscape because the music actually creates an image/feeling in your mind.  You listen to this number and you feel like you're sitting in a lounge...  In a Vegas casino...  Listening to a band play...  It's very powerful.

'Mind Of The Free' is next and it's another example of a song that loses so much to the vocalization.  I was just reading the credits and I guess a singer called Ghetto Priest is singing here.  It just destroys the music.  This is another slow track.  It's followed by 'Immaculate Crucifixion'...  Although this song seems to be a signature piece, in other words, it contains a lot of tricks you can link back to main songwriter, Ben Watkins...  It stays at a subdued tempo.  There is a subtle build toward the end.  You get some ramped up guitars playing, but they don't move the song into a more powerful stage, they just keep it moving.  It's followed by another song with vocals, 'City Of The Sinful' and this is probably the one track on the entire disc including vocals that actually works.  There's a lot of enhancements done on the vocal tracks that turn them into sound samples.  It works.  And effectively.  Adversely, this is another song that maintains a midtempo.  Thus far, the disc has more slow numbers than fast.


'Tanta Pena' is next and this is probably the best and most powerful number on the album.  It fits right in with the rest of the JR catalog.  I know this sounds a bit hypocritical because I go on endlessly about how I love groups who change and this album represents a change for JR.  And normally, I'd embrace the difference, but the changes don't enhance or increase the credibility of the artist.  If anything, it detracts.  'The Perfect Crime (Superman)' is the next number and Ben Watkins actually sings this one.  I'm so torn by this number.  On one hand, I'm delighted to hear him singing.  But it's not all that great.  The lyrics, on this whole album, seem a bit lackluster and uninspired.  Even this song seems forced and slightly cliche.  The music has some potential, but not enough to rescue the track from being skippable.  The last number is a sweet piano piece called 'Pretty Girl'.  Ben sings lead vocals on this one again.  And although it's rather soft and tender, it just doesn't fit here.  It doesn't belong.

So much of this material should've ended up on a Ghetto Priest record produced by Juno Reactor rather than on a JR album.  It just doesn't hold up to previous efforts.

I'm absolutely sad to give this disc such a bad review because I love this band and I'm still hopeful for them.  But I can't get past it.  It just doesn't belong.

My final words:  THE SADDEST SKIP RECOMMEND I WILL EVER MAKE. 

JUNO REACTOR - GODS & MONSTERS
01. Inca Steppa
02. Tokyo Dub
03. Las Vegas Future Past
04. Mind Of The Free
05. Immaculate Crucifixion
06. City Of The Sinful
07. Tanta Pena
08. The Perfect Crime (Superman)
09. Pretty Girl

BOOK OF LOVE - BOOK OF LOVE

I think the thing I liked the most about Book Of Love when I first heard them was how similar their music was to the music I was writing at the time.  And the many friends and musicians around me.  We had similar keyboards and sound banks.  They used very simple drum machines and drum patterns to create catchy and often very dance able tracks.  The lyrics were right in line with most of the British New Wave that was filtering in except this band was American.  They were definitely more European in sound and appearance.

I think this was their first album and it contains a whole slew of memorable and popular tracks.  The very first track, 'Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)' begins with a swelling synth chorus and then a pounding drum drops in and we're off.  Another wonderful trick Book Of Love were really good at was the inclusion of bell sounds.  Those sweet tinkling sounds so many people find enchanting.  More recently, Owl City have developed a similar musical sense.  They use a lot of clear bells and chimes to create magic in their music.  So right off the bat, you've got a track that is very sweetly drawing you in.  Susan Ottaviano, the lead singer, has a very deadpan vocal delivery that allows the music to swell and cascade around her like white chocolate drizzle.  She's the somewhat bitter punch that grounds the music and keeps it from spiraling out of orbit and flying away.

Track 2 is 'You Make Me Feel So Good' and it's another upbeat, bell encrusted creation with catchy hooks and even more catchy lyrics.  Thus far, you can't find fault with anything that's happening here.  It's delightful without crossing over into that strange place where Americans sound like they're copying a British sound.  so much of what this group actually does can be traced back to the American roots of 80's New Wave.  You can hear the influence of Talking Heads, The Cars and Missing Persons in the way Ottaviano delivers her vocals.  'Still Angry' starts out with a heavier drum track than the previous songs.  The music is also more subdued and simple.  The focus is on the rhythm track.  As you can guess, this track is more negative and aggressive than the previous two.  Still, the group never crosses the line into a purely aggressive form of music.  The lilting bells are still present in this number.

The first ballad of the album, 'White Lies' is up next and it starts with a very simple progression you can literally hear playing at a high school dance.  Even though it's slower, the delicate sound the group has developed carries through.  Once again, more bells.  Absolutely genius use and very effective.  'Lost Souls' starts off with the sound of Chinese gongs and some straining synth lines.  Then it veers off into something I don't like initially.  It starts to sound a bit generic.  It uses drum sounds that were fairly common at the time.  Once again, the bells eventually kick in playing the melody and Ottaviano begins to sing and we find some footing in the song.  The build is nice, but on this particular track, there's a lot of starts and stops with different motifs and though you might call it a more complex piece, it suffers from the transitions.  

'Late Show' is an instrumental and for what it is, it's actually quite interesting.  It maintains a steady rhythm.  It's a little too fast...  You want to slow it down, but it's still enjoyable.  And now, boys and girls, we have my favorite song on the album, 'I Touch Roses'!  Once again, we have lovely bells ringing all through the song and it's sheer perfection.  The drum track is compelling.  They use a guitar sample to heighten the beat and it's delightful.  There's even some xylophone thrown in.  It's a fantastic song that leaves you feeling good and what more could you ask for from a tune?  'Yellow Sky' is next and it starts off with an oriental feel that carries on throughout the song.  The most striking thing about this track is the fact Ottaviano actually sings this one and spends more time hitting higher notes then she has on all the previous tracks.  It's followed by my second most favorite number on this disc, 'Boy'.  Although this song actually speaks a lot to gender identity and sexual confusion.  Especially when you consider it's written by a guy.  I could go on for awhile about this one, but I won't.  Suffice it to say, it certainly found a very specific audience.  And btw, bells, bells, bells...

'Happy Day' is track number 10 and even though the tinkling continues, there's a harpsichord sound giving this song a paisley psychedelic feel.  There's some echo on the vocal delivery accentuating the hippy dippy trippiness of the music.  Still, I like the song!  'Die Matrosen' starts off sounding like a boy scout jamboree and then devolves into something that musically resembles a Missing Persons creation before those scouts whistling return...  They're spread throughout the track so be prepared.  There's a dramatic shift in this song from major to minor movements.  It's actually a lot of fun.  'Book Of Love' is technically the last song on the album.  It rounds the disc off nicely and seals the deal.  Book Of Love have delivered a consistent and enjoyable album you can listen to all the way through without getting bored or skipping tracks.

My CD features another five tracks, but they're all mixes and 12" single releases.  It's awesome to have them included.  The first is 'Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes) (I Dream Of Jeanne Mix)'.  I believe this was the 12" extended version of the song.  It's followed by 'Modigliani (Requiem Mass)'....  This is a version of the song that could actually be performed by bell ringers.  It's a quiet, instrumental but still enjoyable.  Track 15 is 'You Make Me Feel So Good (Flutter Mix)'.  Like the previous two mixes, this one stays fairly close to the original number.  It doesn't get crazy.  Still, these extended versions of songs you liked were always great fun to have back in the day.  It's followed by 'I Touch Roses (Long Stemmed Version)' which is code for extended mix.  And this is probably the best of the bunch.  Love it.  Finally, we round the disc out with 'Boy (Extended Mix)'.  This one is fairly straight forward.  No beating around the bush, it's just longer.  And there's nothing wrong with that.

I'm not sure how successful Book Of Love were, but as far as I'm concerned, it wasn't enough.  I think this band was largely overlooked and sadly, never garnered the attention they deserved.  This album was delightful, fun and easy to sing along with.  It had all the ingredients to be a huge hit!  I'm guessing the record company didn't put much money in promoting them and that's why they never achieved international status.  For those of us who discovered them and followed along for the ride, Book Of Love gave us some of the most memorable and personal songs of our youth.  My final words:  AN UNSUNG 80'S CLASSIC!  REDISCOVER THIS GEM!!!

BOOK OF LOVE - BOOK OF LOVE
01. Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)
02. You Make Me Feel So Good
03. Still Angry
04. White Lies
05. Lost Souls
06. Late Show
07. I Touch Roses
08. Yellow Sky
09. Boy
10. Happy Day
11. Die Matrosen
12. Book Of Love
13. Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes) (I Dream Of Jeanne Mix)
14. Modigliani (Requiem Mass)
15. You Make Me Feel So Good (Flutter Mix)
16. I Touch Roses (Long Stemmed Version)
17. Boy (Extended Mix)

LITTLE DRAGON - NABUMA RUBBERBAND

Little Dragon are a Swedish band I discovered through Wendy Melvoin.  She was asked about a group she really wanted to work with and she said, "Little Dragon".  That's some serious high praise in my book and so I decided to check out the band and find out what they were all about.

Initially, I listened to them on Youtube.  There are a couple of streams that play entire records and by the time I found them, they'd released 3.  I listened to the records in order and as each album finished, I found myself wondering at what I'd just heard and what was going on...

Probably the most remarkable thing you notice right off the bat is the minimalist sound of the group.  Studio recordings often feature drum machines even though one of the band members is a drummer.  Their sound could be labeled electronic, but they blend acoustic instruments in as well and they don't follow a typical electronic dance beat in most of their songs.  "Nabuma Rubberband" demonstrates this probably more than any of their previous releases.  It also shows you the focus of the tunes is the lyric.  

The lead singer of Little Dragon is Yukimi.  She's half Japanese and half Swede.  I don't know exactly what it is about her, but I find her extremely beautiful.  She's enchanting.  Her beauty is stunning.  Vocally, she has a rather small voice.  She lacks the projected volume of singers most often celebrated for their brash loudness.  She'd never walk on a reality show like "American Idol" and get past a single judge.  But what she does with her voice is so unique and interesting, there's no comparing it to anyone else.

The way this band composes and performs music, is more like a Jazz quartet to me rather than an electronic group.

But enough with the rambling...  Talk about the album:  So the opening track is 'Mirror' and it starts off slow and haunting.  By the time Yukimi actually begins to sing, you're wondering what's happening.  She refers to passing looks, shocked impressions and you start to think she's looking at herself in a mirror and disappointed or upset with what she's seeing.  As the song progresses, you get the sense she's in the middle of an argument with a lover or someone she's close to emotionally.  There's an acoustic drum fill in the middle of the song and some sound effects that make a brief appearance...  Otherwise, the two chord intro and the spooky drum track are the only ingredients to the song.  She ends the number by saying, "You're gonna make me put my fist through this mirror." finally expressing the tension and anger have built enough she can no longer contain them and she's about to lash out physically.  It's a very powerful expression of strong angry feelings.  

The second song is 'Klapp Klapp' and this is one of my favorite songs on the record.  There's a very simple repeating snare drum introducing us to this track and it sounds like a bass might be playing alongside, but you realize shortly it's a keyboard sound.  Coming off of 'Mirror', this number gallops in and wallops you right across the face.  This is an unusual song.  The lyrics tell a strange story of a dreamscape.  You picture her standing on an old bridge spanning a small river.  And it's winter.  The best part of the song for me is when she sings, "Fallin' apart, apart, apart, apart, apart".  It's such an interesting arrangement.  Next up is 'Pretty Girls'.  The echo is turned up high on the simple drum track and it sounds distant but constant.  The song is advising young girls striking out on their own to be careful and not take unnecessary chances.  It's a very simple song, but very powerful.  "You magnify the universe".  Towards the end, some lovely violin playing comes in and sweetly accentuates the message.  'Underbart' has a great sustained keyboard motif at the beginning that reminds me heavily of the Pet Shop Boys.  But where they would follow it up with a dance drum track, Little Dragon set up a strong but somewhat slower rhythm.  This song is about a couple at the end of the relationship and reaching that moment when you finally don't care anymore and you just want to be free.  "Blow up the bridge and into the morning"...  Cut ties and start a new day.  It's compelling and certainly sets a trend and pace for the album.

'Cat Rider' is a ballad and seems to continue the story from 'Underbart'.  He suddenly realizes certain things now that he's lost her.  She saw through the facade he puts up for the world to see.  She moved past it and loved the real him.  And yet he couldn't accept it.  He pushed her away.  'Paris' is the first single from the album and it's easily the most accessible and radio friendly track on the disc.  It's got a great beat, interesting lyrics, a very smooth vocal delivery and it's infectious. Sometimes, when I'm driving with someone in my truck, I'll put this disc in and cue up 'Paris'.  It never fails to get my passengers moving in their seats.

'Lurad' is a strange 9 second track with a guy yelling over some crashing drums.  'Nabuma Rubberband' starts and you'd swear you were at a waltz.  This entire song seems to describe different ways you can feel outcast and alone.  Probably the most powerful line is "Being born at the wrong place, in the wrong time, with the wrong fate."  A pulsing drawn out keyboard line starts 'Only One'.  It's another ballad.  This time however, there's some interesting progression towards the end of the song.  'Killing Me' takes the beat built up at the end of the previous track and drags it down into a spiraling and dismal number about the pain of being alone after a breakup.  That absence become a death.  "You're Killing Me".  'Pink Cloud' is both mysterious and quirky.  It seems to be about growing old and the world getting away from you.  Everything passes so quickly.  'Let Go' might seem like another sad song at first, but it's more of her convincing herself to go ahead and let herself love.  She knows he'll catch up shortly.  And she's sure it's OK to cast caution to the wind and choose love.

The majority of this record deals with break up, ending relationships, missing someone and pain. You imagine something horrible must have happened to Yukimi or one of the band members for them to write so many sad songs.  If I could, I would hug them all.  

There's no way I can fully describe the simplicity of the music and how effective this minimalist approach to composing songs is in the hands of these unexpectedly mature and intelligent musicians.  I realize most electronic music buffs are never going to life what Little Dragon are doing.  You don't listen to this music and picture the swirling lights, smoke and lasers of the Love Parade.  What you do get, is mature, complicated themed music written to make you think, uncluttered, clean, pure and full of life.  People who do get what this band are doing find themselves intrigued and unwilling to turn their radios off.  If I had one complaint, it's that this is the first album where I feel like they didn't outdo their previous effort.  Each subsequent release has been an improvement upon the last.  Music, lyrics, vocal arrangements...  It all just keeps getting better.  But here, we didn't see the marked improvement.  But the tracks are flawless and strong.  

I recently picked up the Japanese version of the album.  It has a different cover and three additional tracks.  The first is a track called 'Winners' and it's amazing.  The second two are mixes of 'Klapp Klapp' and 'Paris'.  I really like both.  They're unusual and completely in tune with what you'd expect from this amazing group.  My final words: WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST VITAL AND EXCITING SOUNDS ON THE MODERN MUSIC SCENE.  GET TO KNOW THEM.

LITTLE DRAGON - NABUMA RUBBERBAND
01. Mirror
02. Klapp Klapp
03. Pretty Girls
04. Underbart
05. Cat Rider
06. Paris
07. Lurad
08. Nabuma Rubberband
09. Only One
10. Killing Me
11. Pink Cloud
12. Let Go
JAPANESE BONUS TRACKS
13. Winners
14. Klapp Klapp (Girls Unit Remix)
15. Paris (The Flexican Remix)

RAMMSTEIN - ICH WILL

It's a quick one today, folks!  Back in the 90's, post-East German industrial rockers, Rammstein took the United States by storm!  Theatrical pyrotechnics, unrelenting beats, scary German lyrics all added up as the perfect ingredients for a big sloppy cake of international fame.  From backwoods Kentucky to inner city suburbs in Moscow, Rammstein's blend of power rock, strange techno and special effects called out to disenfranchised youth everywhere.  Although I was too old to be counted among the "kids", I did love them and I bought everything they put out.  I have all the singles.  Even ones I had to order from the UK or Germany.

"Ich Will", (German for "I Want"), is a track from the "Mutter" album.  This was the album I stopped buying singles and trying to track everything down.  It's not that I didn't want to follow them, but they started putting out such expensive limited editions.  I couldn't afford to follow them.  And now, those items that cost $100 initially sell for hundreds when you can actually find them.  Because of this, I lost my interest in collecting their releases.  So this was the last album I actually bought singles from.  There are five music tracks and one multimedia track on this disc.  The multimedia track is a live performance of 'Ich Will'.  Track 2 is the audio of that performance. 

The first track is listed as the album version, but I have to be honest with you, I think the start is different.  I'll have to listen to it and compare it to my copy of "Mutter" to find out.  It's followed up by the live version.  Then comes the Westbam Mix...  I'm not knowledgeable when it comes to Westbam, but this version sounds like something Kraftwerk would've done if they'd written this number.  If I'm not mistaken, they use only one keyboard motif through the entire mix that can be found on the original track.  Other wise, it's a long, long deep beat mix that doesn't seem to peak or climax.  I guess that's cool if you like endless beats...  Anyway, #4 is the Paul Van Dyk Mix.  Once again, I have no clue who Paul Van Dyk is.  All of this was happening during the time DJ's were becoming the new Rock Stars.  The beat is far more interesting than the previous effort and it's different from anything we've heard lately.  About half way through, it devolves into an acoustic track.  Then it builds the song back up with the beat kicking in.  It's a little better than the previous mix, but it's still pretty heavy with all the not moving towards a climax or developing into a proper mix.

The final audio track is a Ramones cover.  'Pet Sematary' is actually the second live track appearing on this unique release.  After listening to it a few times, I think they did a great job!  Surprising when you consider how uncomfortable Till normally is singing English.  It's possible it's not even him.  But I think I remember him performing this tune, so I'll just assume it's him.

Rammstein are a consistent band.  Each album furthers the mythology and builds up the fairy tale nightmare world they want to surround you with.  They usually release singles and albums with generous content...  Mixes, B-Sides, multimedia clips... And the artwork is always building on the album theme.  Commercially and from a marketing standpoint, I think Rammstein are highly collectible and apparently, a lot of people agree with me.  'Ich Will' is a great tune.  One of the best from "Mutter" and this single release is worth the effort and time.  My final words:  IF SINGLES WERE HITS AT BAT, THIS ONE'S A HOMERUN!

RAMMSTEIN - ICH WILL
01. Ich Will (Album Version)
02. Ich Will (Live)
03. Ich Will (Westbam Mix)
04. Ich Will (Paul Van Dyk Mix)
05. Pet Sematary
06. Ich Will (Live CD-R Track)