gullbuy music review

June 27, 2006

Chicken Lips

title:: Making Faces
label:: Rush!/Asmik Ace

Making Faces is the first Chicken Lips record to have vocals. The duo have moved from no vocals at all (occasional distant vocal samples have always been there though) to an album with every song having a full vocal treatment. Does it work? No.

The CDs saving grace is achieved exclusively on the Japanese version. The Japanese version has 4 bonus dub and remix versions of tracks that reduce the harm the vocals have done to this disc.

The Creation

title:: Psychedelic Rose
label:: Cherry Red Records

Psychedelic Rose gathers together tracks for an album The Creation recorded in the 80s that never was even titled, and never did come out.

This CD is not what it looks like. I will bet that vbery few if any people who buy it end up liking it. I understand that it is not The Creation in their heyday, but the description on the sleeve does not give a clear picture of what the CD is, and tricks you into thinking this CD has the sound you love from The Creation.

Holger Czukay, Jah Wobble, Jaki Liebezeit

title:: Full Circle
label:: Caroline

1981 post-punk masterpiece by the bassist of PIL and two members of Can.

The Full Circle album was preceded by single releases in 1981, including the How Much Are They? 12 inch and a 7 inch version of the same song with only one of those tracks. Full Circle also includes two songs that are part of the Radio Picture Series (R.P.S.), both of which are longer than the 12 inch tracks.

Digital Disco 3

various artists
label:: Forcetracks

Digital Disco 3 is a good but faceless mix filled with artists from the current stable of Forcetracks.

Most of the established artists that appeared on the first 2 Digital Disco compilations (Luomo, Dub Taylor) have moved on or become less prolific with the passing of time and now that Forcetracks is back, the label needs to reinvent itself with some new artists. This comp does that with the help of Unai.

Lou Reed

title:: Berlin
label:: RCA

Released in October 1973, Berlin was Lou Reed's third solo record after his career as the fontman for Velvet Underground.

Berlin is the legendary album that Lou Reed dropped on the public as the follow-up to Transformer. Fans expected more 'Walk on the Wild Side' type tunes, and got a seriously bummed out major work instead.