Electronic
by Electronic

From time to time I'll throw this on for nostalgic purposes, but in the end it's an album that's less than the sum of its parts. Johnny Marr was only a few years removed from his Smith's-era brilliance, so what was going on here? Where are the damn guitars? And if this is going to rely on an electronic vibe, then why didn't Bernard Sumner bring the good bits from New Order?

If this had been released in the last 10 years, maybe we could say it was a touching send up of '80s pop music, but to record something in 1991 that sounded like 1988? It's kind of bizzare.

A very second degree album: the singer (Barney Sumner)seems happy not to sing very well, like he does in New Order. They use dance 80's synth that were already outdated back in 1991. All on purpose! Adding to that a few touches of guitars from Johnny Marr, a strong songwriting, and you get an album that is as fresh as its orange cover.

From Brad1770 TOP 100 COMMENTER 08/27/2022 02:48 | #288950 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Coming out in 1991 this album really didn’t stand a chance at the time completely buried beneath the considerable shadows of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Primal Screams ‘Screamadelica’, however time has been kind to this one in the clear light of day. Its more Sumner than Marr which is unsurprising considering Marrs expressed desire at the time to move in a different direction to escape the Smiths mythology

The Pet Shop Boys analogy is a good comparison especially considering Neil Tennant contributed vocals on lead single “Getting Away With It” which actually appeared two years prior in 89 (Edited)

Ok, this maybe isn't the most revolutionary music in the world, but I Found myself enjoying more than New Order's "Age of Consent". It is just so cheesy, so fun, so nostalgic, and having that glimpse of Smiths guitar jangles in It is just amazing.

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 06/27/2012 17:49 | #45435 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

This reminds me a lot of the pet shop boys, as it should since a couple PSB members are involved, along with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, which gives this album quite a thick, synthetic, electronic sound (as it should given the band/album name). A few tracks sound 80s-synth-cheesy, but for the most part, this sounds like a nice PSB side project.