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Product Description
Review
It doesn't bode well for Canadian indie troupe Metric when their fourth album opens with Help I'm Alive.
There's nothing wrong with the sure pacing, likeable crescendos, big Simple Minds drum sounds or overall tone, which appears to have been closely based on Australian dance-rock favourites Cut Copy.
But surprisingly the track is let down by the estimably talented Emily Haines. Back on Metric duty after occasional Broken Social Scene and her own The Soft Skeleton work she repeats the rather trite phrase, ''My heart keeps beating like a hammer,'' ad nauseum. It swiftly irritates.
Satellite Mind is the moment Fantasies really gets moving. Haines' vocal is now needy, angry, cold and free all at once. ''I'm not suicidal/I just can't get out of bed,'' one of many terrific lines that tie in superbly with tight, minimally scuffed guitars and drums. It's one part Hole to two parts The Go-Gos and deserves a high chart placing should the band release it as a single.
Gold Guns and Girls is another simple but effective winner. Terrific new wave momentum, great, layered lyrics - like, ''All the toys and the tools in the box/couldn't get you off.''
Gimme Sympathy takes a dive into unexpectedly pompous rock territory with a collection of synth riffs and vocal melodies that would be rejected by The Killers for being too overblown.
Elsewhere, moments like the Roxette via Avril Lavigne bluster of Stadium Love suggest Metric genuinely want to drop the indie moodiness in favour of true pop-rock stardom.
Fantasies isn't quite brilliant enough to be adored despite its occasional excellence. What happens next depends whether Metric can or want to stomach the journey from respect to fame by writing consistently commercial songs. --Lou Thomas
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
It's very rare that you love an album the first time you listen to it - so be warned! This record is simply fantastic. I've been a fan of Metric since seeing them at SXSW a few years back - I'd never heard of them before and they blew me and the rest of the crowd away.
The songs are innovative and uplifting and I just can't get enough of Emily Haines' beautiful voice.
Buy this, appreciate and spread the word.
The songs are innovative and uplifting and I just can't get enough of Emily Haines' beautiful voice.
Buy this, appreciate and spread the word.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is an extremely accessible and catchy album. The songs are varied in dynamics (there can be interludes and key changes and crescendoes all in the same song) and the melodies are mostly pop hooks. This is not a hard hitting, heavy sounding album like Live it Out was, but it is still exceptionably likeable. The production is silky and definitely less raw sounding than Live it Out.
The venom in this album is to be found in the often satirical lyrics, rather than the music itself. The commentary seems to be directed more towards fame, celebrity, and the media than big business or government, though that is strictly my personal interpretation.
From Front Row:
"I'm in the front row with a bottle
Don't know what I can't decide
I'm in the front row I'm a model
Don't know what I can't describe
Burned out stars they shine so bright
All of us
Burned out stars they shine so bright"
Haines' vocals are far better on thus album than on Live it Out. Her range has improved and she uses her ability to change the tone of a song completely with vocal sleight-of-hand to great effect. Definitely a "performance" in the strongest sense of the word: the changes in her voice almost act out the lyrics.
The bad:
I feel that they, as a band, have the talent to do more than this. Fantasies is a great alt-rock/pop album, but it isn't the departure that Live it Out was, and the radio friendly nature of some of the songs may turn off die hard fans of their previous album. On the other side of the coin: fans of their earlier electro sound might be disappointed to learn that the synths have been minimised yet again. I was hoping for more Grow Up and Blow Away keyboard sounds, but I suspect they're intent on moving away from that style.
In conclusion, I think that most Metric fans will be pleased with this album, even if it might not blow them away, at least we finally have a new album to listen to, and there are some great tracks on here.
The venom in this album is to be found in the often satirical lyrics, rather than the music itself. The commentary seems to be directed more towards fame, celebrity, and the media than big business or government, though that is strictly my personal interpretation.
From Front Row:
"I'm in the front row with a bottle
Don't know what I can't decide
I'm in the front row I'm a model
Don't know what I can't describe
Burned out stars they shine so bright
All of us
Burned out stars they shine so bright"
Haines' vocals are far better on thus album than on Live it Out. Her range has improved and she uses her ability to change the tone of a song completely with vocal sleight-of-hand to great effect. Definitely a "performance" in the strongest sense of the word: the changes in her voice almost act out the lyrics.
The bad:
I feel that they, as a band, have the talent to do more than this. Fantasies is a great alt-rock/pop album, but it isn't the departure that Live it Out was, and the radio friendly nature of some of the songs may turn off die hard fans of their previous album. On the other side of the coin: fans of their earlier electro sound might be disappointed to learn that the synths have been minimised yet again. I was hoping for more Grow Up and Blow Away keyboard sounds, but I suspect they're intent on moving away from that style.
In conclusion, I think that most Metric fans will be pleased with this album, even if it might not blow them away, at least we finally have a new album to listen to, and there are some great tracks on here.
Format:Audio CD
Metric are mostly great, with the occassional miss. Cogent and tense music with lyrics worth listening too. My new favourite band, when they are good they are the brilliant.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Metric (finally) get it right!
Metric have always had a certain consciously 'cool' quality to them which has up until now somewhat overshadowed their music. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Godfrey
very good
Have to say that although I only occasionally dabble in this sort of music (Shiny Toy Guns, Fujiya, Ladytron) this is an excellent album; bit more variety than the more rock based... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Helpline
metric <3
This CD has not left my CD player since buying it I think this might be my fav metric album yet
Published 14 months ago by gem stone
Metric cd
I heard these live on Jools Holland. I was a bit dissapointed with the cd, she just didn't sound the same, her rock chick voice is much better live, studio recording has ruined it.
Published 20 months ago by Dawn
Smiling In The Dark
Canadian band Metric would appear to want to strike a mean
and moody pose but despite themselves they cannot help their
deeply ingrained pure-pop sensibilities shining... Read more
and moody pose but despite themselves they cannot help their
deeply ingrained pure-pop sensibilities shining... Read more
Published on 26 May 2010 by The Wolf
simply awesome
Very catchy album, i liked it from the first listening. I thought I'd wait a bit before reviewing it though and well the truth is a few months later I still find this album very... Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2010 by Boubou
an album which gets better with every listen
this is a brilliant, addictive indie-rock album which deserves repeated listenings. A collection of catchy and anthemic songs in the tradition of The Breeders and The Delgados.
Published on 24 May 2009 by Ricky Pound
Impressive
Like the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs Canadian rockers Metric have discovered synthesisers and on this album make a good job of blending them into their sound. Read more
Published on 22 May 2009 by Mark Ferris
Not as good as I'd hoped
I've not been a fan of Metric for long but I really liked 'Live It Out' for its original and mostly guitar heavy sound. Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2009 by Paul Mellor
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