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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
College rock's been done by everyone from literate romantics to heads-down bar bands to power-pop hooksmiths... but seldom by bands who can be all three--and score hit singles to boot. And in Semisonic's native Minneapolis, where the career of shambolic nearly-men The Replacements looms over the music scene like the dead (drunk) hand of history, the success part of the equation is even less likely. Against the odds, then, this trio's gleamingly produced second album not only hit the charts in the States, where wryly-observed anthem "Closing Time" was tailor-made for festival audiences, but in the UK, where the purring, Hall & Oates-ish "Secret Smile" seduced radio listeners who'd barely heard of musical kindred spirits The Posies and Fountains Of Wayne.
Beyond the singles, though, even album tracks here get the balance of bar-band crunch and pop kid swoon just right. Stuffed with Todd Rundgren/Big Star-style hooks and harmonies, Feeling Strangely Fine has a Wilco-like grasp of the joys of pop songs about pop in the compilation-cassette love story of "Singing In My Sleep" and the infectious self-deprecation of "This Will Be My Year". In a rare case of Minnesota guys finishing first, the latter's prediction even came true. --Jennifer Nine
Product Description
CD MCA Records, MCD 11733 111 733-2, 1998 12 Track
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Chances are that if you were alive and cognisant in 1998 you will have heard the single "Closing Time" and quite probably "Secret Smile" as well. If you were a true discerning listener of taste you may well have been aware of 1996 critically acclaimed but totally unheard album "Great Divide". So on the basis of this you dutifully went out and bought "Feeling Strangely Fine", came home played it once, casually admired the music within, and then placed it in your collection to gather dust.
You fool.
With their debut E.P. "Pleasure" Semisonic revealed to the world a thoughtful, talented band with the energy and drive to match any expectations. In "Great Divide" they found their direction and added maturity to the masterful but sometimes-chaotic signature sound developed in their previous E.P. With 1998s "Feeling Strangely Fine" they truly hit their stride.
I recently tried to compile a list of the top 50 songs of all time. Had I not imposed a one-song limit on each band the top 12 songs would all have been from this album. Each track is an undoubted masterpiece - from the quirky cheerfulness of songs such as "Never You Mind" and "Completely Pleased" to the more melancholy, acoustic numbers such as "Gone To The Movies" and the inspiring vocal performance of bassist John Munson on "She Spreads her Wings". A must-have for all music lovers.
You fool.
With their debut E.P. "Pleasure" Semisonic revealed to the world a thoughtful, talented band with the energy and drive to match any expectations. In "Great Divide" they found their direction and added maturity to the masterful but sometimes-chaotic signature sound developed in their previous E.P. With 1998s "Feeling Strangely Fine" they truly hit their stride.
I recently tried to compile a list of the top 50 songs of all time. Had I not imposed a one-song limit on each band the top 12 songs would all have been from this album. Each track is an undoubted masterpiece - from the quirky cheerfulness of songs such as "Never You Mind" and "Completely Pleased" to the more melancholy, acoustic numbers such as "Gone To The Movies" and the inspiring vocal performance of bassist John Munson on "She Spreads her Wings". A must-have for all music lovers.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Beautiful Freak
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
This excellent album has so much in it that makes it stand out from others of its genre. Less outspoken and softer than louder rock, less reliant on electronica than many of its counterparts, Dan Wilson and co have created a very special and memorable album.
The touching tracks 'Closing Time' and 'Secret Smile' really stand out (for me 'Secret Smile' is the tune of 90s nostalgia): the gentle vocals and guitar complete the wonderful tunes and sincere lyrics. There is a beautiful naivety and theme of positivity in tracks such as 'Singing in my Sleep' and 'She Spreads Her Wings', which do something to relieve the emotion from more melancholy tracks such as 'Gone to the Movies' and create an album which overall is full of life and hope.
My one criticism would be that some of the songs begin to be somewhat samey and less distinctive, particularly towards the end of the album (This Will Be My Year and Completely Pleased are, in my opinion, underachivers). Nevertheless, these tracks are very much the exception and this album is overall emotive, original and well worth the purchase.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. D Burin
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Semisonic's 'Feeling Strangely Fine' is an excellent record, but as with all of their releases preceding 'Chemistry', there's a feeling they could have done more. The 12 songs on display here are, without exception, good. On top of this, the lamenting 'Gone to the Movies', 'Closing Time' - a memorable, chugging paeon to the end of a night out -, and the lyrically superb rocker 'This Will Be My Year', are all absolutely excellent, and rank amongst the band's best songs. Still, amidst the tight, radio-friendly rock of 'Feeling Strangely Fine', there is a bit of a lack of variety, and unlike on other Semisonic albums, it can be a little hard to remember songs individually, such is the slightly repetitive framework of the album (especially in its middle section).
With Dan Wilson's evocative, emotionally powerful vocals at their disposal, spearheading an arrangement containing John Munson's slick, virtuoso guitar work and Jacob Slichter's more than competent drumming, there still remains the feeling that Semisonic could do a little more, on 'Feeling Strangely Fine'. The album is uniformly listenable, and all three band members more than pull their weight, in creating a set of well-crafted, guitar-heavy melodies, but the band never seem to use their undeniable talent to branch out, stylistically. Perhaps I'm being a little too harsh on 'Feeling Strangely Fine'. Even on weaker numbers, such as 'DND', Semisonic pull out enough witty one-liners and catchy riffs, to keep the listener interested; it's just a shame that the record ends up feeling a little samey at times, when the band have proven themselves capable of sounding so fresh, on much of the record, and of possessing a keen ear for a memorable tune.
With Dan Wilson's evocative, emotionally powerful vocals at their disposal, spearheading an arrangement containing John Munson's slick, virtuoso guitar work and Jacob Slichter's more than competent drumming, there still remains the feeling that Semisonic could do a little more, on 'Feeling Strangely Fine'. The album is uniformly listenable, and all three band members more than pull their weight, in creating a set of well-crafted, guitar-heavy melodies, but the band never seem to use their undeniable talent to branch out, stylistically. Perhaps I'm being a little too harsh on 'Feeling Strangely Fine'. Even on weaker numbers, such as 'DND', Semisonic pull out enough witty one-liners and catchy riffs, to keep the listener interested; it's just a shame that the record ends up feeling a little samey at times, when the band have proven themselves capable of sounding so fresh, on much of the record, and of possessing a keen ear for a memorable tune.
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic album
Takes me back to the days as a student. This album is a classic for people of a certain age...
Published 9 days ago by Mr M
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sounds Incredibly Fine!
I absolutely LOVE this album. I have a very large collection of music, which is ever expanding, and Feeling Strangely Fine is one of my "trustiest" and favourite albums of them... Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2010 by Kittycat63
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great, slightly american
I'd actually completely forgotten about this band until I heard 'Closing Time' on The Simpsons. A little too American, but all good songs. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2008 by Mr. T. L. Gove
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
I bought this song after hearing the song 'closing time' in a pub. However the rest does not disappoint, the tunes are catchy, singalongable and consistantly well written. Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2007 by Joe Bloggs
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is music...
In my opinion, this is the best album i have ever heard. (To put this into perspective, i usually only enjoy heavy rock, but this is an exception). Read more
Published on 9 Jun 2006 by Mr. Philip Jones
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good album
The album has a distinct sound and it is worth listening to if you haven’t. Out of all of their Semisonic albums I really think this is the best one. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2006 by Jonathan M. Kingston
4.0 out of 5 stars
good and cathchy
this is a very catchy album with many excellent, uplifting songs on it. A good buy
Published on 11 Dec 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pick me up music
I once associated Semisonic with a whole raft of British pop music. That was before I bought this album, which is now one of the stars of my collection. Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2002 by anon
1.0 out of 5 stars
Am I missing something?
Around the time this album was released I heard Semisonic on the radio alot. I bought the album on the strength of Closing Time and in particular Secret Smile. Read more
Published on 23 May 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars
EXCELLENT album
After hearing Closing Time and Semisonic on the radio i decided to give the album a go and months later it is still regularly played on my stereo. Read more
Published on 18 April 2002
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