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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Time Will |
| 2. Hercules Theme |
| 3. You Belong |
| 4. Athene |
| 5. Blind (Full Album Version) |
| 6. Iris |
| 7. Easy |
| 8. This Is My Love |
| 9. Raise Me Up |
| 10. True False/Fake Real |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Effectively the solo project of New York based DJ and producer Andy Butler, with the help of some interesting friends, Hercules and Love Affair is , unlikely though it sounds, the point where classic disco meets classical myth--the title apparently refers to the legendary hero's fondness for his own sex. Although co-produced by LCD Soundsystem's Tim Goldsworthy, Hercules and Love Affair is a flightier, more hedonistic proposition, filled with echoes of long gone clubs and ghosts of the pre-AIDS glory days of New York's gay scene. Yet it celebrates rather than mourns the past as a series of guest vocalists leave their mark, Antony Hegarty the most familiar. The terrific, irresistible single "Blind", reportedly some four years in gestation, stands out but the wistfully positive "Raise Me Up" isn't far behind, Hegarty's inimitably sad tones incongruously juxtaposed with a gleeful arrangement. Though even his voice has a hard battle with the lift from Frankie Knuckles's classic "Your Love" which underpins the opener "Time Will". The spaced out jazz of "This Is My Love", sung by Butler himself, the dizzily ecstatic house of "You Belong", the purest of flashbacks, and Kim Ann's vocal turn on the elegant "Athene" are other highlights on a remarkably assured and entertaining first effort. This year won't see a better example of danceable melancholy than Hercules and Love Affair. --Steve Jelbert
Review
Three decades after the height of disco's commercial success and New York is yet again at the centre of things, with Andrew Butler's production project, Hercules And Love Affair, bringing a distinctly retro flavour to the Big Apple's musical core.
Pleasingly, the disco here is the genuine article despite the years since the glamorous, but inevitably melancholy sound was brand new. It's certainly a relief that Butler and his three singing accomplices, Antony Hegarty of Antony And The Johnsons, Kim Ann Foxman and Nomi have evidently listened intently to First Choice and Loletta Holloway rather than the Bee Gees.
Diligence has been paid to keeping proceedings tightly-framed around the classic glitterball sound. It's true there are occasional modern production flourishes (such as the electronic feedback noise and gym-court trainer squeaks of Easy) which should be expected on an album co-produced by DFA man Tim Goldsworthy, partner of NYC uber-producer James Murphy.
But mostly HALA is a work of resolute honesty that is, at times, perhaps too good. Was it intentional that this attempt to make a classic disco record, where the speed of each track is slow by today's standards, is actually the perfect soundtrack to preparing to go out and the pre-club bar, rather than straight-up dancefloor fodder?
Intentions or otherwise, there's loads to admire here, from Antony's deep, soulful croon on Time Will to the slinky strings and fruity brass of Hercules Theme. In those two tunes alone, careful listeners will detect the influence of early Chicago house pioneer, Mr Fingers, and funk icon, Patrice Rushen.
So intoxicating is the languid soul sloshing out of the speakers that halfway through Athene - when yet an ascending bassline, Grace Jones boink and Giorgio Moroder riff snaps another synapse - stunned listeners will swear Andy Warhol just pushed past them in the Studio 54 queue.
It's quaint compared to Squarepusher, drum 'n' bass, the soiled funk-punk usually churned out by the likes of Goldsworthy or even the laughable Klaxons. Yet Butler and his pals have made a short, sharp album of memorable tunes that, because of its classic sound, will take far longer to date than most other dance albums released this year. Smart work all round. --Lou Thomas
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Whatever impressions you may have gotten from lead single 'Blind', its best to approach this album with an open mind (as with most things). Whilst Hercules & Love Affair do take their lead from disco music, the scope of the songs is much broader, embracing minimalistic techno and torch-balladry to creating a heady and eclectic tracklist. They might not always produce up-tempo, dance-floor friendly hits, but to criticise Hercules & Love Affair for such a thing would be unfair, not to mention small-minded.
If there is a fault with the album, it is in the sequencing. The penultimate tracks, 'This is My Love' and 'Raise Me Up' sound uninspired and formulaic in comparison to all that comes before, contributing to a distinct second half-lull. This a minor complaint considering that the run of tip-top tracks runs uninterrupted from opener 'Free Will' through to the sublime 'Easy'. Each song has its own stylistic flavour that should keep the restless happy. To pick two examples: 'Hercules' Theme' starts off with a slinky keyboard and grows from there into a steam-rolling behemoth as the violins, trumpets and bass begin piling on top of one another; 'Athene', on the other-hand, cruises on a bed of crisp percussion and cartwheeling keyboards with unflappable cool, finding its groove and riding it until its five minutes are up. Even after this, there's still much more to explore.
Antony Hegarty of Antony & the Johnsons fame is a soulful presence on the album and leaves an indelible mark on tracks like 'Blind' and 'Easy'(his talents are wasted on the workman-like, 'Raise Me Up'). Antony might be the star here, but the whole menagerie of musicians and singers deserve credit, and its in thanks to this fluid-line up that Hercules & Love Affair can be seen as a banner for pioneering pop.
Of course, you might have problems with the group's genre-tourism and find nothing beyond 'Blind' that spins your propellor - but you could do worse than buy the album and give it a try. Don't let the bad reviews put you off.
If there is a fault with the album, it is in the sequencing. The penultimate tracks, 'This is My Love' and 'Raise Me Up' sound uninspired and formulaic in comparison to all that comes before, contributing to a distinct second half-lull. This a minor complaint considering that the run of tip-top tracks runs uninterrupted from opener 'Free Will' through to the sublime 'Easy'. Each song has its own stylistic flavour that should keep the restless happy. To pick two examples: 'Hercules' Theme' starts off with a slinky keyboard and grows from there into a steam-rolling behemoth as the violins, trumpets and bass begin piling on top of one another; 'Athene', on the other-hand, cruises on a bed of crisp percussion and cartwheeling keyboards with unflappable cool, finding its groove and riding it until its five minutes are up. Even after this, there's still much more to explore.
Antony Hegarty of Antony & the Johnsons fame is a soulful presence on the album and leaves an indelible mark on tracks like 'Blind' and 'Easy'(his talents are wasted on the workman-like, 'Raise Me Up'). Antony might be the star here, but the whole menagerie of musicians and singers deserve credit, and its in thanks to this fluid-line up that Hercules & Love Affair can be seen as a banner for pioneering pop.
Of course, you might have problems with the group's genre-tourism and find nothing beyond 'Blind' that spins your propellor - but you could do worse than buy the album and give it a try. Don't let the bad reviews put you off.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Hercules and Love Affair throw something new and inventive into the ring with their self titled debut. Pulling from several different genres they produce a unique and extremely enjoyable disco sound.
Fusing together everything from an almost blaxplotation sound in "Hercules Theme" to 90s dance influenced "You Belong" which could quite easily be Inner City. From the current era, a nod towards New Young Pony Club keeps it from being just a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The experimentation and individuality should be applauded. The producer on this album is Andrew Butler and his electro disco passion is here for all to see.
Something to note is the involvement of Antony Hegarty, winner if the Mercury Prize 2006 with Antony and the Johnsons. This is leagues apart from that heartfelt and stunningly emotional album. For such a distinctive and gentle voice it is a surprise to hear how well Hegarty and his voice fits. This for me is 100% better than his previous work. On tracks where he takes the lead vocals, like "Blind" with it's knightrider style baseline, he really stands out and it is one of the album highlights.
The album has been well structured, something Hot Chip could learn from. An excellent lead from high tempo tracks into the more mellow numbers, without it sounding disjointed.
The album does gave some fillers, "Easy" being one example, this is the only negative I can draw. Now this will be a hard act for follow when it comes to the second album.
*** Like: The Juan Maclean, Metro Area, Patrick Cowley ***
Fusing together everything from an almost blaxplotation sound in "Hercules Theme" to 90s dance influenced "You Belong" which could quite easily be Inner City. From the current era, a nod towards New Young Pony Club keeps it from being just a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The experimentation and individuality should be applauded. The producer on this album is Andrew Butler and his electro disco passion is here for all to see.
Something to note is the involvement of Antony Hegarty, winner if the Mercury Prize 2006 with Antony and the Johnsons. This is leagues apart from that heartfelt and stunningly emotional album. For such a distinctive and gentle voice it is a surprise to hear how well Hegarty and his voice fits. This for me is 100% better than his previous work. On tracks where he takes the lead vocals, like "Blind" with it's knightrider style baseline, he really stands out and it is one of the album highlights.
The album has been well structured, something Hot Chip could learn from. An excellent lead from high tempo tracks into the more mellow numbers, without it sounding disjointed.
The album does gave some fillers, "Easy" being one example, this is the only negative I can draw. Now this will be a hard act for follow when it comes to the second album.
*** Like: The Juan Maclean, Metro Area, Patrick Cowley ***
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I first heard of Hercules & Love Affair via a Goldfrapp remix that they did of the song "A&E." A pleasant remix, and it led me to ferret out their debut album.
Well don't expect to be blown away by Hercules & Love Affair's self titled debut. While it has some clever, striking moments, this album is mostly repetitive mellow beats, solid vocals from a much-beloved singer, and some pleasant flourishes around the edges. It's not a bad album by any means, but it's a bit too easy to daydream during many of the songs.
It opens with a thick drum being tapped, snapping fingers, and the stern command, "Don't lie to me/don't make it up," before the song melts into a tangle of twisted synth, gentle electro beats and a warm, thick layer of keyboard like drizzled honey. This is probably the high point of the whole album.
Then things slump with "Hercules' Theme," an electrofunky tune riddled with horns and electric violins -- which sounds promising until you realize that the entire tune is running on a treadmill. And that continues into the songs that follow -- breathy hip-hoppy techno, blippy dance music, delicate electronica smothered by unspeakably melodramatic singing, sparkly electropop, and finally finishing with the joyously cluttered finale "True False Fake Real."
Too bad the whole album wasn't like that last song -- colourful, unpredictable and profoundly odd. It's worth noting that "Hercules & Love Affair" is not a terrible album -- not even really a bad one, and there are some truly gorgeous moments like "Easy," a darkly twisting little number that left me craving lots more. And it's graced with plenty of jazzy secondary instrumentation.
But the music tends to be quite repetitive -- "Athene" seems to endlessly run through the same few hard beats, as does the drippy island-y "You Belong" and the uneasily retro-funky "Raise Me Up." Hard beats, warm organic beats, tinkly ethereal ones, and all dressed in waves of synth, airy ripples, blares of horn, and lots of electric violin -- it gives a bit of extra flavour to the dancy songs.
Antony Hegarty's (of Antony and the Johnsons) powerful voice is present in some of the melodies, but frankly he feels misplaced there -- his rich vocals sound like they're overflowing over the songs' sides, especially since they never change around him. Kim Ann Foxman's droning she-robot singing fits in far better.
"Hercules and Love Affair" is basically a rather ordinary dance album strung with some truly exquisite flourishes around the edges. Here's hoping for something even better next time.
Well don't expect to be blown away by Hercules & Love Affair's self titled debut. While it has some clever, striking moments, this album is mostly repetitive mellow beats, solid vocals from a much-beloved singer, and some pleasant flourishes around the edges. It's not a bad album by any means, but it's a bit too easy to daydream during many of the songs.
It opens with a thick drum being tapped, snapping fingers, and the stern command, "Don't lie to me/don't make it up," before the song melts into a tangle of twisted synth, gentle electro beats and a warm, thick layer of keyboard like drizzled honey. This is probably the high point of the whole album.
Then things slump with "Hercules' Theme," an electrofunky tune riddled with horns and electric violins -- which sounds promising until you realize that the entire tune is running on a treadmill. And that continues into the songs that follow -- breathy hip-hoppy techno, blippy dance music, delicate electronica smothered by unspeakably melodramatic singing, sparkly electropop, and finally finishing with the joyously cluttered finale "True False Fake Real."
Too bad the whole album wasn't like that last song -- colourful, unpredictable and profoundly odd. It's worth noting that "Hercules & Love Affair" is not a terrible album -- not even really a bad one, and there are some truly gorgeous moments like "Easy," a darkly twisting little number that left me craving lots more. And it's graced with plenty of jazzy secondary instrumentation.
But the music tends to be quite repetitive -- "Athene" seems to endlessly run through the same few hard beats, as does the drippy island-y "You Belong" and the uneasily retro-funky "Raise Me Up." Hard beats, warm organic beats, tinkly ethereal ones, and all dressed in waves of synth, airy ripples, blares of horn, and lots of electric violin -- it gives a bit of extra flavour to the dancy songs.
Antony Hegarty's (of Antony and the Johnsons) powerful voice is present in some of the melodies, but frankly he feels misplaced there -- his rich vocals sound like they're overflowing over the songs' sides, especially since they never change around him. Kim Ann Foxman's droning she-robot singing fits in far better.
"Hercules and Love Affair" is basically a rather ordinary dance album strung with some truly exquisite flourishes around the edges. Here's hoping for something even better next time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Antony amazing on the vocals
Just one great album! Great to hear Antony in a little more up-beat version. Now I have to buy more albums from Hercules.. :)
Published 8 months ago by D. Guldbrandsen
Buy it & get off!
Its sassy for sure! Reminds me of sweaty, cigarette smoke filled clubs of the 70s/early 80s. All that hot [and bad] sex, the poppers & dancing the night away.. Buy it & get off!
Published 14 months ago by the AC chrysalis
Not an album to please from start to finish, but where it's good it's...
I would give this 3.5 if i could, but i'm giving it 4 because some people reviewing it seem to be overly critical. Read more
Published on 1 April 2008 by Mr. S. Bennett
Don't judge any book by its cover, let alone a record
I'm really surprised by many reviews here mentioning the supposed disco influence on this record. To me, it's rather more paying tribute to early Vince Clarke stuff, Visage or even... Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2008 by DIOONER
Blind is awesome....the album is not
Basically i bought it....put it on and thought...o dear why did i buy this....even after listening to it a few times, it doesn't grow on you, the only song that saves it from... Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2008 by R. Sutton
5.4 not 54
Disco is often treated like dance music's embarrassing uncle, but the disco era produced some classic tracks-such as 'Night Fever', 'I Feel Love' or 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty... Read more
Published on 23 Mar 2008 by Peter Parker-Penn
Tosh!
Don't believe the hype. This is a load of old derivative rubbish. Not even Antony's presence can save it. It's like torture in slow motion!
Published on 21 Mar 2008 by zerxan
Oh no!!!!
This album has been promoted as an all out disco project. Disco is supposed to be fun, uplifting and preferably over the top. Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2008 by N. Pedersen
The 1980s have returned!
Actually, I quite liked the 1980s. This album is quite good fun, and I like Anthony's voice. But the Human League all over again in 2008? No thanks....
Published on 21 Mar 2008 by Collins End Music Club
ADORABLE
I adore this band. It was love at first listen for me.
Packed with ear pleasing goodness.
Antony soars with lending his voise to dance - genius. Read more
Packed with ear pleasing goodness.
Antony soars with lending his voise to dance - genius. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2008 by M. M. Boyne
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