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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I first heard this band on the eclectic Internet station Radio Paradise, and was absolutely bowled over from the start by the opening track of this album, "You love me to death", which is just pure heart-wrenching thanatos. The rest of the album doesn't disappoint, with lush, 'big' instrumentals wonderfully complementing the singer's powerful, emotionally complex voice. It's really quite an experience, and a distinctive sound - there are faint echoes of Portishead in Gaike Arneart's voice, in its emotional intensity and vocal range, but she really is her own woman. The instrumentals fill up a room even at low volume, and have a complexity and lush depth that lifts the heart, with influences from electronica, hip-hop, Arabic music, classical music (one of the tracks has an orchestra), and more. This band was a revelation to my jaded palate, and is the best thing to come out of Belgium since its beer. As the previous reviewer lamented, you'll not hear them in the UK, maybe because they are too distinctive, thoughtful and cultured. Plus you get an extra CD with tasty remixes which add new dimensions to the original songs, though I prefer the main CD. Quite a stunning band.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Why Hooverphonic aren't huge on British shores still baffles me. "No More Sweet Music" is truly a return to top form from their first mesmerising works on " A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular" and "Blue Wonder Power Milk". This is an album jam packed with beautiful lush chilled out tunes that Hooverphonic manage to do so well. If you want beach music with wishy-washy strings aplenty and drifting melodies then this is for you.
The opener, "You Love Me To Death" drags you in like the waves on a beach with its harpsichords and swirling synth strings. It catches you with a fishhook for the rest of the album. "We All Float" does exactly what it says in the title. Get in your floatation tank with this one playing and you'll be up in the stars in no time. "You Hurt Me" ups the tempo slightly with attitude aplenty. Slap your face! Then we have the Dimitri From Paris sampling of the title tracks "No More Sweet Music". Sampling such a classic chill out tune and then adding lyrics you might think would be a bit cheeky but it really works here and is definitely the albums highlight. Really beautiful. "Dirty Lenses" with its Keane like piano rift is probably the most commercial track on the album but is really luscious. "Wake Up" desperately surges, surges and then surges some more until you tip off the end. "Ginger" wraps it up nicely again with strings soaring you off in to the ether.
But then wait, just as you head for the replay button we have Disc 2 which does the whole thing all over again, remixed by Alex Callier, in a whole new stylee. I don't know of another whole album being remixed in another style and packaged together so that you can play the experience twice and get another gist on all of the songs. It works so well though taking you off in to other territories, which you might have imagined while listening to CD 1 yourself. The Arabic male chanting on "You Love Me To Death" and again on "We All Float" flies you off on that magic carpet through the sky over the dunes!! "You Hurt Me" gets real sassed up and ends up perfect strippers music! "Dirty Lenses" gets danced up and is the only track heading for the beach dance floor. We get "Heartbeat" gently vocodered in to a spacey, sublime, nodding mood. Nice. "Ginger" again finishes it off with a Sly & Robbie touch and some sexy male French vocals.
A great idea to have the same album twice. Makes the whole experience double the pleasure. And listening to these two CD's is truly absolute pleasure. Hooverphonic can sweep me up any time!!!
The opener, "You Love Me To Death" drags you in like the waves on a beach with its harpsichords and swirling synth strings. It catches you with a fishhook for the rest of the album. "We All Float" does exactly what it says in the title. Get in your floatation tank with this one playing and you'll be up in the stars in no time. "You Hurt Me" ups the tempo slightly with attitude aplenty. Slap your face! Then we have the Dimitri From Paris sampling of the title tracks "No More Sweet Music". Sampling such a classic chill out tune and then adding lyrics you might think would be a bit cheeky but it really works here and is definitely the albums highlight. Really beautiful. "Dirty Lenses" with its Keane like piano rift is probably the most commercial track on the album but is really luscious. "Wake Up" desperately surges, surges and then surges some more until you tip off the end. "Ginger" wraps it up nicely again with strings soaring you off in to the ether.
But then wait, just as you head for the replay button we have Disc 2 which does the whole thing all over again, remixed by Alex Callier, in a whole new stylee. I don't know of another whole album being remixed in another style and packaged together so that you can play the experience twice and get another gist on all of the songs. It works so well though taking you off in to other territories, which you might have imagined while listening to CD 1 yourself. The Arabic male chanting on "You Love Me To Death" and again on "We All Float" flies you off on that magic carpet through the sky over the dunes!! "You Hurt Me" gets real sassed up and ends up perfect strippers music! "Dirty Lenses" gets danced up and is the only track heading for the beach dance floor. We get "Heartbeat" gently vocodered in to a spacey, sublime, nodding mood. Nice. "Ginger" again finishes it off with a Sly & Robbie touch and some sexy male French vocals.
A great idea to have the same album twice. Makes the whole experience double the pleasure. And listening to these two CD's is truly absolute pleasure. Hooverphonic can sweep me up any time!!!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
14 reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Essential For Any Hooverphonic Fan
15 Mar 2006
Format:Audio CD
"No More Sweet Music" is actually two albums - the aforementioned title and also a second disc entitled "More Sweet Music". Each of them contain the same 11 songs - by name and lyrics only. I've never heard an album like this before. I gave up deciding which disc is the primary disc. One disc is not comprised of dubbed versions, live versions, outtakes or anything else one could categorize.
Both albums present each song in a very different way. There is no discernable pattern - for instance, songs on one disc are not of a certain genre (trip hop, electronica, etc)..again each disc presents 11 songs, each completely different from the same title on the other disc. Amazing.
That said, the songs themselves are outstanding. I rank this album with Hooverphonics' finest efforts to date. Standout tracks are the title track, "We All Float", "You Love Me to Death", "Dirty Lenses" and the very radio-friendly "You Hurt Me".
Not only is this album a double treat, it is a challenge as well. In no way do I mean this album is inaccessible - it is, very much so. It is a challenge in that you have to get used to hearing two superb but absolutely different versions of the same song. A sensational idea and executed perfectly - an incredibly inspired and innovative feat. Superbly euphoric and dreamy from beginning to end. Highly recommended and well worth the money.
Both albums present each song in a very different way. There is no discernable pattern - for instance, songs on one disc are not of a certain genre (trip hop, electronica, etc)..again each disc presents 11 songs, each completely different from the same title on the other disc. Amazing.
That said, the songs themselves are outstanding. I rank this album with Hooverphonics' finest efforts to date. Standout tracks are the title track, "We All Float", "You Love Me to Death", "Dirty Lenses" and the very radio-friendly "You Hurt Me".
Not only is this album a double treat, it is a challenge as well. In no way do I mean this album is inaccessible - it is, very much so. It is a challenge in that you have to get used to hearing two superb but absolutely different versions of the same song. A sensational idea and executed perfectly - an incredibly inspired and innovative feat. Superbly euphoric and dreamy from beginning to end. Highly recommended and well worth the money.
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
More sweet music...please!
6 Feb 2006
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
While a lot of people dislike the direction Hooverphonic went after their debut, I happen to love it (for the most part). I loved A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular, but I've also loved every subsequent album. The one problem that I have had with all their albums (aside from the first) is that there are always a couple tracks that are SO odd and experimental that even I had trouble with them (such as the last three tracks on Presents Jackie Cane, which was otherwise my former favorite Hoover album). That is not the case with No More Sweet Music. They've ditched the over-the-top showtuney experiments in favor of a more cohesive and overall pleasant listening experience. There are enough chill tracks to please fans of their older stuff and enough poppy, flamboyant tracks to please fans of their more recent stuff.
I initially didn't like the idea of two versions of the same album because I expected one to be significantly better and the other to be mostly throw-aways. That is not the case at all, though! Both versions are incredible and I listen to them equally. I'd say the general sound is a combination of all previous albums. There's also an Asian flair among some of the tracks that adds to the cool vibe. More Sweet Music is more organic/loungy while NO More Sweet Music is more electronic/trip-hoppy. If I had to choose, I think I like More Sweet Music just slightly more - mostly because I like its version of "We All Float" much more and its version of the title track is probably my favorite Hoover song ever. Seriously, I'm obsessed with it. My least favorite track is "Music Box" from More Sweet Music. The music and the verses are cool, but the chorus is a bit off-key and just doesn't work for me.
Overall, this is another masterpiece (actually two masterpieces) by one of my favorite (and most underrated) bands. I can't stop playing these discs. This will definitely be one of 2006's best.
I initially didn't like the idea of two versions of the same album because I expected one to be significantly better and the other to be mostly throw-aways. That is not the case at all, though! Both versions are incredible and I listen to them equally. I'd say the general sound is a combination of all previous albums. There's also an Asian flair among some of the tracks that adds to the cool vibe. More Sweet Music is more organic/loungy while NO More Sweet Music is more electronic/trip-hoppy. If I had to choose, I think I like More Sweet Music just slightly more - mostly because I like its version of "We All Float" much more and its version of the title track is probably my favorite Hoover song ever. Seriously, I'm obsessed with it. My least favorite track is "Music Box" from More Sweet Music. The music and the verses are cool, but the chorus is a bit off-key and just doesn't work for me.
Overall, this is another masterpiece (actually two masterpieces) by one of my favorite (and most underrated) bands. I can't stop playing these discs. This will definitely be one of 2006's best.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Back to being incredible!!
20 Dec 2005
Format:Audio CD
Basically, five stars for the album itself, and one star for the prices I see for it on different sites. Luckily, I found this for less than half of the price listed here, but on to the album. I have been a HUGE Hoover fan since the first album, and I have found them to be veering away from the mysterious and unique blend of trip-pop that they forged on those albums, moving into something almost show-tuney with their last, "Presents Jackie Cane". Musically, this is a gorgeous selection of songs, the kind of music that only this band can write. Electronica mixed with muted guitars and orchestral maneuvers, and featuring the sublime and sweet vocals of singer Geike. While several of the songs on the "No more sweet music" disc exactly mirror their "More sweet music" counterparts, several have enough of a distinction to make them unique and different listening experiences alongside each other. So, I basically listen to the first disc (MSM) in its entirety, and then play about six songs from disc two (NMSM) to follow. Makes for about a 65 minute album that way. Why this band continues to be released by SONY only outside of the U.S. is a mystery, as I know they have a large fanbase here. I think this album, though, may be the one to put them back in the "mainstream" where they belong. Perhaps a tour of the States might then be in the offing!!
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