Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Mellow and a lot more polished than their previous two albums, The House We Built is Alisha's Attic's coming-of-age release. The "in your face" Alanis Morissette and Kate-Bush-style weirdness of Illumina and Alisha Rules The World has been replaced by pop melodies straight from the 1960s and 1970s. There are throwbacks to other female rock legends though, as "Perfectly Happy" is pure Chrissie Hynde. The Hynde connection is also around on another track but only in name, with the sultry Mediterranean-style tune, "Pretender Get My Heart". "Sex Is On Everyone's Tongue", is an intelligent, un-moralistic, assessment of society's infatuation with sex, and incorporates the "saucepan" percussion arrangement made famous on "Push It All Aside". Once viewed as the angry Essex girls of pop (the sister hail from Dagenham), this release sees the pair materialising into the "Cosmo" women of music. The Poole's third album is stylish, fresh, obsessed with love and sex but also totally frank. --John Galilee
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Once again, we see an example of how the best music is often the most overlooked. Alisha's Attic have proven themselves to be amazingly talented singers and songwriters time and again, yet a big, stupid chunk of the British public constantly ignores them in favour of inferior, manufactured trash. In this, their 3rd outing, they have shown a much more mature side to their ability, though still retaining some of their beautiful quirkiness in the songs. These girls aren't afraid to experiment, and it shows, in songs such as 'Pilot', Pretender Got My Heart' and 'If You Want Me Back'. 'The House We Built' may not have reached the top 10, as it deserved, but Karen and Shellie are one of the few bands around today that signal hope for the future of music. Well done Girls!!^_^
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Well, I hate to fly in the face of the prevailing opinion, and I fully admit I'm obviously the exception here, but this album didn't quite do it for me. Sorry!
I think your response to this album will probably depend a lot on what you thought of their previous album, Illumina. If you liked it, you'll love The House We Built. If, like me, you preferred the quirky, synth-pop surprises, melodies and harmonies of Alisha Rules The World, and found Illumina a bit flat and lacking, you might not. To me, Illumina's straight-forward guitar, drum and bass setup seemed to be a bit of an enforced change of direction in the absence of Dave Stewart's production and a weaker collection of songs - "we might not have anything unusual but hey! we're a 'proper' band now" - and the trend is continued here.
Again, it's only my opinion, but the songs and arrangements on The House We Built (with three exceptions) seem really very dull and without melody, and the lyrics are uninspired. They're still trying to cram too many words into a line and the crass man-bashing sounds tired and automatic. But there is an upside ...
It's impossible to dislike the sisters too much, and the three standout songs - The House We Built, Pretender Stole My Heart and If You Want Me Back - are truly superb.
I think I was expecting the album to be more like their first rather than their second, and this is obviously not the direction they're moving in. As such it's probably just not my sort of thing any more, which is why I didn't get on with it. But I thought it was worth posting a review to get this angle in, not simply to slag it off but because others might feel the same way too.
Full apologies to those who loved it!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I'm writing a rather belated review for this incredible album. I should have done it sooner as it's a real treasure.
Alisha's Attic were always the outcasts of pop; always just a bit too out-there and kooky to make an impact on the charts. Ultimately, it was their lack of promotion and subsequent low record sales that sealed their fate and it's a real shame.
The House We Built was produced by Bill Bottrell (he of Madonna, Michael Jackson and Sheryl Crow fame) and in his own words is 'the greatest record i've ever worked on'.
The House We Built is an album packed with magic and originality, something which is severely lacking in modern music today. It's full of spark, clever observations and beautiful harmonies. A record that immediately picks you up and out of a bad mood and puts you 'on a vibe'
Organic and simple (the girls made a concious effort to strip the album of all manufactured sound) the album has it's heart firmly-wedged in a sound reminiscent of the 60s; Karen & Shellie's musical influences, such as Dusty Springfield & The Mamas And Papas, totally leaving their mark.
Highlights have to be the epic 'Pretender Got My Heart' and it's soaring chorus of oohs and ahhs; romantic and haunting in it's telling of a false love and it's misplaced expectations. 'Perfectly Happy' is another stand-out; the girls' interpretation of the classic 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow', with a rather pessimistic undertone - quite unlike the idealistic original!
This is an album to be savoured and adored, full of beauty and truth.
Alisha's Attic were always the outcasts of pop; always just a bit too out-there and kooky to make an impact on the charts. Ultimately, it was their lack of promotion and subsequent low record sales that sealed their fate and it's a real shame.
The House We Built was produced by Bill Bottrell (he of Madonna, Michael Jackson and Sheryl Crow fame) and in his own words is 'the greatest record i've ever worked on'.
The House We Built is an album packed with magic and originality, something which is severely lacking in modern music today. It's full of spark, clever observations and beautiful harmonies. A record that immediately picks you up and out of a bad mood and puts you 'on a vibe'
Organic and simple (the girls made a concious effort to strip the album of all manufactured sound) the album has it's heart firmly-wedged in a sound reminiscent of the 60s; Karen & Shellie's musical influences, such as Dusty Springfield & The Mamas And Papas, totally leaving their mark.
Highlights have to be the epic 'Pretender Got My Heart' and it's soaring chorus of oohs and ahhs; romantic and haunting in it's telling of a false love and it's misplaced expectations. 'Perfectly Happy' is another stand-out; the girls' interpretation of the classic 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow', with a rather pessimistic undertone - quite unlike the idealistic original!
This is an album to be savoured and adored, full of beauty and truth.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brilliantly Built House!
Not a lot I can add to earlier reviews of this excellent album, other than to point out that, at its current price, it is an outstanding bargain. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2009 by N. Gosney
If u hate these girls u have no taste in music
Every track on this CD is brilliant. I have listened to this over and over and I never plan on stopping
Published on 19 Mar 2008 by M. Cox
Alisha Still Rules The world
Alishas Attic may not make much of an impact on the charts but they sure do in my music collection. After the dissapointment of "Illumina" the girls have gone back to... Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2001
Real music from Britain's most underrated voices
Sometimes I don't think Britain deserves Alisha's Attic. People would much rather stick their thumbs in their ears and buy derivative drivel from the latest TV-manufactured... Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2001
Buy this album!
If you don't buy any other album this year, support the sisters and buy The house we built. Alisha's Attic have grown stronger and stronger in previous years and this album... Read more
Published on 31 July 2001
They're back- they're better than ever before!
Alisha's Attic are one of those bands that you might hear a few singles buy and you like them all, but you never get round to buying their album. Read more
Published on 25 July 2001
I'm Perfectly Happy with 'The House we Built'!
If you have never heard Karen and Shellie Poole of 'Alisha's Attic' you have missed two great albums 'Alisha Rules The World' (with tracks such as 'I Am I Feel') and 'Illumina'... Read more
Published on 24 July 2001
Playing House
The dynamic duo of Karen and Shellie Poole return with their third studio album under the auspicious direction of master craftsman Bill Bottrell. Read more
Published on 5 July 2001
Alisha still rules the world!
The long awaited 3rd album from the 2 classiest essex girls you will ever meet is finely coming out! It also sees a new direction for the Attics. Read more
Published on 4 July 2001
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
