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Frequently Bought Together
Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Choices |
| 2. Bumpy Ride |
| 3. Who Said Anything (About Falling In Love)? |
| 4. Unlikely Hero |
| 5. Lovers In My Head |
| 6. Live By The Ocean |
| 7. Devil's In the Detail |
| 8. Glorious |
| 9. Made To Measure |
| 10. Giddy Up |
| 11. Sarajevo |
| 12. Little Brutes |
Product Description
Review
The Hoosiers once coined the phrase "odd pop" to describe their sound, but the only odd thing about this second album seems to be its lack of relation to current pop trends. Instead it succeeds, like its predecessor, 2007's The Trick to Life, thanks to straight-laced, fashion-resistant GMTV pop-rock.
In more hip-conscious hands, their songs would be smothered in Auto-Tuned electronic vocals, RnB beats and the sonic frills of the hip hop producer du jour. But The Hoosiers don't need to try that hard. They know their genuine, unpretentious love of an air-punching pop anthem will always bubble to the surface.
So it proves with the opening tracks. Choices is an irrepressible piece of pop songcraft. Driven by a fizzy, staccato synth riff, it's like Alphabeat never happened. Howard Jones could have come out with this in his prime, but who cares? This kind of summery, girl-meets-boy radio fodder never really dates.
Bumpy Ride sounds like it has been teleported from the same irony-free era. The synth stabs and Gillette-the-best-a-man-can-get chorus could be the soundtrack to a Hollywood action blockbuster in 1985. But in The Hoosiers' world, it'll always be alright on Saturday night, if you hold me tight–and if that sounds too cheesy for words, go and buy a Cribs album.
Admittedly, sometimes they sound like they're making it up as they go along. "We're better together," Irwin Sparkes hollers on Made to Measure, "you and I we were meant forever / Don't get hurt by upsetters, you and I we were made to measure. Oooooh oooooh..."
Hmmm. Yet when they attempt something a bit more critically correct, it's a little too studied to convince. Devil's in the Details incorporates the kind of unorthodox arrangements beloved of broadsheet rock writers and Thom Yorke, in the shape of skittering beats, plaintive vocals and something resembling a glockenspiel. But apologising for being pop doesn't really suit them.
Thankfully, they rarely bother. The Scissor Sisters strut of Giddy Up plunges us straight back into woah-oh arena pop territory where, once again, resistance is futile. And when you've got so many hits waiting to happen, ridicule is nothing to be scared of.
--Johnny SharpFind more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I really wanted to like this new album, having waited some time for the Hoosiers to produce it. I gather they had quite a problem with writers' block and sadly, I think it shows here. The album is competent and well-produced but disappointingly lacks the really magical spirit of the first album which is so atmospheric - perhaps because The Trick to Life had such a dark side. On that album I loved every track, and I still find 'A Sadness Runs Through Him' (for example) a very powerful and emotional piece of writing.
This album seems to be a nice enough collection of pretty standard ballads but is really lacking the bite and the edge of the first album.
I still really believe in the Hoosiers as they are obviously very talented, so I hope that they will produce a third album that will make me eat my words.
This album seems to be a nice enough collection of pretty standard ballads but is really lacking the bite and the edge of the first album.
I still really believe in the Hoosiers as they are obviously very talented, so I hope that they will produce a third album that will make me eat my words.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Hoosiers' first album was a nice slice of indie pop which I admit to enjoying. So when I heard the first single from this album, "Choices", I was pleasantly surprised by the band's drastic change in style.
Being a fan of electronic music, I enjoy the new electro-pop style, and this band have managed to pull it off rather well.
It sounds like a record that could have easily been released in the 80s (which to me is a good thing!)
Songs like "Choices", "Bumpy Ride" and "Unlikely Hero" demonstrate this the best.
It's not perfect by any means and it's not going to be one of my favourite albums of 2010, but it's a good, solid record of electronic and indie pop music that you'll like more if you don't try to take it too seriously.
Being a fan of electronic music, I enjoy the new electro-pop style, and this band have managed to pull it off rather well.
It sounds like a record that could have easily been released in the 80s (which to me is a good thing!)
Songs like "Choices", "Bumpy Ride" and "Unlikely Hero" demonstrate this the best.
It's not perfect by any means and it's not going to be one of my favourite albums of 2010, but it's a good, solid record of electronic and indie pop music that you'll like more if you don't try to take it too seriously.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've been excited about this album for SO long, and was so happy when it came through the post this morning. I've listened through the album twice, and can honestly say that there isn't a track I don't like, or a track I've felt like skipping. Sure, the music is a lot different from The Hoosier's previous album, The Trick To Life, but the quality of the music is the same, if not better. You can see a clear development in the music and in my opinion I think this album is definitely well worth the money. There are such a variety of songs on this album, with varying themes and feels, which makes for a very versatile album and one which can fit any mood and can be listened to multiple times. Some songs are thought provoking and deep (for example "Little Brutes"), whereas others are more upbeat and "electropop"-py (such as their new single, "Choices" and "Glorious".)
Overall, this album is a big change from the previous album released from this band, but is definitely a good change, and I think that this album has a great chance of being a huge hit this summer! :)
Buy it now!
Overall, this album is a big change from the previous album released from this band, but is definitely a good change, and I think that this album has a great chance of being a huge hit this summer! :)
Buy it now!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Go hoosiers!
simply great CD!! there new stuff works very well and would recommend buying it even if you havent listened to their previous CD...this one is like retro pop, a welcomed change!
Published 29 days ago by Sam
Worth the wait
I didn't buy this album as soon as it came out. I'd loved "The Trick To Life" and didn't want to be disappointed by the follow-up. I need not have worried. Read more
Published 1 month ago by corwench
A good pop album
I really like this album which kicks off with the infectious lead single "choices" and is followed keenly by several other upbeat songs. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. N. D. Havers
fantastic!
there isn't a single dud on this album; sure, it isn't as dark as the first, quite the opposite. It will put a big smile on your face, it's so uplifting, especially Glorious and I... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Y. Collicott
Seriously, my favourite album of 2010!!!!!
This album is chock full of catchy pop, synth rock ditties. They released choices as the lead off single which was not the best single choice given the catchy tunes on the... Read more
Published 15 months ago by P. Elliott
Great CD!
Love this CD. Saw the band on the TV and wanted to buy a CD straight away. Being a muso myself I can say the sound is fantastic, real British pop sound but bringing back the live... Read more
Published 17 months ago by DJBozo01
Money Back Please.
I AM SO ANNOYED! i was false lead to think this album was going to be good by the first song choices, which i absolutely LOVE! but the rest of the album is utter rubbish. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Jonesy
Shame about the equalisation!
The album itself is amazing! The Hoosiers have never sounded so good!
But the poor quality of the Amazon download lets this album down significantly. Read more
But the poor quality of the Amazon download lets this album down significantly. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Trinipops1990
Incredible!
This is by far the best album i've ever bought! It's significantly better than their first album.
There's not a track that lets it down, but there are definately some songs... Read more
There's not a track that lets it down, but there are definately some songs... Read more
Published 20 months ago by b7arielle
Hoosiers - a change for the better?
The musical style of the Hoosiers has undoubtedly changed on this latest offering "the Illusion of Safety", which I found pleasantly surprising as I was expecting more of the same... Read more
Published 20 months ago by G. Brookes
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