Jubilee Offer: Patriotic Classics for £2.50 |
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
The glue that sealed the disparate parts of 1997's Polydistortion is considerably less binding on Gus Gus's second album. This Is Normal comes on like a mix tape of dreamy digitalia, deceptively flip Europop, and jazzy house tracks. Iceland's favourite nine-member arts collective is no doubt digging the confusion. Of the album's 11 tracks, eight are commandeered by Daniel Agust's wondrous voice, which is boyishly strident and ethereal by turns. On "Ladyshave", the Kula Shaker-esque single, he enacts a seduction scene, enticing a lover (himself?) into the shower, only to lose his identity in the process. The succinct vocals of "Bambi" carefully twin the song's chamber-pop reserve, creating an impression of sublime ardency in the process. In comparison, the three cuts sung by Hafdis Huld are less immersing, but the trip-hop soundscapes of "Teenage Sensation" and "Blue Mug" provide a lush framework for her elegant phrasings. For the band's more dance-oriented fan base, "Very Important People" has the sheen of a sun-splashed Funky Green Dogs track. The album's inevitable remixes should kick its remarkable, if somewhat buried, grooves to the fore. Gus Gus is a complex, contradictory project. At its best, This Is Normal gives a glimpse of the blue flame locked inside its glossy northern soul. --Steve Lafreniere
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Upon first listening to this album, I was unsure with the starting track (Ladyshave) but let it play through anyway. On listening to the next track, the album seemed to pick up a bit and hold my interest some more. By the time I'd listened to the 4th track (Superhuman) I was hooked! The rest of the CD is just as good and the album is programmed terrificly. I thought at first that the first track was poorly placed and even now, it's my least favourite (though I have grown to like it a lot more) but truthfully, I can't find any other place for it on the CD. The music's great, the lyric's are luscious and this is probably the best album I have heard in years. This one was a real surprise, recommended to me by a friend but the more I listen to it, the more I love it! A definite 10 out of 10 :)
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Normal for Gus Gus is very weird for us. But that only helps the music. From songs like 'Ladyshave' you can hear the group have lost none of their touch since their last album, 'Polydistortion'.
A much more complex album in comparison to the often barren soundscape of 'Polydistortion', this album however does lack some consistency when you compare it to its predecessor. Nonetheless, a good follow up.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
31 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
This Is Normal (1999)
26 Feb 2006
Format:Audio CD
Moving from the American scene to the 'British' scene in 1997, I was stunned by the differences in music as I crossed the shores. I had been out of England for years and years, and upon my return I had to play catch up with the British music culture, and fast. I had a history of The Kinks to catch up on past ''Lola'' and ''Low Budget''. 10CC waited in the wings beyond ''I'm Not In Love''. And on the horizon were Massive Attack, and Supergrass.
And Gus Gus are from Iceland. I'm just stating that so you don't think I'm thinking they're from the UK. But this is where I heard them, and I'm not sure I would've heard them hanging out on the East Coast of America. Maybe if I frequented more clubs I might've, but somehow being able to see them on MTV Europe, in the comfort of my own home, says the likelihood would not have been great of a Stateside viewing.
And it was one viewing of Gus Gus's ''Starlovers'' that got me to say, ''Who is this????'' The immediate thing that made this song stand out to me was Daniel Agust's voice. It was beautiful. A truly truly great singer. That was the first thing that stood out to me. And then the song's groove and melody stood out next. I had to hear more of this thing called Gus Gus, and I was glad I did. ''This Is Normal'' is an album worth purchasing. One thing urging you to do this is the promise that Daniel Agust's voice is worth it. Ethereal, melodic, soothing are a few words that can describe it.
And then I heard ''Snoozer''. Which slowly turned into my favourite song from this album.
I really can't say enough about this album. It thoroughly convinced me that the European/British scene was headed somewhere entirely different than the American scene, particularly in regards to Iceland! But it was an immense culture shock hearing bands such as Massive Attack, Supergrass, Gus Gus, Roni Size and Daft Punk in constant play on UK shores, where I knew living in America I would have to seriously go underground to hear some of it. Or be a fan of Soul Coughing and hunting down where they got it from. Which I am.
There are a few reasons to buy this album. The most important is of course the songs themselves, the greatness of ''Ladyshave'', ''Teenage Sensation'', ''Snoozer'' and the irresistible ''Starlovers''. Another reason is to hear the voice of Daniel Agust. I think I'd buy an album of him singing a Chinese menu (wait, Anthony Kiedis already does this doesn't he?) And a final reason is to own an album by Gus Gus just to say you have an album by Gus Gus. You'll look ''cool'', trust me.
And Gus Gus are from Iceland. I'm just stating that so you don't think I'm thinking they're from the UK. But this is where I heard them, and I'm not sure I would've heard them hanging out on the East Coast of America. Maybe if I frequented more clubs I might've, but somehow being able to see them on MTV Europe, in the comfort of my own home, says the likelihood would not have been great of a Stateside viewing.
And it was one viewing of Gus Gus's ''Starlovers'' that got me to say, ''Who is this????'' The immediate thing that made this song stand out to me was Daniel Agust's voice. It was beautiful. A truly truly great singer. That was the first thing that stood out to me. And then the song's groove and melody stood out next. I had to hear more of this thing called Gus Gus, and I was glad I did. ''This Is Normal'' is an album worth purchasing. One thing urging you to do this is the promise that Daniel Agust's voice is worth it. Ethereal, melodic, soothing are a few words that can describe it.
And then I heard ''Snoozer''. Which slowly turned into my favourite song from this album.
I really can't say enough about this album. It thoroughly convinced me that the European/British scene was headed somewhere entirely different than the American scene, particularly in regards to Iceland! But it was an immense culture shock hearing bands such as Massive Attack, Supergrass, Gus Gus, Roni Size and Daft Punk in constant play on UK shores, where I knew living in America I would have to seriously go underground to hear some of it. Or be a fan of Soul Coughing and hunting down where they got it from. Which I am.
There are a few reasons to buy this album. The most important is of course the songs themselves, the greatness of ''Ladyshave'', ''Teenage Sensation'', ''Snoozer'' and the irresistible ''Starlovers''. Another reason is to hear the voice of Daniel Agust. I think I'd buy an album of him singing a Chinese menu (wait, Anthony Kiedis already does this doesn't he?) And a final reason is to own an album by Gus Gus just to say you have an album by Gus Gus. You'll look ''cool'', trust me.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
More Pop, Less Ice
3 July 2000
Format:Audio CD
Gus Gus found their pop voice on this album, and worked it to generally good effect. "Ladyshave" remains an excellent (if undiscovered in America) track. This isn't to say that the band's gone all fuzzy - several later tracks ("Blue Mug" and "Dominique", which thankfully isn't the Singing Nun tune) continue the iciness that characterized the first album. In toto, a more diverse blend of music, but still a very good listen.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Utter madness..if you do not pick this up!
24 Mar 2000
Format:Audio CD
This "enhancement" shown in the brackets is a "mix master" software hidden on the CD, this just goes to show how dedicated GUS GUS is to the DJ/Dance scene. This GUS GUS selection is top ten in the genre, behind only Kruder and Dorfmeister as well as EBTG. Buy it, it may never leave your CD juke Box.
Scott Dennis s_dennis@hotmail.com
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
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 category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
