Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Bitter Disappointment, 27 Jul 2007
I have been waiting for this album for a very long time. FFTMC and Behind the Sun are two of my favourite albums of all time. I was instantly drawn to the poignant melodies, beautifully layered ambience and particularly in the last album, unusual and distinctive vocal peformances with fine lyrics. No body does it better..or used too.
This album manages to retain some of the former Chicane flair, most notably in the characteristically polished production. Gone however, are the ambient instrumental soundscapes, the poignant melodies, and the beautiful and unsual songs that made Chicane such a distinctive act. These have been replaced with a sequence of boring, unforgetable radio friendly euro-pop songs. I imagine this will be very popular with Radio 1 listeners. The female vocal performances have largely been dumped in favour of male vocals, provided by Jack Starks, who at times sounds like one of the Gallagher brothers trying to do a dance mix. I'm not adverse to the use of guitars in dance music, the slightly harder edge to the sound is fine and probably a necessary progression, but the beauty and magic has gone. This is pop music pure and simple. Catchy, Ok to drive too, but bland, souless and ultimately unsatisfying. Which after the two previous master pieces, comes as a very bitter disappointment.
To add insult to injury, the album has 10 tracks - which as radio friendly pop songs are mostly about 4 minutes in length, some less. The glorious 6, 8 and 10 minute anthems of the last album have also disappeared. This really is Chicane Lite! And value for money it isnt.
Frankly, I'm appalled. What have you done Nick? Why have you done this?!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just...a steady album, 26 Jul 2007
What can you say about this album? For anyone that knows and respects FFTMC and Behind The Sun, Somersault is a clear departure from the sun drenched chill out sounds of Offshore and the pumping trance epic Saltwater. Like the unreleased Easy To Assemble before it, Somersault it is a slightly confused album with a very euro-pop sound. Whilst it is extremely well produced, the songs just are not strong enough to hold the album up, and nor are they in the typical Chicane style. Whilst all Chicane fans appreciate The Bracegirdle wanting to experiment with pop guitars and drums etc, you cannot help but feel that he cannot really emulate it and have a Chicane sound at the same time.
Overall, slightly dissappointing, and whilst, like another reviewer, I do admit to tapping my foot now and again, the album is such a departure from his style to be comfortable, with most of the songs seeming to be almost hollow sounding.
In truth I probably should give it 2 stars, but as a true Chicane fan it would feel like i was betraying a man that I truly respect.
Go back to your true music style Nick.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Undoubtably different, but the magic is still there, 24 Jul 2007
Anyone reading these reviews will no doubt be expecting something different this time around, and indeed the album offers a new dimension to the Chicane sound. However, we shouldn't feel disapointed at this, because underneath the punchier, rockier edge the atmospheric synth sounds and key changes which made past releases so perfect are still there. I am finding that with each subsequent listen (and there have been many already) the underlying Chicane sound is coming to the fore more and more.
I think Nick has had to change his style due to the changing fashions and fads of the music industry. I rate Far From The Maddening Crowds as the best album of all time, but would it survive today's over commercialised and fragmented music scene? I don't believe it would, despite the musical and technical excellence, because it would not be commercial enough or shift enough units. Indeed, I still find it hard to comprehend that the title remains deleted - a view obviously shared by many people when you see the secondhand prices paid for it. However, both the world and the dance scene have moved on since then and it is natural that the new style has to also.
I think it's right that Chicane don't try and produce another FFTMC, and I see Somersault as a worthy addition to the catalogue. Significant elements of the old soundscapes do exist in the tracks Arizona and Time of your life, but these are balanced by both the commercial releases and edgier vocal tracks. However, the whole sound still has a multi-layered depth we have come to expect.
Welcome back, Nick, its good to have you with us again. I just hope that this time you get the support and success you deserve. A world without Chicane would be much duller place.
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