All About Chemistry - Semisonic > Reviews > 14 special elements

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money

Advantages:	It's beautiful, more mellow, evryone can pick at least one song that applies to them .
Disadvantages:	Only 14 songs !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

A third album can sometimes be a stumbling block for many artists (just ask the spice girls), but the minneapolis trio have excelled themselves by giving us this magnificent third long player packed with catchy tunes and punchy lyrics.

The picture on the front of two test tubes consumating their love gives us a good idea of the main theme of this album. Love. The near-title track 'Chemistry' sets the album off and the tone is set. Wilson draws analogies between a chemistry experiment and the kind of chemistry you find between two people ("We found that the two things we put together had a bad tendency to explode").

The words on each of the 14 tracks are simply beautiful and each track is metaphorical of a different kind of relationship. For example 'Bed' - one person's physical desire for another, whilst the other just wants to be friends. One true love - A spiritual and complete love. Get a grip - erm...yes, more of that later! This fact means that everyone will share some common experience with at least one song on this album.

Act Naturally is perhaps the saddest song on the album, about a relationship in ruins, with Wilson playing the part of a broken man desperate not to let his troubles show.

'She's got my number' is probably one of the most beautifully arranged songs i have ever heard, with the little tinkles of the piano at the beginning enhancing the song's quality. You could call this an upbeat balad if you like.

One of the highlights of the album would be the very 'un-semsisonic' 'sunshine & Chocolate'. Think of Blur's 'Coffee and TV' but with a more personal touch and of course Wilson's haunting and beautiful voice. This song is quite comical in places too with lines such as "Sunshine and chocolate all over me, in my mouth and on my tree".

"One true love" features the background vocals of legend Carole King who also co-wrote this effort. Wilson talks of the one he wants to spend of the rest of his life with, reminding you of your first love.

Oh come on...we've got to mention it. 'Get a grip' is perhaps the most satirical song ever written. Firstly, let me say it's probably the most upbeat song on the album sung at a fast tempo. This song is basically an ode to the joys of masturbation. He sings (tongue and cheek you suspect) "get a grip on yourself, you know you should. I've got a grip on myself and it feels good". I take my hat off to the man for approaching such a difficult subject with blatant honesty. The chorus to this song is definitely a sing-a-long one. Full of energy and enthusiasm.

This album doesn't really contain any bad songs to be honest, it's a credit to Wilson that the weakest song on the album 'El matador' is not written by him. This song still has it's beauty though.

The album as a whole is a lot softer than their previous offering 'Feeling strangely fine'. They've mellowed, and with it they've been able to display some very inspiring material that in my opinion is unbeatable in terms of AOR.