Self Preservation Society - Clique (The)

Advantages: Strong melodies and guitars.
Disadvantages: Vocals not to everybody's liking

.... Standout songs include - * You've Made Us Conscious * Don't Be So Hard * Rep Your Clique (Great guitar riff at beginning) * Smoke And Mirrors * It's Too Late The melodies are catchy and the lyrics I find very pretty, eg: 'Another fabricated Self-portrait' 'How cliché to sing about the stars / when they burnt out years ago' The vocals aren't to everybody's tastes, but some of the pople I know who don't like the lead singer still like the band because of the guitar riffs =] Personally I love the vocals =] If you like rock, alternative, punk rock, indie rock then at least have a listen. Similar to - The Academy Is, Fall Out Boy, The Junior Varsity, The Graduate, Panic! At The Disco Toured with - The Academy Is, Jack's Mannequin, Head Automatica, The Graduate, Rock Kills Kid, We The Kings. Amazon - £8.98, £5.36 on Amazon... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Her longest album to date; more variety than previously
Disadvantages: Poppier in places; too many interludes

...Da Brat's third album, four years along from Anuthatantrum and after a lot more female rappers emerged on the mainstream hiphop scene. You can feel the influence they've had on Brat and in some ways this is good and others not so. She has 'sexed-up' her image which I can only say seems designed to attract male consumers and alienates a lot of her original fans. However, image aside, it is a good album. The anthem 'What'chu Like' featuring R&B star Tyrese is included, as well as some similarly radio-friendly cuts like 'Chi-Town' and 'Back Up', a duet with Ja Rule. Brat features Kelly Price's vocals on the chorus of 'Runnin' Out Of Time', a narrative in which she discovers her man is cheating on her and in typical Brat style gets mili on the situation. The album also includes So So Def clique self-celebration on 'We Ready', a new sexual... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Pop tunefulness, indie wackiness
Disadvantages: Yet to find a distinctive voice - but great for a debut album

...'Strangeways Inside', pairs twinkling xylophones and a euphoric chorus with lyrics which might be about mental illness, but equally might not be. The closing song 'Paper Houses' quotes lines from other songs on the album, with musical hints of Buddy Holly, and ends with another announcer - this time from the Oban-Mull ferry. A final, 'hidden' track comprises a shambolic assortment of trumpets and keyboards and echoey drums. "I share my lies with you" he seems to be singing. Bonkers, absolutely bonkers. As fictitious musical social groups go, Mull Historical Society deserves to be the 21st century's answer to the Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society or Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club. Just listen to its insanely jolly eponymous recruitment ditty, complete with steel drums and trumpets. This is one club you'd want to be invited to join. Track... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful