Fundamental - The Zeus review
Posted: Fri 07 Apr 2006, 6:00 pm
The arch-enemy of this board Zeus seems to have laid his hands on Fundamental too. Here's what he thinks of it. Oh, and he's not going to share it with anyone. What a meanie.
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01. Psychological
This is exactly like the instrumental white label 12'' version with Neil singing on top. There's not much of a song structure, Neil sings the same few melody lines on top and the synth riff is more or less a reply to his singing. The phrasing is similar to a nursery rhyme, it's all a bit weird and creepy. The backing track is immaculately produced and while there's not much of a song otherwise, it really works and sets up the album vibe quite nicely. In fact, I'd say it's a better album opener compared to God Willing. 7/10
02.The Sodom and Gomorrah Show
Contrary to what some reviews and the title suggests, this is not a Hi-NRG disco stomper or particularly epic sounding, if you count out the big-ish intro. It's a bit 60's with hints of glam rock then it goes a bit b'side-y or like something off Robbie Williams' first album. I don't really understand why this has been raved about so much, it just doesn't feel special at all. I guess the chorus is supposed to be uplifting and catchy and it's not bad by any means, it's just that it feels like a spectacularly produced re-write of I Didn't Get Where I Am Today. I also oppose to the use of the lyric 'where angels fear to tread', that should have stayed on Discoteca. 6/10
03.I made my excuses and left
As has been previously reported, this has a very long intro with a sample going 'I'm all alone again, I'm all alone', not too dissimilar to Moby's 'Why does my heart feel so bad'. The cello riff follows the same melody then there's a break and Neil starts singing over a really, really sad tune. While it doesn't have an obvious chorus, it's by far not one long verse as it has enough musical parts and is quite elaborately written. The title is then followed by the cello riff. This is really beautiful. 9/10
04.Minimal
This is seriously good. Production is amazing, lovely synth bits and guitar strums. The chorus is a bit chirpy and the tune is generally a bit like Blue by Eiffel 65 (shock! horror! etc.). I don't think this would have worked as a lead single, while it's really good, I'm With Stupid seems to be the correct choice. The often mentioned New Order bit is indeed very, very much like New Order then it's followed by big strings and pizzicato violins. 9/10
05.Numb
People will probably generally dislike this because it does sound like something Aerosmith would sing but...Neil's vocal works and he sings like he genuinely means it et al. The orchestra/production is again, fantastic, without being massive. It sort of manages to compliment the song without being annoyingly huge and for the sake of it. Musically, it's just like the Diane Warren demo. I personally like this both musically and the particular PSB version of it. 8/10
06.God willing
Whatever
07.Luna Park
This is probably my least favourite track of the album. There are elements of it that I quite like but what works as a chorus, I find very, very weak. The whole thing is a bit Beatley musically. In typical PSB-trying-to-make-a-tune-less-dull, there's a middle bit that doesn't really go anywhere. 4/10
08.I'm with Stupid
Everyone's heard this already. It was the correct choice as a lead single. 9/10
09.Casanova in Hell
This is cute and quite alright overall, it's a bit like Hey Headmaster/The View From Your Balcony and again sounds a bit 60's to me then the middle break goes all Phil Spector. Not bad. 6/10
10.Twentieth Century
It's the return of The Chord Change, God bless. Yeap, PSB are back using the SAW classic chord change, not used in a PSB tune since New York City Boy. This has an octave bassline and it's again, quite alright, but nothing spectacular. There's a guitar break later for some reason then it's back to something not a lot different from something off Neon Nights by Dannii Minogue. OK, I suppose 6/10
11.Indefinite leave to remain
Last of the ballads, mix of guitars and electronics, wouldn't have been out of place from Release although it's arguably better produced. A bit bland. 5/10
12.Integral
It's been raved about, it's been hyped, it's everyone's favourite, it's the best tune in the world ever TM, oh my f*** GOODDDD etc. But is it actually any good? Well, it is. It's exactly like Bodies Without Organs only bigger and has some fab robot bits. The riff sounds a lot like the chorus from Let's All Chant and there are some fantastic string stabs during the middle break. It does have the strongest chorus and all but...it sounds very, very 1994 which while works alright for me, I can't see this becoming the hit it would have been at the time. It has huge novelty value and that's its biggest chance of making any chart impact so it can go either way, there's an off chance it might become a huge hit single or it'll just be another #12 or so.. Here's hoping. 9/10
Overall, there's nothing on the album that's appallingly bad as a lot of Bilingual/Nightlife and well, nearly all of Release were but, it doesn't seem to have something spectacularly brilliant either. While there's nothing here that I dislike and most of the tunes seem to be instantly likeable, it doesn't seem to have any tunes that I would eventually rate among the best PSB have ever done.
It's just all well, very nice and as Chris said, it sounds expensive and Trevor Horn has produced everything to death without bouldozing over the actual songs. There's just something missing here and except from Integral and I'm With Stupid, there are no other obvious singles, even Minimal which is among the highlights of the album wouldn't work and it was a wise move to change it.
So...it's not a bad PSB album at all and it will be generally liked by the fanbase but...if you're waiting for something up there with the classics, well, you will be slightly disappointed. While I like the album a lot and it will probably grow on me even more, there's just some sadness surrounding it, it's the product of an ageing band that has really tried this time and it well shows but...
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01. Psychological
This is exactly like the instrumental white label 12'' version with Neil singing on top. There's not much of a song structure, Neil sings the same few melody lines on top and the synth riff is more or less a reply to his singing. The phrasing is similar to a nursery rhyme, it's all a bit weird and creepy. The backing track is immaculately produced and while there's not much of a song otherwise, it really works and sets up the album vibe quite nicely. In fact, I'd say it's a better album opener compared to God Willing. 7/10
02.The Sodom and Gomorrah Show
Contrary to what some reviews and the title suggests, this is not a Hi-NRG disco stomper or particularly epic sounding, if you count out the big-ish intro. It's a bit 60's with hints of glam rock then it goes a bit b'side-y or like something off Robbie Williams' first album. I don't really understand why this has been raved about so much, it just doesn't feel special at all. I guess the chorus is supposed to be uplifting and catchy and it's not bad by any means, it's just that it feels like a spectacularly produced re-write of I Didn't Get Where I Am Today. I also oppose to the use of the lyric 'where angels fear to tread', that should have stayed on Discoteca. 6/10
03.I made my excuses and left
As has been previously reported, this has a very long intro with a sample going 'I'm all alone again, I'm all alone', not too dissimilar to Moby's 'Why does my heart feel so bad'. The cello riff follows the same melody then there's a break and Neil starts singing over a really, really sad tune. While it doesn't have an obvious chorus, it's by far not one long verse as it has enough musical parts and is quite elaborately written. The title is then followed by the cello riff. This is really beautiful. 9/10
04.Minimal
This is seriously good. Production is amazing, lovely synth bits and guitar strums. The chorus is a bit chirpy and the tune is generally a bit like Blue by Eiffel 65 (shock! horror! etc.). I don't think this would have worked as a lead single, while it's really good, I'm With Stupid seems to be the correct choice. The often mentioned New Order bit is indeed very, very much like New Order then it's followed by big strings and pizzicato violins. 9/10
05.Numb
People will probably generally dislike this because it does sound like something Aerosmith would sing but...Neil's vocal works and he sings like he genuinely means it et al. The orchestra/production is again, fantastic, without being massive. It sort of manages to compliment the song without being annoyingly huge and for the sake of it. Musically, it's just like the Diane Warren demo. I personally like this both musically and the particular PSB version of it. 8/10
06.God willing
Whatever
07.Luna Park
This is probably my least favourite track of the album. There are elements of it that I quite like but what works as a chorus, I find very, very weak. The whole thing is a bit Beatley musically. In typical PSB-trying-to-make-a-tune-less-dull, there's a middle bit that doesn't really go anywhere. 4/10
08.I'm with Stupid
Everyone's heard this already. It was the correct choice as a lead single. 9/10
09.Casanova in Hell
This is cute and quite alright overall, it's a bit like Hey Headmaster/The View From Your Balcony and again sounds a bit 60's to me then the middle break goes all Phil Spector. Not bad. 6/10
10.Twentieth Century
It's the return of The Chord Change, God bless. Yeap, PSB are back using the SAW classic chord change, not used in a PSB tune since New York City Boy. This has an octave bassline and it's again, quite alright, but nothing spectacular. There's a guitar break later for some reason then it's back to something not a lot different from something off Neon Nights by Dannii Minogue. OK, I suppose 6/10
11.Indefinite leave to remain
Last of the ballads, mix of guitars and electronics, wouldn't have been out of place from Release although it's arguably better produced. A bit bland. 5/10
12.Integral
It's been raved about, it's been hyped, it's everyone's favourite, it's the best tune in the world ever TM, oh my f*** GOODDDD etc. But is it actually any good? Well, it is. It's exactly like Bodies Without Organs only bigger and has some fab robot bits. The riff sounds a lot like the chorus from Let's All Chant and there are some fantastic string stabs during the middle break. It does have the strongest chorus and all but...it sounds very, very 1994 which while works alright for me, I can't see this becoming the hit it would have been at the time. It has huge novelty value and that's its biggest chance of making any chart impact so it can go either way, there's an off chance it might become a huge hit single or it'll just be another #12 or so.. Here's hoping. 9/10
Overall, there's nothing on the album that's appallingly bad as a lot of Bilingual/Nightlife and well, nearly all of Release were but, it doesn't seem to have something spectacularly brilliant either. While there's nothing here that I dislike and most of the tunes seem to be instantly likeable, it doesn't seem to have any tunes that I would eventually rate among the best PSB have ever done.
It's just all well, very nice and as Chris said, it sounds expensive and Trevor Horn has produced everything to death without bouldozing over the actual songs. There's just something missing here and except from Integral and I'm With Stupid, there are no other obvious singles, even Minimal which is among the highlights of the album wouldn't work and it was a wise move to change it.
So...it's not a bad PSB album at all and it will be generally liked by the fanbase but...if you're waiting for something up there with the classics, well, you will be slightly disappointed. While I like the album a lot and it will probably grow on me even more, there's just some sadness surrounding it, it's the product of an ageing band that has really tried this time and it well shows but...
