Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Album Review:
Glass Candy - B/E/A/T/B/O/X



Grade: 80%

(Italians Do It Better, 2007)







My notorious pre-concert boozing has cost me over the years. Sure it's saved me some cash at overpriced venue bars, but I've missed out on some incredible opening acts (maybe THAT'S why I couldn't offer much input regarding that whole Upstaged! post Ryan did). Lately I've wised up, and started dragging in to shows earlier. I'm thrilled I did for November's Architecture in Helsinki show, or I would have missed Glass Candy.

B/E/A/T/B/O/X isn't what you would call a "real" album. It's a tour-only CD. Still, give this a listen and you'll wonder what the band is concocting for their next LP. You'll also wonder why the critics haven't looked too kindly on Glass Candy's previous outings. Maybe that's because they've had such high hopes for them. Apparently, when the Italians Do It Better compilation was released earlier this year to moderate acclaim, some said Glass Candy were outdone by their labelmates (upstaged, if you like). Maybe I don't know enough about New Wave/Italo dance to speak intelligently on this matter, or maybe I was so wowed by Ida No's austere live presence, but I have to disagree. Take a whirl with "Digital Versicolor," "Beautific," or "Rollin' Down the Hill," and get ready to dance like it's New Year's 2007. Wait...

Real album or no, B/E/A/T/B/O/X proves Glass Candy has staying power. And, dare I say, "soul power"?

2 comments:

The Moon said...

"You'll also wonder why the critics haven't looked too kindly on Glass Candy's previous outings."

Oooo... have you listened to any of their older work? Cuz the majority of it is pretty bad!

I remember I downloading "Love Love Love" quite a while back after hearing something about these guys and deleting it after listening to it just once! In fact, I almost didn't even get this album becuz of my first experience with them... now I will say I am very glad I gave them another chance, this record is great, but it wouldn't be a stretch to say they have come a LONG way.

SonicRyan said...

I've never heard any recorded versions of old songs, but they killed when I saw them at the Replay in May of '05.