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Looking for something danceable, a bit flashy but with style? Beneath the indigestible veneer formed by cheap starlets and old, overdone divas beyond all good taste and ridiculousness, the current pop scene offers many enticing options, and among those that stand out the most for originality and quality of proposal are Chromeo, a curious Canadian-flagged duo consisting of keyboardist Patrick Gemayel and singer-guitarist Dave Macklovitch, known in the art as P-Thugg and Dave 1, respectively; they humorously self-define as the only case of a successful Arab-Jewish collaboration in history; I don't know if that’s true as they claim, but you can't deny that these electrofunk standard-bearers know their stuff: only three albums published from 2004 to date suggest a desire to do things well, without succumbing to the rules and frenzied rhythms of the show-business, and this may have closed the door to massive success despite their recognized status as pillars of their genre and various more or less prestigious collaborations.
It’s important to note that Chromeo’s is not just club music, it’s excellent pop, refined and creative: clear evidence that with ingredients like synthesizers, electronic bases, samples, vocoders, and other trendy artifices, it’s possible to create something truly fun, positive, and enjoyable to listen to, not just plastic and trash; the debut "She's In Control," dated 2004, remains the most inspired example of Chromeo-style. "Needy Girl", a successful single elsewhere but not in our area, showcases Dave 1's crystal-clear vocal class, whose spoken/sung style adds a touch of class to the whole record and a pulsating rhythm base absolutely perfect, expertly enhanced with synth touches and some scratch, a song that in its genre borders on perfection, but that's not all. The album offers several variations on the theme, such as "Woman Friend", which in sound vaguely recalls the old Motown school, with a futuristic touch given by Dave 1's voice modified to sound a bit thinner and higher than normal, a kind of bizarre helium effect, the robotic and wavering "Way Too Much" or a "Mercury Tears" bordering on a certain psychedelic effect. "Rage!" presents itself as the closest to a rather "bossy" R'n'B style, if it weren't for an unexpected far-out and over-the-top chorus, which once again uses vocal effects with great style, while "Destination: Overdrive" showcases interesting rock contaminations with quite edgy drums and guitars, which perfectly contrast with a fluid base.
In the "She's In Control" roster, the proposals most strictly dancefloor-oriented are "Ah Oui Comme Ca", which in its progress vaguely recalls the classic "Le Freak" by Chic, revisited in a minimal key and enriched by very atmospheric synth layers, and the fun funky groove of "You're So Gangsta", where the voice is well replaced by a sax. However, the top is the fantastic "Me & My Man", with a hypnotic and obsessive base of clear new wave lineage and a mantra-like chorus that also serves as a programmatic manifesto alternating with an almost hip-hop bridge with very futuristic-tasting keyboards, a splendid crossing of styles and a great example of class and creativity, qualities Dave 1 and P-Thugg have in abundance, and that have led them to develop their own rich, interesting, well-defined, and recognizable sound. Chromeo's electrofunk is something very fun, fun and stylish, ideal for a casual and alternative listen; abstain from backward trombones and fifteen-year-old rockers, this record mocks preconceptions and mental hurdles, it's simply great music, enjoy it!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Me & My Man (04:19)
[Intro x2]
This is the new sound.
We came to get down.
Our name is Chromeo
And we are in control.
Have you ever felt this way?
Felt the need to get away?
Well i have. (yeah)
When the world is out to get you
And you're friends are all against you
and you're sad.
So what do you say?
[Chorus x2]
I wanna get away
From the problems of the world today.
Me and my man on a plane
Fly away to a better place.
I want to, I need to
Fly away when they are out to get you.
You want it, you need it.
Look inside and you will find that feeling.
(Hey) My heart is made of stone.
My soul is made of songs.
My girl is on the phone
But i want to be left alone.
(Hey) It's just this side of me.
You think it's irony.
I wish you tried to see
That I need someone to set me free.
[Chorus x2]
Shoobey, doo-wop.
Shoobey, doo-wop.
Shoobey, doo-wop.
Shoobey, doo-wop.
[Intro x2]
And we are in control.
And we are in control.
And we are in control.
And we are in control.
[Chorus x2]
04 Woman Friend (03:46)
Gonna take my time, gonna make you my woman
Friend.
Gonna make you mine, cause I don't want this love to
End.
[Chorus]
I don't know where I would be
If you're not right here with me.
As my woman friend, you're my woman friend.
As my woman friend, baby you're my woman friend.
(Rah!)
Gonna take my time, gonna make you my woman
Friend.
Gonna make you mine, cause I don't want this love to
End.
[Chorus x2]
05 Destination: Overdrive (03:55)
Moving at the speed of ray beams
Cause slowing down is bad luck.
Make the wrong decision,
You'll be left out in the cold.
[Chorus]
Destination rhythm nation living life in overdrive.
Liberation proclamation do you wanna join the ride?
Uh, oww.
Uh, oww.
No if and buts or maybes
Cause there is no tomorrow.
We fight for fame and fortune
Before we get too old.
[Chorus]
Destination rhythm nation time is now.
Overdrive we vocalize our brand new lifestyle.
Liberate no time to waste before we fade away
Cause tomorrow is too late to fight for a better day.
[Chorus]
06 Rage! (04:34)
You always told me you wanted something more,
I couldn't give you what you were looking for.
Is that a reason to stab me in the back?
Now tell me baby what you think about that.
Is it revenge? Is it a sin?
Is that the way you treat your mother-fucking friend?
I'm just saying, I do no wrong,
I just felt like writing this song.
[CHORUS x2]
Rage! You got me in a state of rage.
I've been acting kind of strange!
I don't know how else to behave.
You say you're sorry, you say that you still care,
Deep down you're mad, you think I did my share.
If so, we're fair, to put the blame on me,
You made a mistake, now surely can't you see?
Are you just selfish, or do you wanna be free?
You have your ways and I can't tell you how to be.
You have your morals, and you know what's right from wrong,
I just hope you hear the lyrics to this song.
[CHORUS x2]
Is it you, is it me? Is it worth the agony?
What do I do when I wake up but face reality?
Another friend, tell me when this is gonna end,
I can't go through another day thinking that we could fade away.
You always told me you wanted something more,
I couldn't give you what you were looking for.
Is that a reason to stab me in the back?
Now tell me baby what you think about that.
Is it revenge? Is it a sin?
Is that the way you treat your mother-fucking friend?
I'm just saying, I do no wrong,
I just felt like writing this song.
[CHORUS(repeated)]
09 Mercury Tears (04:01)
I dont want to be with anybody at all
I dont want to be seen with anybody at all
The world is much to big for me to handle alone
But I dont want no friends, I want to stay on my own
The planets turning but I cant stand still
The clock is ticking but I cant stop time
And all I want is to be by myself
Do you think thats a crime
11 She'z n Control (03:14)
She's in control, she holds my soul.
That wicked woman's got me by the balls.
Nowhere to run, nowhere to go.
Her love has got me at her beck and call.
She's in control, she holds my soul.
That wicked woman's acting out of line.
She wants to fight, argues all the time.
I try to run but there's nowhere to hide.
I feel she takes me on a merry-go-round
When she's nice to me in front of her friends.
But when they're gone and there's no one around,
That's exactly when the madness begins.
[Repeat twice]
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