Mike76

As usual, too much on the table: some interesting jazz improvisations, a bit of nonsense (the interventions of Suzy Creamcheese), some inevitable parodic doo-wop duds, modern classical not too far from Ligeti... anyway, despite all the flaws, it's the best album of Frank that I've heard so far, although a further “streamlining” of tracks would have been welcome.

Sure, maybe Vortex exaggerates in saying that he wouldn’t trade the 77-79 Italian period for the English one, but I actually wouldn't trade this album for a "Ha! Ha! Ha!" with which it shares various similarities: there’s the same "desire for the future," there’s plenty of "new," but it doesn’t turn its back on old rock like many Wavers would later do, resulting in a crossover of rock 'n' roll guitars + synth-kraut that still sounds surprising (especially regarding Chrisma, who blend better in the mix). The influence of Neu! along with Ultravox! didn’t really go beyond punctuation, whereas here it’s more evident in the circular and "mechanical" rhythms of many tracks. "Chinese Restaurant" was released in December 1977, just two months after Ultravox!’s second LP, but listening to them feels like two years have passed; the sound of the Italo-Swiss combo surpasses the commendable punk-glam of Foxx and company in modernity and foresight. "Black Silk Stocking" is insane, a proto-techno-dark kind of track, "Wanderlust" at times seems to even foreshadow the “disaffected” punk of The Fall, "Lola" is pure Bowian decadent romanticism to the core, but with a hint of “Mediterranean-ness” thanks to the Spanish-style acoustic guitar, "C-Rock" somewhat resembles Devo, who debuted that very year. All in all, it’s an album that has aged well and, despite being 35 years old, remains fresher and more creative than much of the neo-New Wave dross from the 2000s. Rating 4+

3.5

Certainly a valid album, very "funk" I would say, surely superior in inspiration and originality to what came later when the Cabs began to become plasticized and standardized. According to Richard H. Kirk, this is a double EP that marked a turning point in their career, and you can feel it; however, I still prefer their earlier, more experimental and iconoclastic works.

A review that misses the mark at least twice, leading one to think that if it’s true that Berlusconism has caused damage, then anti-Berlusconism has done equally as much. First of all, there’s a lack of analysis of the film (which the reviewer actually liked!), and the evaluation is based on the character Checco Zalone. Then, there are many media-psycho-social-political ramblings suggesting that the comedian promotes ignorance, superficiality, and the moral misery of today’s Italy, when he is actually doing the exact opposite. How can one think that the ignorant, inept, privileged, overweight thirty-something who flaunts an old Porsche (from the 80s and running on LPG) thinking he’s cool, who scorns any unattractive woman, who snubs friendship, and who spends the entire night on Facebook, represents a model to imitate for anyone? It seems clear to me that he’s poking fun at certain behaviors prevalent in the country (and not just those of the terùn).
Prefacing that I only know Zalone from this film and a television appearance (I’ve always snubbed Zelig), for me, this is an entertaining comedy that leverages a light yet successful social satire (as someone has already pointed out, it’s akin to the early Fantozzis), and from a certain point of view, it’s also courageous because it’s known that when Islam is brought into the discussion, there are always troubles to face.

Is there no one on this page who mentions the cover of "Lovesong" by The Cure? Well... the album, even though the pop-white-black-soul-blues-gospel-m elodic style is not my favorite genre, is not bad at all; elegant and proper little songs, nice voice. Maybe, like many others, one listen is enough, but for mainstream standards, it's a luxury (which is quite something). I might have preferred a few songs with a stronger rhythm like "Rumour Has It" and a bit less of the old-style blues like "One And Only," but that's how it is.

Hats off to the truly well-written review, but I can’t agree that this record is “light-years away from commercial intentions.” In short: “Follow The Leaders” is undeniably danceable, and the rhythm of “Tension” has a touch of “My Sharona” by the Knack. I’d also tread lightly when calling this album “experimental.” Perhaps only “Butcher” and “Who Told You How” truly deserve that label; the rest of the album's sound is really nothing new because the powerful tribal drumming, the dry, metallic guitars (not metallish, mind you!) and the pulsating bass have been heard elsewhere for quite some time, maybe from Adam & The Ants, Siouxsie & The Banshees, or Joy Division. One could argue that Killing Joke combines all these ingredients for the first time, creating a formula that will be widely plundered by batcave and various darkwave acts. I say all this without diminishing this disc at all, which I find very successful, perhaps even better than the heavily promoted debut. While it’s true there’s little that’s truly unheard, it’s also true that the KJ don’t misstep in any arrangement; everything seems perfect—mature, cohesive, polished sound, and even Coleman’s voice (which I personally don’t find very charismatic) shines well here in the background, resonating like a distant call. In the end, it’s an album perfectly balanced between accessibility and harshness, enjoyable throughout its duration without the missteps of the first chapter (for someone, “Requiem” is an anthem; for me, it’s kinda rubbish: a slowed-down hard rock with a Cabaret Voltaire-like synth awkwardly thrown in just to look cool). The only flaw is the excessive length of almost all the tracks, as they develop without major variations from start to finish; a trim here and there wouldn’t have hurt.

I'm going round in circles.

It's a shame I couldn't see the second and third films of the Death Trilogy.

A pleasant and enjoyable review to read, but I can't digest the album; as someone mentioned earlier: a "formalistic" work (which for me falls into mannerism), in short, it feels like an exercise in style. Just as I get bored listening to Malmsteen's lengthy solos, I get bored listening to the river of solos from Zappa's session musicians. At this point, I’d prefer the more clownish and disheveled Franco; here it seems he took himself too seriously. The only part I salvage is the "twisted" sax section in "Gumbo Variations."