IAMX
Volatile Times

Correct assertions:

A) This is a zzot review!

B) Great singers know how to sing: everything else is fashion.

C) There are great singers who sing "badly".

D) Assertions B) and C) are not contradictory.

E) It has been widely demonstrated that to "make music" you don't need to know how to play an instrument.

F) Assertion E) does not absolve the lack of (real) talent of most musicians (whether they can play an instrument or not).

G) Of all the previous assertions, apart from A), I have been sure since 1986.

H) The "record" DeDataBase of DeBaser has been frozen since 2009 (it should be updated).

I) The group under review is called "IAMX" not "I am X"

J) IAMX together with Lamb is my favorite group as of today.

K) I am not free from mistakes, so the concept of "correct" is not absolute.

I know I've been bothering you with Chris Corner (tenth review: congratulations!) but I'll be brief: "Volatile Times" brings nothing new to the universe of our (elegant union between synthetic music and "acoustic" inserts with ample "Dream Pop" nods to Cocteau Twins and "electrodark" to Depeche Mode), not even the fact that this is an extremely "dark and sad" album (so was "Kiss+Swallow") indicates a change. The only real difference is that it is essentially without "hammers": more in search of melody rather than rhythm.

A treacherous work that forces you to stay "inside" (wherever you are, even yourself), an album where Corner's vocal chords' dramatic abilities go to town. An album that contains a song like "Oh, Beautiful Town" (piece of the year)... there, I've said it all.

Mo.