ALOTOCB - Readers Reactions / Reviews!

[dave_van_damn]

Just gave it a listen on the way to work.

Quick review - AWESOME and FUCKING NOIZZZZY!

Slightly more detailed review - I've only listened to it once but my first impression is that this would have been a killer album had it seen the light of day. Obviously, it's very industrial but it feels like a natural progression from DDMA. I had my doubts about it after reading some negative comments here but I think that mindset helped me appreciate it more than some others who were excitedly expecting an amazing album. The guitar work on the album is fantastic, some monster riffs and tones.

Musically the songs flow nicely and visit some interesting places - I thought without Crabbi that the songs wouldn't be that good but actually it seems Clint is quite good at writing songs (who'd have thought that?!). Also, I really like the synth work and guitar effects - the whole ablum is very textured and there are many surprises that pop out when you least expect.

I think if Crabbi had been involved to flesh out some of the lyrics it would have been one of their best albums. As it stands I think its MUCH better than DDMA and maybe even a bit better than TLOTL *runs and hides*.

But then again, that's just my first impression......

ps. SAMPLE SPOTTED! The beat from My Bloody Valnetine's "Soon" is chopped up on 'Out of Darkness'. That's 2 times PWEI have sampled that song.

Edit - some of the guitar work/tones and I guess overall industrial 'sound' reminds me a lot of the music from the Dreamcast version of Quake III Arena if anyone else is sad enough to still play that game every now and then...

[The_LHC]

[saneman]

Okay, just had my first run through of this record. I've come straight here to talk about it as I have to say I'm really quite surprised how good it is. I mean, it was bound to be pretty good - even without Graham it is still Poppies right? After all I've read though - and I've not gone all through this thread to be honest - I was expecting it to be a bit patchy and incomplete. Sure there are parts that sound a bit rough around the edges but actually I like that about it. It's a good old fashioned dark electronics album with a cheeky distorted punk vibe which is totally up my street.
It did seem to trail off a bit toward the end (Big Green Head would be my least liked track) but then those strings kick in to finish it off and now I just want to start it from the beginning again.
Just as a disclaimer though I am a relatively new fan (signed up around '93) so Dos Dedos is kind of my era and I do come from the (post)industrial/goth/techno/rock end of things so the style of it is maybe more to my liking than to others.
So yes - well impressed. Maybe I'm just a bit overexcited but I can't help feel a touch sad that it's been downplayed as a bunch of old demos when it feels like a bit more than that.

[dave_van_damn]

[RolexTharsus]

Don't think anyone's playing it down too much about the incomplete/ demo nature of a few tracks, just think that if the band had seen this through to a finished album it would be very different in places.

Given it a few more listens & still enjoying most of it Out of Darkness... probably my favourite now.

[saneman]

Speaking of the samples - the only one I recognised straight away was Exercise One by Joy Division in the first track and possible to a lesser extent in later tracks too.

Saying about Big Green Head - I think this is actually a good example, in my opinion, of the record sounding incomplete. It is a good riff. The song is pretty much there, but it seems like it lacks something to back it all up.

Just saw the suggestion here about a gig combining Graham's PWEI V2 and then '96 band. I like the sound of that. It is a great regret that I missed the reformation shows - looking at youtube it seems they still had what it takes. Surely 3 or 4 shows wouldn't be too much to ask?

[Sneakerbeater]

While we are on the sample spotting the chemical brothers leave home is used on a couple of tracks

1-800-outsider has a bass lick sampled for the sabres of paradise mix
Talent plus attitude equals dollars samples the beat from the terror drums mix

[dave_van_damn]

Hangman samples the beat from Beastie Boys' 3 minute Rule which is actually a sample of 'Feel Good' by Fancy.

[Phil]

After having finally got my copy I have to say its pretty good stuff, perhaps if Crabbi had still been onboard some of the weaker tracks could have been replaced/improved (I wont name the ones Im less keen on, its all subjective after all). All in all Im left with a sort of depressed feeling as its a glimpse of what could have been, for the band and us all. The late 90s with PWEI featuring on the global stage would've been a damn sight better then they actually were and if they'd never split up the following years would've been much better.

Shame.

[bronxzoo]

i just think when you look at the prodg and nin and how big they are now, the poppies would of been huge going by this.........