New Noise Fan Review

[Onket]

[urban_futuristic]

OK... so was asked to write a fan review, so here goes: (BTW... I have no shortage of words, so sorry if it's a bit lengthy!)

I would like to start out by saying that upon first listen, I had this nagging feeling that I had heard this album before… even looking at the tracklisting made me squirm a little – knowing that a lot of the songs were VE era… but it didn’t take long for me to realise that this was indeed a Pop Will Eat Itself album – good & proper!
It also didn’t take me too long to realise that essentially half the album consists of songs that were originally on the Sonic Noise Byte download & therefore songs that were written by the original PWEI line-up… and they’re only the songs that we KNOW were written by the original members!
I also dug out my original CD burn of the Sonic Noise Byte and found the original text that was included with the download:
“RADIO PWEI has intercepted a ten minute mono un-produced sonic noise-byte from the garage and attic sessions currently being recorded for future PWEI PRODUCT”.

Pretty much says it all really!

TRACK BY TRACK:
Back 2 Business
Short & sweet intro piece in the vein of TITD…, CFS & TLOTL – there is a piano sample most clearly heard toward the end of the track which is very reminiscent of the piano used in Clint’s “PiR2” track – is this Graham’s “nod” to Clint or was it also a part of the original Sonic Noise Byte era tracks?

Chaos & Mayhem
A good indication of the whole album in terms of it being a “grower” – the more I hear it, the more I love it!
I posted the video link to my Facebook page yesterday & had my metal / rock loving brother-in-law comment saying “Not bad” – dunno if that’s a good or a bad thing!

Nosebleeder Turbo TV
Brilliant stabbing guitars, electronic noise & kick-arse live drumming – this certainly has come a long way since the SNB days – but still manages to hold true to that same sound.

Captain Plastic
RSVP opening sample has gone, but the Clint Mansell vocal sample of “Here we go now” from the original SNB seems to have stayed (or am I wrong?!).
Shaping up to be one of my favourites from the album… & sounds very true to PWEI style.
Makes me think that the liner notes will unveil some interesting writing, vocal & appearance credits.

Mask
Hasn’t changed too much from the VE version, but just sounds less “polished” & more “real”.
Think some good remixes could come of this one…

Equal Zero
The opening of this track is a fucking CRACKER… I can’t wait to see this one live!
I was originally a bit disappointed with the lyric change from Retro Dreaming to this, but after more listens I understand why… the new lyrics are a lot more “now” rather than “retro” – “we want spend spend then don’t want recession, we don’t want chumps, we don’t want suckers, we don’t want pimps, no sly mother-fuckers” – pure gold!
Easily the stand-out track of the album for me – would love to see this as a single with some kick-arse remixes from the likes of Trent Reznor, KMFDM & Chemical Brothers.

Oldskool Cool
Again still holding on to its original VE sound, but fuller & more “finished” than the VE mix – Mary Bykers vocals certainly fit nicely with Grahams…
Was a bit disappointed as the “Don’t push me cause I’m close to the edge” line has been changed to just “Don’t push me” – I liked the original irreverence of that line, but figure Grandmaster Flash might have wanted some cash for it.

Seek & Destroy
Solid, beatsy & catchy… still very familiar (in keeping with the VE version), but essentially more PWEI sounding than VE (if that makes any sense).
I think I am now beginning to hear this album as a PWEI album as a lot of this material was originally intended & not a VE album (which is definitely a good thing!)

Disguise
Blinding, smashing, cracking, stabby metal / industrial sounding guitars & kick arse drums – this song is (in certain parts) what I imagined the PWEI of 1996 would have sounded like (if produced by Trent Reznor & actually saw the light of day).
Gotta love the “A multi-identity, a Cure for Sanity” line (nice reference to the past)

Wasted (Part 1)
I was probably least impressed by this track on VLVE, however this slightly tweaked version has grabbed me by the balls & I can’t help but sing along now – vocally sounding very old school punk (almost “Pretty Vacant”-esque), yet musically “in the now” - part of me can't help but wish Clint had done a guest vocal spot similar to "Demon", but you can't have everything I guess!

Wasted (Part 2)
Perfectly chilled down version of the previous track & yet is so different that it could be an entirely different song!
This the perfect ending to this perfect example of the relentless & unstoppable juggernaut that the future PWEI has the potential to be!

All in all, it takes a few listens, but I truly think "New Noise" sits nicely alongside the other PWEI albums as a proper PWEI album... there will always be haters for this new version of the band, but this man is a convert!
I, like a lot of other PWEI fans will miss Clint, Adam, Rich & Fuzz, but this album stays true to the “PWEI Legacy” and very much leaves you wanting more & wondering about the next album & what direction it will take.

[Ugly Goblin Boy]

"Disguise" is killing me right now. I love the bass sound, it reminds me so much of old school Cure/Sisters Of Mercy/Fields Of The Nephilim... But with a healthy dose of PWEI! I thought I would like this album much less than I actually do; falling into that apologist territory that happens when you're a fan.

And... GUITAR SOLOS ('ish)!!!

[bronxzoo]

[bronxzoo]

just listened to the preview on amazon, not sure, i'm now not as excited as i was, i love vlve and from what i can hear the songs don't sound as good, but this is from only hearing a small snippet of each tune, i liked the fact that vive was going back to the more "dance y" sound of titd/cure, this sounds a bit more "industrial" as in ddma, (don't get me wrong, i like industrial music, just not from the poppies) hope i am wrong, i will still go and buy it, and i`m still going to the gigs, and w.t.f have they done to retro!!!!

[payback3000]

Yes - RETRO / ZERO is very controversial!

The VLVE songs sound miles better in the flesh...I played the old versions along side and they sound like demos in comparison.

[nomorefakereunions]

It's 8/11ths a remix/rework of the VE album : it's a fine record, thankfully doesn't sound as busy and overdubbed as VLVE, and is clearly not the absolute original PWEI, but it's an excellent imitation. My fears that it wouldn't sound like PWEI are soothed - but what it does sound like is PWEI after a lineup change.

[bronxzoo]

right..... my review, track by track and with a pop (a pwei tune) and a not (not a pwei tune) rating system

back
good keyboard riff at the start, but then a slow dark and dull tune, not a good start
NOT

chaos
i really like this, good upbeat tune, would be great for jumping around in an indy club, but it's not a pwei song
NOT

nosebleeder
this has come on big time from vive, so much fuller, this would fit straight on TLOTL, the first proper poppies tune
POP

captain
i like this, a fun song that harks back to the poppies of old
POP

mask
not much dif from vive, but more of a "band" sound, and i love the wonky keyboard bits in it
POP

equal
this is the one i have a problem with, i know if i had not heard retro, i would love this, it has everything you want from a poppies tune, upbeat, power, you can dance to it, BUT! retro was the stand out tune on SNB, EDD and VLVE, i'm just going to think of this as a remix
POP

oldskool
not much has changed from vive, a few more guitars, more of a band sound
POP

seek
same as above, though marys vocals seem a bit odd in the mix
POP

disguise
the poppies do goth, eerm.... i like the song, but i think i should of been given to killing joke or someone like that, very out of place
NOT

wasted 1
much the same as vive, though mary is trying to sound like john lydon
POP

wasted 2
good chilled tune, much the same as vive
POP

every day
i like the start, a bit golden claw, then it goes wrong, very sludgy mix, processed vocals, just bad, this is a good song on EDD, this is not
NOT

over all i like it, a few out of place songs, not enough samples, not the greatest mix on earth and the production is so so, but as a come back.... it's good, i'm looking forward to the live shows now

[bokorugro]

not usually one for remixes but i would like to see prodigy do a remix of nosebleeder