Excellent Re-Issue!....not so excellent packaging!
David Tiberi | Canada | 06/05/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"this, their fourth and final cd, is their swansong to their music history. I feel that this album was underrated by the critics and some fans as well. True the album did feel a little disjointed, but I think it was because the whole group was involved with this album, which is usually Ted and Jade. This re issue sounds terrific, and the bonus remixes are a nice touch...alas again the somewhat flimsy "digipack" is not so hot, you have to handle the disc with the utmost care...my advice is to rip this, and the other cds from the BOL collection to your Mp3 player, and hard drive....NO SHARING PLEASE!!!...and keep your cds in mint shape, as well as these "digipacks"....."
BOL or SOL
A. J. BOOTON | Colorado, USA | 08/26/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wow. Although I subscribe to several alt music magazines and get my weekly EW, I was not aware of these releases until quite recently when BOL sent out an email flyer about their NY gig to promote the reissues. Any re-release is a "good" release in my opinion; it brings awareness to new collecters and music enthusiasts. Not to mention the material is re-mastered; 'loud' isn't always for the better, I don't have to turn the music level on my iPod higher when listening to these newer BOL releases.
I do agree with some reviewers, the packaging could have been better, with a booklet showcasing all of the LP artwork; singles; etcetera; the historical write-up for all four reissues is informative and fantastic though. At least the Amazon track listing is correct for this album. I remember back in-the-day giving up entirely on another BOL album until I walked into my local independent music store and ran straight into a wall-sized poster of the album cover. I felt the album itself was grossly overlooked by reviewers and fans; I thought the mixed potpourri of different, although distinctive, BOL songs were excellent. Seriously, the only song I skip on the album, dare I say, is "Boy Pop"; several songs even had the darker over and undertones of their earlier work, and others like "Trouble In A Bubble" I thought for sure would be a single.
For the fourth BOL album, already running quite long, really got robbed of some fantastic mixes and "rarities"; the later BOL merchandise is still quite easy and cheap to find on CD, although, not mastered. The last two BOL releases, as well as "Lullaby", should also have contained a second, supplement disc of extras. The version of "Hunny Hunny" (Tribal Rock Mix), much like the darker, more playful version of "Alice Everyday" (Sam The Butcher Mix) is sorely missed from this track listing; I believe the "Hunny Hunny" (Radio Remix) was heavily guitared down to be more listener friendly to the moodier music of the day. The CD single should be hunted down for the "Tribal Rock Mix" track alone and the plethora of "Chatterbox" mixes found on it.
Had I been in charge of this reissue and disc compilation, here's what the extended track listing or additional disc listing would have been; maybe an iTunes Playlist:
Disc 2:
01. Hunny Hunny (Radio Remix)
02. Chatterbox Pt.2 (Late Nite Chat Edit)
03. Boy Pop (Extended Radio Mix)
04. Hunny Hunny (Sweet & Sticky Edit)
05. Chatterbox Pt.2 (Translator Mix)
06. Hunny Hunny (Tribal Rock Mix)
07. Boy Pop (... various other mixes)
Extremely excited about these reissues and ANY BOL release."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1