Search - Broadcast :: Noise Made By People

Mmmmmm....Broadcast

Paul H. | USA | 09/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Noise Made By People is what good "retro" (for lack of a better term) music should sound like. The fact is, it sounds like a lost 60's pop record rather than a 60's pop throwback obviously made in the modern era. Broadcast's debut has a richer and more diverse platter of sounds than their still-in-print sophomore record Ha Ha Sound, and the best moments on The Noise Made By People recall the best of The United States Of America and Stereolab. Trish Kennan's voice is lovely and wraps elequently around pop gems like "Come On Let's Go," "Papercuts," and "Unchanging Window." My heart belongs to "Echo's Answer" though, an exercise in minimalism that's absolutely gorgeous and captivating. Mistakenly labeled as "electronica," probably only because it's been released on Warp and Tommy Boy, The Noise Made By People is a modern day psych-pop/jazz/lounge classic, like Stereolab minus the kraut-rock fixation."

Very strong debut-will be a classic

emvb | SEATTLE | 05/20/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"THE NOISE MADE BY PEOPLE IS A HAUNTING UNIQUE HARD TO CLASSIFY DEBUT FROM AN ENGLISH 5 PIECE WHO COMBINE 60S MOD AND PSYCHEDLIA WITH ELECTRONIC-KRAUTROCK AND DOWNTEMPO POP. THIS RECORD IS THE FIRST FULL LENGTH (MINUS THE WORK NONWORK COMP OF EARLY EPS) AND SUCCEEDS BY BEING UNCONCERNED WITH ANY ATTEMPT AT BEING COMMERCIAL OR WITH WRITING A RADIOHIT. ODDLY IT BEARS A STRANGE RESEMBLANCE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA(A RARE LATE 60S GROUP WHO RELEASED ONE SOLE RECORD WHICH IS NOW OBSCURE CULT CLASSIC AND WORTH EVERY DIME-AT TIMES ITS EERIE HOW MUCH BROADCAST RESEMBLE THEM. THEY ALSO POSSESS BITS OF PORTISHEAD AND STEREOLAB- BUT SOUND STRANGER AND MORE EXPERIMENTAL. THE FEMALE LEAD VOCALS ARE FLOATY PETULA CLARK IN STYLE-(SEE CMON LETS GO AND PAPERCUTS) THE PRODUCTION IS STELLAR-COMBINING LOWFI AESTHETICS-FUZZY DISTORTED TONES-WARM KEYBOARDS AND ODD SOUND EFFECTS BUT IN A MODERN AND POLISHED SOUND( BUT NOT OVERPRODUCED)! ITS REALLY A FINE TUNED MIX THAT IS ONE OF A KIND. THE WHOLE RECORD HAS A TIMELESSNESS(AS IF IT CANT BE PLACED IN ANY PARTICULAR YEAR OR GENRE.)-ALWAYS A DIFFICULT THING TO DO! ITS NOW OUT OF PRINT AND WILL BE REMEMBERED IN TIME AS ANOTHER LOST CLASSIC! THE FOLLOWUP(HA HA SOUND) IS GOOD BUT IS MORE OR LESS A PALE IMITATION OF THIS FINE DEBUT. SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY ON EBAY TO PICK THIS ONE UP- ITS ALL YOU WILL NEED! ONE OF THE BETTER RELEASES IN RECENT MEMORY IF NOT JUST FOR THE STRIKING ORIGINALITY( THOUGH IT DOES SEEM THE USA ALBUM MUST HAVE BEEN IN THEIR RECORD COLLECTIONS. A SLOW MOODY INTERESTING TRIP DOWN THE FUTURE PAST!! ESSENTIAL"