Search - Dead Or Alive :: Fragile: 2000 Remixes

"Fragile" is fierce...

Andrew J. Yarrows | New York, NY | 11/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"...if not unsurprising. Dead or Alive has made a habit in the last ten years of repackaging old material as new and throwing in a few new gems to make the whole thing look a little prettier. While not unheard of elsewhere in pop music, there seems to be no sign of them putting a stop to this trend, as evidenced on "Fragile," their new (or should I say *half* new?) release."Fragile" contains several new songs which are almost all excellent and in the usual Pete Burns/DOA style of over-the-top camp mixed with vocal brutality, set to a thunderous techno pop beat. I say "several new songs" because the rest of the album is filled up by remixes of old DOA favorites, some of them at least partly re-recorded. Most of these tracks sound new and exciting (particularly "Lover Come Back To Me") while a few of them (like the uninspired remix of "Turn Around and Count 2 Ten" and the millionth remix of "You Spin Me Round," which at this point should just be retired by DOA so that it doesn't turn up on any future albums) are a snooze.The new material is what really matters. "Isn't It a Pity," Pete's big F.O to his critics, is highly amusing and very inventive sounding compared to what DOA has done in the past. "I Paralyze" is ferocious and "Hit and Run Lover" is an instant DOA classic.A few of the supposed "new" tracks actually aren't very new, however. "Even Better Than the Real Thing 2000" is actually identical to the version which appeared on the "I Will Follow U" tribute album to U2, released by Cleopatra Records in 1999 (a label which DOA has since abandoned, I believe). I find it strange that they wouldn't also throw in "Pop Life" from the Prince "Party of the Times" tribute album Cleopatra did last year, and "Why's It So Hard?" from the "Virgin Voices" Madonna tribute on the same label. It would have added two additional "new" tracks and made for a more "fresh" experience over all, even if these songs have been sitting around elsewhere for 12 or more months.Fans will recall a similar incident with 1991's "Fan the Flame p.1", which DOA salvaged several tunes from in order to fill in the blanks on "Nukleopatra" 5 years later. Well, at least they're stealing from themselves!While the new material on "Fragile" seems highly similar to the "Nukleopatra" album in terms of sound and style, there are differences of note. It seems obvious that the boys are experimenting with new styles ("Isn't It a Pity" and "I Promised Myself" being the most obvious examples) and that's refreshing. But why Pete insists on including yet another "You Spin Me..." mix on this album when he claims to hate the song so much is beyond me. By now most people no longer care about it sounding "new" because everyone loves the old one anyway!Final verdict: Not as good as "Nukleopatra," over all, but close. Consider it an E.P. with some bonus tracks which are just remixes of old hits. But somehow I don't think that's what they are going for...Next time, let's hope for something totally new."

ALIVE AGAIN

Andrew J. Yarrows | 01/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"WHAT A FANTASTIC CD. THE NEW MATERIAL RANKS UP THERE WITH THE NUDE/YOUTHQUAKE CD'S. THIS CD IS A MUST FOR ANY DOA FAN. THE WHOLE CD IS PUMPING WITH ENERGY, CAMP AND THAT EDGE ONLY PETE BURNS CAN DELIVER. MY FAVORITES ARE HIT AND RUN LOVER(GREAT DANCE TRACK),ISN'T IT A PITY(100% CAMP)AND JUST WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED(FUN TRACK). ALL THE REMAKES ARE GREAT(I LOVE WHAT THEY,VE DONE TO TURN AROUND AND COUNT TO TEN, LOVER COME BACK TO ME AND EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL THING) EXCEPT FOR BLUE CHRISTMAS WHICH WAS REALLY BAD THE FIRST TIME AROUND. IN THE FUTURE I HOPE THEY RELEASE A CD WITH ALL NEW MATERIAL, HOWEVER YOU WON'T FEEL CHEATED IF YOU BUY THIS ONE NOW."

Proper Pop for Folks Who Like To Dance

Gregory Deglas | Seoul Korea (South) | 11/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Comprising one cover tune, four new songs and seven remixes of previously released material, Fragile is good (sometimes excellent) dance pop. The newer songs are solid, catchy, energetic, carefully produced and they will take up semi-permanent residence in your head: Hit and Run Lover feels like a ride on a merry-go-round, with a see-saw synth line threading through Pete Burns' melodramatic done-me-wrong tale. I Paralyze ups the stakes, crammed with burping, bleeping layers of gotta-dance sound. Isn't It a Pity is a much more simple affair, with Burns singing about his image over a sparse Space Invaders soundtrack. Just What I Always Wanted has some simple lyrics and an even simpler chorus (desire is pretty straightforward, after all), but it's repetitiveness will grow on you. Finally, I Promised Myself is a hefty slice of Euro-cheese so stinky it'll brings a tear to your eye: it's magnificent! (As for the remixes, each inspires all manner of reactions in those who listen to them -- you'll love 'em or you'll leave 'em -- that's what the buttons on your sound system were made for!) Buy this! You'll be drawn back to Fragile over and over again, guaranteed!"