Search - Fantastic Plastic Machine :: Too

Another good time

A. Hukal | Oceanside, CA USA | 07/29/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"i own all of FPM's cds and this is a great addition to his discography. my only --minor-- complaint is a couple of the tracks get awfully repetitive. the most egregious example: "king of pleasures" repeats the chorus about a zillion times before moving on in what is otherwise a bouncy, feel-good track. nevertheless, this cd is overall an absolute joy to listen to on a sunny summer day. also note that this cd is copy-protected and may not play on some machines, esp. in your computer's cd-rom."

Good, but not great.

Steward Willons | Illinois | 05/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Probably the biggest question surrounding Fantastic Plastic Machine's fourth album, Too, is, `is it worth $45?' It depends entirely on what aspects of FPM one enjoys. Personally, I enjoy the Shibuya-Kei aspects (e.g. lounge music, bossa nova and samba, and French pop) more than Tomoyuki Tanaka's growing fascination with American pop and disco. To an extent, these elements have always been present. However, they are much more pronounced in Too, easily Tanaka's most "American" sounding album to date.



I tend to favor the tracks that feature kitschy lounge samples, bossa and samba grooves, and a mix of languages (Honolulu, Calcutta, Todos Os Desejos, L'Aventure Fantastique, and others). These elements seem to be almost completely gone in Too. You can still find Tanaka's signature sound amidst the disco infused "Reaching for the Stars" or "The King of Pleasure". However, nearly all the stylistic features that set FPM apart from other dance/electronic groups are strangely missing.



The album is a logical progression from "Take Me to the Disco", but none of the tracks on Too can match it. Overall, it's still a Fantastic Plastic Machine album and it's still good fun. It's a lot more creative than the glut of indiscriminate dance music being released today and it's a shame that no American labels have picked up the rights. That said, $45 is a lot for a CD and, unless you are a die-hard FPM fan, this album is non-essential. It's good, but not great. If the price drops, definitely pick it up. As it stands though, it's way overpriced for such unremarkable music. I don't need FPM to constantly reinvent their sound, nor do I want it to stay as it was. I would have been happy with more of the same, but I'm not digging the new direction.



My recommendation is that you pick up the first three albums first. If "Take Me to the Disco" is your favorite track, you'll probably find at least three songs on this disc that you like. Too is a solid effort, but doesn't capture Tanaka's wit which made the previous albums essential listening."

Pretty Damn good

Jeannie Jeannie | paris, honolulu direct | 01/30/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yu never know what you are gonna get with this group. I know nothing about them. Just heard the name here and there... found good songs on others' compilations. Thats it. but here we are with TOO. its nice. its rhythm without one gram of overwhelm. just a good balance of groove and smooth. :)"