Search - Fixx :: Ink

EARLY 90's CLASSIC

Carl Mack | Palm Springs, CA United States | 05/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When the Fixx get down to it, they can really write heartfelt songs that are classics. I never have understood why they are so universally dismissed by critics. For all intensive purposes this was thier swansong and what a way to go out. Propulsive, energetic and very well produced, there a a truckload of classic tunes here. My personal favorites are "How Much Is Enough", "Falling in Love", "Yesterday/Today", All The Best Things", and "Climb the Hill". If you want some creative, meaningful, and exciting music, give this one a try."

Low Point for a Great Band

Doggymcnuggets | Bedford, IN USA | 06/05/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The Fixx is a very underrated and misunderstood band. They are often considered a new wave synth band, and while ample synths flesh out and compliment the sound on their albums, what really makes them shine is their great instrumental work on bass and guitar and the vocals of Cy Curnin. Guitarist Jaime West-Oram in particular is incredible, playing a diverse array of understated but beautiful and complex rhythm guitar parts that are really what distinguish the Fixx sound. All of that said, this is definitely the low point for the Fixx, primarily because the songwriting is so inferior to that of previous and subsequent releases. The band's other albums are marked by strong melody that may be instantly accessible or uncovered more slowly through repeated listens, but this album simply doesn't have any standout songs. It barely has any second rate tunes. Production is an issue too. Gone is the dark tension, the paranoid edginess, the quirky & groovy (listen to the bass work on their other releases) atmosphere, replaced by a rather bland mainstream pop feel that doesn't work for a band with as much talent and distinct craftsmanship as the Fixx. I love this band and strongly recommend early works like Reach the Beach and Phantoms. They are 80s albums that stand out for great musicianship, creative production, and strong songs. Those albums still sound really fresh and rich and I find them as mesmerizing now as when they were released. Even later albums like Elemental are strong, showing the band able to recover from this mid-career phase well. Check those albums out and leave this one to die-hard fans and completists only."

This Disc Should Have Been A Bigger Success

D. Machita | Durham, NC United States | 07/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While this disc was not a smashing commercial success, it was a superior effort by The Fixx. I lost this disc sometime ago and thought I'd never find it again. Thankfully, I found it on Amazon. The Fixx always managed a sort of quirky sound, Ink seemed less odd and more radio friendly. Then again, radio play is one of those eternal mysteries."