Search - Joy Electric :: The White Songbook: Legacy, Vol. 1

Ronnie kills the competition with his tetris soundtrack

elDuendeVerde | 04/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is phenomenal. I have been following JE's discography with bemusement for the past several years, but i never really considered myself a fan. My sister has "Robot Rock" and "Christian Songs" and I found the music interesting, but not something I'd ever consider buying; the whole "electronica" thing just really isn't my cup of tea; i'm a fan of acts like ZAO, Simon & Garfunkel, and Marilyn Manson. But there was always something about JE's music that was better than other electronic stuff.When my roommate got the "Unelectric" album, i found that JE is a whole lot more than just the novelty act I had always tagged them as. Hearing the songs on "real" instruments (albeit synthesized strings and drums...) I realized that the songs themselves were incredibly structured. With my newfound respect for JE's music, I went back and listened to my sister's JE albums and found them to be really good...the whole Nintendo feel of the synthesizers even grew on me.When this album came out I downloaded two of the songs and was blown away. I figured if those were the only two songs that were any good on the album, then it would still be worth the purchase. There is not a single bum song on the album. Not only that, but every song on here is completely different and is wonderfully done. It's got haunting songs ("Shepherds of the Northern Pastures," "And Without Help We Perish"), it's got nostalgic songs ("Unicornicopia," "Sing Once for Me") and it's got balls-to-the-walls rockers ("We are Rock," "New Pirate Traditional"). An incredible album and the purely synthesized instrumentation only adds to the atmosphere. By far JE's best album and my favorite album of 2001."

The Legacy Begins...

Chelsea Lewis | CA United States | 05/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Joy Electric's growth as a group has gone through many evolutions and albums, but always sticks to the core pop synth sound. Legacy Vol. 1: The White Songbook is the first of an upcoming "Legacy" series of albums. The new album is an excellent one, with some of the same old sounds and some new ones. The opening track is a melancholy melody, with a narrator telling a story that seems to be a complex fairy tale, but when you look at the lyrics, it makes little sense and is slightly confusing. The tracks vary from the slower, darker tune "And Without Help We Perish" to the "punk without guitar" song "A New Pirate Traditional." I love his darker stuff, and this album has a little more of that than his previous ones. The only one that comes close with the slower, brooding tracks is Robot Rock. Those songs show he's not just a bubblegum pop guy. The numerous tracks showcase Ronnie Martin's ability and talent for songwriting, music arrangement and composing the tracks. His songs go beyond simple pop melodies, easy to see after hearing the songs a couple times and reading the lyrics. There is a deeper meaning to them, although the exact meaning is rather debatable and lets the listener come up with their own conclusions. One of the best Joy Electric albums, it's a must have for any previous fan and anyone wanting to expand their collection to include an insightful, multi-faceted work."