Search - Soviet, Spray, Ganymede :: Nobody's Diary: A Tribute to Yazoo

Very Mediocre At Best

D. Hansen | UT | 06/11/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I'm just an average Yaz fan who thought this CD would combine the best of Yaz and the best of the current synthpop scene. I've listened to most of the album twice now (once the whole way through) and I have to say I was disappointed. The album starts off slow and most of these songs aren't even as good as the originals which says a lot considering how tough it is to screw up good songs (something that is believeable if you've heard more than one of the Depeche Mode tribute CDs in existance). As far as the tracks go I really only thought that about 5 songs on here were remarkable and I had to get seven tracks into the CD before any of the bands really did something with a track. (When I say "Do Something" I mean that they did more than just re-perform the song, they took a Yaz song and made it theirs.) I mean Vivid Suspense's cover of Winter Kills sounded great. A slow song put to an up tempo beat. It sounded like Yaz but only in a new way. It also has a few tracks that I was surprised anyone would really put on a CD someone would pay for like Marianne Nowottny's cover of "I Before E Except After C" and Macando's cover of "And On" which soundsed like it was performed on a Casio keyboard picked up from a garage sale. All in all I felt like I'd wasted my money despite a few good tracks. If you are the ultimate Yaz fan, like practically anything synthpop or you have money to throw away then this CD is for you."

Forgettable...

John A. Bolsar | New York City | 07/30/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I was one of the lucky winners to nab this CD via a recent internet contest. I'm a big fan of Yazoo, Vince Clarke, and synthpop in general. There have been scores of tribute albums released in recent years. Unfortunately, there's nothing on this disc to make it stand out from any of the others crowding the Various Artist section of your local record store. It starts off well enough: "Winter Kills" by Science Park is quite good. Beyond that, the record is a testament to mediocrity. Vince Clarke is a strong songwriter, and it's hard to mess up any of his songs, regardless of how you reinterpret them. None of the artists on this package "ruin" the songs per se...they just don't add anything to them. The originals are already great, so why would I settle for a pale imitation? These artists might have fared better covering Vince Clarke songs from his early days with Depeche Mode. However, Yazoo featured the amazing vocals of Alison Moyet, and most singers cannot live up to her standard of quality.I love synthpop, but my problem with most of the current bands is always the vocals. Classic 1980s synthpop had quality songwriting, innovative keyboard sounds and unique vocals. Most of these "new" bands are fronted by tinny-voiced tenors with no range, no personality...sure, they sing on key, but most of the vocalists are interchangeable. "Only You" by Electrosquad and "Nobody's Diary" by Exhibition are decent enough, but "Situation" by Brain Garden lacks any sort of immediacy...this is strictly paint by numbers. Vocalist Allison Mayer drifts through the song as if reciting numbers from a phone book. I'm sorry, but the original has too much "kick" and energy...this version simply falls flat. At least Marianne Nowottny attempts some sort of "song overhaul" with "I Before E Except After C," but again, I can't see myself grabbing this CD to listen to it when I already own "Upstairs At Eric's."Fans of modern synthpop bands will probably enjoy this CD. However, I'm simply not sold on it. The "new wave" of synthpop bands should work on innovation, originality, and hiring unique vocalists. Without these traits, the genre will not grow. I had similar views on Ninthwave's tribute to OMD last year...a bunch of people with synthesizers recording tributes in their bedrooms. There's nothing wrong with the DIY ethic of home recording...but by championing mediocrity, the music you make may never go farther than those bedroom walls."

A trip back to the 80's memory lane

John A. Bolsar | 07/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a really nice collection of cover songs done by modern synthpop band's that take you back to the 80's memory lane. At times you will think that you are actually listening to Yazoo. The only difference is that each band uses their own signature and style keeping it very unique and interesting. The music is tender, sweet, melodic, infectious and quite catchy. Don't be suprised if you find yourself singing a long to the songs. So, don't put off picking up this cover album because there's not many out there of this calibur. Fan's of Erasure and other analog synthpop should also pick this one up."