Search - Richard O'Brien :: Shock Treatment: The Original Sound Track

Musically holds up much better than Rocky

Michael Hightower | Front Royal, Va. | 09/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Due to the sheer nature of -why- this album exists it will always be rated against the soundtrack to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. However, it is nearly impossible to separate Rocky the Score from Rocky the Phenomenon. If an attempt is made to independently view the scores to both, Shock Treatment comes ahead as the more fully realized and compelling work.



First off, this album has a number of real gems that transcend just the film. "Bitchin' In the Kitchen," for instance, comes across as an early-Tubes song, replete with the lost-in-suburbia feel of that band's first album. Backed up with a light and percolating arrangement, this song comes across as a creepy assessment of suburban life--perhaps the point of the film.



This is followed with the excellent "In My Own Way." Jessica Harper's voice is excellent on this track, the muted production maintaining the plastic-y feel of the movie to good effect.



One of the highlights of the album is "Farley's Song." Surprisingly powerful, Cliff de Young's vocals are both menacing and slick at the same time. The chorus uses what was happening in the punk movement at the same time as using slick production to subtly reveal the menace of powerful corporate types.



The other track of note is "Lullaby," a surprisingly sweet, yet still twisted tune. Personally, I play this song on the banjo all the time--it works great in that context. Basically, I love this song.



A few tracks don't quite work ("Me of Me", "Looking for Trade"), but some of the other songs are ebullient while still backed up with the seedy feel of the best on this album ("Little Black Dress", "Duel Duet").



So, this album deserves more attention than it has gotten--the songs are, for the most part, terrific. Additionally, they successfully did what a lot of artists at the time were trying to do (e.g., Steely Dan, Devo); Recontextualizing known music forms to illustrate a sinister world. Heck, if you like the way the song Blue Velvet was used in Lynch's film of the same name, you may love this soundtrack.



"

Pure, Hokey Fun

John Adams | Fort Lauderdale, Florida United States | 05/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sure maybe it's not "Les Miserables," or even "The Music Man," for that matter. But nevertheless "Shock Treatment" Is one of the few musical gems that you either love or hate. This review is coming from someone who loves it. Upon my times performing "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at The Carefree Theater The stories that in which were told about "Shock Treatment" were almost legendary. How the fans either loved it or hated it. And isn't that the cryings of a true work of art when something isn't loved by everyone. Well "Shock Treatment" is a fine example of that. Let's just get one thing straight. Shock treatment is the equal NOT the sequel. It's basically "The Continuing Adventures of Brad and Janet" The story is invariably over-the-top. The story of seduction, revenge, jealousy, and mental hygiene.When you look deep down there's alot to this story. with this CD Richard O'Brien's tunes in this musical are truly masterful cause he obviously made them deliberately hokey. Beginning with the silly wholesomeness of "Denton U.S.A.," the delightful bigotry of "Thank God I'm a Man," and even an interesting confrontation number which has both of Cliff DeYoung's characters facing off against each other in "Duel, Duet." Basically if the people could look at "Shock Treatment" from a more artistic point of view, then they would be able to see the beauty of it that I myself see."

Undeterrated Gems

Brent Evans | Rockhampton, Australia | 09/13/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When the critcs and "suppposed" die hard Rocky fans finished mauling SHOCK TREATMENT,it was predicted that the film and it's soundtrack would crawl away to die.Well,I'm happy to say that it has stayed the course and has gained an equal cult following as it's big brother(sister?).For uniniated the film is the continuing adventures of Brad and Janet in a television studio land(DENTON-THE HOME OF HAPPINESS).A lot of pot shots are taken at:soap operas,mental health,rock videos,Good Morning America programmes,suburban life and fashion.The originator of these barbed stings,Richard O'Brien,shows us plenty of examples of what made Rocky Horror so good.THANK GOD I"M A MAN,LITTLE BLACK DRESS,SHOCK TREATMENT,DENTON U.S.A and CARTE BLANCHE show a sharp lyrical wit that is sorely lacking in today's musical industry.If it's straight out rock you want,check out ME OF ME,BREAKING OUT,LOOKING FOR TRADE,and DUEL DUET.Jessica Harper proves her dominance over Susan Sarandon on such tracks as:ME OF ME,LOOKING FOR TRADE,IN MY OWN WAY and BITCHIN' IN THE KITCHEN.Cliff De Young is a nice surprise vocally as Brad.So,give this album(and the film)a second look before confining it to oblivion.Long live Richard O'Brien!"