Search - Moby, Gwen Stefani :: Southside / Ain't Never Learned / Sun Never Stops

Here we are now...

Devin DiMattia | North Carolina, USA | 03/12/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know why I wanted to purchase this album. "South Side" was not one of my favorite songs off of "Play" and I don't really feel the need to purchase singles. I'm not a DJ looking for new, fresh beats to play at a local dance club. I'm not someone who likes listening to every single remix of a certain song.I guess the reasons I bought this item was because Gwen Stefani's vocals and Moby's additional mixing of the song improved it a great deal and because I was anxious to hear these B-sides since most of the people that reviewed this album loved them. Let me give you a run-down of each track:1. South Side (Remix f/Gwen Stefani) -- The version you've heard on the radio and seen on TV. This is the full version. The version on the two-track single is an edit. Don't buy the two-track if you want a good bargain. Buy this instead.2. South Side (Hybrid Dishing Pump Remix f/Gwen Stefani) -- This remix is kinda nice and has some funky extras. The people that made this mix sure had a lot of bells and whistles to choose from. My one complaint is that these remixes are all over 8 minutes long. I got kinda tired of this song about 5 minutes through.3. South Side (Album Version) -- If you have "Play", you know what this sounds like. Just Moby singing and no additional mixing.4. South Side (Pete Heller Park Lane Vocal) -- The longest track on the album and frankly, the most boring. Hopefully, I'll enjoy it more with repeated listenings like some of these other reviewers. It takes a while and it only uses minimal parts of the original song.5. Ain't Never Learned -- A really weird Moby b-side, but it's still good. You can only get this song here (and on the "Tomb Raider" soundtrack).6. South Side (Hybrid Dishing Pump Instrumental Remix) -- Oooookay, I paid for three remixes of "South Side". Instead, I got two and this. This is basically Track 2 without any vocals. Surprisingly, I think it's better. Moby included this version on his Megamix on the Play DVD.7. The Sun Never Stops Setting -- This track makes up for any other setbacks this single might have. It is one of the most relaxing and meditative tracks by Moby. It sounds inspired by Vangelis, the music composer for Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner. It has the feel of a song you might hear at the end of a movie. It's a shame that you can't hear it here. Maybe you could download it or something...If you really want to purchase a version of "South Side" with Gwen Stefani, purchase this Maxi version. I don't know why anyone would want to buy the two-track single when, for only a few bucks more more, you get three (I mean, two and a half) remixes and two awesome B-sides. Definitley worth the money.(P.S. The cover art is different on my copy. On Amazon, there's a white arrow and a blue background. On mine, there's a drawing of a dinosaur and a orange background. I purchased mine at a retail store, so it may just differ from place to place. ..."

Pretty good song, and oh, those B-sides!

deephymn | Fort Collins, CO USA | 12/29/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have always felt that "South Side" has had among the most pop radio potential of any of the songs on Moby's album _Play_, yet it lacked a certain edge. Gwen Stefani gives it that edge. As a diehard Moby fan long familiar with the original album version, the addition of her vocals took a little getting used to. But now I am convinced that the Gwen Stefani collaboration is the better version. She harmonizes very well with Moby. For good measure, both versions are included on this CD.The Hybrid Dishing Pump Remix is good -- Hybrid's standard fare. Compared to the street-level feel of the original and single versions, this mix has a grand, expansive air. As the music builds, the interplay between the voices of Gwen and Moby is adeptly showcased. When they sing "love and darkness and my sidearm", an especially lovely harmony is achieved. The remix goes on to sound like a mellowed-out version of "Kill City" set to the tune of "South Side".At first, I was not at all keen on the Pete Heller Park Lane Vocal. It is simplistic and the beat is rather bass-heavy. My sentiment improved with subsequent listens. The synth loop, bassline, and phasing effects are pleasant. Think of it as sunny day urban music (to borrow an adjective from Anthony Stokes' review).The B-sides make this single really worthwhile. "Ain't Never Learned" brings back that classic _Early Underground_ flavor that has been missing in Moby's recent endeavors. Turn it up and you may find yourself dancing like mad. Fans of Moby's early techno music will recognize and appreciate the song structure, but this track is dry and not accessible to everyone, so YMMV. I enjoy this track more each time I hear it. Note that this is one of the B-sides *not* included on _Play: The B-Sides_, so it has some collectible value."The Sun Never Stops Setting" finishes out this and _Play: The B-Sides_. It is simple, soft, bouncy, and wonderful. It has a cinematic quality that is perfectly suited for the ending of a movie (before and during the end credits). I only wish it didn't fade out, so the feeling could be savored longer."

Gwen's Great, but Remixes So-So

Anthony Stokes | Riverside, CA USA | 12/13/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Being a die-hard Moby fan, I had to get the maxi-single as well as the regular two track single. One nice thing about this single is that track 1 is the longer version of South Side with Gwen Stefani. The version on the regular single has an edit whihc cuts out some of the intro (check out my review there on my opinion of Gwen's added vocals: I love them!). Track 2 is a mediocre remix of South Side. It has Moby and Gwen's vocals and speeds up the song and stretches out the song. As for its sound, think Groove Armada on a bad day.Track is 3 is the album version of South Side, itself not a bad song. Track 4 is a remix of South Side with only Moby's vocals. It has a very urban sound to it. It's not as dramatic as the Hybrid mix, but has intresting phasing effects on Moby's vocals.Track 5 is a B-side, Ain't Never Learned. It has a lot of the old Moby feel, being kinda ambient and definitely experimental. The one vocal phrase may annoy some.Track 6 is the instrumental version of track 2, and odd enough sounds better than the version with vocals. Track 7 is a B-Side, The Sun Never Stops Setting. It's a very mellow, soothing track and is a sharp contrast to everything else on the maxi-single. It sounds like something Vangelis might do (remember Blade Runner?).Overall, the single is worth the price, especially for the first track. However, the remixes aren't up to the quality I've heard on practically all my other Moby singles."