Style: experimental, techno, new wave
Label: Victory Records
Year: 2010
Home: Seattle, Washington
Members: wiL Francis ~ vocals
Nick Wiggins, Kenneth Fletcher ~ n/a
Amazon buyers give this album horrible reviews, but I liked it. Don't know exactly what that says as I also dislike the new Ozzy album which people are raving about. But, maybe it's because I can't compare it to any other work by wiL Francis, either the previous album under his alias William Control or with his band Aiden, as it's in comparison that it seems to get bad reviews. On one hand it's very simple with techno beats that could be from the Pet Shop Boys grittier stuff and talky story-telling lyrics (i.e. "All Due Restraint"), which aren't exactly the most thrilling music. But, then you get a haunting acoustic guitar playing "Can't Help Falling In Love", a highlight of the album that I was shocked to see a recent issue of Outburn completely ignore, though I didn't recognize the album they described in their review either though they did like it. This is a really a composers album, or an artist expressing something. This is not a commercial release for mass consumption, nor is necessary a listener's album. Sometimes both things can co-exist, but it's a fragile balance. I'm reminded of Ziggy Stardust in that it is very similar & for the most part balances. This is artsy and experimental and does indeed have a film-noir feeling. It's interesting. It's not a hard rock album, per say, though it does have it's rockin' ... moments. The songs do get a bit overly repetitive and sound-alike so by the end of the album you've heard everything, including Elvis, at least twice, but that either means you'll like it all or hate it all. Perhaps this isn't his best release, agreeing with Amazon buyers, but as an introduction I'm not turned away. The lyrics are also very interesting and really the highlight of the album with their mini-stories. Though, agreeing with Amazon buyers, the one weak point is a couple rap moments, though I don't know if it's rap or just some black guy trying to rap but really just talking, on the otherwise interesting "Why Dance With The Devil When You Have Me". And, I have nothing against rap, either.
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