IDM Mailing Archive

Ofter I see people putting down Cabaret Voltaire's excellent music because of the vocals. The CD people most love to hate seems to be 'Groovy, laidback and nasty', followed by 'Body and Soul'. Bollocks. These are good records, and I enjoy the simplicity of the lyrics. Much like NewOrder when they sing what appears to be complete rubbish ('I think you are a pig/you should be in a zoo'). Although I think that RHKirk's solo stuff is fantastic, but there's no need to dismiss Cabaret Voltaire's work just because Mal's singing on it. /S/ "Do right. Go to church. Always work" - Sensoria End of Message

quoted 4 lines Ofter I see people putting down Cabaret Voltaire's excellent

>Ofter I see people putting down Cabaret Voltaire's excellent >music because of the vocals. The CD people most love to hate >seems to be 'Groovy, laidback and nasty', followed by 'Body and >Soul'.

Oh pshaw. The reason people hate the vocals on 'Groovy...' is because Mal tries to *sing* which is not something he should ever do. He's no Sinatra, and it shows. 'Colours,' from about the same period, fares much better in the vocal-integration department, largely because someone must have pointed out to Mal that he can't carry a tune! C. -- cspot@hyperreal.com (Chris.Hilker) "I feel like I'm being electrocuted."

quoted 5 lines seems to be 'Groovy, laidback and nasty', followed by 'Body and

> >seems to be 'Groovy, laidback and nasty', followed by 'Body and > >Soul'. > > Oh pshaw. The reason people hate the vocals on 'Groovy...' is because > Mal tries to *sing* which is not something he should ever do. He's no

I was rather taken aback when I first heard _Groovy_. Like many records made for major labels using outside producers, this record turned out to be something different than the artist's original idea. cf. the EP which accompanied some copies of the vinyl; Western Works mixes on 7"/12". _Groovy_ has gotten better with the distance of time. I still imagine what a collaboration between Adrian Sherwood and Cabaret Voltaire would have sounded like if it had been an ONUSound recording instead of an EMI release. Imagine _The Arm of the Lord_ run through Sherwoods mangling machine... would've been glorious.

Think I can understand the angle you are approaching this from. _Groovy_ is an awkward transitional point between the Industrial phase and the IDM phase. _Code_ is a polished closing point for the industrial hip-hop-ish phase. The production with Adrian Sherwood was surprisingly clean (might say too clean). The stregths of both are in sound manipulation and distortion. Again, cf. 12" mixes. EMI. The material is more approachable in many ways, but with the loss of some personality. On Wed, 25 Oct 1995 intone@warwick.net wrote:

quoted 6 lines "Groovy" is the only CV work my wife can stand. It also stands up to

> "Groovy" is the only CV work my wife can stand. It also stands up to > repeated listenings. I still rank #2 behind _Code_ > > Paul Rafanello > >