The Bee Gees

High Civilization

Too Much Techno Production...

Review Score:

(6/10)
Coming off the wonderful 1989 "ONE" album The BeeGees enter the 90's self producing a collection of songs that scream for a REAL DRUMMER! The whole feel of it is just too antiseptic. Also, the songs all very long and a lot is just synth stuff

I've never been a fan of programming so I did have a hard time with this album. There are songs on here that I absolutely LOVE though! This album came out in 1991 and made it to #24 on the UK Charts, but never appeared as far as I can tell on the US ones.

HIGH CIVILIZATION: Like it. Good driving (but programmed) beat and a interesting song subject. A bit long @ 5:47. Robin Gibb sounds great. (5:47)

SECRET LOVE: Big hit in the UK (#5) and a nice singalonger. Reminds me of their early stuff. The drum track though...Oooch. (3:43)

WHEN HE'S GONE: Great rocker with a wonderful Alan Kendall solo that ends it. The drums are heavier which really helps. Once again Robin Gibb sounds great. (5:59)

HAPPY EVER AFTER: I hear this song to this day in some shopping centers. It has a nice melody line and I like it. (6:17)

PARTY WITH NO NAME: Ermm...no. (4:54)

GHOST TRAIN: Just...odd. It's like the most experimental song I ever heard them do. But the chorus is great and the ending with the sounds of children playing and then laughter and the slamming of the door and Barry Gibb proclaiming "Right," just kept me interested enough to put it on my "YES" list. (6:05!)

DIMENSIONS: Ermm....no. (5:28)

THE ONLY LOVE: Wonderful. A bit over-produced but the way the verses and chorus come together knocks it firmly up there on my list of favorite BeeGees ballads. (5:37)

HUMAN SACRIFICE: Ermm...again...no. (5:43)

TRUE CONFESSIONS: No. (5:16)

EVOLUTION: No. (5:40)

The last three are absolute strikeouts to me. But there's enough good stuff here that I liked. They would to a bit better (to me) in 1993 with "SIZE ISN'T EVERYTHING."

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