Hodgepodge Femmes (sans Femmes soul)

Review Score: (6/10)
Actually, I give it three and three-quarters stars!

For some reason the personalities of the Violent Femmes band members are produced right out of this album. What you have left is a collection of Femmes' songs without the character of the band members. You get the ingeniously sloppy instrumentation and witty and wonderful lyrics but you don't get them! It's like the Femmes with very little of their soul--which is why "Machine" may be an appropriate title for this collection. It is indeed the Violent Femmes Machine at work again. But where are the guys? The songs hold up alright individually, but as the album lacks the presence of the members and no central theme to hold the songs together, listener fatigue becomes a factor.

"Don't Start Me on the Liquor" is a masterful, classic full-power old-time-blues-influenced tune which, after being cranked up about ten times, stays inside you forever.

"New Times" starts "Good morning. Good morning" and as it is the title cut, I can't understand why it doesn't begin the album. Did they think "Don't Start Me on the Liquor" was going to be a hit single? Great lyrics about modern life and lots of shifts of direction. They even sound like "Yes" in the jam!

"Breaking Up" didn't sustain my interest for many listenings. Vocals are interesting and the band really cuts loose in the middle, but somehow the song just lost steam for me.

"Key of 2" retained my interest, though. A great rocker set in a prison about a prison band...

"4 Seasons" sounds like a throw-away tune brought back to life. The Femmes using a sound effector to create the guitar's sound is apparent on this track, adding to the "Machine" feel. Did they bypass the amp altogether? That should be a Femmes no-no!

"Machine" is interesting in its complete diversion from the typical Femmes direction. All drum machines and repetition. Again my interest waned after several listenings. I would however, love an acoustic jamming version or a feedback-laden electric guitar dominated version of this song. But the Femmes in a Box I just don't go for. Gordon, are you out there?

"I'm Nothing" is a made-for-the-live-acoustic-set Gordon Gano solo effort. Shoud have done "Machine" like this!

"When Everyone is Happy" (but me) is a typical G.G. as loser song. A nice little ballad but not great.

Agamemnon is a great jamming number with an incredible climax. I just hate the chorus! It sounds like something written for a cartoon theme song (and not well at that)!

"This Island Life" is really a nice little song. But it's as if the production is totally lacking depth or texture. It sounds like digital recording at its most heartless. Is it just me?

"I Saw You in the Crowd" is my personal favorite--a rocking, nasty, carnal number with some insane lyrics. I'd buy this CD just to add this song to my Violent Femmes collection.

"Mirror Mirror" doesn't appeal to me. Imagine the Femmes meet Disney. I think it just repeats too much.

"Jesus of Rio" is a classic Femmes tune. Unusual connection of ideas, atypical instrumentation, a build to a climax... Everything you would expect in a masterpiece. And a fitting end to an album--but too bad the whole album doesn't build to this moment.

In conclusion, if you're a Femmes "collector" you'll need some of the songs on this CD. As a whole, it's just lacking personality and direction. Let's hope the Femmes INFUSE their future releases with that one-of-a-kind Femmes character and retain the texture and soul of music not taken over by machines!

More Reviews:

• Took time to realize this is one of their best
• First song was great, but what happend then???
• An album proving that first impressions can be quite wrong
• Nothing special but still classic Femmes.
• Violent Femmes go industrial.
• Sometimes, a change of pace is good.
• Ugly, UGLY, UGLY!
• interesting . . . veeerrryy interesting
• For True Femmes Fans,