Search - And One :: Virgin Superstar

Amazing!

Mark A. McCarthy | Portland, OR United States | 04/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard "Panzermensch" on my favorite Internet radio industrial/EBM station, and then again at the Bat Cave in NY, and that song alone is worth the price of the CD. It is sheer dance floor pandemonium in Goth/industrial clubs, and is right up there with the likes of Covenant's "Dead Stars" and Din_Fiv's "We Are" as far as working the dance floor into a frenzy. Virgin Superstar is my first And One album, and I was really surprised by how talented and polished this band is. Diverse is almost an understatement for Virgin Superstar, and each song is unique and different. While Panzermensch is a natural industrial/EBM anthem, most of the rest of the album reminds me more of a cross between retro synth-poppy 80's bands like ABC, Heaven 17, Shriekback, and Depeche Mode, and even a sad but beautiful ballad called "Mr. Jenka" which has hints of Frank Sinatra and Seal, and really demonstrates the talent and gorgeous, deep, Rammstein-like voice of the vocalist. It has been a long time since I bought a CD that I like all the way through. If you are expecting hardcore industrial, Panzermensch is not a good song to set your expectations by for the rest of the CD. But if you are looking for solid, unique, meaningful synthpop that will cause people to constantly ask you, "who is this?", do yourself a favor and buy this immediately."

Five stars...and one!

Azurestrangelove | Upstate NY, USA | 02/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"German synth-pop never sounded so good. Ultra catchy club friendly synth anthems with a unique sound that blends the modern, more aggressive sounds of EBM with shimmering pop songs that could have easily been classified as remastered 80's dance tracks. 'You don't love me anymore' could have easily been a chart topping hit by 80's groups like Duran Duran, Real Life, or Alphaville. 'My story' sounds divinely like a Pet Shop Boys song. But make no mistake, there is nothing 'dated' or 'cheesy' about these songs. You'll stomp your feet to the infectiously addictive 'Wasted' which is about the corruptions of plastic surgery. Or 'Wet Spot' a very modern sounding electronic song with a female vocal singing about finding sexual fulfillment..without anyone else's help. Or 'Goodbye Germany' which has a baseline reminiscent of VNV Nation. The bottom line...If you like dancable melodic synthpop that you'll feel almost forced to dance AND sing along to, this is perfect. You should be able to find it new from one of the amazon.com merchants for about half of the retail price of this import if it is too much for your budget. Take it from a die hard Depeche Mode fan with VERY picky taste when it comes to other synth bands. You will NOT be disappointed."

Synthpop Music for the Masses

Tycho2001 | NJ, USA | 04/09/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"And One is honestly a group in whom I had only half hearted interest. Until now. Earlier efforts such as I.S.T. and Nordhausen seem less focused. However this record is wonderful. It's part Pet Shop Boys, part Depeche Mode, part KMFDM and part Madonna. It is all of these things and more. The first three songs are a dreamy disco synthpop trilogy, while "Goodbye Germany" and "Wet Spot" bridge the gap to "Panzer Mensch," which turns the tone to a more industrial dance stomp similar to their well known club hit "Technoman." "My Story" swings it back to the feel of the beginning of the record and is currently my favorite song on the record. The record continues at this pace to the closer, a slow, sweet sounding ballad calld Mr. Jenka.In the past, I've liked individual songs by And One, however this one works as an album. With Virgin Superstar, And One could be poised to break big, and I don't just mean on a small scale. This album is also the reason I have decided to show up earlier to the Covenant show tonight (And One is playing the bill with them.)"