Search - Assemblage 23 :: Addendum

Three Easily-Missed Examples of Importation Bliss

TastyBabySyndrome | "Daddy Dagon's Daycare" - Proud Sponsor of the Lit | 01/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While I'm not a fan of remix albums, I do find myself gravitating toward anything that Tom Shear's Assemblage 23 moniker decides to throw toward the thresholds of consumerism. Accordingly, I decided that this album, mostly comprised of remixes, needed to join me because it had some different sounds and because of the three gems concealed within its pricey imported confines. Normally my consumption-based ambitions don't congregate in such needy packs like this, but Assemblage 23's last three releases (Contempt and Failure before this and then Defiance afterward) dictate that I do so and, happily enough, I'll have to say that the songs merited the purchase I made.Taking steps to traverse plateaus outside the momentous boundaries of Failure, these three new additions all have calling cards of their own, each keeping a temponic resonance that helps separate each one. Breath of Ghosts is heavily electronic and driven, keeping within it the normal namesake of Tom Shears in the form of lyrical charges and their perspective ability to flow. Let me Be Your Armor is a change of pace and is a bit slower than its former, managing a message of protection against the elements of cruelty life harbors within it while holding out the mantle of love in ways that are seductive in their normal-worldly appeal. Away is the slowest of the three, providing perhaps the best of the three in terms of lyrical content, message, and the depths of hidden seething emotions, speaking about the ever-growing blights some people are in life and their need to sometimes flee the deeds we've done in them. If you've never looked into Assemblage 23 before, I wouldn't suggest this album for you because it only has three new pieces to add to the equation and because its a remix album. Instead, you might want to look into Failure of Defiance first, attaching yourself to the foundations of the message before picking up these proverbial odds and ends. If you are a fan, though, and are looking for more, the three entries and newer tastes applied to older sensations are something I would recommend trying out."

Good but not perfect

Erica Anderson | Minneapolis, MN | 07/03/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I can't really say that I am all too familiar with Assemblage 23's music like I am with VNV Nation and Apoptygma Berzerk. I only know the song "Time Killer" and A23's most recent album "Defiance". I bought "Addendum" almost a week ago when I found a used copy of it in the used bins. I really wanted to familiarize myself with other A23's music. I didn't find out until later that "Addendum" was a remix album when I read the back of the cd case. Normally I am not wild about remix albums. I find them terribly repetitive like Delerium's "Odyssey" cd. Since I was not really familiar with most A23's music, I bought "Addendum" right on the spot. For the most part, I enjoyed "Addendum" especially the first four tracks. I thought Tom Shear really did a splendid job of fusing industrial beats with melancholic lyrics and sweet melodies. What I wasn't too fond of was the last three or four tracks. I found those songs repetitive and made me reach for my bottle of Excedrin. After listening to "Addendum", the music made me more curious to hear the orginal versions, especial "Awake" and "Naked", two of my personal favorite songs on the cd."