Search - Ben Watt, Jay Hannan :: Lazy Dog, Volume 2

Picks up with Jay on Disc 2

03/06/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Some would argue that this should not be compared to it's predecessor LD1, but in my eyes LD1 has become the standard by which ALL other deep house comps are measured. Disc 1 is dissapointing, oddly enough Ben Watt's mix was my favorite from the first comp. Tracy Thorn's vocals are strikingly absent, they brought a special life to the couple of cuts on LD1. The Sade, Lucy Pearl, and Sunshine Anderson remixes are particluarly weak, they are just weak songs with no deep house fervor and no amount of mixing can change that. This disc sounds like some top 40 club house night. There was no depth, jazz, or soul- Ben really dissapoints on Disc 1.
It picks up with Jay on Disc 2, reminsicent of Ben's disc in LD1 strangely enough! It get's really hot with the Kim English Been So Long cut that flows into the back breaking All That I Give and onward for a lil Latin flavor. Jay came right with his disc.
For twenty bucks, I got one really hot disc, one really wack one. I'm cool with it."

Heaven Sent

Jason Field | 04/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first Lazy Dog double CD presented a deliciously deep menu of stunning tracks and has never been too far from my CD player. Imagine my joy then when I spied this follow up.Am I disappointed? NO WAY! Ben and Jay have followed their impressive debut with something more than worthy, and even, dare I say it, better.You can expect a beautifully crafted double set of deep, jazzy, latin influenced tunes that are wonderfully bass heavy. The mixing is superb and the thought and feeling that goes into each track transition really helps to build the tension.For anyone that has never been to a Lazy Dog night, these CDs will give you a taste of what to expect in the comfort of your own living room, which although is very nice indeed, still can't beat actually being there. What are you waiting for?"

LD2... sick

Ilan Dor | Boston, MA United States | 03/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i originally wrote a review for LD2 when it first came out, saying that it was pretty good but not to be compared with LD1, an absolute rare gem of a masterpiece in the realm of house music today. now, about a year after i wrote my original review of LD2, i wholeheartedly take that statement back. after exploring the album a little bit more deeply in recent weeks, i have decided, at least imho, that LD2 is every bit as smoking as LD1; gem masterpiece status achieved with flying colors. like LD1, LD2 contains all of the four types of grooves that made LD1 so hot:1) latin-flavored grooves (LD1: 'Cada Vez', LD2: 'Sereia')
2) retro-sounding grooves (LD1: 'Love Don't Live', LD2: 'No Win Situation')
3) funky grooves (LD1: 'Mighty Power of Love', LD2: 'I Know You, I Live You')
4) just plain hot grooves (LD1: 'That Day', LD2: 'Been So Long')also, like LD1, the killer-to-filler ratio on LD2 is so high that my mind keeps changing about which cut is my favorite. LD albums are the rare exceptions in house music compilations for which it is easier to count the number of songs you DON'T like than the number of ones that you do. (if you like the LD's, check out some Naked Music albums mixed by Miguel Migs; they are similar to the LD stuff and there is no mistaking that the quality is tight like it is on the LD's). right now, as i write this review, i am listening to my current favorite on LD2: 'My Love For You.' it is not impressive technically like some other LD cuts, mostly on their first effort, like 'Mighty Power of Love', 'Ain't No Running Away', etc., but it has that 'hot' quality that i just totally dig. i could go on for hours discussing every nuance of every LD cut whether you want to talk technical, musical or emotional, but i'll save myself the effort of writing it and you the effort of reading it right here: this album is sick, you need to get it, like now. take this from a somewhat accomplished jazz/electro-funk musician/composer who has been collecting quality house music for the past ten years. i have over 100 cd's (and quite a few GB's on my PC) of just house and my four LD cd's are some of the best stuff i own, right up there with my Naked Music albums and the pride of my collection, the entire 'Sessions' series from MOS which is mostly out of print now."