Search - Roches :: Another World

Fine, Underrated Album

gengen | Franklin, NC | 08/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I overrated this. Four stars is probably more accurate, but those negative reviewers really threw out the babes with the bathwater. I have to wonder if they even listened to this CD or just glanced at the song titles and other reviews.



Many fine songs here, "Love To See You" being one of the best. A simple but beautiful love (or lust) song written by Suzzy, it's a great ode to unrequited love (or lust). Then again, for all I know, it could be about a puppy. For some reason it's stuck in the dreaded next-to-last-song slot on the CD, usually a place for throwaways. (There's also a great video of "Love To See You" from the mid-80's Robert Klein cable show that you can find at the Roches web site)



"Face Down At Folk City" (written by all three) is of course classic Roches: funny lyrics and great vocals, plus a dreamy Fmaj7th piano hook that follows the chorus.



The opener "Love Radiates Around" (a non-Roche composition) sounds almost like a hymn. Very pretty, and aurally the best thing on Another World. Reminds me of "Hymn To Her" (which came later) by the Pretenders, but this one was written by a man-guy.



"Another World" is a solid tune - in their tradition of complaints about the modern (usually female) world - but suffers from the "modern" 80's production, which shows up in varying degrees throughout the album. Here, I am in partial agreement with the negative reviewers. The generic rock guitars and drum machines sound like they are bleeding over from another studio and were accidentally mixed into a Roches recording.



As for the other tracks, "Come Softly To Me" - one of their reworkings of a classic/traditional song, this time The Fleetwoods' 1959 chart topper - is a highlight. The remaining songs are not bad - I particularly like "Weeded Out" - but the aforementioned (over-) production tends to stomp them out before they can be "heard."



I recently saw the Roches in Atlanta (Variety Playhouse) and I don't think they sang anything from Another World. Too bad. Some of these songs would sound great live - just the girls with three guitars (and a piano). Nevertheless, they sounded just as good as the last time I saw them - in 1979.

"

Underappreciated

lb136 | New York, NY USA | 04/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hmm . . . I see this one still generates disagreement among Roches' fans. I've always adored it. even though I've never been face down in Folk City. Donnez-moi un slice, s'il vous plait."

4 1/2 Stars: Great Batch Of Songs (Despite The Production)

A Music Fan | Forest Park, GA USA | 08/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another World is my second favorite Roches album (after the first) although it has some very serious flaws. It was their fourth album (as a trio) and final album for Warners. Conventional wisdom says this is one of their weakest albums, maybe the weakest. Of course conventional wisdom is often wrong, as it is here.



Some of the Roches' best songs are here, wrapped in a production style that could (generously) be called "radio friendly," as in AOR radio (Come back King Fripp - all is forgiven!). This was 1985, after all, and that particular "sound" hasn't dated well. Gimme A Slice, the final song, actually starts off sounding like Alice Cooper - from the 70's. As a bonus, you get a free French lesson at the end (Who is this, the McGarrigles?)



Despite having "everything on it" Another World was not a commercial success and the sisters closed shop at Warners. They disappeared for several years doing Godknowswhat - having babies, getting married, backpacking through Europe? (not in that order) But IMHO this album was one of their best and grows better over the years. You just have to get past the sound and enjoy the songs. And in all fairness to the producers, not all of the songs are hurt by the production. A couple are even complemented by it.



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