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Welcome to the Sputnik Corporation

Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 02/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the weirdest and most exciting novelty albums I ever encountered came out in 1986 in Britain and didn't make its way to the states till the following year. Looking at it, I see that it was way ahead of its time in its techno-punk hybrid, random sampling, and a product of the computer and technology-obsessed 1980's."Love Missile F1-11" opens with Martin Degville crying out "I Wanna Be A Star" before the signature Sputnik sound, a backbeat of quick-paced Generation X-ish technodisco punctuated by an electropump bass, combined with sliding punk guitar, computerizing samples of Beethoven's 9th, the William Tell overture, Japanese vocals, Ms. Pacman dying, distorted effects. This song featured in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. A few lines condemn a vision of Reagan's America: "U.S. bombs floating overhead." and "multi-millions still unfed."Atari Baby" would be Sputnik's equivalent of Billy Idol's "Eyes Without A Face", a quiet song with a running percussive beat and the usual effects, with some female vocalists going "d-d-d-d..aah aah"."Sex Bomb Boogie" is as crazy as "Love Missile", opening with that piercing space guitar and the pounding technodisco. There are a few weird effects but not as much as its cousin. It ends with a girl going, "Mmm, that was fantastic!" Which it was."Rockit Miss USA" has imitated effects of Dirty Harry, "Go ahead, make my day", someone saying "Get away from the gun!" and a black guy asking subway shooter Bernard Goetz for $5.00. There's a constant anti-gun theme going on here and a Cold War one as well. On one occasion one hears "Reagan rocks my baby" another time, "Moscow rocks my baby.""21st Century Boy" opens with Bach's Fugue before a computerized voice announces: "From the 21st century, we present the next generation of rock and roll, starring... [the names of the band members]" and a technobeat rivalling "Love Missile". Much of the lyrics are a description what would be seen in the future, "satellite TV, laser beams, Chinese-speaking split-TVs,..etc." The term "Elvis 1990" accurately describes the sound. "I am the ultimate product" is what Sputnik would be for the music of their world."Massive Retaliation" samples a bit from Beethoven's Fifth." the repeated refrain "Shut up" a booming drum beat, and words that don't add up to any kind of theme: "Stimulation, baby/inspiration, baby" finishing up with "Moscow hit back" or "Bangkok hit back." Nothing about nuclear war here.By the last two songs, the same crazy sound is there, which is fine, except that there's nothing unique to pick out.Oh, inbetween each song are paid commercials for certain products, such as Tempo Magazine, Network 21, Studio Line of Loreal, the Sputnik Corporation. They're brief snippets, but add to the feeling of music and technology for the 21st century.I envision a metropolis embodying concepts from Blade-Runner or William Gibson with this kind of music. 17 years after its release, it still rocks out."

FULL THROTTLE SYNTH ROCK

Pieter | Johannesburg | 05/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a synth fest set to driving and bubbling beats celebrating technology, computer games and power politics, executed with plenty of gusto and energy. Love Missile is thunderous and energetic with lots of echo, unexpected samples and galloping synths, while Atari Baby is slower and atmospheric, reminding me of Alan Vega's psychobilly excursions. Rockit Miss USA is catchy power pop, Massive Retaliation is a charming mix of beats and samples and Teenage Thunder sounds like Suicide at its most hypnotic and is full of quotes like "money makes the world go round." She's My Man starts with a cheeky quote from the advertising copy for a certain hair gel. In its innovative use of synthesizer Flaunt It is on a par with Sparks' great masterpiece No. 1 In Heaven or Alan Vega's Collision Drive. Giorgo Moroder's talent was here applied to create a stirring, over-the-top post-modern rock statement. I still love it after all these years."