Search - Spacehog :: Chinese Album

Glam-rock with a punch

oasensio@usc.edu | Los Angeles, CA | 08/05/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Spacehog have affirmed a reputation for being one of the most innovative and exciting live acts to cross the stage. With this record, they have managed to capture the unique and explosive energy spurring at the live shows. Tamed and polished in the studio, the resulting tracks are a collective expedience of rock anthems. Spacehog have gone a step beyond by forming epic tracks "carry on" and "beautiful girl" - a romantic aggression which is unseen in today's era of one-hit guitar bands. What is most notable about this record is the wide range of vocals and instrumentation consummated by "Goodbye Violet Race" "2nd Avenue" and "Anonymous." It seems the lads from Leeds have had their fair share of influence and experimentation. Who could forget "Mungo City," a tune so attractive and inspiring that the listener can't help but sing along. As one spacehog fan put it: "no two spacehog songs are alike, y! et the spacehog sound is unmistakable."Whether it be an intense jam, clever ostinato, or romantic overture, it is all to be found in The Chinese Album. Above all else, spacehog have risen from within the depths of catchy pop-mania onto the pillars of confidence and creativity. This is glam-rock at its finest. O. Asensio"

This is good pop music.

Aron Hsiao | New York, New York | 10/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are a million genres out there today, some of them so odd or experimental that if you manage to release an album at all, you're an instant hit. Then, on the other side of things, there's good, old-fashioned, bubble-gum beautiful pop music, which seems to be one of the most difficult genres of music to perform because absolutely nobody these days is getting it even close to right except for a very, very choice few.Spacehog is one of them. This is simply pop done right, pure and simple and loud. Unfortunately, pop is so utterly common these days that people tend to forget about it, even when it's done very, very well, or to complain about it if it shows any depth or variety at all... Hence you've got some saying that Spacehog is utterly forgettable (perhaps it is), or way too derivative and giddy (of course it is) or perhaps too odd or diverse to be pop (maybe also true)...But such people should stop analyzing Spacehog and simply listen, because there's no denying that while it spins, you are smiling very large...This is their best album so far. Get it, skip around a little, you're sure find _something_ you absolutely love."

The Velvet Has Been Mined

Gavin DeCuir | Denton, TX | 02/06/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you couldn't get enough Velvet Goldmine this is the album for you. The first four songs on this album are glam-rock tunes very similar to the Shudder to Think tracks on the VG soundtrack. They are excellent. The Beatles/Blur sound-a-like track, Skylark, marks the start of the downward slide of this effort. The songs become too derivative and disparate to give any real cohesion to the album. Sand in Your Eyes, Captain Freeman and 2nd Avenue aren't bad but can't help the second half of The Chinese Album from floundering a bit. Velvet Goldmine co-producer, Michael Stipe's contribution to this Spacehog LP doesn't help either. Still, this CD is well worth a listen."