Why, Why, Why are these guys so neglected?!?
ly-ra-li | Birmingham, AL USA | 07/20/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bought the US release of Queer in 1992 shortly after "A Girl Like You" debuted on MTV, and it has been one of my all-time favourite tapes, so much so that I have been looking for the CD, only to my shock and utter horror that most of Wolfgang's recordings have gone out of print. A rare blend of British techno and American R&B, the Wolfgang Press are often ironic, sometimes introspective, and always experimental. This is alternative at it's best, at what it started out as and what it SHOULD be, instead of people screaming into microphones complaining about what the worlds problems are without offering any real solutions. Queer isn't jammed full of synthesizer or rock guitars, and the songs rely heavily on the baritone qualities of the lead singer combined with a few female solos. But guitars, synthesizers, and all that good stuff is there, but it's simple and subtle, experimenting with a variety of differing rhythms, providing a dreamy quality often reminiscent of Lush yet in a more academic, less "LSD flashback" sound. The lyrics range from farcical romantic (A Girl Like You)to abstract (Mother Valentine) to a comment on the history of France's Louis XIV. In short, scoop up Wolfgang's work before it dissapears again. If ever in the future you come across "Funky Little Demons", scoop that one up too, and then tell me where you found it. I've looked forever for that #@$@!! CD and can't find it anywhere!!!"
Import wins, hands down
bpearis | Brooklyn | 12/31/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Apart from "A Girl Like You," which was added to the US version of the CD, the import is the way to go. The Kraftwerk and Velvet Underground samples were taken off the american version -- as was the movie soundbites that start "Birmingham" and "Louis XIV" -- and the result is a bit cheesy. Spend the extra five bucks. It's worth it. If Nevermind and Ten had never happened, this might have caused more of a stir than it did."
Start of something good- ahead of its time
emvb | SEATTLE | 06/05/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i never got the wolfgang press at all. i had heard most of their material leading up to this and only liked a handful of songs at best. But queer is brilliant- never before had a band won me over after initially leaving me uninterested. Part de la soul-a crooning voice ala nick cave(now working within its range-prior singing was terrible) scattering of talking heads like funk some blue eyed soul-wah guitars-shuffling loops and synths- and great songs for the first time. this record and its follup funkly little demons are in the top ten ninties releases. There is even some pre-tricky dirty slow styled triphop soul on dreams and light. Get the import as the domestic is stripped of uncleared samples and has extra tracks that take away from the original intent. a dance album with songs- and production that still sounds pretty fresh. 90% of this record is well above average. considering its release date this is one of the first hiphop dance styled rock/pop alternative albums that still sounds challenging. you cant go wrong here. Buy this today- life is short!"
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
