Jeans Team - Music von Oben -- Album of the year???

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A German, retro-style synth-pop album that sounds modern. Wonderful variety of synths, usually danceable, but so far from sounding trendy. But most importantly, the ten so are so strong and varied. The first two tracks are the most electro, but then you have tracks like "Boat Music" that take you to such wonderful places with the use of steel drums and playful synth melodies. Such a fun album--the best I've heard in a long time. It's all I could hope for in an album. I haven't seen any threads about the album (search wasn't working). What do you guys think? I've been trying to spread love for it since I heard it earlier in the year.

http://www.jeansteam.de/Bilder/cover_mvo.jpg

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Thursday, 17 March 2005 16:52 (twenty-one years ago)

usually danceable, but so far from sounding trendy

explain

― fe zaffe (fezaffe), Thursday, 17 March 2005 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

This album is wonderful. I almost started this thread when I first heard it back in January. It's got a vibe that stretches from indiepop electronic-ness (a la Stereo Total) to Gigolo/New Deutsch type stuff. It's very catchy as well...

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Thursday, 17 March 2005 17:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know how to explain it really, but bands like LCD Soundsystem and Outhud just have this 'hip' sound that makes me cringe. Part of it is the trendy, American style of singing...I can't stand it. You know German, so perhaps you have a different perspective. Regardless of the language though, something about their sound puts them above all others in the genre. I don't know, it's like they're quite well-versed in good synth-pop, and they use those influences to make an album that is not only fun, but extremely interesting sonically. A lot of their songs have this really cartoonish, harmless quality. I think Architecture in Helsinki accomplished something similar on the first few tracks of their first album...but the rest of that album didn't hold up.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Thursday, 17 March 2005 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

i like the lp cover.

― piscesboy, Thursday, 17 March 2005 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

i forgot about jeans team!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 17 March 2005 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

i remember they had a bitchin single back in the 'clash daze.

― Silky Sensor (sexyDancer), Thursday, 17 March 2005 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

theres nothing like "keine melodien" on it, unfortunately

― fe zaffe (fezaffe), Thursday, 17 March 2005 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

that's the one

― Silky Sensor (sexyDancer), Thursday, 17 March 2005 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"so much love to give" synths with a backbeat = good idea; weak-ass trance with indieboy singer doing his worst gabi delgado impression = bad idea; but yeah, there are plenty of ideas, thats definitely a bonus

― fe zaffe (fezaffe), Thursday, 17 March 2005 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

s/unfortunately/fortunately

I like that they're not whipping it out for the "catchy single" and then shoving it all back in the closet. The album's much more interesting than a few neat basslines and a Peaches remix.

― Xii (Xii), Thursday, 17 March 2005 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

they are super live too.

― stirmonster, Thursday, 17 March 2005 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

hey patrick- did you used to have a CD mailorder service online? your name sounds familiar...

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Thursday, 17 March 2005 20:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Ken, nope, it wasn't me.

Fezaffe, 'Music von Oben' is such a step up from anything on their first album 'Ding Dong' (which has "Keine Melodien"). They actually learned how to make songs that go somewhere. "Keine" is two means of synth assault--I don't find it that interesting, memorable, or original. If I had heard 'Ding Dong' when it came out I never would have imagined that they would develop so much in two years. That album consists of 2 minute tracks that are more ideas than songs. They sound like a very inexperienced band. At the same time, the album has a naive charm. And that charm remains on their new album.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Friday, 18 March 2005 01:41 (twenty-one years ago)

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