Bodies with Voices (Pandemonium: The Singles Collection - BWO)

Member Name: DaveAshton

Product:	Pandemonium: The Singles Collection - BWO
Date:	03/10/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Varied track types, quite 80s like

Disadvantages: A couple of tracks not as good as you'd expect when compared with the rest of the album

Bodies without Organs are a Swedish (nothing like Abba though) electronic pop group, with a distinct sound that's almost impossible to describe. In a way, their music wouldn't seem out of place on an 80s compilation, with it's grand, overblown choruses and very camp videos. However, don't let that put you off.

Pandemonium, while sold as a "singles collection", could have been titled as their greatest hits album. From the sci-fi styled Living in a Fantasy to the pop ballad We Could Be Heroes, this album covers all musical tastes. One thing the album can't do, but Youtube can, is show you the videos. Honorable mentions go to Sunshine in the Rain (check out those cockroaches...) to the afore-mentioned WCBHeroes, you just know they put almost as much effort into their videos as they do into thr tracks themselves.

Track List, durations and personal rating and comments for memorable songs.

1. The Bells Of Freedom(3:25) 7.5/10 A solid opening song, high tempo and showing all of the musical styles that BWO use, nicely packaged into one song. It does sound a bit too much like Chariots of Fire (track 6) during the chorus, though.

2. Lay Your Love On Me (2:59) 7/10 Fast music, slow (and very cheesily rhymed) lyrics... but it seems to work well. Not a favourite, but easy enough to listen to.

3. Barcelona (3:45) 7/10 The first sci-fi track on the album, with bizarre echoing. Not to be mistaken for the Freddie Mercury version, but I think he'd approve.

4. Sunshine In The Rain (3:30) 9/10 The song that caught my attention and make me look further for BWO stuff. Great stuff.

5. Give Me The Night (3:09) 9/10 Another sci-fi style, annoyingly catchy chorus that you could end up humming to yourself all day.

6. Chariots Of Fire (4:09) 6/10 Starts off like it's going to be a pretty slow one, but the chorus kicks the track into the kind of speed you'd expect. Reminiscent of the opening song on the album.

7. Open Door (3:29) 8/10 A welcome shift of styles, this is the first real ballad of the album. A song to daydream for a few minutes to (in a good way. Not recommended if you're driving).

8. Gomenasai (3:27) 7/10 The song with the most random title on the album (pronounced Go-Men-A-Sigh), this is good, but nothing special. A nice way to bring the tempo back up after Open Door.

9. Sixteen Tons Of Hardware (3:30) 4/10 Not a fan of this. They've taken the sci-fi aspect a bit too far. And as an aside, 16 tons isn't very heavy for "15 supersonic tanks", made of "galvanised steel". 15 cars would weigh more than that...

10. Will My Arms Be Strong Enough (4:16) 9/10 Operatic start to one of the best songs on the album, and strong opera backing track throughout. Also, another one to think about while you're listening to it.

11. We Should Be Dancing (3:34) 4/10 After the previous high of WMABSE, this is a pretty poor track. There's nothing particularily good about it, and the album would flow better without it.

12. Temple Of Love (3:25) 7.5/10 Another song with pretty bad rhyming in the verses, but the sheer catchiness means you'll still sing-along to it if you're in the mood.

13. Living In A Fantasy (3:39) 8/10 Another sci-fi track, but much better than Sixteen Tons. Another chorus that'll be with you for the rest of the day.

14. We Could Be Heroes (4:24) 9/10 Thought provoking, great video

15. Voodoo Magic (3:41) 6/10 Nothing special, heard it all before on the album

16. Let It Rain (3:30) 8/10 Pop-y dance track, welcome quality increase after Voodoo Magic, but ending a bit... cut-off.

17. Conquering America (3:20) 8/10 Very electronic, good tempo increase after the last few offerings.

18. The Destiny Of Love (3:50) 9/10 Probably the slowest track on the album, but all the better for it. Another thought-maker.

Summary: If you're looking for a new pop/rock/electronica band, BWO are for you