Bend Over Love (Programmed To Love - Bent)

Member Name: TigerTiger

Product:	Programmed To Love - Bent
Date:	12/03/02 (1102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fabuolous Chilled out atmospheric sounds, Every track is unique

Disadvantages: It's all over toooo soon

“Bent who?” I hear you ask.

They were the first words out of my mouth when someone told me how fabulous their album “Programmed to love was”. However, once I listened to the album I realised that I was more familiar with “Bent” than I realised, especially as their tracks feature on many of the Chill out cd’s that packed our shelves last year. I have little doubt that you will have experienced “Bent” be it on a compilation cd, sitting in Café Del mar, or even whilst watching the adverts on TV.
~~~So, who are Bent exactly?~~~

The pair behind “Bent” are Brit pair Simon Mills and Nail Tolliday. However, they are not known for their public performances, infact they choose to remain hidden behind the scenes. Even if they were to get a Number One single I doubt very much that they would choose to perform on TV.
To find out more information you can check out the website, www.bent-world.com
~~~The album and who it may appeal to~~~
You may not have heard of Bent, so you may be wondering if you will like the cd or not, well obviously taking a listen is the best way to establish this. However, the people I believe will like this include:

-fans of the whole chill out phenomena, who like nothing more than escaping their busy lives through listening to some relaxing music.

-Dance/ trance fans who like nothing more than the mix of beats with lyrics.

-People into something a little different and to exploring artists who play around with many different sound effects and genres of music, ranging from dance to funk to opera to 50’s and 60’s.

I am not suggesting these are the only people to enjoy this, but these are the most likely listeners.

~~~Get yourself ready~~~

To really get the best out of the “Bent” cd there certain things that I recommend you do, well at least the first time
you listen to the cd. This helps to ensure maximum relaxation.

1.Pour a glass of wine or whatever your tipple is.

2.Run a hot steamy bath, adding a few drops of essential oils and lay there forgetting all your worries.

3.Place candles around and lie on your bed in the semi darkness.

The most important thing is to rid yourself of everything else and prepare yourself to be transported through the music. I know that sounds a bit silly, I may even go as far as to say pretentious. However, this cd really does tke you on a journey through many different sounds and styles and I guarantee your mood will change during play.

~~CD appearance and details~~~

“Programmed to Love” has a quirky cover to reflect the quirkiness of the album as a whole. The duo have used a combination of art work and pictures of relaxing scenery. The front cover is especially memorable as it features an art picture of a couple at dinner with the heads of two men on their plates, who I am led to believe actually the faces of Simon and Nail, aka Bent. Very surreal indeed. Postmodernism rules? With its shocking pink sleeve most certainly stands out on my shelf.

This cd cost me £11.99 when it was released last year. However, I believe they have it on offer on Amazon currently for £6.66 (or 3 for £20 offer).

~~~Track reviews~~~

1. Exercise 1

The Journey into the world of “Bent” begins with the rather strange and quirky track "Exercise 1". It makes a brief musical start and then it stops and a man starts talking, about what I can’t really say, something mildly technical I believe! However, just when you have got used to that section once again the track changes to a different style, and then again. It twists and turns in different directions and starts you off on your journey to “chilled-dom” with beautiful blends of synthesizer and the odd lyric. Bizarre, but g
ood bizarre.

*You should start to feel the strains of the day easing somewhat now, although you are still aware of them.

2. Private Road

Track 2 is one of my absolute favourites without dispute. This is also probably one of the most readily recognized tracks on the cd as it featured on Ministry of Sound’s Chillout session 2, as well as most other chill out compilations.

This track features haunting lyrics by a woman referred to as “Johnston” who also sings on Bent’s big hit “Swollen”. The lyrics to this track are beautiful as they tell of this deserted beautiful and peaceful place at the end of a private road. However, the lyrics I am sure would not be half as powerful if Johnston’s voice was not as haunting powerful as it is. I can lay there listening to this and I get shivers down my spine time and time again. I was even lying by the pool on holiday and I felt tingles and shivers. Beautiful is the only word I can use to describe this. Hearing this track alone will persuade the majority of people to listen on I am sure.

* If you are not on your journey to relaxation by now there is no hope, as this is one of the best examples of Chill out music that there is. This guarantees to mellow even the most stressed of minds.

2. Cylons In Love

“Cyclons in love” uses another equally haunting vocalists, one male and one female to great effect. Bent seem to make beautifully haunting their trademark. One of the vocalists has a very harsh echo added to her voice which I really liked. Once again this is a very different track to all others.

3. I Love My Man

This track features a sample of the 1964 track “I love my man” by Nana Mouskouri. The lyrics “ I love my man when he’s good, I love my man with each new kiss” are used throughout the track. The use of lyrics is not haunting as such in this track, I wou
ld go as far to say that they are quite sexy and this could be one of those tracks to lie in bed next to your partner with. What is true is that however I am feeling, I can always play this track and makes me feel that life is good, no matter how bad things may currently be. There is a good beat to accompany the lyrics and the soothing continues. I love the fact this is chill out, but with a fair share of lyrics, I am not a fan of nothing but instrumental, this is very me!

4. Invisible Pedestrian

I love the name of this track, “invisible pedestrian” how cool is that and indeed how cool is this track with its beat and searing synth sounds. A complete contrast from the last track, just as you were feeling all loved up and happily chilled, you now have that chilled feeling to tap your foot.

5. Chocolate Wings

Ok, the fact this has chocolate in the title was always going to endear me to this one! The beat in this track is quite similar to track 1 and uses the same male vocal. I have no idea what “chocolate wings” are, but the vocalist sings very convincingly about them and their ability to take you wherever you may want to go. In fact what better time than to get out the chocolate and to lie there under the duvet munching it in your new chilled out state. The track is actually quite beaty, but the vocalist has one of those deep relaxing voices that you can imagine saying “you are feeling very sleepy”. A very funky number.

7. I Remember Johnny

This is another funky number, but then it sort of had to be with the name “Johnny” in the title. There are even a few trumpets flying around in this one, coupled with many truly strange sound effects, as well as an audience I think in the background. I was lying in the dark listening to this and I spent my whole time trying to figure out all the background noises there were so many!
There aren’t many lyrics featured h
ere and whilst it is very easy to listen to, it is probably my least favourite track on the cd, but then I would still give it a 7/10.

8. Swollen

This is the track the majority of people will know Bent for. It has been a big café del Mar favourite and a common sight on chill out compilations. Featuring the same haunting female vocalist Johnston as in “private road” this is truly beautiful and very memorable.

I love the way it starts, all beaty and whirly, with the synth sound remaining prominent. Then it changes slightly and a haunting piano comes in. So, I am sitting there with this beat that makes me want to tap my foot, but at the same time I am feeling chilled and mesmerized by the piano and then, just when I think I can’t feel any better the lyrics come in and I am completely shattered. I have to admit when I split up with my boyfriend I played this and cried for about day. I don’t see it as being particularly sad, just comforting. Johnstone sings about floating, clouds and all things peaceful and relaxing and when she says “Hold me” I’m just in bits! This track alone takes you on a journey and I can’t give it anything less than 10 out of 10 for the emotion that it stirs up. This wasn’t on all the chill out compilations for nothing you know!

9. Welly Top Mary

If there were awards for great titles then Bent may be in chance of winning a few, as here is another novelly titled track, just don’t ask me to tell you what it means! After the last track it had a lot to live up to and straight away it take a very different sound, then just when you are used to it, it changes….again. This is a very electronic synth sounding track with few lyrics, none being particularly identifiable or meaningful.

10. A Ribbon for My Hair

Once again Bent sample a Nana Mouskouri track “a ribbon for my hair, blending old with new. I love the lyrics to
this though as she is saying how her partner just doesn’t understand her, he doesn’t realize for example that she doesn’t need money and material things to know that he cares, all she wants is a ribbon in her hair. It follows a story and I lie there taking the lyrics in. This track has a greater focus on lyrics, but it still combines this with many different side effects and provides a unique sound.

11. Irritating Noises

Once again we hear the deep lyrics of Johnny Flash who “sang Chocolate Wings”, however, typically to form the sound is again unique. I am sure this is one for the men amongst us, as it says “I love her, but for her irritating noises”, is that a whinge about women moaning perhaps?? There is a very beautiful violin piece in this as well, which stands out amongst the bizarre array of sound effects.

12. Always

This is a track that has received mixed reviews from people that own the cd. I however think it is marvelous as it combines ambient rhythms with opera inflected vocals, making it extremely unique.
This is one of those tracks that builds up and gets you going. It starts with minimal beat and slowly works its way up until the beat kicks, stepping up every few minutes until it really is quite powerful. At this stage there are no lyrics, but you are still struck by how beautiful the track and I was hooked straight away. Then about 1 ½ minutes in the opera lyrics cut in with “you are always in my heart”. Now when my boyfriend and I split up this did upset me, as it was kind of our song. It said what I felt. Now, months on I am back to thinking this is a clever track and with few similarities to anything I have heard before. If you only listen to one track, make it this one.

13. Exercise 2

We finish on “Exercise 2” which straight away has a different sound to it. It’s funky chill. There are no lyrics. It maybe wasnR
17;t my choice for an ending to a cd. However, it usually has the effect of waking me up so I can brush my teeth before bed!

I get back into bed and you may be forgiven for thinking the whole “Bent” experience is over, you are wrong though, as about 10 minutes on a hidden track is revealed which features the haunting lyrics of children singing “London bridge is falling down”, which may sound a little strange, but is peculiarly good.

Now, I’ve traveled the Bent soundscapes and I am quite ready to go to bed…….zzzzzzzzz.

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