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|  | Artist: Hot Chip
Label: EMI UK
Category: Digital Music Album
Buy New: £1.69
as of 9/9/2010 22:33 BST details
Seller: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 39701
Genre: dance-and-dj-music
Media: MP3 Download
Running Time: 574 Minutes
ASIN: B0034XML6Q
Publication Date: February 2, 2010
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 11-15 of 16
One Life Stand March 2, 2010
Faux
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
The title track has production that wouldn't be out of place on I Am Robot and Towers of Asia's debut record, or Postal Service outtakes. But like these artists, Hot Chip focuses more on song arrangements and structure rather than technology and programming showmanship.
It sums up the core of what made The Warning so accessible and enjoyable right from the onset: it's like listening to early New Order records for the first time, waiting for the next one with a little bit of excited anticipation to see what's going to happen next with every new song.
Songs for Lovers February 23, 2010
J. Jenkins (Dudley Port, England)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Hot Chip's latest is so loved up you wonder if the release to coincide with Valentines Day was deliberate. Full of declarations of devotion and celebrations of the redemptive power of love, it's completely unashamed of it's amorous intentions. And, as the title suggests, we're talking long term commitment here, rather than sex that's on fire. Hot Chip have taken New Order's lament that, "It's called love, and somehow it's become unmentionable" and taken it upon themselves to do something about it.
Goddard and Taylor would seem to be more contented men, and this reflected in a more relaxed vibe in the music. Wheras previous album Made In The Dark had a slightly ADD quality, here the boys find a groove they like and run with it. The sound is considerably more restrained than MITD's electro bric-a-brac attack, built on gentle synths pretty much throughout.
This has it's pros and cons; while resulting in a more cohesive piece of work, I must confess to slightly drifting off at times when I'm listening to the whole thing through, something which was practically impossible with their previous two album's heavier keyboard riffs and ever changing mish mash of styles.
The band's magpie tendencies haven't been completely dispensed with. Slush has a sweet doo-wop feel, wheras We Have Love does offer harder edged club beats, and these prove some of the album's most arresting moments. Amongst the bang and clatter of Hand Me Down Your Love's live piano and drums is a weird, almost eurodisco vocal sample that works surprisingly well.
Towering above all this is the title track, an addictive, perfect slice of pop to equal Over and Over and Ready For The Floor that proves the band as continued pop alchemists. Mostly though, and appropriately given the subject matter, this is an album that demands and rewards a more lasting commitment.
Patchy, But At Times Astonishing February 3, 2010
Mr. H Chinaski (England)
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
Hot Chip were a band that took a while for me to warm to. I remember disliking their 2006 breakthrough album 'The Warning' (I've since grown to like, if not love it) and found their last album 'Made In The Dark' to be patchy at best. Now here we are in early 2010 and the Londoner's have really outstripped themselves with a fine record which is obviously heavily indebted towards New Order, but is certainly not the poorer for it. Just take one look at that (beautiful) cover, IT EVEN LOOKS LIKE A NEW ORDER RECORD!!!!!.
But to dismiss this band as mere copyist's is a narrow-sighted and presumptuous view point as they have a lot to offer in their own right. Opener 'Thieves In The Night' is a six minute downtempo start. As noted by Andrew Mueller in his Uncut magazine review, the track holds many similarities to 'Grey To Fade' by the Steve Strange-led New Romantic's Visage, Mueller states that the similarities cannot be coincidence and I must concur. It does seem like a wink-and-a-nod towards the music of the past that has obviously influenced Alexis Taylor and co, but as like the New Order influences, it always seems playful and mischivous rather than a ripp off. track 2 'Hand Me Down Your Love' really explodes out of the speakers with a dense beat and a driving piano riff but just as you sense the song is about to implode within itself, the whole peice takes a back step and a beautiful string arrangement seems to just bloom out of nowhere, it is easily the standout track and is absolutely stunning. Single 'One Life Stand' is also a highlight with Taylor's beautifully cold vocals being punctuated by stabbing keyboards and thunderous beats.
The record is populated with slow-paced, downtempo disco numbers which vary in their reward. 'Brothers' is a rudimentry Hot Chip song which feels a little stilted but is admittedly very heartfelt. 'Slush' is a better example where the song builds slowly but steadily until it reaches a beautiful climax which incorpates pianos, horns and strings. The results are mixed throughout with 'Alley Cats' being a dense and sombre moodpeice which does'nt reach it's potential and 'Keep Quiet' not really going anywhere of interest. 'We Have Love' is by far the most dance-orientated song, which really livens the whole record up. It sounds like a club classic in the making with a repetitive vocal sample played over a multi-layered old school dance track, it is very reminiscent of 'Technique' era New Order (high praise indeed).
Overall I still feel Hot Chip are searching for their masterpeice, but they are getting closer with each release. One day they will create an album that sits easily alongside 'Power, Corruption & Lies', 'Violater' and 'Trans-Europe Express', till then this superb album will certainly suffice.
And, add 'Hand Me Down My Love' to 'Over And Over' and 'Ready For The Floor' as 10/10 rated classics. My God, this band will have one hell of a Best Of!!!.
 Not Made By Robots February 1, 2010
The Wolf (uk)
12 out of 15 found this review helpful
Hot Chip have one particularly subtle, enduring and
endearing quality. They make electronica with a heart
(and a big warm heart at that!). They achieve this through
good tunes, witty lyrics and the inestimable pathos and
fragility of Alexis Taylor's instantly recognisable voice.
Their fourth studio outing finds them in fine fettle.
'One Life Stand' has a remarkably bright and vivid presence.
The ten songs in this collection deliver the band's best work
so-far. I loved all three of their previous album releases
but there is something distinctive and special about this
one which sets it apart by a mile.
There is an openness and expansiveness in the fresh-faced
production which brings the music to life in an addictive
and affecting way. Take the four-square magic of the title
track as a perfect example of the fusion of a strong melody,
big, danceable beats and the laugh-out-loud charm of the
sweeping, swooping and zooming synthesiser interventions.
Opening track 'Thieves In The Night' contasts the wonderful bump
and grind of the synth and percussion obliggato with Mr Taylor's
preciously vulnerable vocal delivery to stunning effect.
The edgy and slightly dodgy central guitar solo is a hoot!
'Brothers' is an unashamedly new-blokeish examination of the
value of male comradeship. A soppy and risky and rare idea,
brought to life with touchingly unsentimental authenticity.
'Alley Cats' is another enchanting lyrical and musical highlight.
Warm and bubbling and full of summer sunlight. For my money the
loveliest song of the band's time on earth so-far! Truly magical!
Final track 'Take It In', with its shifting patterns
of light and shade and incandescent vocal harmonies
brings the project to a stunning and uplifting close.
Hot Chip tick all the boxes with this little cracker.
Essential.
Wonderful February 1, 2010
pete (edinburgh scotland)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
Im overwhelmed by this , it really is gorgeous to listen to. Quite a poppy 80s feel but loads of little touches, tweaks and harmonies with some icy minor keys. If Depeche were starting out now they would sound like this thats how good it is!! Hot Chip seem like Grown men dancing an singing like wee boys on a sunny day! Lots of fantastic chord changes with some stand out tracks 'Take It In', 'One Life Stand' and 'Thieves In The Night'.
Showing reviews 11-15 of 16
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