Reading back over this thread has made me all NOSTALGIC

A&E and Strict Machine are their best songs.

 

The Seventh Tree album never really clicked with me though.. It's there in the shelf so maybe I should give it another go

My opinion of this album is still pretty much the same really. Of their first four, it's their weakest. It has some beautiful songs on it but overall it's disjointed and seems like too much of a mixture of previous work. Their first three albums are all very different but their easily distinguishable, this tries to be a bit of all three and has never worked. The two singles they released after 'A&E' both sounded like 'Supernature' rejects.

I actually look back on this era with NIL FANFARE. I think it was an incredibly cynical record that attempted to capture former glories in a very commercial context. I don't see ANY beauty in 'A&E' it's just a manipulated, preconceived attempt at a massive hit with all the right 'touching' and 'beautiful moments'.

I disagree - the cynical sell-out Goldfrapp album was the vile Supernature.... hideous album......

What was it "selling out" to be like though? 'Supernature' was hardly representative of anything on the popular music landscape at the time? If anything it was more of a RISK that paid off, especially when juxtaposed with the cynically Radio 2-lite 'Seventh Tree'.

I think Supernature is awful on the whole. Ooh La La was a really disappointing re-write of Strict Machine, dumbed down to new levels - and that kinda summed up the album for me, just a more commercial version of the superior Black Cherry.

 

The only tracks I still like from it are Ride A White Horse, Time Out From The World and Number 1.

This is still the best Goldfrapp album imo - I was listening to it the other day actually. Happiness and A&E are the tracks I go back to most often (well, according to my iTunes).

What was it "selling out" to be like though? 'Supernature' was hardly representative of anything on the popular music landscape at the time? If anything it was more of a RISK that paid off, especially when juxtaposed with the cynically Radio 2-lite 'Seventh Tree'.

 

Well, after the cosmic filmic beauty of their debut and the ballsy, stomping electro of Black Cherry, then came.... gulp... Supernature.... an album that was deliberately written to have "a big hit". 'Number 1' in particular is just toe-curling - how can you even think this track isn't selling out a band who, just a year before, had dazzled with the likes of Train and Strict Machine, and just before this, had enchanted with Lovely head and Utopia...?

 

Ooh La La was again a deliberate attempt at making a seriously annoyingly catchy radio 'hit'...and...it worked. To the total disgust of 90% of their earlier fans (especially at the live shows that followed where almost all the 'fans' in the audience chatted or used their mobiles throughout material played from the first 2 albums - and stood in awe of, ahem, Ooh La La etc).

 

I don't see anything whatsoever risky in any of the tracks on Supernature... they'd all been done before to much greater effect on the previous album. The only track that holds up now is Ride a White Horse.

 

I would say it's miles and away the worst Goldfrapp album. But that honour will never be taken away from Head First :puke2: :puke2: :puke2:

I never saw anything 'sell-out' about Supernature. I hate the term 'sell-out' anyway. Unless they signed some bizarro PACT at the start of their career stating their musical intentions to the tee then there really is no such thing as selling out. Goldfrapp have always shifted between sub-genres of pop and electronica with each album. Supernature moved slightly into glam-pop territory, so what? Ride A White Horse, Fly Me Away and in particular Number 1 are divine. I hate Ooh La La with a passion and the rest of the album is filler city (although entirely pleasant) but what's new? Goldfrapp have never made a consistently strong album start to end.

 

I never saw anything 'sell-out' about Supernature. I hate the term 'sell-out' anyway. Unless they signed some bizarro PACT at the start of their career stating their musical intentions to the tee then there really is no such thing as selling out. Goldfrapp have always shifted between sub-genres of pop and electronica with each album. Supernature moved slightly into glam-pop territory, so what? Ride A White Horse, Fly Me Away and in particular Number 1 are divine. I hate Ooh La La with a passion and the rest of the album is filler city (although entirely pleasant) but what's new? Goldfrapp have never made a consistently strong album start to end.

 

I pretty much agree with everything you said.

 

It seems that mega fans get annoyed when their "beloved" act shoots a mainstream hit from the hip. Why must it be assumed they've deliberately written the song with such an intention? Can the two things not have occurred independently and coincidentally of one and other? Was glam-pop the OBVIOUS direction to score a hit during the pop climate of the time? I don't think so. Sonically, 'Supernature' is in no way akin to the popular music landscape, prior to or post its release.

I'd say Felt Mountain is pretty consistently excellent..... and far and away their greatest achievement.

 

I don't think the style of Supernature borrowed from anything other than their own previous album - yes, it was wholly inspired and influenced by T Rex and Giorgio Moroder..... but it was definitely massively influential for them..... there was a time after the album when a fair chunk of the charts were 'Supernature inspired'... Christ, even Rachel Stevens robbed a song or two off them, the shame of it. Not forgetting Kylie, Madonna et al.

 

And the reason I say they set out to make a 'hit record' is because a mate of mine in Bristol actually worked on Supernature, and several of their other albums, too - and that whole album was intended for 'the charts'...... they'd started making music to shift units instead of the pure enjoyment of it. Much to the discomfort of Will, apparently, who was far less happy to move in this direction than Ms Goldfrapp. Who, it must be said, is rather unpleasant by all accounts. The difficult artist handbook was written by her .... Popbitch reported ages ago some musicians saying, when rating the awkwardness of working with some acts, "How difficult are they? On a scale of one-to-Alison"? And this is a spot-on quote...... my mate had said exactly the same thing.

 

But going off topic...... I love bands that evolve and change their sound for each album... but..... it has to be valid and worthwhile - and I don't think Supernature is either of those things. But that's just me, I know many others love it.

Some of the greatest artists in history (across any field - not just music but film, acting, composing, anything involving artistry and talent) have been divas through and through. It doesn't mean they should be discredited as great artists. I'm not saying Goldfrapp are great artists (as I've said, they've had a patchy discography and although I love a fair few songs I feel no affinity with them as a band) but I would never let the knowledge (or in this case second-hand anecdotal assumptions) that somebody is a diva put me off enjoying their work. If you're great or believe that you're great then the chances are you WILL acquire an ego and perhaps be a bit of a nightmare. Some might say you've earned that right. Plus, Russ, correct me if I'm wrong but are you not a Grace Jones devotee? She is by all accounts one of the biggest divas, biggest headaches out there... and I imagine it's half of her appeal!

 

On another note if Alison was indeed out to score hits with that record I see no issue with that either. There comes a time when you HAVE to break out and score a proper hit if you want continued funding to do what you love doing, and also if you want the widespread recognition that any artist craves.

 

Well second hand... but from my oldest bestest mate ;) who only ever worked with them because he loves Will so much - and pities his association with Goldfrapp because of her moodswings and hideous temperament. And I've encountered her a few times through the years in Bristol - and she's always been hilariously rude - to everyone. :P

 

I love a good diva me, you're right, Jark, and someone being an out and out cow would certainly not put me off them or their music - as you say, the Divine Grace is probably Diva Numero Uno - it adds to her appeal for sure. I loathe anodyne, squeaky clean nothingness pop stars.... which is why Cowell's motley stable leaves me deadly cold. And despite Goldfrapp's 'personality' I do actually really like them - especially the first 2 albums.

 

As for egos in the music industry - to even be IN the industry you have to have an ego the size of a house. I don't ever believe these naive, shy, retiring personas some stars put across - impossible to REALLY be any of those things in the music industry.

I haven't particularly liked any of their albums, they're all incredibly hit and miss (especially the later albums) but 'Number 1' is far too gorgeous to hate.

Christ, even Rachel Stevens robbed a song or two off them, the shame of it. Not forgetting Kylie, Madonna et al.

 

Rachel's team might have been influenced by it but they also evolved the sound as Come and Get It is better album than any of Goldfrapp's attempts to do electro pop.

I don't think they'll ever beat the first two albums for me, they're pretty much perfection. I did like albums 3 and 4 but they're just more commercialised equivalents of the first two. Head First... well, it had one or two really good tracks I suppose.

Rachel's team might have been influenced by it but they also evolved the sound as Come and Get It is better album than any of Goldfrapp's attempts to do electro pop.

 

err..... really? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: And PLEASE - replace 'influenced' by 'note for note ripped off'.... far nearer the mark.

I don't mean that Rachel Stevens is a better artist, I just think everything flows pretty perfectly on that album whilst Goldfrapp's Black Cherry, Supernature and Head First have problems to maintain the charm of electronic pop from start to finish because they have their background in more alternative style and too many indie fans to keep satisfied. I have never thought of Goldfrapp as an indie act, for me they are dance act such as Röyksopp and Robyn. And I'm quite sure Richard X had influenced on Alison Goldfrapp as much as Rachel Stevens(' team)

 

 

 

Goldfrapp 'The Singles' :: 06/02/12

 

01 'Ooh La La'

02 'Number 1'

03 'Strict Machine (Single Mix)'

04 'Lovely Head'

05 'Utopia (Genetically Enriched)'

06 'A&E'

07 'Happiness (Single Version)'

08 'Train'

09 'Ride A White Horse (Single Version)'

10 'Rocket'

11 'Believer'

12 'Black Cherry'

13 'Yellow Halo'

14 'Melancholy Sky'

 

 

No one bothered making a thread for their last album so this will do. Ignoring the font that is one genius greatest hits cover.