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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | DanAbnrml9@aol.com |
| Subject | Bleu/Pet Shop Boys |
| Date | Fri, 28 Feb 2003 08:32:26 EST |
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No, they're not related, but I wanted to write to say where my mind (or more
accurately, ears) have been at lately
I initially didn't understand the flurry of hype surrounding Bleu's REDHEAD
after getting a promo of it last December. But after repeat listens--let me
say, wow, this is great stuff. It's weird... at first, I didn't like it at
all, and could really list the reasons--his voice, which is too sing-songy,
the production, which seemed too big, too mainstream, too Vertical Horizon,
as someone said, and his songs, which just didn't strike me. Now I take it
all back. Part of the reason was picking up a cheap copy of his debut,
HEADROOM (which often retails for 9.99), which I actually prefer. While he's
recycled a handful of these songs for REDHEAD (albeit in rerecorded or
remixed form), the ones he left behind are great! The power-pop influence is
more pronounced there, I think, even as HEADROOM contained many more
electronic elements. It was quirkier and less polished, and for that reason I
actually enjoy it a bit more.
Also, I realize that our discussions center almost exclusively around GUITAR
pop, but jesus, why didn't anyone tell me the Pet Shop Boys were so damn
good? Dance music or no, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe write some of the
catchiest songs. My current fascination began--oddly enough--in the grocery
store, where I heard their new-ish single "Home and Dry". It's decidedly
adult contemporary and not a "dance" track at all, but it was so pleasant and
catchy that I picked up cheap used copies of "Bilingual" and "Nightlife" as
well as borrowed my roommate's copy of "Discography". It's all so fantastic
that I'm going to get those two-CD reissues now... seriously, if you don't
NEED the guitars, I think you'll find something about PSB to please your
inner pop fan.
Oh, and also...
<<I'd always appreciate knowing about a disreputable company that needs to be
avoided like the plague, but what you're going through is a simple issue
that can be resolved through customer service. You even have the assurance
that Parasol is a reputable company thanks to a wealth of people here who
have dropped many dollars there over the years. Shit happens.>>
I don't know if it was a fluke or a signal of greater problems, but a couple
of months back I got tickets to a movie from Fandango.com. They charge a fee
(a buck or two per ticket) but that was it--I was willing to pay it in that
instance because it was for the limited-release of "About Schmidt" and it was
only playing downtown. But the next month I found a $7 charge on my card for
"WLI RESERVATION REWARDS". I called this company, and they claim that I
signed up for the service when I bought my tickets on Fandango. I most
certainly did not--and apparently this WLI charges your card $7 EVERY MONTH.
I guess it's like a AAA-type service, but I have a really hard time believing
they're at all legitimate. Not only did I not purposefully sign up for it,
but if I had you would think they would send emails---"Welcome to WLI", "Here
are your services with WLI", etc. Anyway, Fandango is the internet
ticket-purchase place for Loew's Theatres (and related chains, I think), and
given that experience I certainly will never use them again.
--Jason
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