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To be honest, I'm not sure why I bought LaTour's self titled debut back in 1991. I do remember liking "People Are Still Having Sex" which was a huge hit. And I recall hearing "Blue" in Basic Instinct. However, that typically wouldn't be enough to motivate a purchase. Maybe it was the interesting artwork, or perhaps the cool Smash Records logo. But whatever the motivations, purchasing this release turned out to be one of my better and more enjoyable musical decisions. For fans of electronic dance music style from the early 90s, this is a definite must have.
The release begins on a fast, harsh, almost industrial dance tone with the guitar and beat ridden "Allen's Got a New Hi-Fi" which will have you yelling and thrashing about. "People are Still Having Sex" is a funky song that is fun to dance to and has some thought provoking lyrics. This was America's introduction to LaTour, and the single had great dance floor appeal. The next song, "Involved," confirmed my love for this release. With funky beats, lush orchestration, and deep vocals that move from spoken to angst-ridden singing, "Involved" really hooks you physically and emotionally. I have to dance and scream along every time. This song was also released as a single with some cool remixes. "Cold" (also released as a single) leaves me a little flat. Despite a danceable beat, the orchestration is shallow and left me wanting more. We return to the fun with "Fantasy Soldiers." Incredibly bouncy with some great orchestration hooks, this song throws you on the dance floor and won't let go. "Amazing You" is another great dance song, but with a more positive attitude with its cool piano and upbeat lyrics that make you bounce around with a smile on your face. With an almost Front 242 "Headhunter" intro, "Laurie Monster" is funny EBM ("she's going to explode") that is very cool and has a fantastic beat and orchestration. "Psych" has a freestyle dance beat to it, however the orchestration and almost whined lyrics really don't work well; the refrain shows how much more the song could have been filled out. "Dark Sunglasses" is kind of cool - danceable and an interesting melding of spoken and sung lyrics. However the orchestration seems like it is building to something and then ends before it makes it there. "Blue" doesn't have lyrics and is an interesting techno house trip. I must admit that as a song alone I wasn't too thrilled with it. But once I saw the club scene in Basic Instinct, the song grew a life of its own. For those (like me) who bought the tape at first, it is important to note the CD contains bonus remixes of "Allen's Got..." and "People are Still..." However, buy the CD because you wore out your tape, not because of the remixes. "Allen's Got..." is overproduced, drops the guitars, and loses its angst and anger ridden edge; as a fan of industrial dance music, I was rather disappointed. "People are Still..." has some additional samples, and elements are added to make the song more rave-like, however it detracts from rather than adds to the power of the original.
I give this release a fairly strong 4 star rating. I really enjoy the music, lyrics and overall production, and it is great when I want to be dancing, active, or need a general positive attitude adjustment.
This is an album for those who love electronic dance music. Yet while every song has the propensity to make you dance, each song also takes you to a different attitude or mood. This is by no means a one-dimensional release. LaTour takes electronic dance music, and its listeners for that matter, to a fun place where flashing laser lights and the dance floor reign supreme. Get this CD, then get out of your chair and dance.
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