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Not big, not clever, not hip, not trendy. Just fantastic.
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Chemistry works precisely because of Semisonic's skillful management of cliche, particularly Wilson's ability to elevate ordinary story lines with buoyant melodies.
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Semisonic hasn't exactly turned into Emerson, Lake & Palmer, but signs of self-indulgence have crept into the music, as evidenced by the nearly eight-minute running time of "I Wish" and an abundance of strings and fussy production tricks. But [Dan] Wilson hasn't lost his gift for writing memorable, brilliantly crafted pop songs.
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Entertainment WeeklyMore catchy hooks than you'll find in a fisherman's tacklebox. [3/16/2001, p.68]
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Semisonic's newest release, All About Chemistry, hits all the right pop spots, but will likely appeal to a very niche group -- the same group that embraced the easy, witty pop of bands such as Crowded House or Ben Folds Five.
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Finally, a near-perfect pop disc from Minneapolis's Semisonic. While the band has always hinted it had the right stuff to deliver a truly great record, Chemistry is the first of the band's three releases to make good on the promise.
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But if "Chemistry" is a pure-pop sugar rush, much of what follows is equally sour, often falling into the thematic trap that snares so many post-hit albums: lots of songs about how success is really hard on rock stars and their girlfriends.
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What it all boils down to is songs. Just as overproduction provides the perfect mask for some bands' mediocrity, the utter simplicity of this recording is the ideal way to reveal Semisonic's renewed inspiration.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 10 out of 11
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Mixed: 0 out of 11
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Negative: 1 out of 11
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Nov 30, 2013
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JamesEJan 8, 2006Simply one of the best albums ever
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PhilipJDec 11, 2005I don't know how anybody can give bad critisism to this album, as there is certainly no room for it.