This is the sound of the Noughties – electro enough without being harsh, interesting without being over-cool, quirky without being weird. Empire Of The Sun have cracked the perfect blend of fond reflection and sexy new frontier frisson. If this is what the future sounds like, then it's going to be beautiful.
'Half Mast' and the 'Without You' are exquisite pangs of millionaire's melancholy, even if there aren't enough of them to sustain a whole album. [Mar 2009, p.85]
amazing album one of my favourite of thew 21st century Every song is decent and there are about 6 songs that could be singles Beenamazing album one of my favourite of thew 21st century Every song is decent and there are about 6 songs that could be singles Been listening to this album for years…Expand
If you can get past the singer's sinus-infected style of vocals, you'll find a quartet of songs on this album that are really outstanding popIf you can get past the singer's sinus-infected style of vocals, you'll find a quartet of songs on this album that are really outstanding pop gems: Standing On The Shore, Walking On A Dream, Half Mast, and We Are The People. Half Mast, in particular, just grabs you with its maudlin verses and driving beat, then pulls you in like a magnet with the head-swaying falsetto chorus. Had they stuck with that motif from start to finish, one would have been able to overlook the absolute goofiness of their Adam Ant meets Empire Strikes Back wardrobe and image. I don't know what the hell happened after the first third of the album, but whatever it was, it will require a serious intervention to break it. The most recent reviewer nailed it on the head: stick with the first four tracks and you'll have yourself a nice little EP of well-crafted synth-pop to enjoy at your leisure. The rest belongs in a bottom-fed pond of slimy scum where the ears of all known species should never get within earshot.…Expand
Absolutely top album, full of banging tunes and rabid experimentalism aplenty. Recommended for all. And that includes the second half of theAbsolutely top album, full of banging tunes and rabid experimentalism aplenty. Recommended for all. And that includes the second half of the album - Country and Tiger By My Side being two of thier best tracks. Maybe give Without You and Tiger By My Side a miss, but everything else is simply sublime.…Expand
I don't understand why a lot of negatism in this album? Sure, the album cover is a cheesy knockoff of the Empire Strikes Back. Sure, you I don't understand why a lot of negatism in this album? Sure, the album cover is a cheesy knockoff of the Empire Strikes Back. Sure, you can call them an MGMT ripoff if you may, call them a rip off of Bee Gees if you want to, but they don't really come across near resemblance to them. I find their music the perfect soundtrack for a dream, dead serious, and it even shows in a song called "Walking On A Dream" with the lyrics. The overall dance production of this album is just deep, and sends you a journey to your thoughts. I think PNAU pounded it good, and for the Sleepy Jackson vocalist (aka the MGMT "sound-a-like"), the vocals just blend well with the production and it just sends you to a transcending journey. You can't help it that the singer sounds like the main singer from MGMG, he's not trying to sound like him. He sounds like this in general, you will just have to accept this. But other than that, this album has a big influence on music like Prince, Daft Punk and The Bee Gees.…Expand
The first half of this album is great, the second half is pretty much garbage. The two most popular tracks on the album "Walking on a Dream" The first half of this album is great, the second half is pretty much garbage. The two most popular tracks on the album "Walking on a Dream" and "We are the People" are also the two best tracks on the album. "Half Mast" is a very well done 80's-esque track on the album. But the power remains in the two tracks mentioned before. After the "Delta Bay", the album begins to just free fall. The track "Swordfish Hot Kiss Night" is just a train wreck, sounds like it would be on Flight on the Conchords. The only exception on the 2nd half of the album which is good is the track "Country" which is actually quite beautiful. But this is an album full of hit and misses. But when this album hits, in blows the freaking target up.…Collapse
Walking On a Dream is the perfect example of why arrangement of songs matters on an album. Overall, this has to be the worst arrangement ofWalking On a Dream is the perfect example of why arrangement of songs matters on an album. Overall, this has to be the worst arrangement of tracks I have ever seen, which completely destroys any chance the album had of being listenable. Nonetheless, the arrangement could not have even helped Walking On a Dream enough to be great. In truth, the only good tracks on the whole album are the first four, which, after the roughest transition between tracks ever, is followed by nothing better than mediocrity. The only except to this mediocrity is "Swordfish Hotkiss Night" (I would have rather had another mediocre track), which I hope this band is ashamed of. After all, I am ashamed to say I have listened to it.…Expand
