Record a few incriminating phone conversations and return to the main BUGGLES page!!!!!!! The Adventures in Modern Sucking Overall Album Score: 7.1 out of 10 Oh! How absolutely disappointing this was! The Buggles came up with something that's nothing short of a minor masterpiece with The Age of Plastic and only two years later, they slept through an entire mixing session and came up with Adventures in Modern Recording, a real snoozer of an album! ... These new 'adventures in modern recording' obviously involved a lot of sleeping noises ... Unfortunately, I can't really think of a whole lot to say about this. It's the follow-up to The Age of Plastic and it's a totally lazy half-effort! The lyrics are all right, but they don't offer me quite the same amount of perverted sci-fi delight. Geoffrey Downes didn't have much to do with this (which might account for a lot of the reason that it stinks) ... this was Trevor Jones' baby. Two days later: Rereading the review I wrote for the Buggles' Adventures in Modern Recording, I have come to the conclusion that it was bleak and boring. That is because this is an album that really is not that good, but it's not bad enough to want to trash the living daylights out of it. Therefore, I could find very little to say about it. To make up for a lot of this review's bleakness, I am going to inappropriately include a short story I wrote a few years ago. I hope you enjoy it. An Ode to My Socks I wear thee two socks, on mine two feet. There is only one of thee per foot. With thee, o socks, I owe my life, for it is thee who protect mine feet from scrapes, from blisters, and from pain that mine shoe doeth viciously inflict. However, there is nothing that protects thee from those unmentionable acts just mentioned. Thee hath thinned and wore, over the years, as I continued to bear thee. Thee hath continued to disintegrate so that thee are no longer whole, holes that doth make thee so. I am wearing thee, but both of thee hath a hole. Upon mine left foot, my big toe and the two to follow are hideously exposed, and upon my right, it is mine wrinkly, bulbous heel. Though the holes are against mine wishes -- for it is only natural to wish for feet that are completely covered -- I certainly cannot blame thee. Thee gave a fight; the trite fight of simple walking -- rubbing against the heel of mine shoe by will of mine foot, combating against mine sharp, ill-groomed toenails, which sits the toes that doth stretches thee. It is the feet thee tries to protect, but they had doth slain thee. O socks, you have been ever so faithful to me. It is as if God has pooped on thee, for thou doest not hath cell-replacement like mine feet possess. Oh socks, with a hole so unholy, how do I ever repay thee? Perhaps I should mount thee on mine wall, or perhaps I should wear thee some more days to prove thee are still faring fair. But what is the use, for I cannot wear thee with a hole, for it would put blisters on my feet -- which is thy purpose to protecteth me against after all. Perhaps the fault is mine, and it is not fate. Even though it is written in the foul book of destiny for all socks to eventually grow holes, perhaps I should have chosen a different shoe so thee could live longer -- perhaps a name-brand shoe, that would not have treated thee so poorly. Unfortunately, what is done is done. I should come to terms with thee's expiring term, for thee should eventually leave me one day. Shall a proper burial be put underway for thee in mine garbage can? Or perhaps thee would prefer a burial at sea, flushed down mine toilet. Wouldst thee would like to see thy replacement pair, which is a thirty percentage discounted at J.C. Penny's, before thee departs the world. Fare the well, o socks! Thou were cut down in thy prime, but I shall remember thy courageous hearts, through endless miles of journey, and endless gallons of Clorox Bleach. Goodbye my sweet princes! May you rest in piece! Overall Album Score: 7.1 out of 10 (Apathy killed the Buggles!) Average Song Score: 7.3 (Some of these synth-pop songs are good ... others are not.) Album Tilt: 7.0 (Verrrrry disappointing compared with the Buggles previous album. I want to be nice to it, though.) Artist Rating: 7.0 (Well ... this is CREATIVE synth-pop, isn't it? ... Not that it really does us much good...) Track Reviews Adventures in Modern Recording 9/10 You know ... to me, this one doesn't even see to try to repeat the success they had on The Age of Plastic by recreating songs such as "The Age of Plastic," "Video Killed the Radio Star," and "Elstree." Yet "Adventures in Modern Recording" takes on a life of its own! It's a very rigid-sounding synth-pop number. (Well ... I do think that The Age of Plastic wasn't this rigid.) It also has not only stellar production, but a nice tune to work with. It can barely even compare with the bands previous effort, but it stands on its own feet perfectly well. Beatnik 7/10 This is silly. I'm debating whether it's good or not. Hmm... No, I don't think it's that good. The melody isn't great this time. The arranging is really monotonous. It's dull compared with the stuff from The Age of Plastic. All in all, though, it ain't terrible. I'd take 80s pop over 90s pop any day. At least this is creative. Vermillion Sands 7/10 This sounds a lot like "Astroboy" ... and it really pales comparatively. I mean ... seriously! And that goofy synth-jazz thing that takes up the end of this is kind of neat-in-theory, but it fails to excite me. Yawn. Next. I Am Camera 8/10 This isn't awful whatsoever. The melody is pretty good. The production is very nice (not surprisingly). I'd also say that it manages to catch fire. But remember how "Video Killed the Radio Star" caught fire as if it were doused in gasoline? I know I shouldn't be so scrutinizing in comparing this to the previous Buggles album, but this is really choking in that album's dust, so I can't help it. Heck. Could this song even be considered a "Video Killed the Radio Star" clone? On TV 6/10 Yikes! Is this monotonous synth-track obnoxious, or what? Wow! This is barely even listenable! Eeek! Inner City 6/10 OH MAN! THIS ONE IS BARELY LISTENABLE, AS WELL! The synths in the production are so overbearing that it completely drowns everything out. It might also have used a lot more hooks in the melody. ...Talk about being shadows of your former selves. Lenny 8/10 WHEW! This is much better! The melody is actually fairly decent ... the instrumentation is even better. I'm not a big fan of the power-chords this song is based off of, but I'm not against it enough to complain about it. Rainbow Warrior 6.5/10 OH GEEEEEEEEZ. DOESN'T THE TITLE OF THIS SONG ABSOLUTEY GIVE YOU SHUDDERS? *Shudders* Actually getting to listen to it doesn't help much, either. *Shudders again* Although, I guess it isn't bleak, is it. A 6.5! Adventures in Modern Recording (Reprise) 4/5 Hey! "Adventures in Modern Recording" was the best song on here, no contest! So why not a reprise? Yeah ... I don't mind listening to that one again. It's only fifty-one seconds, though. HMhmhmhmhmhmhmmmmm... BONUS TRACKS (...yaaaaaaaaay...) Fade Away 8.5/10 OH MAN! WAS THIS A COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED, OR WHAT? Yep. This is that old R&B classic probably most remembered for being performed by The Rolling Stones. ... And then it turns into a good old, regular Buggles song. Oddly enough, this completely rules. In fact, it's so cool that I'll include this in the album score. Blue Nylon 7/10 Goofy! This is a VERY Kraftwerk-esque synth pop number. Interestink. I Am Camera A single version of that song. OOOOOOOOH BOYYYYYYYYYYEEE!!!! I feel like crap. Leave your comments about this album here. jbettis@versatilemobile.com (james bettis) received Dec. 3, 2004 the album is great. i have not heard the prior album to compare to. but this type of music realy never excited me to well. but this album struck a nerve. the next album did suck. have you heard of godley cream the "L" album. now that is a cool album. kinda frank zappa sounding but worth the listen. Don Ignacio responds: Godley and Creme is an interesting duo (they're the ones responsible for 10cc, right)? I can't say I've ever listened to their stuff, though. GLENNFINK@HOTMAIL.COM (GLEN FINK) received April 12, 2007 PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT SEX DRUGS AND ROCK AND ROLL IS THE CREATIVE ART OF TODAY,CREATIVE?.ALBUMS LIKE ADVENTURES IN MODERN RECORDING ARE TRULY CREATIVE WORKS,LIKE THE SAYING GOES,(YOU NEVER KNEW HOW GOOD IT WAS UNTIL ITS GONE,I RATE ADVENTURES IN MODERN RECORDING A TEN

All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. He usually doesn't make incriminating telephone calls.