SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LOVE AND ROCKETS – SO ALIVE REMIX EP

LOVE AND ROCKETS
SO ALIVE REMIX EP
BEGGARS BANQUET

This is a very interesting EP. Although the concept is not a new idea, when it is executed well, it sounds fresh and fascinating. And that is exactly what Love And Rockets have done with this 35th anniversary celebration of “So Alive”. In 1989 Love And Rockets released their fourth album since coming together as three quarters of Bauhaus. Up to this point, one could be forgiven for listening to their albums and imagining them as Bauhaus albums with slightly less dark lyrics and a different vocalist (guitarist Daniel Ash was given that job). But when they released Love And Rockets, one song was an obvious choice for a single but did not sound like Love And Rockets. “So Alive” was something very different for the band. A heavy bass and beat and lyrics that showed a different side to the band.

And that was the beauty of the song. It was so unexpected coming from Love And Rockets. And “So Alive”, on many levels, works perfectly. The backing vocals, the groove, the vocals and the music all come together to make a near perfect pop song. That’s right, Love And Rockets singing a pop song. The song divided fans, and at the same time made Love And Rockets a household name, topping charts all over the world. That year one could not go into a club, turn on the radio or tune into music television without hearing (or watching) the song. And the video was a perfect visualization of the song.

PURCHASE THE SO ALIVE REMIX EP

Now, 35 years later, the band is celebrating the anniversary of “So Alive”. The song deserves the accolades and hoopla. It was and is a great single. And it is a song that is still heard, on a fairly regular basis, on the radio. These new mixes don’t really add a whole lot to the song, but it is interesting to hear 2024 interpretations of this classic song. The EP gets the party started with D.J. K’s Vibrant Nu-Disco Mix. Although it is a great version, the shorter radio edit is much tighter and gives the song a whole different feel.

The Crystal Method, however, steals the show with their two remixes. The keyboards and programming for their remix is inspiring and gives the song a totally different feel while keeping the original sound of the song. The ending of their mix is brilliant and fun. Their “Future Funk Squad Dub Mix” is very different from their other mix and has a bit more Crystal Method feel to it. As with the other mixes, this is a dance EP and should be popular in the clubs, as the original and original remix 12-in version was when it was released. The EP includes the original version, and perhaps should have thrown in the original 12 remix.

“So Alive” is a great song that no matter how many times one hears it, it is impossible to be sick of it. Over the years it has aged well, and it proved that a lot of bands that critics, radio executives and label bosses thought could not sell records, really could find a big audience. Love And Rockets never sold out, either, with the song. It just happened to strike a chord with people, and it demonstrated that even Goths could have fun. And who says Goths can’t have fun?

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