Clazziquai Project [Love Child of the Century] (Third Album)

Prayers
Lover boy
In the Midst of Life
session 1 : all hail
Gentle giant
Last tango
Fiesta
Next love
Romeo n Juliet
Flower children
session 2 : confession
Friday’s Blues
Glory
Light

The album starts off with Prayers. I wasn’t sure on whether or not I was going to like this song, since it started out on a slow note and I didn’t too much like Horan’s vocal performance. The song is sung in English, pretty good English and the arrangement has a bit of variety but I didn’t too much care for it. Horan has the main vocals and she did a nice job, I only started enjoying the song when she started getting into the song. This is an all right opening to the album.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Lover boy. This song is interesting and odd at the same time. I thought I wasn’t going to like it but as the song went along it seemed to even itself out. Horan is singing mainly, but I believe Alex comes in at some point and starts singing as well, so that their vocals are pretty much layered over one anothers. I always love that duel vocal thing they always have going on when they sing together. I also thought the song was pretty catchy.

The next track on the album is the strange In the Midst of Life. I’m really not sure how to review this song, but I do know I like it. The arrangement seems very bland in a way, but at the same time very interesting. It makes you think of driving fast down a long stretch of dark road, it gives off a feeling of being free. Alex has the main vocals and they’re pretty good, then Horan comes in and everything seems to fall nicely into place (though she sounds strange, i’m thinking she’s on a vocoder, if so I like because it adds a bit of variety to this song), I always love when they sing together.

The next track on the album is the uber short session 1 : all hail. This was pretty pointless, but humorous at the same time.

The next track on the album is the rather strange Gentle giant. I really don’t get this song and though its down-tempo, I actually expected it to be a little more slower than what it was. The arrangement for some reason fits this song but it doesn’t jump out at you and when its given time to shine I thought I was listening to some sort of Nintendo video game music, it really threw me off. Horan and Alex both sing together in this, I heard mostly English so I’m assuming they sing this song in full English. I don’t understand this track and that kind of ruins it for me, who exactly is this gentle beast they are talking about? I get the feeling that its God, but I don’t know for sure.

The next track on the album is the lilting Last tango. I’m really not surprised this song went the way it did, some things are just so obvious. I like how intimate the arrangement is, I could imagine Horan and Alex or two random people dancing close together, it makes for a rather soothing and romantic atmosphere. This is also another track that features vocals from both Horan and Alex and honestly it wouldn’t have worked any other way. Their vocal performances were pretty slow, it tends to drag the song down a bit but it was appropriate. A lot of people will find this track boring in or dull, but I like songs like this.

The next track on the album is Fiesta. Ah, some things just don’t surprise me, I mean I knew the direction in which this song was going to go, but I kind of wish they would have been more creative with it. I mean how cliche can you get? The arrangement sounded Spanish-y but in the most lukewarm-est of ways, I mean when I hear Spanish music I want to dance, this on the other hand had me scratching my head, its so uninspired. Horan has the main vocals in this and well she sounded a bit bored and flat, I mean I felt no connection with her and the song went completely over my head. This could have been better, but alas its pretty mediocre.

The next track picks it up a bit with Next love. I really like this track, if only because it seems to convey how I’m feeling right about now. The arrangement sounds very old-fashioned and a bit futuristic all molded into one, I mean it doesn’t really do much but for some reason it just catches my attention. Horan has the main vocals, and there’s some backing vocals male and female that blend in nicely with her voice. I love the attitude she seemed to exude in this song, it was almost sexy: ‘we almost got it right, we almost got it right’ this is my new favorite line.

The next track on the album is the smooth and jazzy Romeo n Juliet. This is a nice song, but for it to be nearly four minutes long it certainly seems to play like a long track. The arrangement was rather intimate, but a bit clunky. I don’t know it just didn’t seem to capture my attention like their arrangements normally do, it was fitting but it could have played better. Alex and Horan are both vocalists in this track and their voices are appropriately soft and somewhat sensual in a way. This song has a tendency to become exasperating but its a nice listen.

The next track on the album is the rather airy Flower children. This song is pretty boring and it went clear over my head. Like I said, the arrangement is pretty airy and doesn’t really do much but what it should. Alex and Horan are the vocalists in this and though their vocals are decent I found that I cared for neither performance. I listened to this song twice and each time I felt my interest wane, like immediately. This is a pretty forgettable and uninspired track.

The next track is the second and last interlude session 2 : confession. It starts off with what sounds like someone trying to flick on a lighter, then Horan I believe starts talking and its sounds like she speaking french from the accent. Weird interlude, but kind of mysterious and sexy in a way.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Friday’s Blues. I have to say this is the best song on this album, hands down. The arrangement seems to really display a very blue like feeling and the interlude bleeds right into this and I thought that was pretty neat. Alex has the main vocal performance and I must say this is literally the first time I have heard him sing with so much emotion, normally he sounds very casual but he seemed to really get into the song and that caught my attention like nothing else. I actually want to listen to it again, what a good and rather surprising song: ‘this is how it feels!’

The second to last track on the album is the over my head Glory. This song comes across as very anti-climactic to me, seriously. I mean nothing happens and it goes nowhere. The arrangement is really nothing exciting and for some reason made the song more annoying than Horan’s oddly high vocal performance. I believe I heard Alex somewhere in the beginning and then he strangely just disappears. I don’t know what message they were trying to convey (are they talking about love?) but the ‘glory’ I’m thinking about is a bit different from theirs. This song is pretty unmemorable.

The last track on the album is the dull Light. Uh… what’s going on Horan are you bored? The arrangement literally sounded like the ticking of a clock, not literally but that’s the impression I got from the constant ting I heard throughout. It made the song quite the numbing experience. Horan has the main vocals, but unlike ‘friday’s blues’ which is one of my favorites now, Horan did a complete 180 and turned what could have been a decent down-tempo track into some sort of confused flow of boredom. I mean I think I stopped listening at one point without even meaning to, because the song was going nowhere. This is a very weak ending to the album.

-GRADE: C
Rating: * star

Clazziquai Project’s third album Love Child of the Century was a rather unmemorable album and for it to be Clazziquai I am rather shocked by this. This is without a doubt their weakest album to date and I’m not counting their mini album since I haven’t listened to it and its a mini album. I mean a few of the songs were fine, but not one song with the exception of Friday’s Blues jumped out at me; as it stands I only remember one song fully and that’s ‘friday’s blues’. I thought the arrangements were a bit safe, usually there’s such creativity when it comes to their sound, but it was absent in this volume, it all sounded a bit lukewarm. Alex’s vocals were fine, but Horan a lot of the time sounded very dispassionate and seemed to be singing half-heartily. I’m not sure I really enjoyed one vocal performance from her on this album, perhaps the duet-like songs with Alex, otherwise no. Love Child of the Century is a step down from Color Your Soul, a HUGE step down, I hope they bring it correct on their next full length studio album.

Clazziquai Project [Instant Pig] (First Album)

You Never Know
내게로 와 (I’m Glad You Came)
Futuristic
After Love
Novabossa
Sweety
Stepping Out
Tattoo
I Will Never Cry
Gentle Rain
After Love (Extra Remix)
Flower
Play Girl
My Life (Boom Remix)
Cat Bossa (Bonus Track)

The first track on the album is the smooth You Never Know. I really do like this song, and it was such a mellow and nice way to start off the album. The arrangement is of course full of variety: piano, bass, drums… they also had a few sound effects throughout that I thought were really neat. Alex has the main vocals in this and his voice is very sensual, and laid-back, which makes this song quite the nice listen. Horan comes in briefly towards the end. Its sung in English, and Alex has some really good English, I heard no accent whatsoever, which was great.

The next track is the mildly romantic 내게로 와 (I’m Glad You Came). This song is really interesting, because its really one of those songs that goes clear over your head, but at the same time it has enough going for it to keep you engaged. The arrangement of course has a lot going for it, it sounded pretty futuristic but throw-back, way old-school like the 50’s or 60’s at the same time. I always love songs that sound old. Horan has the main vocals in this, her voice is pretty high, it can get annoying after a while, especially during the chorus, but she did her thing. Her and Alex have duel vocals during the chorus, and Alex’s vocals sound very relaxed compared to Horan’s.

The next track on the album is the mellow Futuristic. For a song with a title like ‘futuristic’ its certainly very tame. The arrangement has variety of course, but its pretty minimal, as to where it sounds like the same thing, looped over and over. Its a static type sounding instrumental arrangement, but its pretty all right. Horan’s vocals were the main in this song, but though they were good, I couldn’t help but be bored with them. This is a hit or miss song, the chorus being the highlight. I’m inclined to like it.

The next track on the album is the romantic After Love. This is a very smooth song, which is only enhanced by the fact that Alex’s vocals are the main, and his voice swims with it. The arrangement is very calm and soothing, washing over you and making you think of candlelight dinners and rose petals leading to a tub full of hot and extra bubbly water. Its really nice. Alex’s vocals are gorgeous, and surprisingly with how slow and calm-like he’s singing it doesn’t get boring, but fills you with such a feeling of contentment.

The next track on the album is the sweeping Novabossa. Its a pretty mellow song that doesn’t do much but what its supposed to. The arrangement is very laid-back, nearly enough to put you to sleep. I mean that in a good way, not a bad way, because the arrangement is really lovely and so old-time (throw-back 60’s perhaps 70’s) feel-y and ordinary. Horan has the main vocals on this track, and I’m glad she went with lower tones, because it really gave you the chance to connect with this song and take in its warm and rather romantic atmosphere.

The next track on the album is the rather artificial Sweety. This song comes across as very lukewarm, and irritating to me. The arrangement though it of course has variety, sounds re-used, simple and in truth not all that interesting. It eventually becomes annoying background noise. Horan has the main vocals, and her tone is high, which makes this song even more intolerable than it already is. Her vocals sound very uninspired and go with the flow-ish. You can’t connect with this song, or even like it, because it doesn’t really give you any reason to and seems to keep you at a distance. Forgettable.

The next track is the quirky Stepping Out. This song is pretty interesting and breezy. The arrangement sounds very old school, throw-back sixties. It sounds like something a housewife would pop on when she’s feeling rebellious. Horan has the main vocals, and I thought her voice was perfect for this song. It wasn’t too high, wasn’t too low. I also like how it sounded like she was strutting down the street on a sunny day, ’stepping out!’ though in a sense it sounded like, ’step it out!’ this is a fresh and very enjoyable song.

The next track is the down-tempo Tattoo. This was a pretty nice song. The arrangement is pretty basic compared to Clazziquai songs, but I did like the easy-going flow of it, and it created a soothing and somewhat sad atmosphere. Its quite a pretty arrangement. Horan has the main vocals and her voice is gorgeous in this, her tones are low and she really brought personality and emotion to this song. It gives you the impression of her reminiscing over someone that is no longer there and that perhaps their presence still lingers like a tattoo. ‘Come to me, don’t you go…no, no, no…’

The next track is the down-tempo I Will Never Cry. This song is pretty boring. The arrangement has a bit of an romantic flare to it. Its very sensual and goes right through you in the nicest of ways. Horan and Alex have duel vocals in this, and I thought they both sounded pretty good, but it seemed to be lacking personality and depth; it seemed very empty to me. I found it very dull and forgettable, even if it is a somewhat nice song, it just didn’t do anything for me.

The next track Gentle Rain is really Bossa Nova. Which is such a strange genre of music, but one I really adore. It’s so laid-back and smooth sounding, like everyone is just happy and mellow all the time. The arrangement sounds very old-fashioned, and simple. Both Alex and Horan have the main vocals in this, Alex’s voice is very smooth and just love and Horan’s voice is a bit high, but of course it would be high compared to Alex’s. Them together really gave this song a very gentle and warm air. ‘Gentle rain is falling down.’

The next track on the album is the mellow After Love (Extra Remix). I’m not sure what an ‘extra’ remix is, but if its anything like this, I like it. The arrangement is pretty much the same, just much slower. Alex has the main vocals as well and as usual his voice is smooth like butter and flows right through you. I’m not a fan of remixes, that is no secret, but I did find that I quite enjoyed this, even if it seemed to be randomly inserted into the album.

The next track on the album is the barely there Flower. I’m actually sitting here wondering what the hell was I just listening too. This song just completely blew my mind with how pointlessly it played. the arrangement is a simple piano melody, that becomes very stagnant and repetitive, and annoying after awhile. Its also way too simple for a Clazziquai song. Alex and Horan have duel vocals in this, and I surprisingly was impressed by neither. Both of their vocal performances went clear over my head, and I can’t even be bothered to listen to this song again, because I know I’ll only get the same results. Its like: ‘what the hell was that?’

The next track on the album is the fun and quirky Play Girl. This song really reminds me of an alternate version of Salesmen. The arrangement is very crisp and fresh, and gives you such a feel good and self-assured feeling. Horan has the main vocals in this and she really brought a lot of personality to this song, ’she’s such a girl, she’s a playgirl’ It makes me think of a bad girl who knows what she wants, and isn’t afraid of doing whatever to get it. This song has a lot of attitude even if it doesn’t come across as a song with attitude. I like the whole women-empowerment feel of this track.

The second to last track on the album is a remix, My Life (Boom Remix). Oh, I really like this song, its a song that just embodies ordinary and routine. I really like how Horan who has the main vocals says, ‘tomorrow is tomorrow’. Clazziquai really know how to remix some songs.

The last track on the album is the whimsical Cat Bossa. This is a pretty boring song, but if you can get pass how it seems so repetitive and bland, you’ll find that its a pretty OK track. The arrangement is simple and sounds very dream-like, yet lullaby lull you to sleep like as well. Horan has the main vocals and her voice is very calm and soothing, but its a bit of an overkill and it really makes the song impossible. This is one of those songs that just comes and goes and you retain only bits and pieces of it. Its a nice song, just not one I particularly care for.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: **1/2 stars

Clazziquai Project’s first album Instant Pig is strangely not as great this time around as it was the first time I listened to it. In my review of Color Your Soul I mentioned that this album was better, but in truth Color Your Soul is the far superior album, because it offers first of all more variety and more memorable tracks. Its really odd how I found this album very boring and bland, but I guess that’s what happens when you look at something as a critic and not as a fan. I did enjoy a few tracks on here though: You Never Know was a great start to the album, though Cat Bossa was a pretty lukewarm end to it. I’m Glad You Came, Futuristic, Sweety, Stepping Out, Play Girl and My Life are some pretty kick ass up-tempo, mid-tempo tracks. After Love, Tattoo and Gentle Rain really rounding it out nicely on the slow side. Instant Pig was a hard album to summarize, because its almost like, ‘what can you say?’ Clazziquai really knows how to cook it up in the studio, to make a song you wouldn’t normally like one of the greatest songs you ever heard. Plus they really deliver with the remixes, I always find their remixes enjoyable, well the few that I have heard. This isn’t a great album, but it sure is a good one.

Clazziquai Project [Color Your Soul] (Second Album)

Beautiful Woman
Salesman
Fill This Night
Cry Out Loud
I Will Give You Everything
Come Alive
날짜변경선 (Date Line)
Be My Love (English Version – House Remix)
춤 (Dance)
Color Your Soul
Speechless
Sunshine
Steps Ahead
다시.. (Again…)
Bonus Track: Be My Love (Original Mix – Bonus Track)

The album starts out with the very short intro, Beautiful Woman. A man with a British accent says: ‘You know, you’re a very beautiful woman, honey’ and she responds with ‘you think so?’ and then he repeats it and his voice sort of statics and the song goes out.

The next track is one of my favorite Clazziquai songs, Salesman. It’s so fresh, and 50’s like. I really like that. The arrangement is very breezy, and clear. Horan’s vocals are also great, I mean the way she sings this song, is exactly how it’s suppose to be sung, and she really brings it to life: ‘Yesterday you called me, today you left me’, I love that part.

We pick up the pace with the next song, Fill The Night. Another favorite of mine, that has this very classic disco vibe to it, that makes it very catchy, and one great song to play at a get-together among friends. Alex has the dominant vocals in this song, which was perfect, because his voice really pulled off the verses. Horan comes in during the chorus, which is very infectious. The song is very disco infused, but also somewhat sexy in a way, I think it’s the chorus, or Alex’s voice.

The next track is somewhat slow-paced but not really down-tempo, Cry Out Loud is a track that I semi-like, and it will take a while for it to grow on me fully. We have a few different elements, but they are all very simple, so they fade into the background. Horan is the vocalist in this track, and though her voice is good, it doesn’t really add anything to this song. Plus I thought the chorus was pretty dull, and cheesy.

Next is the somewhat mid-tempo track, I Will Give You Everything. Which is probably even more dull than Cry Out Loud. I mean it has it’s good points: the beat is very laid-back, incredibly relaxing; both Horan and Alex’s vocals are featured and add their own unique flavor to the song, but at the same time, the song never really goes anywhere. It stays at the same pace throughout and the, ‘I will give you everything’ in the chorus was very flat and monotonous.

The next track is not slow enough to be down-tempo, but it’s not mid-tempo either, Come Alive is some where in between. I’m not sure what to say about this song, since a part of me likes it, and a part me does not. It’s rather intimate in a way, but at the same time it’s somewhat club-friendly. The first part of the song is good, Horan’s vocals are very clear and I really like the, ‘come alive’ during the chorus, but towards the end it’s like her voice and the arrangement goes out, and then for some reason it sounds like a bad acapella track, with a floundering arrangement in the background.

The next track is very interesting, and had this old 30’s, maybe 20’s vibe going for it. Dateline features vocals from both Horan and Alex, and they both do their parts to a T. I thought it was appropriate to have the two featured in this song together, because it gave the track a very romantic feel.

We pick the pace up a little with the next track, Be My Love (English Version – House Remix). Alex has the main vocals in this song, and it’s just love. It’s so smooth and laid-back, and Alex sings as if he’s in no rush, like he’s the host at a cock-tail party entertaining guests. The best part is the chorus and Alex really gets into it, without overdoing it. Definitely one of my favorites by them.

Dance is the next track, it’s down-tempo and plays like a waltz. I really love how both Horan and Alex are featured in this, it sounds like a duet, and it really feels like you’re dancing, close, with the one you love. This song leaves you with a special feeling.

The title track is next. Color Your Soul, is exactly what a title track should be, damn good. I really like how it has so many different instruments and musical genres intertwined in it, giving it this sort of futuristic, and past-like feel. Alex’s vocals are really wonderful, and this song plays like a morning breeze. The chorus is pure love. I also love how the song goes out, like when I had Dial-up and had to wait for it to connect, very clever.

The next track is actually rather quiet and pretty brief, Speechless. Normally I wouldn’t go for a song like this, because it’s over three minutes, but it plays like two. Second the song is very basic, there is nothing going on arrangement wise, or vocal wise. Horan has the main vocals and this, and her voice stays at the same tone, neither rising nor falling. Put those three together and you have a pretty boring and forgettable song, right? Wrong! In this case, those things actually work, and this is a pretty good song, with nice vocals from Horan and a nice pace.

Clazziquai keeps the down-tempo tracks coming with the next track, Sunshine, the main vocals being that of Alex. He has such a nice voice, and this slow-paced, smooth, laid-back song, fits him perfectly. It plays almost like a salsa dance, with a little jazz thrown in for good measure. I don’t know why I got that vibe, but I did. ‘In the sunshine, you will find me’ at least that’s what it sounded like to me, I really love this line in the chorus.

An interlude comes in next, very fast-paced even if it doesn’t seem like it. Steps Ahead comes on rather abruptly, with this computer-like beat going for it, that just hits you. Even though it’s only forty seconds long, you’re almost compelled to listen to it, because it’s so odd, and plays rather pointlessly.

I like this next track, of course because it has both Horan and Alex doing the main vocal performance. Again…, is something like a ballad, but what’s so unique about is that both Horan and Alex are singing together; it creates a nice, romantic, and rather sweet atmosphere. I love the instrumental solos, really heartwarming.

The last song on the album is the original version of Be My Love, tacked on here as a bonus track. I like the English version more, but the original version get’s points for being more assertive and dance-friendly. Alex seems less laid-back in this song, and more self-aware, really trying to get a point across. I love when the instrumental gets a chance to shine, because it bombards you with so many different sounds, even that of a horse neighing.

-GRADE: A-
Rating: **1/2 stars

I definitely like Clazziquai’s debut album INSTANT PIG more, but they still got it right with Color Your Soul. I’m new to Clazziquai, just got into them this year, so I’m still learning about them, but I feel as if I am well on my way to becoming a fan. I love how their songs have so much variety; you’re not hearing one type of sound, or even two or three, but several. Fusion, Electronica, Acid Jazz (I really like this one), and it just sounds so right. The vocalists Horan and Alex really add a fresh and modern flare to this genre of music, which makes it less of a chore and more of an adventure. Even songs I didn’t so much like such as Cry Out Loud and I Will Give You Everything, are still good, and worth a listen. I feel with a few more the songs will eventually grow on me, and I’ll love them. This is a great second album from Clazziquai, and I hope they keep with it, and maybe give me another Salesman, I really like that song.