Saturday, October 22, 2016

Renaissance - Village People

This was not an album I was is intending to review, but to be fair, it does have the spookiest cover art of all time... So why not. This is the 6th studio album, 7th if you count the Sleazy half of Live and Sleazy, by the Village People. This followed their huge flop, and is a departure from their disco roots in favor of New Wave sounds. The wikipedia page has tons more info, more than I'd really ever need but now I can say this is the first album with Jeff Olson as the Cowboy and the last with David Hodo the Construction worker. Now I don't know if this look really works for them.... it kinds looks really fucking dumb. But hey, why not give the album a try right.... what could possibly go wrong?
  1. Do You Wanna Spend the Night: What the fuck is this, it's like they sucked the charm of the Village People out and made them shit. I mean it's an okay song I guess that sounds like like could be a watered down Foreigner, with a weird 80's chorus, but like I don't know. It's not horrible but it's too bland, where's the camp. I do dig the backing vocals, and I mean I like the song and all but I just don't really see myself returning outside of a curious listen.
  2. 5 O'Clock in the Morning: This intro sounds like a Duran Duran copy cat trying to figure out a Bond theme. I do like the synths on this track, but I mean it kinda makes me think of AOR. You know maybe a good comparison would be 90's Foreigner, after they lost their umph. I mean I think if someone else did this it could have been a hit, but it's the group that no one took seriously anymore (well you know what I mean). The song is so repetitive but it hasn't gotten old while I listened, so that has to be a good sign.
  3. Fireman: This is a title, that is pretty cheesy. This has a disco feeling in my opinion, or at least post-disco type sound. There are some lyrics where I'm like, really just say sack. But this isn't terrible, I'm just pretty sure I'll forget about it once the reviews over. I like the bells and sirens and what not. Nice touches. There are also nice synth sounds on this too. It's better than Uptown Fuck.
  4. Jungle City: There's something about this title where I could so picture the cheesiest, campiest, over the top music video of all time ever. Like Raining Men level cheesy video. The song isn't maybe cheesy enough for the music video but it's bad. I like the drums though.
  5. Action Man: "Action Jackson, is my name, bold adventure is my game". So I looked up the lyrics before I heard this song and some other songs on this album. When I saw that chorus I just.... I was not looking forward to this track. Who knows its could be good, but in reality...... it's really not. If anything; it's like more along the lines of what the fuck am I listening to, mixed with Whip It.
  6. Big Mac: I have no words for this song, outside of once I looked up the lyrics and read them I just..... I don't know. Is anything even real anymore? Waterfalls is about AIDS, there exist Titanic video game from Japan and most shocking..... The Village People sang a song about the legendary McDonald's burger... the Big Mac. This isn't terrible, but really were they endorsed by Micky Dees. There's a sort of surf feeling to the tune, maybe like the B52's. Eh, I don't know not feeling it. 
  7. Diet: This is so 80's, but it's not in the good way. So when I was younger, and far less intelligent (or at least had worse taste) I would watch hours of VH1 Classic music videos. Mind you I was in Middle School and most of that music I either like out of nostalgia or I think sucks. Some I still love, Video Killed the Radio Star, Aerosmith but that's besides the point. I feel like, even then, this would have been on of the songs I'd see and be like okay lets wait until this is over so I can see a good music video. My favorite was Pop Up video for Sexual Healing. #Fucking Classic - Not this Marvin's tune.
  8. Food Fight: Is this a sequel to the 2012 film of the same name? You know, I kinda think this is fitting... Not the song but the jesture maybe. David left after this album, I doubt they or he knew while they were recording, but I like to think this is his send off (he sings lead vocals on this track). Okay this is my favorite song here, for the fact it sounds like Weird Al's classic tune Happy Birthday. It also kinda reminds me of Blondie, maybe. That one could be me remembering wrong, but I do know that the vocals and the way this is reminds me of that HB
Overall I have to give this album a 5/10. This wasn't as terrible as I thought it'd be, but I mean I don't know if I'll ever revisit this. I mean while the songs aren't half bad they aren't fun.There is a very 80's feeling to it, and it kinds suffers a bit for that. But I don't know, it isn't terrible

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