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Front 242

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Front 242 warmed my body on many an otherwise cold night of listening to old house music in clubs in my college town. The oldies, mostly as featured on Front by Front, felt like the DJ acknowledging me on the dance floor amongst the fratboys. And here, we find f242 all grown up. The maturation of the music beyond use of drumbeats and a catchy synth-line is astounding. Many people have spoken about the female vocals, which I do love, but I wanted to talk about Track 5: "Serial Killers Don't Kill Their Girlfriends" -- I'm not sure what it's supposed to be about, but to me, it is an anthem of independent thought and attitude. It moves me and almost forces me to dance. EVERY time I have ever DJ'ed I've played some version of this at some point, if only mixed in as a bridge. I would buy this album just for that track -- but even if it is the high point, so much on the album overall is nearby in both heart and rhythm. (mXr=variably 3-5...some is just good for dancing, but some actually works for mXr, which is unusual for a band often considered 'industrial')

Many fans of Front 242 were surprised by this disc, primarily becauses it is the first to feature female vocals on a 242 project. Originally designed to be released with UPEVIL as a two-disc set, it was delayed at least in America until after the Lollapalooza tour. Many of the tracks are variations on the UPEVIL cd: Melt(again), Junkdrome (remix of Crapage), etc. Highlights include the aforementioned Melt(again), the Animal mixes, and Modern Angel, which was later remixed by KMFDM. Overall, style and production are above average, but it is not necessarily the best disc to serve as an introduction to the group!