Danse Macabre Remixes by The Faint

Danse Macabre Remixes

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Danse Macabre Remixes

Reader Reviews
I have to start out by saying I am in staunch disagreement with the majority of feedback this album is getting; however, I am not passionate enough in my great disagreement to feel I have a real cause defending this album. So I'm going to simply give you my take, without getting emotional, as I cannot help getting over say, an actual Faint album, or the likes of a new Interpol release... I think what has happened with the Danse Macabre Remixes is a common syndrome that sweeps over listeners for many albums, only here it is a little more understandable on their part, and a little less deserving of defense for the album. Any time something different comes along with the name of the same band attached, their fanbase tends to get queasy. People don't like change. I find change to be difficult as well, but I think I listen to an album much more than many of the reviewers who bash the new direction. This is not quite a new direction for The Faint, as it is not technically their craftsmanship. However, it is a statement from the band, and one that is rooted in their music. The Faint started as an Indie emo-type rock group with Media and suddenly made the monumental switch over to electronica. As they were barely a blip on the radar when their debut had come out, there was not a whole lot of protest for this radical change. But it was radical nonetheless. Blank-Wave Arcade was an excellent New Wave-Electronica rock amalgamation that would signal things to come. Death and sex had already been established as their primary vernacular. When Danse Macabre was released, it was even more dance-worthy and even darker and even better, especially as a flowing album. It took three years for them to follow it up, and I know many people have been grossly disappointed. This could have been predicted. A new album after a masterpiece... Fans are known to be unforgiving directly after the release of one they adore, especially if it shows signs of being different from the last. But in between, was this little gem of songs that the Faint had written and vocals had been preserved for other artists to interpret with new beats and melodies. The artists chosen, were not rock, not emo, and not necessarily what Faint fans listen to. I for one, don't carry any Paul Oakenfold CD's in my collection, and there is a good reason for that, despite his fame and good reputation. A lot of these artists on their own would not be my style. But I appreciate what they did here because it is different and because I think these Faint songs do lend themselves to interpretation. I think "The Conductor" is a wonderful change of pace, as well as the first version of "Posed To Death." "The Conductor" though admittedly a nuisance if not in the mood to hear "control" repeated endlessly, is an excellent emphasis of the song's theme with some great new music to accompany it. "Posed To Death" features male and female vocals harmonizing in a rather off-beat, quirky, vaguely creepy way that I find to be extremely charming. "Glass Danse," though many many times worse than the original, is not a bad redo in my opinion either, if for the sole reason that it emphasizes one of my favorite parts of the song ("I feel the social glare; I feel the attitude...") and makes it the chorus, instead of the original synth hook. I admire the creativity in these remixes which I think most people have overlooked because it is "not The Faint." I don't mind that it's not The Faint. I have every Faint album. And yes, I much prefer them, without needing to explain to what degree... But this is a nice little non-Faint album The Faint has offered us that I will take out every so often and truly enjoy. I would recommend listening with an open-mind, as I would with any album. I think you can comprehend and even appreciate the transition from Danse Macabre to Wet From Birth a bit better if you do. Take care. -Ari

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