Review by LarryG
2½ stars out of 4
Version 2.0 is certainly a state of the art dance rock record. Butch
Vig is the producing genius behind Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkin's best
records and his own band has huge, sleek beats that must be irresistable
on the dance floor. Singer Shirley Manson has a big enough personality
and interesting enough lyrics that she is never in danger of getting
lost in the mix. Push It and I Think I'm Paranoid, with their lyrical
allusions to rock classics, are great dance songs without being stupid.
But what works on the dance floor doesn't necessarily work on the home
stereo. Making it all the way through Version 2.0, with its cold efficiency,
can be an ordeal. Manson lacks the warm personality needed to loosen
things up. The record works best when it seems less mechanical. Special,
has a lighter, layered touch, ending with Manson's humorous tribute to
Chrissie Hynde's lyrics and attitude. The frenzied When I Grow Up has
an energy that would be welcome in other places.
Here's what others reviewers have to say:
"...By crafting more fully realized tunes, penning lyrics with a
specificity that's at once personal and universal, and pumping up the
BPMs with an enthusiasm you can feel, these unlikely stars...have created
nonstop singles aggregration that's going to make the crap glutting
Modern Rock radio suck even worse..." 8 (out of 10) Spin
6/98, pp.130-132
"Ranked #9 on Spin's list of "Top 20 Albums of '98."
Spin 1/99, p.91
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