Search - Bis :: Return to Central

Grace C. from CHULA VISTA, CA
Reviewed on 6/21/2007...

some dance-y stuff, some noise. a good one to check out if you're already a bis fan.

Like the Spice Girls, except good

Jemiah Jefferson | Portland, OR, USA | 06/29/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a passionate Bis fan for a couple of years now, since I heard "New Transistor Heroes" on the recommendation/shoving of a friend. Their lighthearted, but clear-eyed approach to lyrical subjects like self-esteem and gender politics meshed beautifully with truly impressive songwriting and musicianship from such young people. "Return To Central" is hugely different in sound and subject from Bis's chipper early days (I hesitate to say "snarky" again, but it's true). Certainly there is a maturity to the sound - the production is almost too lush and dense, and the formerly happy shrieking of Manda Rin and John Disco has been transformed into careful singing and harmony. The end product is just a hair away from being brilliant - perhaps a different producer would have helped bring this to fruition. As it is, it's sort of a muddle - a little too adult-contempo friendly for my tastes, much like the Spice Girls' better written and produced songs, except uniformly gloomy in outlook and sound. It's neither fish nor fowl, and after six enthusiastic listens, I can't say that it's one of my favorites."

Wow

Darrell Wong | Hawaii, USA | 06/07/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The difference between this and Social Dancing: Social Dancing is highly offbeat pop with an inescapably cultural influence. Return to Central is offbeat with an inescapably cultural influence, and it doesn't even pretend to be pop. This is easily the grittiest, edgiest, and (yes) darkest work they've ever done. And all I can say, really is...cool. ("Hella" cool, if you prefer.) Not for everybody and certainly doesn't fit anybody's definition of pop...but then, that's pretty much always been the point, hasn't it?



Lyrics could be a *little* more understandable, and the "filler" tracks, Black Pepper and Metal Box, are just redundant. Outstanding work otherwise. Damn shame it ended up being their swan song."