Search - Everything But the Girl :: Adapt Or Die

Pleasantly surprised

Sorridendo | 06/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Everything but the girl has never sounded so good... truly awesome remixes, if you like good modern mixing talent coupled with oldies but goodies. I especially recommend Corcovado, which I think is unlike any other I've heard before... Beautiful voice, great sounds, and a pleasant flow from song to song. A highly recommended chillout CD..."

Gorgeous Electronica to Chill With

Bragan Thomas | NYC | 08/01/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn are living legends. Not since Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox were at their peak as Eurythmics has there been a stylish British duo whose music combines solid producing and songwriting skills with the spell cast by a vocalist of great individuality and power. Furthermore, at a moment in Everything But the Girl's history when most bands would have gone under or - even worse - become a living fossil imprisoned forever within the mausoleum of Adult Contemporary, EBTG chose to adapt rather than die, and along the way became one of the most widely respected and influential bands in the business. Until 1995, EBTG were no more than a cult band, known for their jazzy stylings and nostalgic evocation of a pre-rock era atmosphere of trenchcoats, Left Bank cafes and Nouvelle Vague hip (Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn are nothing if not living examples of cool hipster Euro-chic at its best). After gaining a lot of critical attention during the mid-to-late '80's jazz-pop revival, and scoring their first top 10 UK hit (a cover of Rod Stewart's "I Don't Want To Talk About It") in 1988, EBTG made the shark-jumping decision to go for US radio success. Their first album under their deal with Atlantic records (1990's "The Language of Life") remains their only major misstep, abandoning their customary sleek jazzy stylings in favor of necrotic midtempos a la Burt Bachrach and Carole Bayer Sager. Despite some airplay on the kind of radio stations targeted at suburban housewives, the record managed to alienate their older fans and wasn't particularly memorable to boot. Then, Ben Watt developed a rare bone-marrow disease and nearly died. Tracey Thorn's voice fell silent as EBTG took a hiatus which many fans feared permanent. Fortunately, 1994 brought us the deeply felt "Amplified Heart," a collection of stripped-down folk numbers which suggested a return to the fundamental roots of popular music-making (a few good songs, a great vocalist and perfect guitar play) and a fresh start. In 1995, fate intervened. A chance introduction and a newly-recovered Ben Watt's developing interest in electronic music led EBTG to producer Todd Terry's studio and a remix of an "Amplified Heart" track called "Missing." The house beats and the emotions were equally deep, and the song was an instant classic. Perhaps not since Bob Dylan abandoned his acoustic and plugged in his electric had an artist changed styles so abruptly. Overnight, EBTG went from being a little-known cult band to massive worldwide success. What could they do for an encore? And how to avoid the accusations of "selling out?" Miraculously, their follow-up record, 1996's "Walking Wounded" demonstrated Watt's new mastery of ambient and deep house chords, which - combined with Thorn's sensuous-yet-chilly-alto and the duo's basic songwriting skill - made for a powerful set and international hits like "Wrong" and "Mirrorball." EBTG had accomplished something few acts in the music business have managed to do - they changed their musical style, became worldwide successes and attracted a horde of new followers without alienating their old fans or losing critical acclaim in the process. Amazing! Although the group has been on hiatus since 1999's smash hit set, "Temperamental," Ben Watt's work as a DJ, producer and promoter has kept them current, and this remix set makes a beautiful stopgap until the long-awaited day arrives when Ben and Tracey return to the studio together. "Adapt or Die" might be subtitled. "The EBTG Story," for it demonstrates the reason for their successful transformation into an electronic act with soul. The songs here (aside from the now-inevitable "Missing" and the great "Corcovado") mostly come from "Walking Wounded" and "Temperamental," so longtime fans won't find any surprises here. The marvelous thing about this record is how fresh the songs still sound today ("Walking Wounded" is now 10 years old after all) and how relevant. Each remix puts Thorn's amazing voice front and center and never forgets (with one unfortunate exception) what makes every track click in the first place. This is first-class electronica, equally suitable to chill to or to dance to, with just the right balance between technology and soul. Highlights of this set are a gorgeous version of "Corcovado" which is impossible not to dance to, a stunning reinterpretation of "Five Fathom" and Kenny Dope's electro-jazz reimagining of "Downhill Racer." There is only one clunker on this set - an unfortunate remix of "Temperamental" which sounds like a funeral dirge and ought to have been erased the next day. Just skip over that one and let the rest of this gorgeous record flow over your spirit. For those of us wondering what EBTG will do for their next record, now that modern dance music is bigger than ever and electro-clash has come and gone, "Adapt or Die" is a great preview of coming attractions."