THE MAN-MACHINE [AKA: DIE MENSCH-MASCHINE]

This one's so hard to review for me, since it's so different from anything else that I listen to. I am a fan of the raw sound of guitars drums and bass, rather than an ultra-refined electronic sound. But saying that I have to admit that this is one awesome album.

The synths and keyboards sound very good, and the electronic drums sound phenomenal. The vocals take a backseat for the majority of the record, but when they do appear they are integral to the robotic theme of the album.

'The Robots' is a great opener and the sound is very mechanical, but just loose enough to really dance to. 'Spacelab' is another excellent track that reminds me of a video game theme tune (especially Crash Bandicoot). This really does create the mood of space very well. 'Metropolis' isn't as memorable, but a strong track. 'The Model' is the hit single here, and the song that influenced me to buy the album. This is the most 'human' track on here (as opposed to a robot track) and has a brilliant keyboard riff. 'Neon Lights' is good, and the first few minutes always leave me with a warm felling inside. 'The Man Machine' is a good way to end, but not as good as the rest of the material on this disc.

Overall this a very original and clever album, without being very demanding, like a lot of prog is. A good album wether you want to really listen to it, or just use it as background music. 4 stars.