IN SYNTHESIZER SOUND

Anyone remember the very annoying ringtone project Crazy Frog ? That project took normal songs and molested them by replacing the normal instruments with synths. Disgraceful and not particular creative. But Crazy Frog was not the first one who used that recipe for musical disaster. The Pink Mice did the same 35 years ago.

The Pink Mice has here taken well known classical pieces and stripped them bare. Then they have added tonnes of keyboards and some guitars. Innovative and creative ? No. Is it symphonic prog ? No. It is elevator music. It is in fact not music at all. It is muzak. There is more creativity and innovation in ELP's rendition of Jerusalem than there is on this album. Just think about it. For example the music in Capriccio Italien op.45 is there. Just fork out some Euros to get a half decent recording of it. Then just take your keyboard and replace the orchestration, note by note. Add some drums and bass too. Just to be a bit clever, add some guitars too. Creative music ? No. Annoying ? Oh yes !

Where ELP, Triumvirat and most of the bands who went down this route added personality, art and creativity; The Pink Mice just replaces stuff. No more than that.

I do not doubt that the musicians is good and does a brilliant job. But the result is muzak; not music. And I cannot stand this album. And that's it, really.

1 star

Unfortunately, I have to agree with reviewer before me. Why unfortunately ? Because I don't like low ratings, but when it's needed, it's needed. I was hoping for innovative approach on classical music, something not necessarily weird, but not just replace dozens of instrument (of orchestra) by synth sounds.

1(+), so value of this record is very little. Especially given that most of these songs are well known (pouring on us from half of TV ads - for butter, for new furniture center, anything), so hearing them like that isn't exactly interesting.

There could be something interesting done from this material, but the result fails quite a lot. One star for "I can at least stay tuned for all 35 minutes, even I started to feel quite weird towards the end.".