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Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
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Track Listings
| 1. Web of Deception |
| 2. Culture of Fear |
| 3. Take My Soul |
| 4. Light Flares |
| 5. Stargazer |
| 6. Where It All Starts |
| 7. Tower Seven |
| 8. Is It Over? |
| 9. False Flag Dub |
| 10. Safar (The Journey) |
| 11. Fragments |
| 12. Overstand |
| 13. Free |
Product Description
Album Description
2011 release, the sixth album from the Electronic/DJ duo. While never being pinned down stylistically but retaining a signature sound altogether, Culture Of Fear is just like all the rest. That is if you're counting on smart, consciously-centered music still bestowing plenty of appeal on the average listener. But the main difference is the energy. Culture of Fear's sophisticated lounge sound invites anyone and everyone to feel the music. It's only when you get past the satisfying, digestible shell of COF that you realize they really are feeding you vegetables under the table. Listening to this album is like cruising over a freshly paved side road with the blemishes and potholes representing anxiety and premonitions out of sight and out of mind. With more than enough justifications to feel paranoid and fearful in 2011, the future doesn't seem so scary when Thievery Corporation is interpreting it, at least not this time around.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Languid Lounge, Dream-like Dub, Total Thievery,
By Richard S. Warner "Saraswati-Son" (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Culture of Fear (Audio CD)
It's a funny thing about Thievery Corporation, they are one unit who you can go to the bank on in terms of what to expect from their sound. Here on "Culture of Fear" it's very much the classic "Thievery" sound - the same beats, rhythms, echo-effects, sumptuous, laid back lounge textures, dreamy female vocals, languorous reggae, politically charged rap and some REALLY fine dub workouts. You get the same instrumentation, the same sonorities on those same instruments, but ... it's their unmistakeable sound, and it works beautifully. It's what you come to expect from Hilton and Garza.So why buy this one? Some of their other releases, while having the trademark sound, which rarely varies much, lack the focus of this one. It's one thing to have all the technics and stylistic elements assembled together, but the tracks on "Culture" are much more sharply honed. The melodies and their shaping are stronger and more interesting and there are enough really bold moments that make this the best thing they've put out since "The Cosmic Game". Stylistically there's a bit of a shift. Now there is a complete lack of the Indian influences that were so exotic on "The Mirror Conspiracy" and "The Cosmic Game". In it's place there is more of an emphasis on black idioms, like Dub and Reggae. If fact the dub pieces are definitely the strongest on "Culture". "Tower Seven" is the most powerful piece on the album, typifying Thievery's always brilliant use of trumpets and layering of hypnotic textures. Slightly distorted guitar adds a meatier element to all the pristine keyboards and production, almost taking the song into the realm of the truly psychedelic. Psy-Dub? ...... This, in itself, is what I keep coming back to Thievery Corporation to hear. "False Flag Dub" is less dreamy and more classically dub. With it's requisite echoing vocals and more up-tempo pace it also stands out as one of the better tracks. Alex Paterson of The Orb, another great white dub master, would approve. "Overstand", a play on UNDERstand, is a political but beautiful reggae number, overviewing the insanity and corruption of the society we swim in. And in true Reggae form, while pointing a damning figure at "this foolishness" there is still the "overstanding" that we are all brothers and sisters in this, no matter what. The album opens with a brisk, punchy "Web of Deception", bemoaning the lack of integrity in American culture and the title track is an angry and defiant appeal that entreats "don't succumb to this culture of fear". Indeed, it is with the first two tracks that we get most of the conceptual message of the album which give musical voice to the theme. Visually the theme is illustrated coldly with the hard mechanical eyes of security camera domes. Ten Years after 9/11 we find ourselves completely immersed in, and sadly having for the most part accepted, a culture of fear and suspicion. As described above, Hilton and Garza are "feeding you vegetables under the table", political messages and pleas to question the largely euro-western-causasian world view while appealing with musical forms that are entrancing, relaxing and just plain beautiful. Thievery's continuing adherence to 'non-white' musical forms is just as much a political statement of disenfranchisement with the status quo as is their label name, ESL - 'English ( as a ) Second Language'. But rather than being strident about it, they slip their political views into some of the most beautiful music around. It seems a bit of a strange mix, and one that doesn't really focus on it's message in an overt way but one can often slip profundity in when someone isn't vigilantly looking. It's the way a good joke works, or a really fine album of very well crafted music. Get 'em when their guard's down. I say right on. A stand-out Thievery Corporation album for lovers of the band and a great 'first one' for someone who's curious. This or the other two albums mentioned above, are good places to start. Really fine stuff. CONNECTIONS: Tosca, Groove Armada, The Orb, Massive Attack, Mad Professor, Jah Wobble, Lindstrom and Prins Thomas, Morcheeba .........
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars (32 customer reviews) 20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hit & Miss,
By RP - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Culture of Fear (Audio CD)
I'm a huge TC fan, and pre-ordered this CD. A *very* strong first two songs (powerful/groovy beats, cool sound effects, smart hip-hop lyrics) push the envelope of TC's creativity and range. There's also some fun reggae/dub sprinkled throughout the album.Unfortunately, these highlights are offset by otherwise generic-sounding, uninspired, and somewhat redundant (compare Amazon's sample tracks #7 & #11, for example) sounds that dominate the rest of the album. Overall, a decent electronica album, but for long-time TC fans who have set the bar high, I'd say nothing too innovative or exciting beyond approximately half the tracks. 14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Their Best Since Cosmic Game (and better than...),
By CMOS - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Culture of Fear (Audio CD)
I started listening to Thievery Corp several years ago with the Mirror Conspiracy and Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi. Those works are hard to match and were the signature works of these artists IMO. So it's pointless to always compare the newest work to the signature works, as people are prone to do in every musical field. People didn't like Pink Floyd's Division Bell that much because it wasn't Meddle or Dark Side of the Moon. To me that's a pointless exercise. Look at each work on its own merits based on what you like. Sometimes it's great to get a familiar sound (with new instruments and details and arrangements) from the same artist, almost comforting. Sometimes it disappoints. Just depends on you and want you expect to happen.For me, I didn't particularly like the last couple studio albums. I ended up buying 2 or 3 tracks from each and thought perhaps that was the best was past. But I have to say, after just a couple hours of listening to it, I really love this new album. It's familiar enough in the sound and musical themes (equal parts electronic chill, Marley-hop, and eerie female vocals) to bring me into that comfort zone I've been missing. (I liked Cosmic but parts of it felt over the top or too frantic or... something. Just didn't feel like Thievery to me.) But Fear is also new enough and interesting enough that I can really appreciate the new twists and feel how it flows together. There are parts in certain tracks that even remind me of old Pink Floyd or Doors instrumental riffs. It just speaks to me. This isn't a collection of iconic sounds to sell records; this is a whole and possibly my second favorite Thievery work among everything they've done. I have a feeling I'll like it more the more I listen to it. Definitely worth the download. 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thievery Corporation: Culture of Fear,
By Jolt de Bolt - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Culture of Fear (Audio CD)
Yes,finally an album which is alive from these guys.This is also my 7th album (i never abandonded the band) from Thievery and as soon as the first beat hits you'll get familiar sound, which is upbeat spacey and groovy. The good news is they are able to maintain that feel through the entire album with ups and downs. Overall, if you never heard this band before this is a good album to start with. If you been around for a while, then you'll have fun with Culture of Fear. |
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