Customer Reviews

Electric (Remastered)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a true American Rock album, and you'd almost have to call it "neoclassical," in that it pays homage to an earlier era by imulating & incorporating elements/highlights of that era. I read a review here where someone credits the influence of "Zodiac Mindwarp." Brilliant! (as those 2 Guiness guys would say). This is true; the Cult really did shed their English Pop-Rock image, move to America, and release "Electric," the only post-70's rock album I ever listened to at the time. It made me think of Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf, Deep Purple and Zodiac Mindwarp, most of all. Let's go back, though, to the year after the The Cult's album "Love" was released...

The guys began writing and recording for their next album, which was to be titled, "Peace." They recorded the bulk of the songs at a place called "The Manor." The recordings sounded like the "Love" sesions, except for one small difference--Billy Duffy perfected the art of "new" rock--every song had 3-5 guitar tracks. Every song sounded like there were 4 or 5 guitars playing at once. One playing a lead, one rhythm, and 1 or 2 overplaying harmonics, a catchy little 3 note riff, or a crunchy droning power chord. The song "Outlaw," for instance, is as loud and rocking as "The Phoenix," except there are MORE guitars...Billy plays solos right over top of Ian's vocals, like on "Phoenix." I could go on and on...I was blown away by the Manor Sessions, plain and simple. It was "Love" with no slow mellow songs! Ian and Billy weren't satisfied, had a falling out with the producer (who, unbelieveably, was giving Ian and Billy virtual free-reign in the studio) and after receiving advice that the newly recorded "Peace" (the Manor Sessions) was never going to be a big hit in the USA, they move their home base to America, and re-recorded every song under the direction of Def Jam psycho metal-head/rap producer Rick Rubin. EVERYTHING CHANGED! "Wild Flower" for example, became the American version of the song "Love" (listen to the music--it's the same notes, put to a different drum beat)...Aphrodisiac Jacket and Born to be Wild were composed (well, not BTBW) and recorded on the spot, mostly by Rubin, and many of the other songs were reduced (guitar-wise) to fit this new hollow, shallow, "70's rock" biker/Easy Rider sound. Thing was, 70-s rock songs didn't have very many guitar tracks--the technology was just not there! Rubin decided "Electric" would be a better record title. Rubin also added some of his own guitar tracks to the recording. I think Ian and Billy relied too heavily on others' advice (like they always do) and redid a perfect album to make it an American 70's rock album.

I love "Electric," but I prefer the Manor Sessions. If you are a fan of "Love" (one of the greatest CDs I've ever purchased) songs like "Phoenix," "Hollow Man," "Love," "Big Neon Glitter" and "She Sells Sanctuary," do yourself a favor and find the Manor Sessions. I guarantee you will be shocked to hear these earlier recordings: the wall of guitars, the fierce SINGING vocals of Ian (not the loud yelling he did for Rubin's recordings)...this is why I can only give "Electric," one of my favorite CDs, 4 Stars...I know what it was and where it came from. Anyone who owns this CD needs to get the earlier recordings, and vice versa.

I enjoy Pink Floyd for their deep lyrics, Led Zeppelin for everything, Sex Pistols and Henry Rollins for creativity. Every band puts out albums that some people don't like, this one happens to be my favorite from The Cult for the fact that they can play Rock 'n Roll! Now Zeppelin knew how to incorporate blues and rock like geniuses that they were but the Cult does a pretty good job here too. No, I'm not comparing the bands. This release just rocks! Sure it was a departure from what they had done in the past but that's how bands mature. The U2 of today is not the U2 of 20 years ago. This is the release where they found out they can play hard and got away from all those weird ones of their early times. I liked where they were going with Love and this release was my first Cult purchase and what turned me on to them (Wild Flower played on 91X in San Diego while in High School did it). At the time of this release it was nice to not hear another Depressed Mode/Cure/Pet Shop Boys/Echo & The Bunnymen clone in the Alternative market. Electric was never mainstream rock but it was rock nonetheless. Enjoy it for what it is.

One of my favorite all-time albums, definitely a desert island disc. Rick Rubin's production strips down the often "sappy, U-2 like guitar sounds of Billy Duffy into pure rock fury, Marshall Stacks set on 10. Astbury's singing has never been better. While "Love" is a great album, it's almost "new-wave" metal sound borrows too much from bands like U-2 and The Cure. "Electric" is flat out metal. Everything is upfront and in your face with no subtleties whatsoever. This album deserves to be played at max-volume. So if you can't crank it up, don't buy it!!! The Cult's best album in my book.

I cut my Cult teeth on the likes of "Fire Woman" (Sonic Temple) and Ceremony. In stark contrast to this is Electric, an earlier Cult offering permeated by songs that, if they had a certain gravelly-voiced vocalist, could easily be mistaken for AC/DC.

Make no mistake, though, Electric is magnetic. 'Wild Flower' is an instantly likeable song, as is the familiar 'Born to Be Wild' (a nice remake effort). 'Lil' Devil' is AC/DC bread and butter sound. 'Love Removal Machine' actually seemed like an early version of 'She Sells Sanctuary' to me, but I liked it nonetheless.

The debate will rage as to which Cult release is their best (personally, I would lean toward Sonic Temple), but Electric deserves to be in the running, even though it is somewhat unoriginal. The Cult does well to demonstrate an all-too formulaic 80's metal sound in Electric.

If you are a hardcore Cult fan, then you must own this CD. If you love AC/DC, this CD is for you. Otherwise, I'd recommend you go after something in the Sonic Temple or Love vein.

Without getting analytical, I am 17 years older than I was the day I bought "Electric". Obviously, my life has changed in oh so many ways (as has the world in general), but I still find myself playing at least one song from this album on a weekly basis. This is simply timeless, great rock and roll, and the Cult's best album by miles. Every home should have one.
And whatever happened to Les Warner?

If you like the hard rockin' era of the Cult, this is the best album they did. Nothing else to be said.

This is not a review. It is an observation:

Electric is basically The Cult's attempt to make Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction palatable to the masses (a difficult task to say the least). But, hey, if you're gonna rip someone off, aim high.

Don't see the connections? Ask yourself these questions: Why is the band wearing biker denims? Who's the new bass player? Who said 'the biggest thing this century' about who? Who tattoos Ian and Billy and who else does he tattoo??

Then, look at the drastic switch from Love to Electric. From hippy psychedelic rock . . . to AC/DC riff-rock. Then go get a copy of ZM&TLR's High Priest of Love EP (rockorded in England in 1986).

Some knucklehead biographer on the MTV website says '[t]here was no disguising [The Cult's] source of inspiration, with Led Zeppelin being mentioned in nearly every review' about The Cult's Electric LP. If that's the case, there's no disguising the ignorance of nearly every rock reviewer in America. Led Zeppelin?!?! I think the ZM&TLR inspiration is WAY more prevelant.

Check it out for yourselves...

The Cult's 1987 "Electric" sounds like the great record AC/DC never made, and I mean that as a compliment for both groups. Like Lenny Kravitz, the Cult have always gained a reputation for mimicking legendary acts from the Doors to Led Zeppelin, and, under the production of Rick Rubin, the British group makes a tribute to AC/DC on "Electric." Guitarist Billy Duffy plays in a style so similar to Angus Young, you'd half-expect him to prance around in a schoolboy outfit as Angus often does onstage. From the opening guitars of the infectious "Wild Flower," this album often sounds like it should be re-titled "Back in Back in Black." Other cuts like "Memphis Hip Shake," "Little Devil," and the single "Love Removal Machine" rock on aggressively with singer Ian Astbury's howl. But the album's best track is the one they didn't even write: their version of the classic "Born to Be Wild." What should have been an embarrassment of mammoth proportions actually passes off as a thoroughly successful cover, and it works just as well as the original. Over a decade and a half since its release, "Electric" still sounds fresh. It's been a while since I've played this disc, but it's recently been getting some rotation in my CD player. Listening to it is like being reunited with an old high school buddy.

Electric represents a welcome departure from the usual over-produced, effects-laden Cult style to a world devoid of wishy-washy effects and filled with Marshall stacks cranked to 10. Rock fans must have been blown away in 1987 when this album was released, as it defied the trend of sound excess prevalent in the 80's. On Electric, Ian Astbury's vocals cut to the bone while Billy Duffy's guitars remain in your face for the entire album.

Rick Rubin's (producer) fondness for AC/DC is evident on tracks such as "Lil' Devil" (i.e. "Who Made Who"), "Aphrodisiac Jacket" (i.e. "Night Prowler"), and "King Contrary Man" (could have been on any AC/DC album). In fact, at some points during the album Duffy could easily be mistaken for Angus Young.

My three favorite tracks on the album - in order of preference - are "King Contrary Man", "Peace Dog", and "Outlaw". "King Contrary Man" is probably the hardest rocking song on this album, though "Born To Be Wild" gives it a run for its money. I listened to this track for at least an hour, repeating it several times! The lyrics contain a nod to Mississippi Delta blues legend Robert Johnson ("Down at the crossroads temptin' fate / Said yeah you can take my soul")

"Peace Dog" comes in a close second, featuring an excellent solo backed by a headbanging rhythm and vocal section. A notable line from the lyrics is "B-five-two baby, way up in the sky / Come drop your lovin' on me child".

Finally, "Outlaw" fades in with a fast, driving riff that will infect your mind for days to come. Duffy's searing solo on this track is memorable.

Though some tracks are radio-friendly ("Wild Flower", and the Stones-esque "Love Removal Machine") they have just enough edge to keep hardcore hard rock fans from pressing fast-forward. While I generally dislike cover songs, "Born To Be Wild" on Electric is about as nasty and grinding as I've ever heard it played, and it pays homage to Steppenwolf.

On an interesting side note, the 1997 CD remaster includes detailed liner notes - filled with all the lyrics, discography specific to Electric, and a biographical article by Pat Gilbert.

I rate the overall album five stars because every track is strong; none deserve to be skipped. If you like to play it loud, live for crunching riffs, or like AC/DC - buy this album NOW.

Electric has got to be the Cult's most mind-numbing album. I give the album three stars because it was born of such hard-rock earnestness that you can't be too hard on it. I mean, as far as hard rock goes, the Cult weren't fooling anyone on their 1987 album and they know it. It's a sincere sort of edge.

But you need only a fourth of your brain power to come up with guitar riffs comparable to the ones on this CD, and you need less brain power than that to listen to it. The monotony gets to be a bit much by the halfway point because all of the riffs and drums beats just bleed into one another. The album is not that long (shorter than 40 minutes) and I almost had to eject it from my CD player during a road trip because it was getting on my nerves.

Give the Cult credit for (almost) not making the same CD twice. But Electric has got to be the most discouraging of them all...