 |  | Among the most highly recommended EPs/CD-Singles out there! |  |
I doubt that any review could do any justice to the greatness that is "Pearl's Girl". Though it is often viewed as an EP rather than a full-length album, Underworld's 1997 release entitled "Pearls Girl" is a spectacular hidden gem that has had the misfortune of being sandwiched between "Second Toughest in the Infants" and "Beaucoup Fish", both of which are marvelous. Yet inspite of their greatness, "Pearl's Girl" is a standout all of its own. The EP is mostly a remix EP of the band's hit single "Pearl's Girl" but with the exception of the "Radio Edit" and "Album Version", many of the other remixes almost are like different tracks altogether.
"Puppies" is a very pleasant track with a nice jazzy atmosphere with electronic keyboard effects like that of viewing the outside through a rainy windshield at night. "Oich Oich" is a dreamy track very much like that of "Tongue" with some haunting chime effects throughout the song giving it a haunting post-thunderstormy mood. The guitar parts could easily make this track fit onto "Dubnobasswithmyhead".
However my absolute favorite track hands down is the fifth track entitled "Cherry Pie". Now for those who are familiar with "Second Toughest" you'll immediately realize that the bizarre electroshock ambience that introduced "Rowla" is present. However a minute into the track, a totally different DJ echoes build up generating a whole different track. The track eventually evolves into a high speed track that could easily make the adrenaline of the movie "Speed" pale before the warp-speed nature of "Cherry Pie". The track evolves into a haunting and intense track with an atmosphere like no other track by this group. In many ways, it reminds me of the haunting ambience of "Dirty Epic" from their 1993 masterpiece "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" with a much louder and faster tempo. Many may agree with me that "Cherry Pie" improves upon the original track that was "Rowla" but I disagree that it should've been on the album. I think this track feels too distinct to fit with the "Second Toughest" album. In many respects, I consider this to be a supplementary track rather than a replacement. By an large my favorite cut in this entire EP. Though Underworld would go on to make really good tracks in subsequent releases, they have yet to generate songs that rival "Cherry Pie". This track alone makes this album worth purchasing.
The final track "Deep Arch" is another haunting track that starts with a trippy ambient intro and has a very slow build up into a beautiful yet trippy cut with an atmosphere like that of viewing traffic on a stormy night.
Even if you already have "Second Toughest", you still need to acquire a copy of "Pearl's Girl" because while it is mostly a remix album of the single of the same name, many of the tracks that aren't remixes are astounding in their own way. I could even argue that much of the music that made it onto STITI pales before some of what's on PG.
March 1, 2008I love any band where buying the singles is like getting a whole new album. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what Underworld is all about; if you're looking up a single, you're familiar with the band. Trust me, you won't regret buying this. In addition to the album version of "Pearl's Girl," it contains eight tracks that bear no resemblance to the single, even the remixes. I think the standouts are "Puppies," which is an odd, almost Godspeed-You-Black-Emperorish kind of thing (though more upbeat), and "Deep Arch," which doesn't change much over its eight minutes of running time but, like most Underworld, has a great, ambient, city-at-night feel; a soundtrack for driving on just the right kind of evening.
This ain't gonna convert the unconverted, but for fans it's a solid buy.
July 13, 2005As any Underworld fan might attest, "Pearl's Girl" is their signature title- absolutely awesome. So, I was quite pleased when this EP came out; the "EDIT" version is nice when I just need the quick, to-the-point "Pearl's Girl" fix. However, the 'diamond' I'm refering to is "Cherry Pie." I mean... Wow. At first, I was a bit thrown off thinking it was a remix of the none-too-impressive "Rowla" From "Second Toughest in the Infants," but it wasn't long before I was unexpectedly thrown into the spacy, throbbing, hard-hittin' loops and passionate intensity of "Cherry Pie." I never thought I'd find a track on an EP that would make it among my list of "must-hears" for any band. I've always thought of EPs as sort of after-thoughts from a successful band; "Cherry Pie" alone is fresh, new and a worthy exercise of Underworld's talents.
Unfortunately, the "Pearl's Girl" remixes aren't much to rave about; I'd just as soon stick to the original. "Puppies" is a nice, ambient track ala their "Beaucoup Fish" release. "Mosaic" and "Deep Arch" are relatively uninspired, but not necessarily bad tunes; good for when you just wanna soundtrack for veggin' out.
All in all, "Cherry Pie" and the original and edited "Pearl's Girl" versions make this EP worth the purchase; the other tracks are decent filler's though not the epitome of Underworld's efforts. I highly recommend this title.
July 2, 2005i'm a big fan of underworld-- i bought this randomly at virgin one day... when i popped it in i started flipping through the tracks and i fell in love with track 5-cherry pie. i haven't heard anything like this before, the song builds up so well and there is such a strong bass line. i especially love the middle of the song (around 4'15") when the drawn-out synth tones come in. if i ever heard this in a club i'd go out of control! it's my favorite underworld song of all time. underworld rocks!
February 17, 2005I thought 'Pearl's Girl' from 'Second Toughest in the Infants' was a GEM, but why did they have to make the song into this EP? If it was a CD-Single, it would've been much more worth it in my own opinion. 85% of the EP was very un-motivational and I didn't think that any of the mixes were impressive at all. The 'Tin There' cut and 'EDIT' from the EP were really the only two versions of the song worth the listen. The '14996 Version' was boring and I felt that the song had no relevant flow or direction. 'Oich Oich' and 'Puppies' were dull...ambient textures do not fit Underworld at all...only in 'Dubnobasswithmyheadman'. Don't get me wrong though, I love Underworld a lot, but this is not what they sound like at all...I know change is necessary for a lot of artists (Ex. The Chemical Brothers: Come With Us), that goes for every techno artist, but this wasn't the most fresh start for Underworld. 'Cherry Pie' was clearly 'Rowland' from the 'Second Toughest' album and the same goes for 'Mosiac' and 'Deep Arch'...no real direction of where the song was going and how it was going to end. That's my review, thanks!
August 5, 2004More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(24 reviews)
