EMF - Schubert Dip

Oh come on, it's not that bad

About a year ago I decided to go visit some nearby pawn shops to look for a drum set. While I didn't find the drum set, I noticed that this CD was pretty much ubiquitous throughout the stores. I later noticed it for (re) sale at Goodwill and decided to give the album another listen to see why people hate it so much and are so willing to sell it.

Frankly, I don't really get it. Half the album sounds exactly like "Unbelievable" so it seems like the people who bought it after hearing that single (probably like 90%) would like the rest of the material. It's great, poppy-as-hell, alt-dance music. I listened to it again today and noticed all the layering that they did. In a way that's similar to an album which gets slightly better reviews but is still slightly controversial, "Smile" by Brian Wilson, hooks and themes are repeated throughout the CD. Some call this repetitive. I agree, however, in the way that it's presented it is really quite creative. I think EMF sort of broke the mold for pop acts at the time and are still more or less an oddity that deserves real attention. For all you naysayers, give this CD another chance, preferably on a large stereo so you can hear all the layers. I'm just hoping that someday it gets produced as a 5.1 DVD audio, I think it would be a great candidate for that format. May 18, 2006

Schubert sounds better when dipped

What a great dollar deal! This C.D. from EMF holds many wonders besides the featured hit "Unbelievable", and is worth getting at regular price too by the way. This outgoing British band's music frequently includes rhythmic fuzz-beep progressions, poets speaking in the background, piano melodies, and more. All sorts of genres are used, with eerie tunes like "Long Summer Days", calmer pieces like "Girl Of An Age", and exciting upbeat songs like "Longtime". Much to my liking, this album has much less language than the follow-up Stigma and has many more likeable tracks. I would most recommend "Unbelievable", which has some random guy speaking in the background, cowbells, forceful piano chords, and even a bit of rap. The tunes on Schubert Dip are very well-constructed and fun to listen to, which is why I would give it a full five star rating.
I recommend:
Children
Long Summer Days
When You're Mine
Traveling Not Running
I Believe
Unbelievable
Girl Of An Age
Admit It
Lies
Longtime
July 19, 2005

Electro-hippy britty movement=Barrels of laughs

Shubert Dip? Does anyone find that album title to be dirty? It sounds so sleazy. But it's kind of fitting for a band that bamboozles 15 bucks out of unsuspecting music buyers expecting more songs like "Unbelievable".

Like everyone else has said, the only good song on here is "Unbelievable". Someone else here compared this one-hit wonder band to the likes of Coldplay and Travis. Maybe it's so easy to compare EMF to Coldplay because they are one hit wonders as well. I can't even remember the name of Coldplay's popular single (but I do know its ultra-repetitive and annoying 10-second piano melody that is played over and over for five minutes). And I've never even heard of Travis. That should tell that reviewer something. The singer for EMF has no range whatsoever, and never raises or lowers the tone of his voice... just like Chris Martin of Coldplay. Only, EMF's singer sounds more like a Pet Shop Boy.

My suggestion for anyone who loves this crap is to get Jesus Jones' album Doubt (with the great song "Right Here, Right Now"), and the Soup Dragons' Love God (with the fabulous 'Stones cover "I'm Free"). Either that, or save your money for a few albums that have more than one good song on them.

In closing: Anybody else notice their DJ calls himself MILF? It's slang for "Mother I'd Like to Fu*ck". Seriously.
June 13, 2005

Eh...mostly forgettable

I've never had any crushing biases against "boy bands". It's just that...well, there's a reason most of them are flashes in the pan, and Schubert Dip is a classic example. Unbelievable, of course, is the big selling point; the rest of album is mostly bland and forgettable. There just isn't any variety or creativity here. Of course, it doesn't help that the singer has a *really* limited vocal range; okay for Unbelievable, doom for an entire album. Ultimately, Schubert Dip is a typical by-the-numbers potboiler that's...well, mostly forgettable. February 16, 2004

Dated Alt Pop

EMF are the schlock pop hooligans responsible for the catchy `Unbelievable'. I suppose that if you must have that little curio there is nothing for it, but believe me, that is all EMF ever did. I still remember the big controversy over what their name meant, of course, nowadays no one even remembers their name. July 27, 2002

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