Adamski - Adamski's Thing

In the late 1980s, English clubs discovered house and started pulsing to the rhythms of A Guy Called Gerald and 808 State. Adamski was there too, creating friendly, ecstasy-fueled beats palatable for both the dance floor and the pop charts. Lyrically, his first album in six years adopts a more sober outlook, reflecting on the aftermath of that hedonistic era. Musically, for every neo-Baroque instrumental ("Piccadilly Circus"), there are old-fashioned inspirational midtempo house numbers like "Ascendere Verso la Cima," and guest vocalist Gerideau particularly shines on the anthemic "Climbing Up." For the album's best treat, check out the "hidden" reprise of opening track, "Memories of the Future," done with a fiendish Cabaret-Marc Almond vibe. --Elisabeth Vincentelli Amazon.com

Hard to define its appeal

Oddly, I love this CD. I say oddly because, well, I can't quite work out why. I bought it after falling in love with the Shark Tank remix of "One of the People", but the album version possesses none of the catchy charm found there. None of the pieces are particulary outstanding, and you won't be humming them for long. A few suffer from lamentable lyrics, such as the ridiculous "Intravenous Venus", and "Champagne or Real Pain", which would be damn fine if it weren't for their snicker-inducing chorus lines.

That being said, I listen to this over and over again. I can't work it out. I'm trying hard here... It is charming, unspeakably addicting, and generally pleasing. You can't dance to it, you can't sing to it, but you sure as heck can *listen* to it. This is a CD full of music for, well, musical sake. I love it. I can't scratch any deeper than that. January 9, 2000

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