Adam Ant - Vive le Rock

2005 Digitally Remastered Reissue Edition of Ant's Final Solo Album from Epic Records that features the Hit Title Track Single and Eight Bonus Tracks of Demos, Alt-takes and Previously UNRELEASED-ON-CD Tracks. Comes in a Digipak, Made to Stand Alone Or to Fit Comfortably Into a Special Box Set of Ant's Solo CD'S. Album Details

British rock All-American style

I can't say this album is any less weird than Adam's previous work, but it is somewhat a return to form bringing Adam back to more of the upbeat, hard rocking nature of Kings of the Wild Frontier. Now this album certainly isn't punk, it takes on more of a hard rock/wild wild west-rockabilly type of vibe and despite the weirdness of the song writing here, I'm surprised a couple of these tracks never became serious hits for Adam.

"Razor Keen and good again......schemes, if you know what I mean"

Not really, but I think a few more listens I'll probably figure out what he's getting at. This is one of those albums you may not understand at first but over time will realize the brilliance of the bizarre and unconventional song writing found here. I don't know what he's talking about half the time, Adam's lyrics usually contain some words here and there that he made up but his voice is outstanding on this album. The remastering certainly helps as the original release was basically a direct tape to compact disc transfer done back in '85 with mass compression. This mastering gets it sounding much closer to the original vinyl release if not better.

Normally I would say you've got to be a fan to really like this album, and that is probably the case with Vive Le Rock but I believe the catchy, upbeat and often heavy material on this album can be respected by a variety of music fans. Punks, new wavers, young kids exploring vintage music and those who have been fans from the beginning. Again, you're not exactly going to find anything similar to his early punk material or the catchy pop nature of "Goody Too Shoes" but the album certainly is hard rocking, unconventional and by no means your typical 80's top 40. Adam was a huge star in the UK but not much else than a 1 hit wonder in the US however he did chart a couple other singles after this. What amazes me is the cult following he still has in the US where this album sold poorly in the 80's is now a classic! I love this album! One of his best, if not THE best.

April 8, 2007

Adam's Space Cowboy T.REX album...

Vive Le Rock is Adam's most overly rocking album. Great loud guitars, Americanisms and Americana. Space Cowboys playing T.REX songs.

The album has it's share of great songs. The great ELO-esque title track. The loud rocking "Miss Thing". The barroom-piano of "Mohair Lockeroom Pin-Up Boys". The T.Rex sounding "Rip Down". The catchy and ultra-busy "Apollo 9" single. The weirdly catchy "No Zap", Scorpio Rising", "Hell's Eight Acres". Adam's songs are great and Marco is well-accounted for (he was a bit too reserved on the Strip album).

The album is an easily enjoyable romp for any Ant fan. Others will certainly like all the catchy and weirdly arranged songs.

The bonus tracks are great. Well-produced demos and intersting 12" mix (for a change) versions of "Vive Le Rock" and "Apollo 9".
There are also many great outtakes for this album ("Greta X", "Human Bondage Den", "Hired Gun" and "Saigon") which can be found on Antbox and B-Side Babies (also recommened). They are not on here but should also be sought after as Vive Le Rock could have been an incredible double-album as well.

Great Remaster with lyrics and perfect sound. A Must have!! April 23, 2006

why trick the buyers?

I was so excited to finally see that the Steve Thompson 12" mix I've had on import vinyl for years was finally showing up on CD...NOT QUITE. The case says it's the unreleased Steve Thompson 12". It an EDIT, running 3:49, where as my full 12" version runs 5:18. How exactly can they try and tell us that a version that runs 9 seconds longer than the album version is a 12" version???

So much for the perfect reissue. March 5, 2006

Bang bang you're dead.

Adam Ant's career didn't burn out slowly, it was stopped dead by "Vive Le Rock". If "Strip" was overproduced and glossy, then "Vive Le Rock" took it to the next step with bombastic rock and roll. While the playfulness of Adam Ant remains intact musically, the lyrics aren't as memorable. The production seriously detracts from the arrangements with what sounds like layer upon layer of overdubs. It's an average album, and perhaps his weakest since "Dirk Wears White Sox". The songs seem uninspired and the two singles "Vive Le Rock" and "Apollo 9" are okay, but not his best work. The rest of the album is rather painful to listen to because it's one bland, over-the-top song after another.

The remastered edition is cursed with a whopping ten additional bonus tracks. Too many versions of "Vive Le Rock" and "Apollo 9" that I could have done without, but there are three originals like the outtake "Human Bondage Den" which is all right, and "Doggy Style" which is average fare. The last original demo is "Night They Vietcong" sounds like a cross between "Chicken Outlaw" and "Personal Jesus".

As with the other remasters in this series, the booklet comes with lyrics to all the songs and the artwork and graphic design tie in perfectly with the other albums. All in all, not one of Adam Ant's best works. February 3, 2006

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