PUZZLE - 2000
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Album 3, puzzle, was the first of the Melbourne Street albums. Melbourne Street, Morley, had modern hardware and benefitted from much more up to date software.
The concept speaks for itself, and on the back of the cd case all the tracks were concealed within a wordsearch style grid. Initially the idea was a competition and by solving the wordsearch prizes could be given, however that would have meant destroying the inner booklet and the idea was ditched. As well as the crossword & wordsearch there is a word tile puzzle on the centre pages. In true puzzle book form the answers are given, upside down, at the back of the booklet. Puzzle is the only album to date where Breezy does not appear in the bottom right hand corner, it is instead, the answer to 11 across, a light wind condition.
Puzzle is considered a milestone for Breezy, as the album is a most polished piece of work to date. Deft pink features a guitar riff. I'm back makes excellent use of the House piano while Hopeless and Subbed have a deep sup bass. The album contributes 4 tracks to Par for the course, the first greatest hits album.
The concept speaks for itself, and on the back of the cd case all the tracks were concealed within a wordsearch style grid. Initially the idea was a competition and by solving the wordsearch prizes could be given, however that would have meant destroying the inner booklet and the idea was ditched. As well as the crossword & wordsearch there is a word tile puzzle on the centre pages. In true puzzle book form the answers are given, upside down, at the back of the booklet. Puzzle is the only album to date where Breezy does not appear in the bottom right hand corner, it is instead, the answer to 11 across, a light wind condition.
Puzzle is considered a milestone for Breezy, as the album is a most polished piece of work to date. Deft pink features a guitar riff. I'm back makes excellent use of the House piano while Hopeless and Subbed have a deep sup bass. The album contributes 4 tracks to Par for the course, the first greatest hits album.
1. Amazon Sunrise: The album kicks off with classic Breezy. The feature of this track is the sporadic placement of animal noises slowly building in volume throughout the track. As the track comes to its' climax all that can be heard are the creatures of the Amazon as the jungle comes to life. Coo, Arrh, Arrh, chirp, click ARRH, woop!!
2. Fear: Be afraid, very afraid!!
3. Hopeless: "Just when you feel Hopeless" The first vocal contribution on the album. Hopeless harks back to the message of the first album Breezy. Suggesting if you stick a bit of this on, no matter how bad things maybe, it might just cheer you up a bit! Nice! 3rd release from the album.
4. Swagger: A late addition to the album, featuring a dirty melodic bass, a feint dark pad, a chirpy little sequence and a single key plonk. Simplistic by design, but with a swagger!
5. Subbed: Is the fourth release from the album. Subbed refers to the deep moody bassline that sits underneath, the multiple drum loops & moody organ. Another dark, edgy track to offset the more upbeat previous tracks.
6. What!?!?: Is a simple reference to the vocal sample used in the intro. What!?!? are they all saying? Apart from that, what has a booming drum loop, and some interesting synth variations - bit of a mish mash of styles. What!?!?
7. Arrivaderci: At the house where I was living, we had an Italian lady staying with us for a short time. Whilst this song in neither dedicated to her nor is it about her, it's just one of the few Italian words I knew at the time. Francesca, you know who you are!
The track is quite upbeat & melodic albeit short, love the deep bass, particularly in the chorus, dum de-de dumdum, dum dum de der.
The track is quite upbeat & melodic albeit short, love the deep bass, particularly in the chorus, dum de-de dumdum, dum dum de der.
8. The Bears' Pyjamas: The Italian housemate wore Pyjamas....a lot.....with Bears on! They were known as "the bears pyjamas". Another upbeat quirky track with lots going on. Melodic bass, organ x2, a gurgling pad and a twang! This genuinely is the Bears' Pyjamas.
9. Glue: Named primarily because of the vox sample "Gllllloooo" Nice drum patterns, hats, kicks & claps. Pulsing sequences and the bass solo is very pleasing especially as the track builds back up.
10. I'm Back (Prelude): The first track at Melbourne street, and this was the first draft house & trance - hance or trouse.
11. Escapology: Just for the record, this came before the Robbie Williams album of the same name, OK! Nice little track, it's about escapism, from the mundane and the ordinary. The day to day. - "Discover the wonder" Get out there & see stuff, do stuff! We are fortunate people who live on a wonderful planet full of amazing, natural & man-made, things and they should be enjoyed.
12. I'm Back: As already alluded to on track 10, this was the first track in the new studio, loved the house piano, loved the trancey sequence! Can I have both?? Of course you can, and without any further ado the track was born. Crashing symbol, building FX sequence and snare, hand claps too, it's all going on! Upbeat, anthemic but what should I call it?
13. Deft Pink: A friend of mine was telling me about a new electro group on the scene, who use guitars. "They're French and called Daft Pink!" he told me. "Hmmm...." I replied, "Guitars eh?" So without hearing Daft Pink, I did this, and it sounds nothing like them!!!
Bonus tracks
14. Amazon Sunrise - Jungle remix : More swamps, more trees, more foliage & exotic flowers more mammals and of course more beats!
15. Hopeless - All in the mix : This is an extended version of the original, and the 3 vocal interlude sections have been replaced by edited versions of I'm Back, Amazon Sunrise, & Subbed.
16. I'm Back - Full version : This is the full version from which the prelude & the edit were spawned. This version boasts some variations to the trance sequence.
17. Subbed - BLT mix : Extra cheeky organ, more loops, beats & fx but still that deep sub.
15. Hopeless - All in the mix : This is an extended version of the original, and the 3 vocal interlude sections have been replaced by edited versions of I'm Back, Amazon Sunrise, & Subbed.
16. I'm Back - Full version : This is the full version from which the prelude & the edit were spawned. This version boasts some variations to the trance sequence.
17. Subbed - BLT mix : Extra cheeky organ, more loops, beats & fx but still that deep sub.
