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Reviews: Ahab Rex ~ The Queen of Softcore
Posted on Saturday, July 01, 2006 @ 06:19:39 PDT
Topic: Reviews
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Artist: Ahab Rex
CD: The Queen of Softcore (EP)
Home: Chicago, Illinois
Style: Rock
Quote: "In marketing terms, it’s meant to be an appetizer. It’s actually more of a lap dance; it’s titillating, exciting, and it definitely leaves you wanting more."
By Robb Loving
Ahab Rex is a tease.
In anticipation of his next album Blood on Blonde he has released The Queen of Softcore, a five-track EP that takes the single by the same name and has exuberant fun playing with it. In marketing terms, it’s meant to be an appetizer. It’s actually more of a lap dance; it’s titillating, exciting, and it definitely leaves you wanting more.
The Queen of Softcore stands alone as a contagious song. It’s throbby, it has its share of hooks, and the good captain has a talented sense of how to use contrast; Ahab’s own harsh, broken-larynx vocals are beautifully balanced by featured partner Brooke Cassell’s dreamy 1-900 purrrrr. The track has an intriguing conversational angle to it that makes you feel as if you are listening to the voices inside someone else’s head. It’s voyeuristic; and let’s be honest, we all like to watch. Then Rex takes it a little farther by handing The Queen of Softcore over to three Chi-town friends — Press, The Countdown, and Nookleptia (tracks 3, 4, and 5, respectively) — who each do their own Monster Garage-style pimp-out, tearing the song down and rebuilding it into something familiar, yet new.
The gifted remixing lead to some revealing reactions when this CD was passed around at a recent party; everybody seemed to have a different favorite. For some it was Nookleptia’s version, with its distorted trapped-demon vocals and NIN-inspired typewriter-technotrip creepiness. Others liked Ahab Rex’s own second interpretation, with its sped-up infectiousness and dance-in-your-car beat (think Len’s Steal My Sunshine). For me , though, the stand out remix has to be The Countdown’s; it has all the darkness and sexuality of The Matrix, without Keanu Reeves along to ruin the vibe.
As Tony Soprano would say, “This is just a taste.” Consider it a little flirtation after work out at that place near the airport. Soon, when Blood on Blonde is released, we can take the girl home. Meanwhile, I’m hitting the ATM for more Champagne Room money.
http://www.ahabrex.com
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| Article Rating | Average Score: 5
Votes: 3
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