|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Not a bad final effort Mar 07, 2006
No, this is not the greatest BAD album, but it is not their worst either. Certainly nothing approaches their first two releases for inspired genius. HOWEVER, I would certainly put "Looking for a Song" and a few others here up there with some of the great BAD songs. I don't know, I never really understood why Mick kept moving away from the movie and audio clips in the songs. It seems that he was trying to make an effort to return some of that quirky sampling in this album. I think any real fan of BAD will appreciate this album.
1 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Big Audio a.k.a. Big Audio Dynamite= Over produced Album. Jun 15, 2005
Higher Power (1994) marks the return of B.A.D. parts one and two under a new moniker BIG AUDIO. I have no idea why they got rid of "Dynamite". The band sounds the same and the songs remain the same. But unlike the other discs, this one is very over produced (I guess for the lack of music quality they decided to beef it up in the mixing process). The best tracks are Stone Age Blues and Looking for a Song. Bring back Don Letts and Leo Williams!
The band made one more album (same band but they decided to rename themselves Big Audio Dynamite). I guess Mick's musical talent disappeared faster than his hair. A shame really because I like Big Audio Dynamite.
Come back Mick we miss you!
For fans only.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Low-key and laidback, but a rewarding listen Apr 16, 2005
I've always stuck up for this album, which is a decidedly different affair than its predecessors: "Looking For A Song" is the only real obvious link to BAD Past, with the bounce of old. The overall mood is low-key, and introspective; mainman Mick Jones confines himself to acoustic or muted electric guitar, while coproducer/keyboardist Andre Shapps takes a more upfront role.
The only other connection to BAD Of Yore is Jones's wobbly, off-kilter vocals, which remain appealing as ever; otherwise, the dominant feeling is not about winning any converts. If you've stuck with these guys this long, you already know that change is the order of the day.
Besides "Looking For A Song," the other classics include "Modern Stoneage Blues," and "Harrow Road," which wouldn't have sounded amiss on latter-day platters by Mick's old band, the Clash, and "Some People," which tackles another favorite Jones theme, petty gossip (hence, the line, "this city really can be a small town").
Special mention goes to "You Light Up My Life," where Mick sings to his kids ("I Like the way you wiggle when you walk"; in most other people's hands, this would have been a deadly mistake, but Mick's pop smarts carry the tune (whose rhythm is also similar to a childrens' song). Then there's "Lucan," a somber recounting of one of England's most notorious disappearing acts -- who else but Mick could have written this? Again, it's an unlikely theme, but works well.
If this album has a flaw, it's a tendency to let the mellow mood overpower the songwriting; for example, "Slender Loris" is a cool sounding reggae track, but -- lyrically speaking -- hasn't made a real impression, one way or the other. A couple of stronger songs would have reaped five stars, but, given what I've said, is a minor issue, really.
I'm not surprised this album got panned on its release; reviewers spent more time carping about the strategic name change, missing its punning connotations ("Higher Power" refers to the entity you rely on to stay sober, while the album cover is that of a stereo speaker!). In short, this album's subtlety kept it seriously out of step with the Britpoppin' likes of Oasis. Try it, anyway: for the faithful, the rewards are there, and for everybody else, you might find yourself pulled along with the mood.
2 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Give me Big Audio, Hold the Dynamite Mar 19, 2004
Ahh... Mick Jones, A man who has done so much for music with no real recognition.
Big Audio Dynamite made 3 awsome albums (I'm not a big fan of tighten up vol.88), then came big audio dynamite2 with there sub-par The Globe.
The name has now been shortend to Big Audio and there sound has been tightened and on the whole is much better then The Globe. I do admit there is nothing that stands out like Rush, E=MC2, Contact or Free... but on the whole this album is strong and under appreciated best cuts are "Looking for A Song", "Why is it?" and "Melencholy Maybe".
I must have for all BAD fans.
0 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Not half B.A.D. Feb 04, 2003
Can sum this one up real easy. The first 7 cuts are pretty good, the next 6 rather flat and boring. Definetely more mellow than previous efforts. If you really want some classic B.A.D. search for "This Is Big Audio Dynamite" or "Megatop Phoenix".
|
| |
|
![Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V%2Beipy8-L._SL75_.jpg "Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray]")
![Across the Universe [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T24FuHPEL._SL75_.jpg "Across the Universe [Blu-ray]")
![Underworld Trilogy (Underworld / Underworld: Evolution / Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51F27VzUl%2BL._SL75_.jpg "Underworld Trilogy (Underworld / Underworld: Evolution / Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) [Blu-ray]")
![Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RQUEopdlL._SL75_.jpg "Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour [Blu-ray]")
