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| Jyrki channeling Jim Morrison at Rockperry Festival, Vaasa, Finland, 2008. My own photo. |
It’s true that The 69 Eyes cannot be classified as metal, but every once in a while I like to indulge in a little bit of gothic rock and this has been my band of choice for several years. They have provided inspiration for a lot of things in my life, although this was more true in the past than in the present. They have also inspired their fair share of discussion amongst my circle of close friends. The first time I witnessed a live performance, they played in between 3 Inches of Blood and Cradle Of Filth. How does that not deserve some discussion regarding how strange of a line-up combination that proved to be? Anyways, moving on and providing more potential discussion material...
The 69 Eyes will be releasing a compilation album entitled “The Best Of Helsinki Vampires” in a few weeks time. I’m not a big fan of compilation or ‘best-of’ albums, but they definitely serve a purpose for the casual listener or new fan. The 69 Eyes have previously released a ‘best-of’ album, “Framed in Blood - The Very Blessed Of The 69 Eyes” back in 2003. This album was a good sampling of the eclectic mix of earlier material. Having been around for as long as I have been in existence, The 69 Eyes have demonstrated a wide variety of their influences throughout their albums. Early albums such as “Bump ‘n’ Grind”, “Motor City Resurrection” and “Savage Garden” clearly have a bit of a sleaze metal and glam metal sound. The “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams” era through to “Paris Kills” and into “Devils” demonstrates a significant gothic metal/rock influence. These are arguably my favorite albums, and the reason why I enjoy The 69 Eyes, even though I own and have listened to their entire discography. (Thanks to a friend who was able to secure the earlier albums before they were easy to obtain in North America).
I suppose a ‘best-of’ album updated with the last four albums that this band has released is in order, especially since it has been ten years since the last compilation album. Of the last few albums released, “Back In Blood” is possibly my favorite. “Angels” is probably my least favorite, as this album seemed like an appeal and ode to celebrity obsession. As far as I’m concerned, trying to appeal and speak to the internet celebrity culture is pointless, but I obviously differ from a good portion of the population in these thoughts. I also tend to love the humor in songs like ‘Dead Girls Are Easy’, ‘Frankenhooker’, and ‘Christina Death’ (whether that one was meant to be humorous or not). Personally I think this particular compilation should have included ‘Suspiria Snow White’, as I feel that draws together most of the elements, minus the pure gothic sound, that have influenced and can be heard on almost every 69 Eyes album. ‘Stigmata’ should be included as well, because it is just a neat song. Especially when there are a few versions of it floating around, but I digress...
While that was a bit of diversion from the ‘Lost Without Love’ single, it sets a bit of a background scenario for the comments I’m about to make. While the lyrics of this particular song are okay at best, I’m not a fan of the pop elements it contains. It shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise, considering the latest direction The 69 Eyes have chosen to take, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not disappointing. From a band that had (several) distinct sounds, not necessarily appealing to a mainstream audience, this frustrates me. Again, it’s not awful, but it’s not that appealing either. A quick scan of the comments people have made on YouTube say it all. This is polarizing. Some fans yearn for the old sounding 69 Eyes, and some argue that change is a good thing. Honestly, I’d argue against that. I can reiterate it in regards to more than one band, but if I wanted something to sound completely different, I would have listened to a different band in the first place. Artists sometimes feel a need to change direction, and I guess the inevitable consequences are either losing or gaining fans, or developing fans who have strong preferences for certain albums.
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| From Blabbermouth. |
