23

Opens with the passionate '23' and the spell is cast with Kazu providing another magical performance, about how in 23 seconds so much can happen to change a life, and the number 23 chosen because of its enigmatic theories "23 magic, if you change the name of love". Kazu continues the brilliance with 'Dr. Strangeluv' with so many beautiful sounds & vocals...another melodic winner with Amedeo creating the guitar fills. Then emerges the best track (so far) in 'The Dress' with Kazu's strange vocals "Horse loves you when you move with him...people hate you when you're changing"....& the Japanese sounding keyboard backing heightens the atmosphere. Now it's the turn of Amedeo via 'S.W.' and his vocal interpretation reaches Kazu's and is a powerful sound of high emotion. Amedeo follows up with the wonderful 'Spring And By Summer Fall' with its steady urgent drumming (Simone as always doing superb drums). Kazu with 'Silently' probably the most commercial here & reminds a little of Supremes 'Baby Love'. 'Publisher' a gloomy sounding effort with synth dominating "Say what you say, say it like a cat Say it to my face and say what you know everyone says". 'Heroine' a pretty piece which is seemingly about a friend Roland committing suicide. 'Top Ranking' "I take my ceder to where the mountain is high" as Kazu takes us up there via beautiful sounds, a catchy refrain & is apparently about the horrors of the Vietnam war (yes this is not party music). Final track is the weird 'My Impure Hair' which is perhaps the weakest here.. Perhaps not as strong or beautiful as previous LP 'Misery Is A Butterfly' but nevertheless essential & a display of passion brilliance & magic.

23 is one of the most powerfull LPs that i have ever owned. You can listen to the entire album over and over without having the need to skip a song. The songs flow, following each other offering a great music experience. To my opinion, apart from the excelent production the singers voice is unique-amazing. Preview any song and if you like it you will surely love the entire album.

One of their best. Neatly balances the noise of their earlier career with the melodic sensibility of their later, with plenty of shoegaze to gel it all together. Well worth picking up, and sticking with.

One of my favourite albums and an excellent pressing!

Blonde Redhead has really softened over the years -- you won't find angular melodies and jagged guitars in "23." In fact, it's not really rock at all. Instead the New York band spins out full-blown, sensual melodies out of smooth keyboard and gently cycling riffs. They try out all kinds of pop sounds here, but never lose the delicate dreampop edge. It opens with a few echoing, ringing chords.... before bursting into a strong, swirling dreampop melody, which would sound ghostly if it weren't so vibrant. Then Kazu Makino's ethereal voice murmurs, "23 seconds, all things we love will die/23 magic, if you can change your life/Your tainted heart, my tainted love, repent now..." That song is the springboard for the rest of the album, which balances out between guitars and shimmery synth. It's full of driving guitarpop with a trippy edge, delicate pop ditties, blurry trip-hop, shimmering dreampop, and quirky fusion songs like the overstuffed spring ditty "Spring and By Summer Fall." It's a pretty big change from their last album "Misery is a Butterfly," which was sort of soft indie-rock, and an even bigger change from the albums before it. But if you're going to depart from an old sound, then make it worthwhile -- and fortunately, they have. Musically, it's all heavy on guitars and synth, which get mingled together into one big shimmering mass. The guitars can ring and chime, then can kick itno a driving rock riff, while the keyboard is almost as versatile -- it can buzz, shimmer, sweep and ripple over the guitarpop melodies. The blurrier songs like "Publisher," are perhaps the only problem, actually, since they sound less refined and more lo-fi. They don't fit in well. Makino's voice is almost painfully ethereal; she sounds positively ghostly at times. The songs she sings don't hurt the impression -- they're full of pain, loneliness, and even when you're happy, it can't last. "The glow you see on my face, you do have something to do with/Fear starts creeping up when you have so much to lose/Your love wait you while you're cheating/Lighting strikes you when you're moving..." This is not quite the same Blonde Redhead as in their prior albums, but they're as good at exquisite shimmering pop as they are at indie-rock.

Simply beautiful. Go for a Winter's walk around a snow-covered park and you'll get my drift.

Fantastic album, delivered as fast as possible.

good

Este disco suena supremo y es increíble de principio a fin

Album incredibile della band Blonde Redhead. Il disco al suo interno raccoglie pezzi bellissimi che fanno da riferimento a chi apprezza la bravura e la singolarità di questa formazione unica nel panorama musicale del genere. Pezzi di rilevanza particolare sono 23, Dr. Strangeluv e Heroine. Consigliato ai fans della band.

Perfecto, llego a tiempo y en buen estado

I consider this one of the best albums that I have come across. It represents the perfect marriage of avant-garde experimentalism and sugary melodic pop. The music is driving and propulsive but never oppressive, always maintaining a certain playfulness. The instrumentation is unique and while seemingly uncomplicated when listening to any isolated element, it is layered and mixed in such a manner that an unpredictable complexity ensues. Kazu's voice is sweet, haunting, and searing in equal measures and she wields it with absolute mastery. It truly is as close to a perfect album as I have heard in years. Five stars with no hesitation.

バンド名由来のDNAは以前聞いていたのでよく知っていたのですが、Blonde Redheadは最近まで知りませんでした。YoutubeのDavid Sylvianの検索（Messenger）にて引っかかり、あまりにも自分にとっていい楽曲をつくるバンドだったので、音楽好きとして知らなかったことが恥ずかしくなりました。とてもまとまりのあるバンドで、このままのいい路線で深化してほしいです。かつての4ADを好んでいた人も、Goodなバンドです。はまる人なら、間違いなく何度も聞いてしまいます。