Justice Audio, Video, Disco

  full reviewuser ratings (128) 
Tracklist:
1. Horsepower
2. Civilization
3. Ohio
4. Canon (Primo)
5. Canon
6. On'n'on
7. Brainvision
8. Parade
9. Newlands
10. Helix
11. Audio, Video, Disco


Release Date: 10/25/2011

user rating
2.8
good
Chart.
other reviews
ednights (4)
Raising the bar of synth-rock to new levels of dynamism....
Deviant STAFF (2)
Audio, Video, Disco is a horrible miscalculation on all fronts, a terrible vindication of the one hi...
Rudy Klapper STAFF (2)
Justice trade in the Ecstasy for a six-pack of Milwaukee's Best....

related

 Planisphere

 Cross

  On 6 Lists

4.0
excellent
David Gould USER (2 Reviews)

February 4th, 2012 | 8 replies | 645 views

Summary: It's wierd; it seems like I heard a different album then everyone else.

1 of 1 thought this review was well written

"the stuff that makes no attempt to surprise or do anything artistic, is so profoundly soothing… artwise maybe not the greatest art. But the function it provides is deep in a certain way."

I'm gonna leave that up there for you guys to ponder, and I intend to get back to it. What seems to me so strange about this new Justice album isn't the response - hostile response to a new style is a musical normative, no matter its value or appeal - but the content of such a gargantuan wave of harsh response, that content being criticism of the album being glibly tiring and unoriginal. There's another positive review of this album that says Justice, on the album, are "a rock band masquerading as an electro act," reminiscent of "Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Queen, [or] Rush." There's a few reasons why those approximations are incorrect, causing the review to lose direction and appeal, explaining its 0% approval. For one, this album isn't Justice revealing their true rock roots through electronica, it's another matter entirely. This is more or less an experiment; a band trying out different influences and tastes, which suffers the situation of being released in the wake of Cross, which is one of the most prolific and well-crafted electronica albums to date. The comparison of Audio, Video Dico to past classic and hard rock bands is completely misguided. While Justice certainly probably enjoys and listens to those bands, there influence over the album is strictly marginal and indirect, or they have established a genre that is showing its old mug in a new-age electronica album. This album is, in many ways, an enjoyment of newfound appeal, and therefore a generally lighter album.

It isn't Cross II, as pointed out before, and isn't as good as Cross in comparable measures. Audio, Video, Disco is a much more loosely put together album (which seemingly led to a lot of misplaced criticism), and is certainly less inspired. What seems so elegant about it, however, and this brings me back to the quote at the top, is its directionless embrace of naivety and superficial hard rock. David Foster Wallace (a modern, recently dead author, with no direct relations to music) gave the quote at the top. His reference was to TV programs like Baywatch, in witch he found great comfort for their blatantly directionless journey through the glib and all too pathetic melodrama, which is why Audio, Video, Disco seems entirely applicable.

Hard rock wasn't exactly philosophy; most of its 'meaningful' songs were inspirational to their own extent for the sake of being inspirational, which is quite obvious in Audio, Video, Disco. It is, as Wallace said, very soothing to hear something so blatant and glib - it is a refreshing break from a band that promises much in the future. So sit back folks, enjoy the music.

The quote is from an extended interview by David Lipsky with Wallace published in book form as Although of Course You Only End Up Becoming Yourself. Thanks for reading, its my first swing at reviewing.

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Comments:Add a Comment 
discoedave
February 3rd 2012



11 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I MEANT "THAN" IN THE REVIEW, PLEASE DON'T HATE ME

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Digging: Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

seedofnothing
February 3rd 2012



3159 Comments


Just edit it.

Digging: Encoffination - O Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres

Digging: Encoffination - O Hell, Shine In Thy Whited Sepulchres

discoedave
February 4th 2012



11 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

sorry for all the spelling and grammar issues, those usually aren't typical

clercqie
February 4th 2012



3252 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off

This is a good review, certainly if it's your first. Still there are a few unnecessary lines in it, namely:

There's a few reasons why those approximations are incorrect, causing the review to lose direction and appeal, explaining its 0% approval.

Stop the sentence after the "incorrect", no need to bash at other reviews.
And:
Thanks for reading, its my first swing at reviewing.

Leave stuff like this for the first comment, don't end your review with it.

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Digging: Swarms - Low Sun EP

Fuff24
February 4th 2012



1076 Comments


yeah this just needs to be cleaned up a little bit, it isn't that bad at all. Just keep editing it and it will get quite a bit better methinks

Digging: Portico Quartet - Portico Quartet

Digging: Portico Quartet - Portico Quartet

OmahaStylee94
February 4th 2012



3039 Comments

Album Rating: 4

This is certainly a great first review! Very good job, pos. I would alter it slightly though towards
the beginning, because you spend too much time talking about other reviews and not enough time
expanding on your own points.

Also, spellcheck a bit; there were quite a few typos I noticed

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Digging: Deaf Havana - It's Called The Easy Life

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
February 5th 2012



24706 Comments


Never use your review to take shots at another review. I mean, by all means you can quote other write-ups and question something, but your opinion is no more wrong than theirs is ;)

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Digging: Amon Tobin - Amon Tobin

bloc
February 5th 2012



28557 Comments

Album Rating: 2

You're better off just going toe to toe with the fool

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Digging: Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards The Daylight



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