Tom Findlay and Andy Cato have steadily been dismantling their chill-out crown ever since the single "At the River" floated them into coffee-table ubiquity. Love Box finally stretches the duo's eclectic tastes beyond any semblance of continuity or restraint, finishing the job started on last year's Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub). Named after Groove Armada's bimonthly London club night, the duo's fourth album captures the excitement and diversity of pace you would expect from a masterful DJ set. While the opening track, "Purple Haze," doesn't have a sniff of Hendrix's majestic histrionics, it is certainly Groove Armada's most rock & roll moment to date. Neneh Cherry lends her sultry voice to the lusty funk-fuelled hip-hop of "Groove Is On" and the urban soul of "Think Twice," and "Remember," with its languorous beat and swirling effects, nods toward their downbeat prime. Feisty dance-floor shakers are here in force, though. "Madder," mixing the raps of MC M.A.D. with a pulsating bass and itchy guitar hook, kicks hard, and "The Final Shakedown" is an undiluted house anthem, albeit with a feisty ragga vocal. But one of the most surprising tracks is the rich, soul-drenched sophistication of "Hands of Time," a gorgeous reflection on love lost featuring the spine-tingling voice of Woodstock folk legend Richie Havens. Love Box is a disarmingly eclectic album, its infectious, maverick, party spirit defying preconceptions. --Christopher Barrett Features the single "Purple Haze" and guest performers including Neneh Cherry, Red Rat, Richie Havens and more. Features the Single "Purple Haze" and Guest Performers Including Neneh Cherry, Red Rat, Richie Havens and More.
Customer Reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Drab, Dire, and Unfocused... Comment: Groove Armada's 2002 release, 'Lovebox', is not a good CD. In fact, it has many problems. Frontmen Cato and Findal assembled a hodge-podge of rap, slower that slow beats, and dismal syncro into a slapshod CD. This CD resembles a bad remix CD.
Songs such as 'Groove is On', 'Think Twice', 'Easy' cleary dispel any notion this album is either dancable or listenable. This CD's only fans may be those highly medicated or inebriated.
This CD is not recommended whatsoever. Stick to 'Goodbye Country...', it's much more fun! Customer Rating: Summary: If you were to get this in a box, it would be love!! Comment: The title track, "Love Box" is still one of my favorite songs two years later. These guys love all type of music, and you can tell by the genre changes that happen in this CD. Love Box alone makes this CD worth it!! Customer Rating: Summary: A smart collection of tunes. Comment: I adore GA, and this is standard fayre for them, but you have to understand that "standard fayre" in GA's world pretty much always means doing something a bit dancey and a touch ambient with a twist, here that seems to the mainstay of rocky style beats and a grittier edge. Just as different and celebratory of the found formula as their other albums. Just as much of an infectious treat! Customer Rating: Summary: SOOOOOO good! Comment: I love this CD. I love it for driving and I love it for loving. It's so grovy and funky. Very recomened! Customer Rating: Summary: Too much variety but still allright Comment: Groove Armada never stops surprising me. They always have a tendency to make each and every song to sound diffrent from each other. They lack a special sound, but a few songs are really fun. This album got my attention after i heard "But i feel good" which is a fast catchy "in a happy mood" dance song, unfortunately no other songs are like that. A few songs are even close to rock, some hip hop with rap and some have lyrics and are very slow. "Final Shakedown" is a funky number, it's soul inspired with a dance sound. "Hands of time" is good but it's pure soul, more dance groove would make it better. "Easy" is undoubtly one of the highlights though and it was nominated for best dance recording. It's soulish but with a dance sound, awesome. The album got a bit too much variety, but it got it's moements and it's a decent album, some more dance sound would be a impovement though.