| | Cornelius Fantasma CD Cornelius Discography of CDs
 (3 Customer Reviews)
Cornelius; Hilarie Sidney (vocals, drums); Sean O'Hagan (banjo, samples, background vocals); Kinbara (strings); Robert Schneider (bass); Yoshie Hiragakura (drums); Mooog Yamamoto (turntables); Yuki Yano (Theremin); Kazumichi Fujiwara.
Like many of his counterparts in the 90's wave of Japanese rockers, Keigo Oyamada (a.k.a. Cornelius) is well-versed in the history of pop as it leads up to the here and now. And for the most part, the likable genre-jumping antics of FANTASMA, his third full-length that works as a US debut, pigeonhole him as a somewhat more schizophrenic Beck. He gets crazy with not just the cheeze wiz, but 3D microphones, Meredith Monk-like vocal overlays, drum'n'bass beats, kitschy keyboards, and a mound of samples, ingredients for a pop-cult salad nonpareil.
Where Cornelius dazzles though, is in his musical default function, which is wisely set on psychedelic indie-pop. The droney, driving "New Music Machine," for instance, cobbles together a bleeding lo-fi aesthetic out of 48 tracks worth of background vocals, analog synths and, above all else, drums 'n' guitars. And "Seashore and Horizon" shuttles between such a seamless Pet Sounds vibe of acoustic guitars and choral arrangements and kooky magical mystery pop burn-out, that you can almost smell the members of the Elephant 6 collective molding with envy.
3rd Rel;Rel In Japan Last YearSpin (5/98, p.134) - 6 (out of 10) - "...an exuberant kaleidoscope of hip-hop, noisecore, film soundtracks, cheesy listening, indie rock, even Sesame Street....an endearing music-obsessive-comes-of-age tale--from Saturday morning TV to arena rock to bootleg Jean-Jacques Perrey reissues..."
Magnet (p.78) - "FANTASMA sounded like PET SOUNDS made anime....It left all contemporaries in a cloud of crate-digging dust."
The Wire (1/99, p.27) - Included in Wire's "50 Records Of The Year [1998]"
CMJ (1/11/99, p.7) - "...With its ground-breaking collage of beats, Beach Boys-style harmonies, lounge-y fluff and noisy guitars, the record revisited and re-examined the pop music's storied history..."
Vibe (5/98, p.144) - "...FANTASMA is brilliant. Cornelius's innovations will definitely excite futuristic B-boys and rockers alike..."
Option (5-6/98, p.81) - "...a visionary, visual sound that's as generous as it is lavish..." Cornelius Fantasma Songs | 1. | Mic Check |
| 2. | Micro Disneycal World Tour, The |
| 3. | New Music Machine |
| 4. | Clash |
| 5. | Count Five or Six |
| 6. | Magoo Opening |
| 7. | Star Fruits Surf Rider |
| 8. | Chapter 8- Seashore and Horizon |
| 9. | Free Fall |
| 10. | 2010 |
| 11. | God Only Knows |
| 12. | Thank You for the Music |
| 13. | Fantasma |
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Fantasma Music Review Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)  cornelius' best
a solid cd the whole way through
Submitted by peter7431 (maryland) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No Awesome
Cornelius brings a brilliant and multi-sound texture album with "Fantasma". It's soft in tracks like "Chapter 8" and noisy in "Count 5 or 6". All the styles (rock, pop, electronic, lounge, even polka) mixed up in one superb cd. It's not quite commercial, but "Fantasma" represents a different musical proposal nowadays.
Submitted by vfalcon (Lima, Peru)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No brilliant
truly a desert island disc, one of those recordings that's essential in the actual meaning of the term. fantasma takes you on a trip across an imaginary pop radio dial and into the mad-scientist audio laboratory of its creator. styles and pastiches ranging from brian wilson to arena rock to hardcore punk to psychedelia swarm over you intoxicatingly, seducing you into a bit of musical paradise. while the initial 4 or 5 songs alone are fantastic, the entire cd is an euphoric joy. if you're looking for simple signposts and "influences", be ready for a torrent of synaptic connections and recollections: brian wilson, beck, cheap trick, david bowie, tv cartoons, science fiction movies are just a taste of what this "planet of the apes"-obsessed genius references in the fine fantasma.
Submitted by alterego100usa (somewhere in michigan)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No | Have you heard this album? |  |
Purchase Fantasma CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Slayer World Painted Blood CD (2009)
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On their sophomore outing, Chitlin' Fooks, the duo of Carol Van Dijk (of former Holland alterna-rockers Bettie Serveert) and Pascal Deweze (Sukilove), continue the vein of alt-country pop they initiated on their 2001 self-titled debut. This time around, aided by a gaggle of Antwerp musicians, the duo pushes the boundaries of their chosen idiom. They no longer simply sound like a couple of talented Europeans with a serious jones for Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons, but a thriving combo stretching their legs into other regions. They still do effectively heart-worn country -- "Sorry" is a wrenching ballad -- and upbeat, classic-minded country & western ("Oh, Joanna"). Nevertheless, the rousing, horn-driven title track, the best tune here, ushers in a whole new bag of sounds. The result is a swinging brand of cosmopolitan roots pop. Deweze's vocal contributions are much stronger this time around, but he's smart enough to let Van Dijk shine -- and vocally, this is her album. She had an intriguing set of pipes even back in the Serveert days, but her unique, unobtrusive, and appealing tones have only gotten better over the years. Furthermore, the country template, which allows her to emotionally nestle into the tracks, seems to suit her better than the alt-rock of yore. The only ill-advised step on Did It Again is the lukewarm, Stonesy barroom ...
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