Army Of Lovers - Disco Extravaganza + [1990, 320 kbps]

ARMY OF LOVERS - Disco Extravaganza + (1990)



Codec: mp3.

Description: MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3.

Bit rate: 320 kbps.

Sample rate: 44100 Hz joint stereo.

Tags: ID3V1 & ID3V2.

Source format: CD.

Number of tracks 20.



Allmusic.com bio



"The flamboyant multi-cultural Swedish dance-pop group Army of Lovers formed in 1987, the brainchild of composer and producer Alexander Bard. Five years earlier Bard first emerged as a member of the short-lived trio Baard, best known for the single "Life in a Goldfish Bowl." In 1985 — in drag, no less — he led Barbie, a band also comprising hairdresser Jean-Pierre Barda (alias Farouk), Yazmina Chantal and model Camilla Henemark (a.k.a. Katanga); two years later, Bard, Barda and Henemark (now performing under the name La Camilla) founded Army of Lovers, taking the name in honor of the 1970s cult movie Armee der Liebenden.



With the aid of designer and stylist Camilla Thulin, the group created an outrageously campy image, their wardrobe drawing heavily on religious imagery while also referencing history and folklore. Army of Lovers debuted in 1988 with the single "When the Night Is Cold," followed by the more dance-minded "Love Me Like a Loaded Gun." After scoring a 1989 hit with "Supernatural," the following year they issued their debut LP Disco Extravaganza (issued in the U.S. as Army of Lovers). 1991's Massive Luxury Overdose, recorded with producer Anders Wollbeck, was their breakthrough; in tandem with a pair of lurid videos, the singles "Crucified" and "Obsession" became club hits, and the group became major stars in their native Scandanavia (sic! Scandinavia) and throughout Eastern Europe.



In the wake of the record's success, however, La Camilla was fired and replaced by model and school teacher Michaela Dornonville de la Cour, who debuted on the single "Judgment Day." After recording music for the soundtrack to the film Ha Ett Underbart Liv, Army of Lovers recruited former phone-sex operator Dominika Peczynski and released 1993's The Gods of Earth and Heaven; the single "Israelism" became the subject of considerable controversy when it was accused of mocking Jewish culture, but ironically rose to the number one spot on the Israeli pop charts. After 1994's Glory Glamour and Gold, de la Cour exited, paving the way for the return of La Camilla prior to the release of the 1996 Les Greatest Hits. With Army of Lovers on hiatus, Bard formed a new group, Vacuum, and issued 1997's The Plutonium Cathedral; La Camilla, meanwhile, mounted a solo career."





Allmusic.com review Army of Lovers (Disco Extravaganza):



"The portentous intro song "Birds of Prey" sounds like something that could have been poached by Marilyn Manson in later years. Here, though, the massive electronic bombast is strictly for campy fun rather than making any sort of serious statement — Army of Lovers in a nutshell, and bless them for it. Its self-titled release fuses Eurodisco's pulse and sheen (and at points the all-important string swirls, as "Ride the Bullet" merrily shows) with gay abandon in all senses of the word. The Army doesn't quite hit the heights that Deee-Lite served up with its own delicious debut World Clique, from the same year, but comes awfully close. Earlier hits "Supernatural" and "Love Me Like a Loaded Gun" appear with a slew of similarly minded songs (great titles abound — some standouts: "Mondo Trasho" and "I Am the Amazon"). Bard's deliciously creamy and politely sleazy vocals and sense of style give the whole thing an outre but perfect elegance, while Barda and La Camilla round out things with their own presence as well. If not as distinct in terms of singing and performance compared to other dance divas, they still lend a lovely joie de vivre to Bard's tales of laser sex and dance explosions. Due credit has to also go to Magnus Frykberg, who cowrote nearly everything with Bard and whose synth work blends the all-important beat with a consistent lushness in sound. The Army aren't afraid to play around with house, hip-hop and various worldbeat percussion styles, adding just that little bit more to all the goings-on. Quirky samples sneak in at points as well, from The Andy Griffith Show's whistled theme to the "ooga-chuckas" from "Hooked on a Feeling." Add to that such delectabilities as the French vocals on "Scorpio Rising" and random theremin noises, and the Army begins its mission in full effect."



(Uploader's comment: Allmusic's reviewer obviously knows his music history since he managed to spot that sample from Blue Swede's (Björn Skifs & Blåblus') 1973 US #1 "Hooked On A Feeling" - but have you noticed that very familiar bit from one of ABBA's biggest hits on another track......? Not mentioned in the liner notes and obviously not cleared with either Polar Music or Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus at the time...)





TRACK LIST

Disco Extravaganza

==================

01. Birds of Prey

02. Ride the Bullet

03. Supernatural

04. Viva la Vogue

05. Shoot That Laserbeam

06. Love Me Like a Loaded Gun

07. Baby's Got a Neutron Bomb

08. Love Revolution

09. Scorpio Rising

10. Mondo Trasho

11. Dog

12. My Army of Lovers

13. Hey Mr. DJ

14. I Am the Amazon

15. Planet Coma 3AM

16. When the Night is Cold

17. My Army of Lovers (Concrete Ghetto Mix)

18. My Army of Lovers (Pisces Atmosphere Mix)

19. My Army of Lovers (Nuzak Remix Club Edit)

20. My Army of Lovers (Pisces Stratosphere Mix)





Enjoy - and thanks in advance for seeding.