Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam: The Album: The Poll: The Non-Singles

i literally do not remember how a single one of these songs go.

I'm fairly certain I'm going to be the only one voting on this.

I adore this godforsaken poll almost as much as I adore this endlessly playable album. The singles are obviously the gems with the unimpeachable title track giving forth more brilliance than the Hope Diamond (although when I'm feeling pomo, I prefer "This Beat is Technotronic" for sheer chutzpah). And there was no reason to expect a great album behind them. But voila - several variations on an epochal theme, one surprisingly good verse-chorus thang ("Take it Slow"), and no ballads! I'll take "Tough" cuz utilitarian raps are always an underused resource.

I had this on cassette (!) so I didn't hear the bonus cuts (grrrr) "Wave" and "String" (called "Bluestring" on my copy) until many years later.

If you haven't, do check out their subsequent releases, Body to Body and Recall. They're patchier but the former contains some crunchy, New Beaty instrumentals ("Yeh-Yeah," "Bogaert's Breakfast") and the latter some lush, mournful Eurodisco ("Are You Ready," "Recall").

Stevie D. <3's KJB!!

The best best best part about "Pump up the Jam" is the way that the bass hits come out of one channel and the snare hits come out of the other; it gives the rhythm a whole new dimension. And that white noise bit!! Fantastic. It makes me sad that it seems to have attained a novelty status; it really is quite a brilliant house track. I don't think anyone actually believes me when I tell them I genuinely and unironically love it.

I couldn't pick anything but "Come Back". The chimey hook is divine, and the the way they pepper vocal samples all over without any straight singing is simply delightful.

I really wish they would've done something more with the first 8 seconds of "Rockin' Over the Beat", though.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Too riotous.