Death in Vegas | ||
| Allmusic Biography : A DJ at big-beat melting pot the Sunday Social alongside the Chemical Brothers and Jon Carter, Richard Fearless formed the studio project Death in Vegas to pump out a similar type of audio adrenaline. With the helping hand of Steve Hellier, Fearless spent two years working on material for an LP, then released Dead Elvis on Britains Concrete label in early 1997. After it was licensed for American distribution, the single "Dirt" became a moderate MTV hit later that year. Fearless gained a new production partner (Tim Holmes) as well as a few celebrity guests (Iggy Pop, Bobby Gillespie) for 1999s The Contino Sessions. Paul Weller, Hope Sandoval, and Oasis Liam Gallagher were on hand for 2002s Scorpio Rising. Gallagher and the duo hit it off and in 2004 it was announced that Death in Vegas would be producing the next Oasis album, but things didnt go as planned and the sessions were scrapped. Without any guest stars and very few vocal tracks, Death in Vegas fourth album, Satans Circus, arrived in 2004 in the U.K. and 2005 in the U.S. The mix CD Fabriclive.23 got its worldwide release in 2005. A move to New York City kept Fearless away from the Death in Vegas project until 2011, when the "Your Loft My Acid" single preceded the release of the album Trans-Love Energies. The band followed up in early 2016 with its sixth full-length, Transmission, a collaborative effort with writer and former adult performer Sasha Grey. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 11 Title: Dead Elvis Released: 1997-03-17 Tracks: 24 Duration: 2:29:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All That Glitters (06:34) 2 Opium Shuffle (05:02) 3 GBH (05:09) 4 Twist and Crawl (04:59) 5 Dirt (05:52) 6 Rocco (06:34) 7 Rekkit (06:27) 8 I Spy (04:58) 9 Amber (08:07) 10 Rematerialised (08:21) 11 68 Balcony (05:07) 12 Sly (03:33) 1 City Rub (06:21) 2 Dr. Clean (07:12) 3 Claiming Marilyn (05:42) 4 Rocco (Dave Clarke mix) (06:20) 5 GBH (The Original King Stuffing) (06:38) 6 Dirt (Slayer mix) (06:32) 7 Rematerialised (dub) (09:28) 8 GBH (dub) (08:25) 9 Opium Shuffle (Monkey Mafia mix) (06:16) 10 Twist and Crawl (dub) (06:54) 11 Rekkit (Effective Machine) (04:45) 12 Rekkit (Vega Sintro) (04:28) |
| Dead Elvis : Allmusic album Review : Given Richard Fearless moonlighting gig as a DJ, Dead Elvis is invested with an often overburdened need to push the right buttons, resulting in occasionally formulaic tracks -- like the single "Dirt" -- which leave little room for surprise. Where Fearless and Steve Hillier opt to explore different waters, dub rhythms and funky acid instead of just sampled guitar riffs, the results are much more impressive. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 11 Title: The Contino Sessions Released: 1999-09-13 Tracks: 9 Duration: 48:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dirge (05:44) 2 Soul Auctioneer (05:59) 3 Death Threat (04:50) 4 Flying (07:06) 5 Aisha (05:54) 6 Lever Street (03:39) 7 Aladdin’s Story (04:45) 8 Broken Little Sister (05:18) 9 Neptune City (04:44) |
| The Contino Sessions : Allmusic album Review : The amount of hype that greeted this album upon release was notable even by U.K. press terms, leading to quite an unexpected amount of overall attention upon the bands second release. Justified? Not quite -- its important to approach this CD on its own terms, and on that level its a good album, but not a great one. Claimed goals at being inspired by Primal Screams Screamadelica aside, Contino doesnt achieve anything near the same sense of reach and sweep as that album did, not to releases like My Bloody Valentines Loveless and other cited role models. The Richard Fearless/Tim Holmes combination here seems to restrict itself to production and arrangement, commissioning a variety of players, notably a key duo of guitarist Ian Button and bassist Mat Flint, to interpret their songs under their overall guidance. Button and Flint are quite good at what they do -- the two get to shine right at the start on the crawling build and freakout of "Dirge" -- but sometimes an overall mood is set without much being added to it. Slow, steady beats and breaks flesh out things reasonably enough. The bands ace in the hole lies with the series of guest vocalists, starting (perhaps unsurprisingly) with Primal Screams Bobby Gillespie. Jesus and Mary Chain singer Jim Reid, Scottish singer Dot Allison, and punk legend Iggy Pop also take a bow, the latter guesting on the albums undoubted highlight, the aggressive, energetic "Aisha." Perhaps the most interesting move, though, is on "Aladdins Story," with the London Community Gospel Choir taking a bow in the same way they did with Spiritualized. At base, Contino is a reasonably entertaining and sometimes quite compelling combination of slower dance aesthetics translated into rock & roll terms and sounds. It just isnt the end of the world, thats all. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 11 Title: Scorpio Rising Released: 2002-09-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 49:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Leather (03:30) 2 Girls (04:30) 3 Hands Around My Throat (05:07) 4 23 Lies (03:49) 5 Scorpio Rising (05:37) 6 Killing Smile (04:49) 7 Natja (03:50) 8 So You Say You Lost Your Baby (03:00) 9 Diving Horses (05:11) 10 Help Yourself (10:30) |
| Scorpio Rising : Allmusic album Review : For the duos anticipated third album, Scorpio Rising, Death in Vegas has seemingly adopted the "if it aint broke, dont fix it" attitude, once again drawing from elements of gritty rock, techno repetition, and spacy psychedelia. On first listen, Scorpio Rising (the name is taken from a Kenneth Anger film) feels overly monotonous, as nearly every song quickly finds its groove and sticks with it from start to finish with little variety in the process. However, multiple listens reveal that not only is Scorpio Rising noticeably more upbeat overall than its gothic predecessor, but its diversity comes from the many genres and musical styles that it incorporates. It doesnt hurt either that the album also stars a new cast of guest musicians. Returning to the fold is Dot Allison ("Diving Horses"), who is joined by the likes of Mazzy Stars Hope Sandoval ("Killing Smile" and "Help Yourself") and Woodbines Susan Dillane ("Girls" and "23 Lies"), all of whom are delegated to contribute their breathy voices over lush psychedelic soundscapes for an effect that is reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine. Fittingly handling the reins of the albums more rocking numbers are Oasis Liam Gallagher and former Jam frontman Paul Weller. Both of their efforts tip their hat to 1960s rock, with the title track highlighting Gallagher as he sings over what sounds like a blend of middle-period Beatles and Status Quos "Pictures of Matchstick Men," while Wellers strident take on Gene Clarks "So You Say You Lost Your Baby" provides the album with some fun and unpredictability. Also unpredictable is "Killing Smile," which is among Death in Vegas most welcoming and folk-influenced songs. The track also accentuates the unique combination of Sandovals vocals and the string arrangements of Indian violinist Dr. Subramaniam, who also pair up for the grand "Help Yourself," another of the albums high points. Perhaps the albums best track sounds like something that could have been included on The Contino Sessions --- "Hands Around My Throat," which unleashes a hypnotic syncopated keyboard loop and simple bassline along with a menacing vocal from Adult.s Nicola Kuperus, a seething version of Blondie as she intones, "Try this and you might find/Im in your place, I see your face." The only tracks that dont improve with time are "Leather" and "Natja," both forgettable instrumentals that need more than studio trickery to make them interesting. Aside from these missteps, Scorpio Rising suffers a bit from its own ambition, lacking the brooding consistency that made The Contino Sessions feel like a proper album. Scorpio Rising may not have the coherence of its forerunner, but its individual eclectic achievements still add up to an engaging album. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 11 Title: Back to Mine: Death in Vegas Released: 2004-01-26 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:01:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Cloak and Dagger (04:09) 2 Back to Nature (05:30) 3 Only Columbe (02:52) 4 My Sweet Lord (04:29) 5 Soul (05:33) 6 Nashville Blues (03:10) 7 Polly (04:17) 8 The Sky is Burning (02:24) 9 Elephant Man (04:26) 10 Sweet Jane (03:34) 11 Headache for Michelle (06:35) 12 Psychedelic Mood (02:20) 13 Decades (06:01) 14 Donna (05:53) |
 | Album: 5 of 11 Title: Satan’s Circus Released: 2004-10-11 Tracks: 23 Duration: 2:11:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ein für die Damen (05:24) 2 Zugaga (07:17) 3 Heil Xanax (06:52) 4 Black Lead (04:13) 5 Sons of Rother (06:06) 6 Candy McKenzie (04:13) 7 Reigen (07:22) 8 Kontroll (05:11) 9 Anita Berber (07:39) 10 Head (05:32) 11 Come On Over to Our Side, Softly Softly (03:15) 1 Natja (01:33) 2 Leather (03:29) 3 Girls (04:29) 4 Death Threat (05:06) 5 Rekkit (06:00) 6 Blood Yawning (07:33) 7 23 Lies (03:56) 8 Flying (07:23) 9 Dirge (05:36) 10 Help Yourself (11:26) 11 Scorpio Rising (05:30) 12 Hands Around My Throat (06:41) |
| Satan’s Circus : Allmusic album Review : That Krautrock figures into the picture is the big surprise on Death in Vegas fourth release, but whats shocking is that Neu! and Kraftwerk are so mimicked on Satans Circus. For a band headed up, up, up, Satans Circus is a huge question mark, in career move terms at least, and one wonders why such a derivative album wasnt put out under an alias. Before it gets to the bridge, "Zugaga" is one note off from Kraftwerks "Trans-Europe Express." None of the new tones or melodies after the bridge make the track necessary, but this is an album full of unnecessary tracks, which doesnt keep it from being a great hour of background music for whatever the high-tech task at hand. Its Stereolab from a former big beat producers view with a bit of indie electronics humility, or in other words, pleasantly otherworldly. "Reigen"s proggy organ/thumpy drum machine combo is one of the best illustrations of when it works, but there are plenty of other tracks that subtly charm the listener with hypnotic melodies and irresistible rhythms. Real live drums and guitars figure into the picture, as do Klaus Schulzes old synth sounds and Boards of Canadas sonic landscapes. Maybe its not fair, but the fact that the duo aping all these influences was halfway through producing an Oasis album when it recorded this makes Satans Circus a more interesting record than if it were somebodys debut album. Put on the sources that were heavily borrowed from -- if you want that totally engaging headphone journey -- but this slick homage to electronic hippie music sounds like two smart guys having genuine fun playing something they love. Let them jam and meander in the background as you go about your business, and this guilty pleasure for the avant-garde lover will raise a satisfying smirk. [To remind fans of when Death in Vegas played with a bit more bombast, a bonus CD is included featuring a rousing live show from 2002.] | ||
 | Album: 6 of 11 Title: Milk It Released: 2005-02-07 Tracks: 23 Duration: 2:13:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Aisha (05:54) 2 So You Say You Lost Your Baby (03:00) 3 Dirt (03:51) 4 Rekkit (06:27) 5 Scorpio Rising (05:37) 6 Soul Auctioneer (05:59) 7 Hands Around My Throat (05:10) 8 All That Glitters (06:34) 9 Dirge (05:41) 10 Girls (04:30) 11 Rematerialised (08:41) 1 Aisha (Trevor Jackson mix) (05:18) 2 Hands Around My Throat (Adult mix) (05:24) 3 Hands Around My Throat (UXB mix) (05:31) 4 Scorpio Rising (Polyphonic Spree mix) (05:12) 5 One More Time (07:02) 6 Dirge (Slam remix) (07:48) 7 Dirge (Cossack mix) (08:15) 8 Dirt (Mullet mix) (06:08) 9 Twist and Crawl (full mix) (04:56) 10 Rocco (Dave Clark mix) (06:21) 11 Rekkit (Two Lone Swordsmen remix) (Effective Machine) (04:46) 12 Neptune City (Two Lone Swordsmen remix) (05:08) |
 | Album: 7 of 11 Title: FabricLive 23: Death in Vegas Released: 2005-08-15 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:12:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Science With Synthesizers (01:55) 2 Zugaga (06:45) 3 Ana Tak 2 (01:57) 4 Heil Xanax (01:15) 5 Lost in Sound (04:18) 6 Cheap Therapy (02:58) 7 Alleys of Your Mind (02:28) 8 Think Like Us (Think Like Ectomorph version) (04:24) 9 Phlogiston (A2) (03:21) 10 Acid in My Fridge (03:51) 11 Marionette (07:46) 12 Neds (04:45) 13 Pele Bloss (05:11) 14 Reigen (Acid mix) (03:23) 15 Accent (03:36) 16 Dont Trust Your Computer (04:26) 17 Natja (Scorpio Rising mix) (03:02) 18 Typerope (03:05) 19 Jenna (03:30) |
| FabricLive 23: Death in Vegas : Allmusic album Review : A mix CD from Death in Vegas back in the day would have been exciting enough, but since the 2004 album Satans Circus introduced a much more left-field sound for DIV, 2005s Fabriclive.23 brings a more curious kind of anticipation. Death in Vegas volume of the tasteful Fabriclive series hints at the Krautrock love of the groups 2004 album, but branches out into atmospheric and sane electro, Detroit techno, and nostalgic acid house sounds. Rather than arcing up, the mix ebbs and flows, repeatedly peaking with grungy beats before settling into trippy sets of tunes that wouldnt be entirely out of place on the Hearts of Space radio program. The Detroit techno of Cybotron and Ectomorph sounds just perfect surrounded by all this futurism, as does Death in Vegas own Kraftwerk-worshipping "Zugaga," but its the minimalistic type of techno Alex Smoke creates thats right in the middle of all these tones. Dinkys cheeky "Acid in My Fridge" provides the needed levity at the midpoint while "Jenna" from John Dahlbäck ends the set on a high note. A satisfying mix thats more headphones than dancefloor, Fabriclive.23 is step two in Death in Vegas thrilling rebirth as a heady mavericks. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 11 Title: The Best of Death in Vegas Released: 2007-10-01 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:14:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Dirge (05:44) 2 Scorpio Rising (05:37) 3 So You Say You Lost Your Baby (03:00) 4 GBH (05:09) 5 Dirt (Slayer edit) (03:51) 6 Rocco (06:34) 7 Neptune City (04:44) 8 23 Lies (03:49) 9 Hands Around My Throat (05:07) 10 Natja (03:50) 11 Rekkit (06:27) 12 Aisha (05:54) 13 Twist & Crawl (Full mix) (04:56) 14 Aladdin’s Story (04:45) 15 Scorpio Rising (Polyphonic Spree mix) (05:12) |
 | Album: 9 of 11 Title: Trans-Love Energies Released: 2011-09-26 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:48:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Silver Time Machine (05:09) 2 Black Hole (04:54) 3 Your Loft My Acid (07:31) 4 Medication (05:06) 5 Coum (04:41) 6 Witchdance (04:42) 7 Scissors (04:50) 8 Drone Reich (04:26) 9 Lightning Bolt (05:57) 10 Savage Love (06:58) 1 Your Loft My Acid (Fearlessʼ Trans House mix) (05:06) 2 Medication (Fearless Nightcrawler mix) (06:59) 3 I.W.Y.L.A. (03:56) 4 Fur 74 (05:47) 5 Heroes (05:17) 6 Coum (instrumental) (04:42) 7 Lightning Bolt (instrumental) (06:01) 8 Come Ride With Me (04:26) 9 Enforced Peace (Fearlessʼ Michigan Militia mix) (05:05) 10 Moe Tucker (06:46) |
| Trans-Love Energies : Allmusic album Review : A move from London to New York City kept Richard Fearless away from his Death in Vegas project, but six long years after their mix album Fabriclive.23, they’ve returned. This rebirth of the project features a darker, more techno sound, represented by Trans-Love Energies’ leadoff single, “Your Loft My Acid.” | ||
 | Album: 10 of 11 Title: Medication Released: 2011-12-11 Tracks: 5 Duration: 30:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Medication (radio edit) (03:42) 2 Medication (05:06) 3 Medication (rerecorded live version) (07:08) 4 Medication (rerecorded live version no guitar) (07:08) 5 Medication (Fearless Nightcrawler mix) (06:59) |
 | Album: 11 of 11 Title: Transmission Released: 2016-05-27 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:06:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Metal Box (11:35) 2 Consequences of Love (06:34) 3 Transmission (05:31) 4 Mind Control (05:37) 5 Flak (04:40) 6 Sequential Analog Memory (06:36) 7 Arise (04:15) 8 Strom (06:13) 9 You Disco I Freak (08:06) 10 Transwave (07:21) |