Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks

Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks is a compilation of dance tracks inspired by the Poplife parties that started in Belgium in 1998. The tracks were compiled by the Glimmers and Olivier Tjon, who started the parties in an effort to contrast with the house and techno parties of the time by mixing a variety of musical styles together. The compilation reflects that eclectic goal combining various types and eras of music marking the tenth anniversary of the party.

Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks
Compilation album by
various artists
Released2 September 2008
LabelNews 541

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [1]
XLR8R(7/10)[2]

Steven Hammond writes that the album is "a schizophrenic collage of styles and artists" and the reason it "works is because it is produced as a dance mix with seamless transitions between each song" but goes on to warn listeners that "a CD that mashes together extremely different genres of music could sound like one giant headache".[3] Michaelangelo Matos called it the compilation of 2008, saying it "speaks to the present" "without succumbing to retro cute or wedding-DJ cheesiness" calling the track list "a smart collector’s want list".[4] Rick Anderson refers to the compilation as "defiant eclecticism".[1] Tony Ware calls the tracks "sonically engaging without being self-absorbed".[2] The album has also been called "all-inclusive party celebrating dance music across all genres that doesn't discriminate"[5] and "an endlessly playable party mix that ranges freely from the ’70s to the ’00s".[6]

Cover art

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The cover art has been listed as among the worst of the decade.[6] The style is reminiscent of Patrick Nagel's work with Playboy, depicting a dead-eyed woman with a candy cane or barber's pole emerging from her mouth and wrapping all the way around the CD case. It has been called not "sexy or funny, just off-putting"[6] and "horrible".[4]

Track list

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No.TitleWriter(s)PerformerLength
1."Welcome to the Pleasuredome"Peter Gill/Holly Johnson/Mark O'TooleFrankie Goes to Hollywood1:06
2."The Time Is Now"Mark Brydon/Róisín MurphyMoloko4:48
3."Il Veliero"Lucio Battisti/Mogol Audio 2Chaplin Band4:14
4."Prisencolinensinainciusol"Adriano CelentanoAdriano Celentano3:33
5."Adolescent Sex"David SylvianJapan3:50
6."Making Me Money" (Switch Remix)Jacknife LeeJacknife Lee4:37
7."Sharp as a Knife"Brandon Cooke/Roxanne ShantéBrandon Cooke and Roxanne Shanté2:46
8."We Are Your Friends"James Ford/James ShawSimian Mobile Disco3:53
9."Abele Dance"Manu Dibango/Fabien MeissonierManu Dibango2:59
10."La Raza"Tony Gonzales/Arturo Molina Jr./Gerald WilsonKid Frost3:09
11."Cavern"Scott Hartley/Richard McGuire/Salvatore Principato/Dennis YoungLiquid Liquid3:45
12."Jungle Love"Morris Day/Jesse JohnsonTime4:13
13."Physical"Steve Kipner/Terry ShaddickGlimmers3:36
14."Los Niños del Parque"Beate Bartel/Chris HaasLiaisons Dangereuses3:08
15."Where Are You?"Luca Anzilotti/Michael MünzingSixteen Bit3:48
16."Move Your Ass and Feel the Beat"Morton/ShermanErotic Dissidents3:52
17."Welcome to the Pleasuredome" (Fruitless Mix)Peter Gill/Holly Johnson/Mark O'TooleFrankie Goes to Hollywood4:04
18."Don't Lose Control"Bill Laswell/Michael BeinhornMaterial4:15
19."Windowlicker"Richard D. JamesAphex Twin5:50

References

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  1. ^ a b Anderson, Rick. "Review Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  2. ^ a b Ware, Tony (18 November 2008). "Review: Various artists Poplife Presents Poplife Sucks". XLR8R. Archived from the original on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  3. ^ Hammond, Steven (15 October 2008). "Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks". Edge. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  4. ^ a b Matos, Michaelangelo (31 December 2008). "No. 38: Poplife Presents Poplife Sucks". Idolator. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  5. ^ "Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks". Forced Exposure. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  6. ^ a b c Matos, Michaelangelo (7 December 2009). "Cognitive dis: 21 great albums with questionable cover art (2000-2009)". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 4 January 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2010.