''Gizmo Mantra'' is the fifth
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
released by Australian rock group
Boom Crash Opera
Boom Crash Opera are an Australian pop rock band formed in late 1984. Initially based around the songwriting partnership of Richard Pleasance and Peter Farnan, the band was later joined by Dale Ryder (vocals), Peter 'Maz' Maslen (drums) and Greg ...
. The album was released in November 1997.
Reception
Kelvin Hayes from
All Music
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the datab ...
said; "It takes a while to warm up to, and it is a patchy thing even then, but ''Gizmo'' is possibly their best work since ''
These Here Are Crazy Times
''These Here Are Crazy Times!'' is the second studio album by Australian rock group Boom Crash Opera, released in October 1989. The album was the breakthrough album to the lucrative U.S. Market for the band & was released in the United States by ...
'' in 1989. Peter Farnan is up to his usual oddball but inventive best on "Don't Forget to Breathe" and the excellent "Welcome to Tomorrow." Former writing partner
Richard Pleasance
Richard Arnold Pleasance is an Australian rock musician and producer. He was a founding member of Boom Crash Opera on guitar, bass guitar, vocals and as a songwriter in 1985; they released three albums before Pleasance left in 1992. Their hit Au ...
helps out on "Dreaming up a Fire' (a re-take of the earlier hit "
Dancing in the Storm"). The driving rock of "(So How Do I Turn You) On" is a brilliant endgame but for Farnan's musical acrobatics on the tail piece. The set is ruined by carelessness such as the '70s dirge "All". Plenty of Gizmo, little sign of a mantra."
Track listing
# "Wake Up Fine" – 4:09
# "Dirt" – 3:27
# "Don't Forget to Breathe" – 4:12
# "Welcome to Tomorrow" – 3:41
# "All" – 4:14
# "Walking Disaster" – 4:07
# "Funny" – 3:23
# "Bad Television" – 3:27
# "Ain't I Amazed" – 4:33
# "I'm Not Like You" – 3:51
# "Dreaming Up a Fire" – 3:46
# "(So How Do I Turn You) On" – 5:31
Personnel
*Dale Ryder — lead vocals
*Peter Farnan — guitars, backing vocals, keyboards
*Ian Tilley — bass, backing vocals, keyboards
*Peter Maslen — drums, backing vocals, percussion
References
1997 albums
Boom Crash Opera albums
Bertelsmann Music Group albums
Gotham Records albums
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