Welcome To The Monkey House

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's refreshing to hear a 1980s tribute that doesn't get overwhelmed by its own sense of irony. The Dandy Warhols' fourth album, IWelcome to the Monkey House/I is just such an album. Teaming up with coproducer Nick Rhodes--who learned a thing or two about 80s success-via-excess as Duran Duran's keyboard player--the Dandys have ditched most of their guitars in favour of synths and sequencers, and teamed up with a host of "genuine, period authentic" guest stars: Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon provides backing vocals on the tripped-out "Plan A", Chic guitarist/producer Nile Rodgers joins the band on the retro, electro-funk work-out "I Am a Scientist" and legendary Bowie/ T-Rex producer Tony Visconti collaborates on "The Dope" and the glam-stomp of "Hit Rock Bottom". p Generally, the new sound is a change that suits them well--the Dandy Warhols have always had a superb sense of history, and their best work has often been their more obvious homage ("Bohemian Like You", for example). But more than that, the Dandys have retained their playful, baiting sense of humour (they are, after all, also responsible for the classic "Not If You Were the Last Junky on Earth"), and it's this tongue-in-cheek deconstruction of their own coolness that serves them well on IWelcome to the Monkey House/I. Frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor (the double-barrelled surname is new, so maybe it's an attempt at anglicising?) still delivers most of his lyrics with a lazy nonchalance, but this time he matches it with a tight-trousers falsetto that seems equally suited to his androgynous image. As with most Dandy Warhols albums, the best songs on IMonkey House/I are the most biting--in particular the first single, "We Used to Be Friends". The rest of the album isn't as immediately accessible, but it's well worth giving it a few listens. Guitars or not, the Dandy Warhols know a thing or two about writing a catchy tune, and IWelcome to the Monkey House/I is as much fun as anything they've done before. I--Robert Burrow/I

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Customer reviews

review by: mattieboyz date: 2009-04-28 rating:
Fine and Dandy
The Dandy's fourth longplayer and their first primarily electro album is a real treat; funky and acerbic, it builds on their previous work and takes it in a different direction. Top track is the wistful (You Were) The Last High but the whole album is superb and the great CD cover is just the icing on the cake.

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review by: Erinbron date: 2006-11-20 rating:
Thank You Nick Rhodes
I sought this album out because of Nick Rhodes and Simon Le Bon's involvement - I am after all an incurable Duran fan. I love it! Not normally one for anything described as "guitar" or "indie" but the majority of this album is so catchy I cant help but be addicted to the sound of it. br / br /Maybe it's the 80s sound Im picking up, maybe its the Duran magic....who knows, and who cares! I just know this is my new favourite album.

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review by: mark_d_j date: 2004-06-28 rating:
Nothing spectacular here
The Dandy Warhols are destined to be one of the bands known as 'the ones who did that song from the advert' (the song in question being 'Bohemian Like You' from the Vodaphone adverts); that is unless they can manage to surpass themselves on a future release. br'Welcome to the Monkey House' has received a rather mixed reception from the group's fan base, with many seeing it as a rung up the ladder to selling out. The closest comparison I can think of for this album is The White Stripes with a synthesiser - many of the songs are bass driven just like The Stripes 'Seven Nation Army' single, and they also incorporate a similar country music feel to their songs and the same purposefully lo-fi production ethics. brStand out tracks include 'The Dope' - a groove laden affair with melodious vocal harmonies, and 'You Were the Last High' - being similarly groove based, but with a greater complexity to its structure. brThe album is easy to listen to, but that also makes for a relatively bland listening experience as it never really hits you with anything outstanding, nor does it annoy with any substandard tracks. Overall it's not enough to elevate them away from their current advertisement association, but it's not a bad album at all.

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review by: date: 2004-02-23 rating:
WELCOME!!!
This CD took me a few listens to get into with it seeming in the first occasion like bland 80's pop knocked off in a week, I mean the synths and stuff are a little weird for the Dandys you know and at first 'You were the last high' was like the only...high on the record and I was like OH NOOO what is going on here but now I am totally hooked by this super hip sound, it's like the Beloved and has a CRAZY cover of an unzipped banana like in space or something like a Warhol pic for NOW and actually I wonder why it's taken this long to have that kind of reference I mean I don't know whether it's good timing or what but anyway the music is still THEM you know with Courtney Taylor-Taylor's tongue-in-cheekiness, it's great, and with Duran Duran people too, wow, Plan A featuring LeBon LeBon, that Plan A song being a real groovy hit but then it's the next one 'The Dope' that kickstarts the album with its funky funky sound, then YOU KNOW you are in the monkey house man and you will keep swinging right through til you come in burned. 'Hit Rock Bottom' hits rock bottom with it being just T-Rex re-vamped but other than that and tracks 1, 2 and 8 I JUST LOVE this cool new dandy, Dandy vibe. BUY IT NOW YOU WILL GO BANANAS FOR THIS SPACE MONKEY MUSIC.


review by: date: 2004-01-22 rating:
we used to be great
Well, I guess it couldn't last. After three brilliant albums, tongue firmly in cheek guitar trance music Velvet Underground style, the Dandies are running on empty. Gone is inspiration and perspiration, and we got some 80's style let's-make-a-quick-buck-without-too-much-effort. Mr. Rhodes knows all about that.brThis one is already in the bargain bin at my local record store. That about says it. I'm putting 13 tales back on, don't think I'll ever get tired of that one.

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