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 | |
| Released | 2 September 2008 |
| Label | News 541 |
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| 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
editThe 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
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" | Peter Gill/Holly Johnson/Mark O'Toole | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | 1:06 |
| 2. | "The Time Is Now" | Mark Brydon/Róisín Murphy | Moloko | 4:48 |
| 3. | "Il Veliero" | Lucio Battisti/Mogol Audio 2 | Chaplin Band | 4:14 |
| 4. | "Prisencolinensinainciusol" | Adriano Celentano | Adriano Celentano | 3:33 |
| 5. | "Adolescent Sex" | David Sylvian | Japan | 3:50 |
| 6. | "Making Me Money" (Switch Remix) | Jacknife Lee | Jacknife Lee | 4:37 |
| 7. | "Sharp as a Knife" | Brandon Cooke/Roxanne Shanté | Brandon Cooke and Roxanne Shanté | 2:46 |
| 8. | "We Are Your Friends" | James Ford/James Shaw | Simian Mobile Disco | 3:53 |
| 9. | "Abele Dance" | Manu Dibango/Fabien Meissonier | Manu Dibango | 2:59 |
| 10. | "La Raza" | Tony Gonzales/Arturo Molina Jr./Gerald Wilson | Kid Frost | 3:09 |
| 11. | "Cavern" | Scott Hartley/Richard McGuire/Salvatore Principato/Dennis Young | Liquid Liquid | 3:45 |
| 12. | "Jungle Love" | Morris Day/Jesse Johnson | Time | 4:13 |
| 13. | "Physical" | Steve Kipner/Terry Shaddick | Glimmers | 3:36 |
| 14. | "Los Niños del Parque" | Beate Bartel/Chris Haas | Liaisons Dangereuses | 3:08 |
| 15. | "Where Are You?" | Luca Anzilotti/Michael Münzing | Sixteen Bit | 3:48 |
| 16. | "Move Your Ass and Feel the Beat" | Morton/Sherman | Erotic Dissidents | 3:52 |
| 17. | "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" (Fruitless Mix) | Peter Gill/Holly Johnson/Mark O'Toole | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | 4:04 |
| 18. | "Don't Lose Control" | Bill Laswell/Michael Beinhorn | Material | 4:15 |
| 19. | "Windowlicker" | Richard D. James | Aphex Twin | 5:50 |
References
edit- ^ a b Anderson, Rick. "Review Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Hammond, Steven (15 October 2008). "Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks". Edge. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks". Forced Exposure. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
- ^ 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.