Pills Thrills & Bellyaches

Although this band is largely responsible for defining the circa 1990 rave culture, their music is far removed from the bass-heavy electronica usually associated with dance clubs. Ten songs on this album are characterized by lazy tempos, groovy bass hooks, and artfully simple percussion tracks which interact perfectly to form smooth, danceable beats. The rhythmic foundation is further accented by tasteful guitar licks and restrained keyboard parts. Their lyrical content tends to be a little dark, even seedy for exstacy fueled dance parties. The flat, nearly spoken vocal arrangements mesh with the rest of the musical stew. --Michael A. Massa