Music Review | Fuji Minx | music-reviewer.com

You are here:

Fuji Minx

Tag it:

November 2007 Rock Pop Alternative

Written by Joe Hartlaub

Staff Rating

5.0

out of 10

Average user rating: 10.0
2 User reviews

View details
Read user reviews
Write review

Reviews

Artist: Fuji Minx
Title: Users, Cheaters, Theatres
Label: Self Released

Fuji Minx is a southern California quartet fronted by Greta Valenti, a platinum blonde who, along with a bunch of other platinum blonde vocalists fronting a bunch of other rock bands, is trying to set herself up as the next Gwen Stefani. I have no idea whether she has the chops to do it. Her vocals on Users, Cheaters, Theatres, the debut CD by Fuji Minx, are so heavily augmented that it’s hard to know what she really sounds like.

From But No No No, the rocker which opens Users, Cheaters, Theatres, to Bye Love, ostensibly the last track (there are two tracks after it, but you’ll have bailed out long before then), Users, Cheaters, Theatres is not wonderful. Not horrible, but not wonderful. And it grows more irritating exponentially, so that by the time that you are to Bloodsport, halfway through this CD, you may well be drawing a warm bath and looking for either a razor blade or the "off" button.

Users, Cheaters, Theatres is divided into three acts, those being The User, The Cheater, and The Theatre. I can’t really get what separates one from the other --- not a good sign for a "concept" project, and I suppose ultimately it isn’t going to make much difference anyway. While the tracks do not all sound the same, the common thread --- Valenti’s overproduced vocals --- distract from whatever merits each individual song might possess.

I would like to hear Users Cheaters Theatres with Valenti’s vocals au naturel. She has the looks for star power, and it’s not like she can’t carry a tune. She very obviously can. Someone just felt, apparently, that she needed a lead-lined sack to carry it in.

User reviews

Average user rating from: 2 user(s)


Rating		10.0

Add new review

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

I completelet disagree - it was one of the best fo, Saturday, 29 December 2007

Written by Jason

I was fortunate to get turned onto Fuji Minx "Users Cheaters Theatres"Â through listening to one of my favorite internet radio stations at KIAC.

Sandman is a favorite dj of mine as we share similar tastes and I am always blown away by what he gets up onto the airwaves. Fuji minx's album Users Cheaters Theatres was initially sparked for me by hearing the punchy and dramatic "Cat Wine". Doing a Google on them took me to a great video that Fuji Minx had done for the same track and from then on I was hooked; not just on the hot chick singer (that helped) but the overall band and the musical honesty with which I heard on throughout their great album.

The album opens with "But No No No"; another killer track, and its an amazing collage of sound reminiscent of Bowie to Zeppelin in that the melody, harmony and eastern rock sound grabs just like you want it to...i.e. you end up listening and listening over and over again.

"Waisting Away parts I and II" flows like a great story. From the somber opening to the dreamy flow of part II itâ€™s full of hooks and a rhythm that just captures you as you paint your own visual. The cool thing about this whole album is that it runs like a play in acts and relates to life, describing for me all the ups, downs, pains, pleasures and moments of strength to personal perspectives of ones own self.

You would think with such a kaleidoscope of imagery weaved through music that it would be overwhelming for the listener, but itâ€™s not at all. In fact I played the cd at a party we had the other night and the great rock n roll vibe shined through just like you want it to... Few albums have such diversity of play in such polar environments; Fuji Minx pull this delivery off with ease and confidence....spectacular songwriting for sure.

The purist rock n roll listener will also have several rock arena anthems all perfectly presented in this album. Notably the pulsating "Lets Get Naked" ...wow is that a track destined for an encore at the LA Coliseum or what? If ever a comparison can be drawn, and lets face it we all do; the Stones "Miss You" to Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust", should pull "Naked" into their ranks of get up and groove to the music.

"Secret Agent" is another cross of excellent music and a classy use of old radio operator codes that again pushes the listeners mind into an experience of frenzy and visuals as well as instant hooks. If I were a movie director I would pull FM's music onto the big screen without any doubt. This track illustrates the pure musical strength Fuji Minx have when creating tension, hook and melody within a rock ballad.

Another rocker on the album that is a step away from the usual and customary songs out there today is "Free Lorraine". The song really hit me in that itâ€™s punchy and yet it has the perfect antidote to its punch within the bridges of the song as it drifts into somewhat of a sedated mad woman and back again to a great rocking chorus..... now couple that with the lyrics of perhaps a "Girl Interruptedâ€™ story of mental disorder and pain that we have in such abundance within todayâ€™s society. Clearly a classic track!

"Train" hits you right off the start with its frantic vocals and overall musical push. Then, all of a sudden then you are taken down the perspective sound of ease and melody thorough the quite and 'lo fi' portions which before you know it, are again with great tension crawling back into the rock anthem that the song exudes cleverly and with excellent production.

FMâ€™s â€˜piece de la resistanceâ€™ really comes with their song, "You Taught Me Wellâ€Â. If you relate to legendary tracks like "Stairway to Heaven", â€œGimme Shelter" or "Bohemian Rhapsody" then this is the one you will take home and savor over and over again. The song opens with quite and timbre moments of pure musical dreamscape coupled with passionate vocals and travels in layers to a crescendo of rock that you just canâ€™t get enough of. I donâ€™t know what their meaning was in the lyrics were intendedâ€¦.. dark and light, yin and yang, heaven and hell....who knows....thatâ€™s the beauty that I fell in love with. Personally its one from the den of Mephistopheles perhaps?

This album is for sure a 5 star. Itâ€™s refreshing to know that people still can come together and do it. The great thing today is that with the musical world in such disarray bands like Fuji Minx cut through the musical 'pap' of the commercial radio and blossom through perfectly, be it on Pandora or KIAC Internet radio or wherever you may hear them. I see they are an independent band and yet today so are Radiohead, Pete Townshend and Sheryl Crow among others. Fuji Minx are certainly at home with those neighbors and they deserve to be if Users Cheaters Theatres is a taste of what is to come. I await impatiently for more from them. Definitely in my top three for 2007.

Was this review helpful to you? yes

Report this review

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

Is this guy serious?, Monday, 19 November 2007

Written by Michael

Okay...

After I read this review I went and listened to the album b/c the cover art intrigued me. Plus the reviewer never really talked about the music in his "CD REVIEW". Strange...

So I googled the band and went and listened to some music on their site www.fujiminx.com and it was FANTASTIC! I'm serious. I don't know what this guy is talking about. Greta's vocals sound great and it doesn't really sound like there are much of any effects on her vocal except on one or two songs where it seems intentional. And the concept seems to make sense when you listen to it. Maybe the reviewer only listened to one song or something. So I bought the album. I have it at home now, and it's currently my #1 CD. This band is really good, really different kind of sound, reminds me of some old school influences but with newer fresh production and songs go place I didn't expect them to. Anyway I rate this album a 10 out of 10 b/c I honestly can't find anything wrong with it. -MMP

EDITOR'S NOTE: This proves the power of publicity - even when it's not the most glowing, congratulatory publicity - sells records! The beauty of opinion is that one man's trash is another man's treasure. Our work here is done.

Was this review helpful to you? yes