Business Casual
October 22, 2010 by admin
Business Casual
The men of Chromeo are about to release ‘Business Casual,’ which is their third full-length album and a testament to the growth and further sophistication the band has undergone over the many years they’ve been collaborating. After their sophomore release, ‘Fancy Footwork,’ pushed them into the stratosphere of party-rocking, club-banging, and heart-thrilling electrofunk, we might consider ‘Business Casual’ their postgraduate work. Where does a group go after mastering their craft? Do they rest on their laurels? Do they retreat into self-parody? Neighbor, please. Chromeo, in 2010, have pushed forward into yet newer levels of song craft and body moving music that is respectfully indebted to its noble inspirations while still being fully contemporary. Are there lush string arrangements on ‘Don’t Walk Away?’ Do we have Moroder-esque analog synth layers draped all over ‘Don’t Turn The Lights On?’ Is there a fully authentic French ballad (don’t forget, Dave and P are of the Québécois persuasion and will never abandon those roots) in ‘J’ai Claqué la porte?’ Well yes, actually, to all of the above. But what’s this we have here? The flip side of Chromeo, the emotional gangster tracks, are still here on ‘Business Casual,’ represented by titles such as ‘Hot Mess,’ ‘I’m Not Contagious,’ and ‘You Make It Rough.’ And, newly added to the roster, we have the straight-up pop, vanilla in the best sense (creamy and smooth), of ‘The Right Type,’ a get-up-and-go tune in the greatest 80s tradition, and the album closer, ‘Grow Up,’ which almost sounds like golden era Billy Joel backed up by Cameo. How real is that? Lyrically, Dave continues to mine the rich vein of affairs of the heart. Is there really any other topic that Chromeo needs to cover? Arrogant ladies, dancefloor seduction, boudoir skills, love gone wrong, and knights in shining armor… Chromeo does all this and more with their trademark Franco-insouciance-that-borders-on-coolness and their always sexy worldliness (pause). In these uncertain times of financial upheaval and musical mediocrity, Chromeo’s ‘Business Casual’ is a testament to the fact that inspirational funk shall always prevail. Vive le Chromeo!
Rating: 
(out of 7 reviews)
List Price: $ 13.99
Price: $ 6.67
Review by Nse Ette for Business Casual
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Chromeo are electro-Funk duo Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel and David “Dave 1″ Macklovitch from Canada, and their retro sound is redolent of eighties bands like Zapp, Hall & Oates or Cameo, not to mention that David’s vocals recall Ray Parker Junior.
The songs are bouncy catchy fun; the falsetto-sung “Hot mess” with great drum breaks, “I’m not contagious” sounding like Zapp (thanks to P-Thugg’s vocoder sounds), while the galloping “Night by night” is groovy with a great guitar solo. “Don’t turn the lights on” features a choppy and slippery bassline, while the epic 7 minute long “You make it rough” is Prince-meets-LCD Soundsystem with its lengthy electronic-laden breaks.
The light Funky “When the night falls” is enhanced by Solange’s vocals in the chorus. Highlight has got to be “Don’t walk away” with an incredible Disco-style string section and lyrics about a changing relationship. “J’ai claque la Porte” is a lilting ballad sung in French over delicate electronic beats, spare synths and tenderly picked acoustic guitar.
“The right type” is 80s Pop while closing Glam/Pop “Grow up” reminds one of Adam Ant. Such is the variety on this incredible album.
Review by M. Cavacini for Business Casual
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I discovered Chromeo on Daryl Hall’s web series “Live From Daryl’s House.” When I saw them perform songs like “Waiting For You” I knew these guys were something special. Their music has clearly been influenced by Hall & Oates, among other 80s pop musicians. Their last album – Fancy Footwork – was flat out awesome! So, I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of “Business Casual.” I’ve been listening to it all day, and here is what I think of it.
“Business Casual” is a very solid album. It has many incredibly catchy songs like “Night By Night” – the BEST song on the album! “I’m Not Contagious,” “When The Night Falls” and “Don’t Walk Away” are all amazing songs as well. Almost every song on here is excellent. I don’t think it topped “Fancy Footwork,” but “Business Casual” is more of the Chromeo I’ve grown to love. It did not disappoint.
One thing I really like about Chromeo is that they truly care about the music they create. If you listen to their songs multiple times, you’ll pick up on different instruments you didn’t notice before. That’s because they spend a great amount of time adding multiple layers of incredibly effective music. If you your hips or lips don’t start moving by the time this album is over, you might want to check your pulse because you’re probably dead;)
Review by B. Szilagyi for Business Casual
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Nse Ette gave a great review of Chromeo’s sound. I would just add in relation to their other albums, She’s in Control and Fancy Footwork, I don’t think this album is as good. It’s still a very solid album and I would recommend buying it if you’ve liked their previous work, but I didn’t find it quite as engaging. Overall though a good record that is better than a lot of music being made.
Review by SonicAddiction for Business Casual
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Somebody told me that music is cyclical and in time the dance/funk sound of the late 70′s and 80′s would return. I just didn’t think it would happen to such an extents of perfection. Hot Mess can be considered a “Classic Song” and by that I mean it has the capability of withstanding the years. I spent the peak period of my life during the decade of the late seventies and 80′s, my Twenties. I can attest that it is that period of time that an individuals taste of music becomes embedded within themselves. Also it should be known that I own well over 2,000 CD’s spanning the decades from 50/60′s doo-wop, Motown, Teen 60′s pop, Beatles, Stones and the other bands that made up the British Invasion, 70′s music from the likes of Robin Trower, Disco, Grateful Dead, 10cc Godley Creme, Paul Simon, Carly Simon, Electric Light Orchestra. Then came what is now know as 80′s music at a time when I entered my 20′s along with falling in love and eventually married. The music scene evolved in that decade and is now simply referred to as “80′s music”. Cars, Duran Duran, Madonna, Pointer Sisters, and a slew of one hit wonders took synch pop and added a dance beat for a decade of happy dance hits. Stewing in the background like some some plot to kill bubbled RAP, which I refer to as CRAP. I never understood the derogatory type of music that is vulgar, with a mix of ranting blasphemy and brain washing messages where profanity and hatred towards women, or anybody or thing is the norm. Although I do like Eminem to some extent. Other than him. Rap to me is CRAP and has been removed from my extensive music collection and is avoided like the plague. I did enjoy some 90′s music with the likes of Violent Femmes, 10 thousand maniacs, R.E.M, Toni Braxton, Enigma. But the decade was not as vast as earlier decades in variety. To me, it was as if music entered a stage of rapid makeover and decline. Then hit the new millennium. If AIDS killed disco then RAP killed just about all forms of music besides teenage pop like my much hated Britney Spears and whatever DISPOSABLE music these girls nowadays are listening to on their Iphones. I had pretty much given up hope on every music returning to the upbeat dance music with catchy hooks. I happened to be researching the return of 80′s sound on the internet and came across several groups. Not liking 80′s Glam Rock and Hard Rock, I found Cameo. I swore the music was straight out of the 80′s, yet sounded as if it matured in a very positive way. I had found a band that made refreshing music that upon listening instantly stands out as different and catches you off guard with eyes wide open followed by and instantaneous purchase of all their music while on the back in excitement thinking “can this be real”. It is. I just hope they don’t run out of juice too soon because they have breathed new life into new music. Keep at it Chromeo!
Review by Christopher J. Brown for Business Casual
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What can I say. Some more super-retro electro stylings from Chromeo. I expected nothing less. I’m dancing around my office.