Miracle of Science [Import]

miracle of science [import]

Track Listings

1. Soundbite

2. What Do You Dream Of?

3. Who Stole That Train

4. Laughter

5. Twenty-Five Forty-One

6. Starless Summer Sky

7. Only An Hour Ago

8. A Wondrous Place

9. The "In" Crowd

10. Theme From "Flaregun"

11. Seven Miles An Hour

12. There And Back Again

13. Don't Forget About Me (Bonus Track)

14. What I Didn't Want To Do (Bonus Track)

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese edition of his 1996 album with two bonus tracks, 'Don't Forget Me' and 'What I Didn't Want To Do'. 14 tracks total. A Razor & Tie release.

Miracle of Science,Marshall Crenshaw,Rock/Pop

Miracle of Science [Import]

Average customer rating:

Catchy Power Pop!
The music's cool, too
Return to form
Another buried classic -- it grows on you
A real return to form; one of his best.

Miracle of Science
Marshall Crenshaw
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Life's Too Short
What's in the Bag?
#447
The 9 Volt Years: Battery Powered Home Demos & Curios (1979-198?)
Downtown

ASIN: B000002ZCG
Release Date: 1996-07-23

Tracks:

(Soundbite)
What Do You Dream Of?
Who Stole That Train
Laughter
Twenty-Five Forty-one
Starless Summer Sky
Only An Hour Ago
A Wondrous Place
The 'In' Crowd
Theme From 'Flaregun'
Seven Miles An Hour
There And Back Again

Amazon.com

In 1982, Marshall Crenshaw seemed destined for the throne of power pop. He had the beat of Buddy Holly, none of Elvis Costello's angst, and a brilliant self-titled debut album. Sadly, the decade's musical tastes swung from guitar pop to synth pop, and Crenshaw was left a critically acclaimed outcast. Fourteen years later, a more mature Crenshaw reemerges with Miracle of Science. Songs of love have given way to songs of relationships, while tracks like the mournful "Laughter" look back on broken hearts with the insight that only time provides. Still, he tempers even the album's darker emotions with killer hooks, maintains his twisted sense of humor, and builds on his danceable guitar pop by digging deep into his love for country and blues. His brilliant guitar work floats over driving rhythms, and a handful of well interpreted covers (including Grant Hart's "Twenty-five Forty-one") put this album over the edge. --Bill Snyder

Customer Reviews:

Catchy Power Pop!.......2006-08-27

This album was the seventh in Marshall Crenshaw's string of solid power-pop album. Released in 1996 after a 5 years break since his great "Life's Too Short" album, expectations were obviously high. Though probably not as consistent as its predecessor most fans will be satisfied with the album. The formula is more or less the same as on his earlier albums, a mixture of original rockers and ballads togethers with a couple cover-versions.

The opening-track "What Do You Dream Of?" is a very catchy tune and one of the highlights. Next songs that deserve to brought out are "Starless Summer Sky" - almost as catchy as the opener - and the quieter "Only an Hour Ago".

His cover of the old and almost forgotten Billy Fury single "A Wondrous Place" is charming and another highlight.

The closes off with another great Crenshaw original, "There and Back Again" - likely to make you want to go back and listen to the album again.

A pleasant power-pop album with some nice guitar-playing and catchy songs to sing along with!

The music's cool, too.......2005-10-05

Physically speaking, Marshall Crenshaw's "Miracle of Science" is one of the coolest-designed albums in the CD era of pop music. Think of the CD equivalent of Split Enz's "True Colours" LP: a clever (if small) folding, face-changing cover and a disc with an intricate holographic pattern on the upside.
Musically, it's pretty cool, too. Marshall had a five-year layoff between 1991's "Life's Too Short" and this. True, the album didn't live up to the anticipation expectation caused by such a long gap between recordings. But the album has aged well.
What we got was a louder, more mature, harder-edged Crenshaw -- still with that aching, boyish voice, but definitely someone with more life under his belt, as best displayed on the catchy "What Do You Dream Of?" and "There and Back Again." Even "Starless Summer Sky," a remake of an extremely infectious, sweetly charming song he demoed in 1979, had louder dynamics and a harder feel, though it was still charming in its way. (Take it for what you will, but the song's original title was "Starlit Summer Sky.") Meanwhile, ever the music encyclopedia, he pulled into his fedora to give us an interesting odd couple of remakes: Dobie Gray's "The In Crowd" (it was OK) and Grant Hart's "Twenty-Five Forty-One" (a very interesting and well-done choice). And the man who wrote the book "Hollywood Rock" (and appeared in the films "Peggy Sue Got Married" and "La Bamba") came through with a clever and breezy mock-soundtrack instrumental, "Theme from 'Flaregun.'"
Look, Marshall can't escape the legacy of recording the album of a lifetime his first time out (back in '82), and it's unfair for fans to expect anything to come close. As mentioned, the disc has aged well. There are times a baseball fan will accept a standup double instead of a home run, and this is one of them.

Return to form.......2004-04-16

Although the package design is more cool than functional, the music within the disc is more functional than cool: Simple instrumentation takes center stage and out goes the lusher production values of his late 1980's/early 1990's records...

This is a good thing: fans of "Someday, Someway" and his new wave approach to early rock 'n' roll will find plenty of wonderfully catchy pop tunes here: Grant Hart's whistful "Twenty-Five Forty-One," the infectious heartland-rock "What Do You Dream Of," and the country-tinged "Who Stole That Train" will have you humming to yourself long after the cd is finished.

Crenshaw handles all of the production, and most of the instrumentation. This album seems to come straight from the heart - and not an attempt to gain a radio share.

Another buried classic -- it grows on you.......2001-09-05

Well, at first I was disappointed, a little. More for the atmospherics than the music. Before this album, MC was a major label artist, and now he wasn't. The recording quality was a little less than what he'd been giving us. But I pulled this out the stacks the other day and was struck by how incredibly fresh and creative it sounds. And how heart-felt. Of latter-day MC albums, I still think "Life's Too Good" is his best (and it's criminal you can't get it anywhere except used), but you could probably make a case for this one and unless you hired Alan Dershowitz, you could win a 5-4 decision at the Supreme Court.

A real return to form; one of his best........2000-08-17

This is simply one of Marshall Crenshaw's finest albums. So many people like to compare his every new release with his wonderful debut, but this is the first that can stand up to the (unfair) comparison, and even come out ahead in some respects. Sure, it may not be every bit as consistant (what album is?) but his guitar playing is better than ever, his songwriting has deepened ("What Do You Dream Of?" for instance, and "There And Back Again") and he's pushing out in some new musical directions. The instrumental "Theme From 'Flaregun'"---equal parts surf, rockabilly, and Hollywood---will sink deep into your neurons if you let it. "Starless Summer Sky" seems like a return to the younger, romantic Crenshaw for the good reason that it's a redoing of an old song. (Comparison to the 1979 demo version is highly instructive.) Also the snap and hiss at the beginning of that song, as of a needle in a record groove, is a witty, nostalgic tip of the hat to the days of vinyl. "Who Stole That Train" shows that Crenshaw can still rock out when he wants to. The production fairly sparkles and shimmers (with a few unusual instruments to add occasional spice, such as horns in "The 'In' Crowd", strings in "A Wondrous Place") and the sequencing is well thought-out. This is an album that flows really well, and grows in the mind with each listening. Crenshaw produced this Miracle after laying off for about five years. Apparently the rest recharged his creative batteries. If he can come out with another album this good in say, 2004 or 2005, that would be fine with this fan.

Average customer rating:

Miracle of Science

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004U8UB
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Tracks:

Soundbite
What Do You Dream Of?
Who Stole That Train
Laughter
Twenty-Five Forty-One
Starless Summer Sky
Only An Hour Ago
A Wondrous Place
The "In" Crowd
Theme From "Flaregun"
Seven Miles An Hour
There And Back Again
Don't Forget About Me (Bonus Track)
What I Didn't Want To Do (Bonus Track)

Album Description

Japanese edition of his 1996 album with two bonus tracks, 'Don't Forget Me' and 'What I Didn't Want To Do'. 14 tracks total. A Razor & Tie release.

Music:

Music

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