"Never Win" is a fantastic song. In my opinion it parallels "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand in that it is unique and strong and much more original than the other songs on their releases. On both releases in question, the other tracks are average to good.

Fischerspooner. The royal family of electroclash. Yeah yeah... that's it, and I'm a donkey.

After getting huge success with their debut album, #1, Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner had some serious financial problems (no joke). So, away they went. Fischerspooner wasn't just a music band. They were the head of an art creation crew, their show involved dancers, costumes, video sequences... their videoclips were the finest examples of what a clip should be. Artsy, original, inventive, beat-oriented... summed up in one word : creative.

2004, Fischerspooner claim they'll be back. But there's some kind of a problem : they say they will change the formula. Now don't get me bad : I like it alot when bands change, when they evolve. But the big Fischerspooner machine was quite impressive and everyone's first idea was : how in the world will they be able to renew both sound and image ? THe answer was a blatant letdown : they flushed the dancers, the fashion, the costumes and the spectacular show. They gathered a band around them, left the electroclash, took a 70's reminescent sound and worshipped it with producers like Mirwais and Nicolas Vernhes, waiting for a big hit. Well, don't get me bad : all the songs are good. But just, you know, good. Good as in "good-not-great". Some are great. But you can count them on the fingers of one hand. Just Let Go, We Need A War and Ritz 107. That's it. The rest isn't that different from the bullshit you hear everyday on your radio, the only real difference being that the melody are more intelligent, but just a little. As for videoclips, yes, they still do fascinating stuff. But you know, I will not buy an album everytime I watch a sweet music video. Where Fischer's and Spooner's so heard-of passion for the electroclash went ? Well, don't search it in their Odyssey : it is as empty as an old nutshell. A thirty-something years old one. 3/5