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List Price: $26.99 | | Label: EMI Int'l
Salesrank: 79824
Released: December 4, 2007 |
| Our Price: $8.49 |
| Used Price: $10.00 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Editorial Review:
Limited edition 2007 CD/DVD (NTSC/Region 0), the 10th long player from the Australian pop princess, with production from Calvin Harris, Cathy Dennis and Kish Mauve. The bonus DVD features a track by track interview, DVD trailer and an exclusive audio track. EMI.
Description of X:
Traditionally, Kylie Minogue has been at her best attempting pure pop, not chasing credibility, but X--her 10th studio album, and the first since 2003’s Body Language--somehow pulls off the trick of being both. With production credits split between old hands like Richard Stannard and Guy Chambers and new faces like Calvin Harris, the Freemasons and Bloodshy & Avant, the Swedish team behind Britney’s "Toxic", X does a neat job of matching big hooks with forward-thinking production tricks. The poptimistic Kylie fan will head straight for "2 Hearts," a sassy falling-for-you number with a glammy beat and a chorus poised to fill a thousand Karaoke rooms, and "Wow"--a thumping disco number with a lot of love to give. Scattered alongside these, however, are some slightly more adventurous productions that demonstrate that despite a few years off the stage, Kylie is well up to speed with 21st-century pop: the excellent "Speakerphone" begins with the sound of a strummed harp before diffusing into a shimmering, Scandinvian-tinged electro-pop number reminiscent of Robyn or the Knife, all snapping, sassy beats and vocodered vocal; meanwhile, the ghetto-pop bounce of "Nu-di-ty" proves raunch is still by no means beyond her. A very welcome return. --Louis Pattison
X Reviews:
Fantastic 
2008-08-11 - I have been a fan of Kylie since her first, self debut album in the mid 1980's. And, she just keeps on getting better and better all of the time. So, No Shame Now, BUY THIS ALBUM.
Kylie is certainly Hot........... 
2008-07-30 - ....She's sexy, and gorgeous, with looks that I'm sure are the envy of many a girl half her age. And she's stayed sexy after treatment for breast cancer...that kind of guts merits anybody's respect. You Go, Girl.
But, can she sing?????
Beats me...after three full hearings, I doubt if I've picked out a dozen words. The overall effect is pleasant enough, and her voice does have a nice, even seductive, quality. But..........
This rocks WAY too hard for me. Now, someone else may love it; it would be a dull world if we all liked the same things. Kylie is great to look at, and has a ton of courage, but I'll let somebody else listen to her.
A mixed bag
2008-07-07 - X is actually the first Kylie album I've been desperate to buy on the day of release, based on the strength of the leaked album tracks and outtakes.
Having now got a copy of my very own, the hard part of this review is the final rating. When X is good it's very good, to the point that I can overlook the fillers and the car-crash. However, Kylie has come out with a few duds. To be brutally honest, "filler" is too good a term to call a couple of the tracks.
I'm going to start this review the diamond in the crown. `Rippin' Up The Disco'. This is a downloadable bonus track that really should have been a regular track. Hell, it should be a single, it's really that good. If you loved Kylie's LIGHT YEARS album you'll love this, it fits in with that era perfectly.
The album highlight for me is 'In My Arms'. Very dance-pop, the lyrics are simple & catchy. The music is very Calvin Harris (The track was produced by him, so it should have been I suppose). This track could have been huge if it had a sensible release schedule. It was the second European single & the third UK/Aus single.
`Like A Drug', `The One' and `Stars' are pure pop. Forget the dance & R'n'B credibility chasing please, Kylie is made for pop, she makes these tracks shine.
The Cathy Dennis penned 'Sensitized' - dropped from BODY LANGUAGE - makes it way onto X. Like '2 Hearts' it's new for Kylie, but it works. Simple, yet complex, it sounds like it could have been an IMPOSSIBLE PRINCESS track. Very sensual lyrics.
A Klassic Kylie album (for me) has at least one average single. 'X' manages to have 2 (I wonder if they'll bother with a fourth single?)
`2 Hearts' (The lead single) is a solid, slickly produced number, with nice breathy vocals, but it just doesn't do anything for me. Maybe I'd like it more if my first thought wasn't "It's Goldfrapp". The song, its video and Kylie's style are blatant copies. Anyone else would have been instantly shot down for this huge rip.
`Wow' (Second UK and Aus single) is klassic Kylie territory for the first few listens. However it gets irritating, thanks to the chorus; you're wow... wow... wow... wow. You'll soon be skipping this track.
Another, unfortunate classic Kylie album stable is the use of bland 'filler' tracks. I played the album before sitting down for this review, but I still can't think of anything constructive to say about `No More Rain', `All I See' (US single. Bad choice. Kylie is not Mariah) or `Cosmic', apart from It's something we've come to expect from Kylie, but with the above mentioned treasure trove of potential tracks (Lose Control, Fall For You, Excuse My French, When The Cat's Away, I Am Ready etc) for team Kylie to pick from this really could have been avoided.
I do have another negative point. There are a few songs that aren't even filler tracks, they're just horrid. Take a bow `Speakerphone' and `Heart Beat Rock'.
`Nu-di-ty' gets a few points for becoming car-crash; it's not good and it's painful, but I can't help listening.
Another Kylie album, another mixed bag. Maybe next time.
DVD Disc
The DVD is a disappointing extra. The photo gallery is composed of the X album's artwork. Some of the shots are slightly different but we've still seen everything before. The studio version of WHITE DIAMOND is played though.
The KYLIE XPOSED interview is such a let down. Kylie's been recording & writing music for over 20 years, but she still struggles to sit down & talk about it. I'm sure there is the odd piece of trivia in here somewhere, but all that sticks with me is how Kylie ummed, ahhed & paused awkwardly throughout the interview, having to be jogged along by the off screen interviewer.
The 2 HEARTS music video is also included. I like the video itself, but really it's just the previously mentioned Goldfrapp rip. Oh & there's a WHITE DIAMOND trailer, which I didn't bother watching.
"Special Edition" is putting it lightly!
2008-07-01 - This is the "Special Edition" to the album "X" it should have been called "X" Supreme or Deluxe! it has the album plus an interview which finds Kylie talking about each song and how they came to be, it contains a photo gallery which has the beautiful "White Diamond" ballad playing, the trailer to "White Diamond" and the video to 2 Hearts and not to mention the beautiful cover artwork and slipcase it has! This is definitely the "X" version to own!
Love it!
2008-06-21 - I think this album is phenominal, I loved every single track in it. I couldn't keep myself from listening it. A must-buy for every Kylie fan out there.
