Released
1987/1992
Label
Red Rhino Europe
Epic
Reviewed by
Michael C.Lund
Contact
Transmission 242
BP 1613
B1000 Brussels
Visit
Last Edit/Update
01 February, 1998
Front
242
OFFICIAL VERSION
Track Listing
1. W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G.
2. Rerun Time
3. Television Station
4. Agressiva Due
5. Masterhit (Part I & II)
6. Slaughter
7. Quite Unusual
8. Red Team
9. Angst
10. Quite Unusual*
11. Agressiva*
12. Masterblaster**
13. Hypnomix**
* from Interception 12"
**from Masterhit 12"
The members of Front 242 have often commented that the 'meaning' of their
music is less important, while the 'impression' created is of crucial importance. Front
242 sees themselves as a mirror held up to the world, and their music is the
reflection of the world in that mirror. Official Version holds up the mirror to the
mass media, and how the world is represented in the media. It is a deliberately ambiguous
image that Front 242 paints, hovering somewhere between fascination and
disgust. As witnessed by the army helicopters and men in pilot outfits that constitute the
cover graphics, the band's preoccupations still lean towards war, terrorism and the
military, however, on this album religion too enters the picture as a topic of discussion.
To mirror the 'information
overload' of the media scene, Front 242's sound on Official Version
is more layered and organic. The lengthy pieces "W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G.," "Rerun
Time" and "Masterhit" feature the band's hallmark dynamic and aggressive
powerbeats, although, now, there are more breaks and fills in the progressions of
individual songs. The synths are 'warmer,' and the arrangements are less predictable than
in the past. Samples and vocals are repeated throughout the songs, and take on the quality
of slogans. Many of the samples are 'cut-up' and manipulated. One track
("Angst") is really one long sample taken from the speech of a tele-evangelist,
with some effect sounds and additional samples fading in and out in the background.
"Angst" almost seems like a 'case study' for the song "Welcome to
Paradise" featured on the band's next album Front By Front.
Likewise, the single cut -- "Quite Unusual" -- plays like a rough draft for
their hit-single -- "Headhunter" -- also off Front By Front.
On the whole, the album is more
dance-friendly than its predecessors, and the two remix versions of "Masterhit"
that are included on EPIC's re-release of Official Version would
seem to indicate that Front 242 did have the DJs in mind with this album.
Also included on the EPIC release is the single Interception,
which came out before the album, and featured the songs "Quite Unusual" and
"Agressiva" in extended versions. Both songs are more streamlined and structured
on the single, although otherwise quite similar to the album versions.
Copyright Last Sigh
