Kylie - Tension II (Album XVIb)

it's a very 7/10 affair but I think Someone For Me is the one I'll be getting the most out of
 
I really do miss longer, epic tracks in a streaming world. I appreciate these are all POP BANGERS but a couple could really do with a bit longer to BREATHE (breathe, it won't be long now).
 
I think I prefer this to Tension. That album suffered from a patchy second half (and only one decent bonus track). The production on this is more adventurous and more forward thinking.

It does feel like a perfect companion piece to the first though.

If you rejigged the sequencing a bit and swapped a few tracks between them you would have two solid albums in my opinion.
 
Why are people sleeping on Hello? Yes it's Padam revisited but those lyrics are super creepy. I almost want to play it back to back with SayHey. "All my friends want me to steer clear of you" :disco:
 
It doesn't feel like a fully fleshed out album in its own right, it's more of a companion piece as people have said (while not really sharing its sound with its parent album beyond Padam Padam and Tension), so there is a place for it. What I'd love is a continuous mix version... it would lend itself rather well to that.
 
Sheena said:
Only My Oh My from the collabs appears to work on the Apple Music stream…the others are greyed out
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Hoping this sorts itself out. I think 10 out of 10 was originally the same on Tension.
 
I'm sorry but I UNASHAMEDLY LOVE this album. I don't care if some of it is a tad derivative. The production is IMMACULATE. She sounds fantastic. Can't. Stop. Listening.

To think someone who was destined to be a one hit wonder could be releasing material of this quality almost 40 years into her career. :disco: Goddess.
 
Just to add that I basically stop and loop the album after Edge Of Saturday Night.
 
Eddie said:
I think she might struggle for a #1 this time around. Coldplay have had enormous sales this week and there is meant to be a secret big artist album drop next week.
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Tisch said:
Huge names like Shawn Mendes and Joe Jonas have reprotedly pushed their albums back. The other rumour I'm seeing is Harry Styles...
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Has anything materialised here? If not, was this bollocks - OR do we think it WAS Harry Styles, but poor Liam doing a Bradley Branning meant it had to be frantically pushed back? :o
 
There is supposedly a major surprise release for National Album Day tomorrow but, let's face it, the likelihood of this being anything more than a colourway of an existing album by a big artist is tiny.
 
I assume Rag N Bone Man will be her only competition for the #1? Assuming she can do 20-30k.
 
OK I've given this three listens so that I'm not being too knee-jerky.

The production *is* very good, and it all goes down smoothly enough, but I struggled to identify any particular standout moments. It all feels rather ONE NOTE, and yes, like a collection of leftovers thrown together.

The last two tracks are my favourites I think - Dance to the Music absolutely would have sat nicely on Disco, and Should Have Left Ya at least has a hint of something about it.

I really, really hope this is a full stop on her chasing the Padam Padam dragon. It's wonderful and I'm so glad it happened for her, but it isn't going to happen for her again if she just keeps trying to actively replicate it. It's already starting to feel like a case of rapidly diminishing returns.

My favourite Kylie moments are the shimmering emotive pop numbers. Tension had that in Hold Onto Now and Story. Everything on Tension II feels like it aims no higher than to have a drag queen do a killer lip sync to it on a future episode of RuPaul's Drag Race.
 
I'm frankly a bit done with the emotopop numbers. Since I Believe In You we have had a constant succession of them. In my opinion she peaked with Say Something.

I like detached cool and slightly abrasive Kylie. We haven't had enough of her. I also like when she sounds a bit unhinged on recordings :disco:
 
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I have had a listen and like it - it fits a theme, some of them are leftovers yes but it fits well as a 9 track statement PIECE that rounds off The Tension era. Its good for what it is, and paves way for the tour.

I need to have a good few more listens, but I have a soft spot for Shoulda Left Ya - it stood out for me, more melodic and poppy than the rest.
 
Eddie said:
I'm frankly a bit done with the emotopop numbers. Since I Believe In You we have had a constant succession of them. In my opinion she peaked with Say Something.
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I mean it's been one or two per album. hardly overload and it is her signature sound. and they're usually very good!

Tension gave us Hold On To Now and even better, Somebody to Love.
 
There is maybe the odd leftover on it but Kylie pretty much confirmed that the bulk of this was written and recorded post Tension (I), albeit for what was originally intended to be a deluxe release of the original album.

I think Hello was recorded at the same time as Padam.
 
Jark said:
I mean it's been one or two per album. hardly overload and it is her signature sound. and they're usually very good!

Tension gave us Hold On To Now and even better, Somebody to Love.
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Somebody To Love is great but of late I've become a bit lukewarm about Hold On To Now. I still like it but it also feels like there is something lacking in it. It might be the vocal - I think she could have recorded a better one. In contrast the vocal on Things We Do For Love is perfect.

I still think Say Something hasn't been bettered though.
 
Lots of people (on SayHey) claiming they can hear this seminal piece of theme tune work :disco: in the post chorus instrumental of Diamonds:



If ONLY!
 
Can't find anything lacking in "Hold on to now". It's so anthemic and uplifting and it really explodes live.
Can't wait to hear her sing it again in the tour (fingers crossed).
 
I do think she chose the single well. Lights Camera Action is the best thing here (other than Edge of Saturday Night which is already a BIT of a Kylie classique chez jark)
 
Jark said:
I do think she chose the single well. Lights Camera Action is the best thing here (other than Edge of Saturday Night which is already a BIT of a Kylie classique chez jark)
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It's a bit early for me to really identify a standout track apart from Lights Camera Action, but I think you're probably right (for both).
 
Let's be honest

Kylie knows what she's doing.

At least what she's doing for her fans.

I probably felt slightly disappointed around the Kiss Me Once era, but that also had her appearances on The Voice and that great tour, so I felt compensated as a fan in general.

As a fan, I truly feel blessed that I chose Kylie to back and support all these years.
 
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