Dollar

A fantastic futuristic musical heartfelt album by Cool Dollar, they were not fake, or faux, just very ahead of their time.. Some don't understand that kind of music, its too impracticable for them, so they panned here in america.Album tracks on this are also quite worthy listens (pink and blue very beautiful) 'second time around' 'guessing games' good punchy sturdy electro dance numbers, and with feeling, they stand out as well as all the hits that kept the UK danced up back then.there are two very bizarre reviews here that are meaningless and too casual I feel, and I'd like to (if I may?) Redress he balance.Dollar were a Hugely Successful UK And European Duo/ band, they had a magical sound, Thereza had a strengthy angelic and Deliberately breathy sensual voice, and David had a straight forward blue eyed soul voice.Dollar sold trucks full of product, and there is very much in they way of musical high production hi tech techniques to be lauded about, on this album that were utilized to a very modern effect. Backthen, And like no one else, considering the earlyness in that decade that some of the songs and music were produced.Dollar were sensible, and knowing enough to utilize the then new Sound Sampling technology's in their music, coupled with setting brand new firsts! And brand new music trends,.It made, And makes, A Big difference, they used the very famous Fairlight CMI sampling/ synthesizer, and with that, trevor horn (producer) would multi sample various sounds drums and phrases etc and sample theresa's voice in many ways, all quite contemporary I feel, and ahead of the game.Dollar used MCI And SSL digital recording consoles and neuman mics with lexicon effects, the 'Videotheque' demo is to be found on the buggles 1981 cd re release 'modern adventures in recording' he (trevor horn) recorded that song in very early 1981, No one! upon. No one!! had recorded or even envisaged a highly modern soundscape such as that song And so very early on and in that style, its truly amazing that he extrapilated that present day of 1981, and managed the absolute future!! With Latinized flamenco type rythmn soundscaping and futurism wih sampling. And new digital drumming programs, and with a video industry comment (videotheque?) as well on a very burgeoning medium that Is Now the norm.Dollar used the digital sample play back drum machine, the linn drum lm1, created by roger linn, a very important leap and Huge step forward for all music at that time, as it used acoustic samples of real drums, All tunable on the machine, with quantize timing faciltys able to be recorded on the linn, in real time, or step programming for rolling flamming and odd rime signitures, also they some simmons drums too and prophet 5 synth as well as the cs80 by yamaha, there was Nothing at all cheap at all about Dollar.please do not underestimate the importance of those facts regarding the use of commercial music technology by Dollar at that time.In moving music forward by leaps and bounds, technology in music back then, was absolutely the most modern influential thing created, tool wise, to be utilised in creating new music, it was the way forward, There Is no doubt about that.After all, Sampling is the music absolute now, they did it first And did it really really welland it has some how been written out of history that Dollar and trevor horn achieved a very very new sound in that era,britain (where I am from) was leaps ahead at that time, and used sampling techniques on tribal influenced new world sound , as well as ethnic, african, and asian far east influenced sound in western electronic music , all with digital technology, made to change dance and pop and rock forever, into something more audibly thought provoking, vacuoss it may seem on the surface to those who don't want to know maybe, but Much more imortant than you'd have first thought.David byrne/ talking heads, were a very rare but exceptionally contemporary american exception at that time, with his fantastic 1981 album all fairlight sampled etc, but in the main, whilst America was comfortable still, with that mid to late 70s 'adult contemporary' type music style, like linda rondstaht and the eagles etc, 1nd whilst not afraid to experiment 'underground' with new ways,America stuck with all the familiar lovely and fabulous artists off course, and they are great! But, they were just stale to us, at that time, and not breaking new ground to affect present and future music of the world, america very much resisted (commercially) regarding our new ways, but it wasn't long before all artist saw all potentials of electronic music devices,And we, the whole world (by the mid 80s onward). had hybrids of naturally made and electronic made Music all in one production if need be, and guitars Were included, there was room for every thing, convincing took a little longer, and Dollar were there, much earlier on.And as Dollar's music may not be to the tastes of the casual musically bereft hearer, or people who didn't like soundscapes, and breath in the voice brought to the fore quite deliberately, then....One thing is for sure, this album was and Is audiophile listening, musically at least, its economical lyrically, but it was more than just state of the art production in 81/82, it was the zietgiest of that modern age, we'd neve anywhere in this planet heard styles as coheisive as like that before, never mind rap hip hop, they all took from all this after british artists kate bush included, had used fairlight.I'd never noticed sound sampling before, until I'd heard this album, and there's plenty of that on this, sampling became common place later on by much! By black rap artists who then saw their potential (commercially) for it, in dance music, they then started using drum machines etc, I'm talking about proper digital sampling via a keyboard instrument, and not scratching records, prior to that, I mean proper sound sampling as in this case, or rather showcased.donna summer was the first black artist to truly embrace electronic music, a clever woman, who knew, she is an angel.Mirror mirror is a fabulous dance track, it is dance music, with colour vibrancy economic positive lyrics, not cheesy, but POSITIVE! There is a difference, I guess the masses of british and european people understood futuristc electronic pop earlier on in the 80s than anyone else, and accepted it and therefore our pop charts reflected what I would call a more modern feel at that time in late 81. we embraced that commercially I feel, and Dollar were a very Big part of that movement. They wernt new wave, as that movement is rock and punk oriented to us british, and ended around mid 81 for us new wave has no meaning in that sense, it is just a phrase used generically to describe what can't be catagorized. they weren't new romantics, although they used style elements new to the times influenced a little by that, they were just trendy to us, no catagory. Just a boy and a girl singing and dancing and having fun to sample playback computer music that wasn't half bad!!! Take it for what it is, play it quite a few times, youl see its better than you realize at a casual glance.My review is long, but I felt time it was to say it out!!Love this album, proud to have it in my collection, just wanted to let people know that Dollar were more than just ordinary, they were clever and extraordinary.

leave it2 closer & just jared fans

Thereza Bazar said in a Look-In feature (the junior TV Times magazine!) Dollar were like a cross between Abba and Depeche Mode. Wouldn't go quite that far, but still great synths, fab drumming from Graham Broad, and catchy, excellently produced songs. David and Thereza wrote half this album themselves too. There's the bouncy Mirror Mirror, the lush Give Me Back My Heart (have you seen the cruel but hilarious Three of a Kind spoof!), the dramatic Videotheque, the feelgood Gimme Some Kinda Magic, and dancey Second Time Around, Anyone Who's Anyone and Guessing Games. You Made Me Love You starts off a bit syrupy but turns into another catchy dancey tune.My only niggle is Thereza's vocal style makes some lyrics indistinct, like her lead on the otherwise splendid Pink and Blue. She sings like she needs to give her nose a good blow! Clever how a couple of tracks contain references to others too - one more chance to make it right, holding hands in black and white (Videotheque) and you always said you were a shooting star (Second Time Around). Sounds as good as it did back in '82. Enjoy.

A wonderful production of the greatest Dollar hits. All original recordings. These came from bringing in the great producer Trevor Horn who's produced many huge hits including Frankie goes to hollywood. I first had this album in the 80s so it's fab to get it finally on CD. The bonus tracks don't make the album extra great as they're quite indifferent to the original recordings anyway ..just raw samples. Would be cool if 12"mixes were added as bonus tracks. If one thing is a shame bout this album is it doesn't include Dollars earlier hits such as 'Who were you with in the moonlight" Shooting star" and "Loves gotta hold of me now" but I guess since they've made so many records you can't have everything. I have to say this album however is so well produced..good clear sound and awesome on loud. My faves are "Hand held black & white" Videotheque"Give me back my heart"(full version) ...a damn great cd :-) *****

Brilliant Music from this pop duo who made some great songs .

Best of the Dollar Albums IMO, great Trevor Horn productions.

For a child in the early eighties, Dollar seemed like the epitome of untouchable glamour and sophistication. Whenever they appeared on a Saturday seaside special or on Top Of The Pops, they performed as if in some hermetically sealed bubble of pop perfection. Since that time, Dollar's media image has been somewhat tarnished by reality show meltdowns, botched comebacks and various legal issues.That's a real shame, as 'The Dollar Album' remains a brilliant collection of pure pop music. Trevor Horn's production on a handful of the tracks here is phenomenal - far ahead of its time with its electronic wall of sound that is somehow both machine-like yet also beautifully human. 'Videotheque' and 'Give Me Back My Heart', in particular, are as fresh now as they were nearly 30 years ago. Across the whole album, Dollar maintain their serious approach to this lightest of lighweight glossy pop - just because they were working within the pop genre, they never seemed throwaway or interested only in commercial success.The bonus tracks (alternative versions of the biggest hits from the album) are interesting but not essential.To have this album on CD, with the artwork intact, is like welcoming back an old friend. It may not be to everyone's taste but - as a soundtrack to growing up in the eighties or for anyone who loves melodic pop music - this album is kinda magic.