Real Life Is No Cool
Encyclopedia
Real Life Is No Cool is a 2010
album
by Norwegian musician Hans-Peter Lindstrøm and Norwegian-Mauritian singer Christabelle. The Lindstrøm-produced album was released January 18, 2010 in the UK
and in the United States
the following day, on the Oslo
-based Smalltown Supersound
label. The special edition of the album was released with a bonus disc, containing six remixes. An exclusive edition containing a second disc which featured Lindstrøm's disco version of the Christmas classic Little Drummer Boy
, was available only from the London
record store Rough Trade's website. This edition of the album was released November 30, 2009. The album's title is taken from a lyric in the track "Keep It Up".
first met Christabelle (Isabelle Sandoo, then known as Solale) in 2001, while he shared studio time with her brother, DJ Dennis Jr. Lindstrøm listened to some of Solale's tracks, and got interested in collaborating with her. The first collaboration between Lindstrøm
and Christabelle was the 12" titled "Music (In My Mind)" from 2003. Then in 2007, Lindstrøm released the 12" "Let's Practice" and the 10" "Let It Happen", which also featured Christabelle on vocals. These three tracks appeared at their first collaboration album, "Real Life Is No Cool".
A collaborative album between the duo was planned since they first started working together, but didn't materialized until 2010, due to Lindstrøm's hectic schedule. They began working on the album in 2008, before Lindstrøm
released his debut studio album Where You Go I Go Too
. Following this album's critical success, a hype was created around Lindstrøm
's music, fueled by an overwhelming interest from music magazines, blogs and clubs. In December 2009, Lindstrøm
released his 42-minutes long version of Little Drummer Boy
. It sparked huge interest and was mentioned in countless music blogs, among others by Edmund Conway in The Daily Telegraph
.
As stated by the duo on Norwegian television show "Lydverket", several of the songs were improvised in the studio. They also performed "Lovesick" at the show. Lindstrøm
is known among music journalists for preferring to work in studio, rather than performing live. However, he and Christabelle went on tour in March 2010 and are going to perform at music festivals in Europe this summer.
. Several critics applauded Lindstrøm's new pop-oriented format, and his new take on disco, mixing Balearic beat
, space disco
, house
and new wave
. Christabelle's voice was described as "sexy and whispering" and Matthew Richardson in Prefix Magazine praised her contributions as being "alternately enthusiastic, aloof, earnest, and esoteric". Most critics highlighted the track "Baby Can't Stop", noting the similarity to Michael Jackson
's 1982 hit Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
and his Thriller
album. The collaboration between the two Norwegians was compared to Donna Summer
and Giorgio Moroder
's work together in the 1970s. Louis Pattison in BBC Music described the experimental pen-ultimate track "Never Say Never" as a "...whirl of backwards beats, twinkling harps and discombobulated vocals that’s both utterly disorientating and quite delightful."
In an interview with XLR8R
, Lindstrøm
and Christabelle named the songs "Juicy Fruit
" by Mtume
, "Between the Sheets
" by The Isley Brothers
and "Computer Love" by Zapp & Roger as references for their work. They also said that they had tried to record a cover of the latter, without success, stating "maybe it's just too perfect".
's debut album Where You Go I Go Too
, which peaked at #11. "Lovesick" was released as a digital promo single at March 22, 2010. It performed well at the Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders), where it peaked at #12 and has stayed 4 weeks on the chart.
"Lovesick"
and Christabelle, except where noted.
2010 in music
2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music...
album
Music Album
Music album is the name of:* Music Album , a 1970s Canadian television series* Album, a collection of music tracks...
by Norwegian musician Hans-Peter Lindstrøm and Norwegian-Mauritian singer Christabelle. The Lindstrøm-produced album was released January 18, 2010 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the following day, on the Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
-based Smalltown Supersound
Smalltown Supersound
Smalltown Supersound is an independent record label based in Oslo, Norway, and dedicated to new forms of jazz, rock and electronic music.Their catalog features albums by Annie, Jaga Jazzist, 120 Days, Mental Overdrive, Bjørn Torske, Mats Gustafsson and Sonic Youth, amongst others.In 2004, the...
label. The special edition of the album was released with a bonus disc, containing six remixes. An exclusive edition containing a second disc which featured Lindstrøm's disco version of the Christmas classic Little Drummer Boy
Little Drummer Boy
"The Little Drummer Boy," originally known as "Carol of the Drum," is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer/teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. It was recorded 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers and further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry...
, was available only from the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
record store Rough Trade's website. This edition of the album was released November 30, 2009. The album's title is taken from a lyric in the track "Keep It Up".
Album history
LindstrømHans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
first met Christabelle (Isabelle Sandoo, then known as Solale) in 2001, while he shared studio time with her brother, DJ Dennis Jr. Lindstrøm listened to some of Solale's tracks, and got interested in collaborating with her. The first collaboration between Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
and Christabelle was the 12" titled "Music (In My Mind)" from 2003. Then in 2007, Lindstrøm released the 12" "Let's Practice" and the 10" "Let It Happen", which also featured Christabelle on vocals. These three tracks appeared at their first collaboration album, "Real Life Is No Cool".
A collaborative album between the duo was planned since they first started working together, but didn't materialized until 2010, due to Lindstrøm's hectic schedule. They began working on the album in 2008, before Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
released his debut studio album Where You Go I Go Too
Where You Go I Go Too
Where You Go I Go Too is the first studio album by Norwegian electronica artist Hans-Peter Lindstrøm. It was first released in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2008 and was subsequently released the next day in the United States. The album comprises three tracks, roughly 30, 10, and 15 minutes in...
. Following this album's critical success, a hype was created around Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
's music, fueled by an overwhelming interest from music magazines, blogs and clubs. In December 2009, Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
released his 42-minutes long version of Little Drummer Boy
Little Drummer Boy
"The Little Drummer Boy," originally known as "Carol of the Drum," is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer/teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. It was recorded 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers and further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry...
. It sparked huge interest and was mentioned in countless music blogs, among others by Edmund Conway in The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
.
As stated by the duo on Norwegian television show "Lydverket", several of the songs were improvised in the studio. They also performed "Lovesick" at the show. Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
is known among music journalists for preferring to work in studio, rather than performing live. However, he and Christabelle went on tour in March 2010 and are going to perform at music festivals in Europe this summer.
Critical reception
The album was met with generally favorable reviews by critics, and generated a score of 80/100 on the review calculator MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Several critics applauded Lindstrøm's new pop-oriented format, and his new take on disco, mixing Balearic beat
Balearic Beat
Balearic Beat or either Balearic House and Balearic Trance is an eclectic blend of DJed dance music that originally emerged in the mid-1980s. It later became the name of a more specific style of electronic dance music that was popular into the mid-1990s...
, space disco
Space disco
Space disco is a term used to describe the fusion of disco music with futuristic themes, sounds and visuals, which was popular in the late 1970s...
, house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
and new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
. Christabelle's voice was described as "sexy and whispering" and Matthew Richardson in Prefix Magazine praised her contributions as being "alternately enthusiastic, aloof, earnest, and esoteric". Most critics highlighted the track "Baby Can't Stop", noting the similarity to Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's 1982 hit Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is a song by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was released on May 8, 1983, by Epic Records as the fourth single from Jackson's sixth studio album Thriller in 1982. It is the first song on Thriller...
and his Thriller
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...
album. The collaboration between the two Norwegians was compared to Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
and Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
's work together in the 1970s. Louis Pattison in BBC Music described the experimental pen-ultimate track "Never Say Never" as a "...whirl of backwards beats, twinkling harps and discombobulated vocals that’s both utterly disorientating and quite delightful."
In an interview with XLR8R
XLR8R
XLR8R is a magazine and website thatcovers music, culture, style, and technology. It was founded as anewsprint ‘zine in 1993 by publisher Andrew Smith in Seattle; themagazine currently has offices in San Francisco and New York...
, Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
and Christabelle named the songs "Juicy Fruit
Juicy Fruit (song)
"Juicy Fruit" is a funk song written by James Mtume and released as the lead-off single from Mtume's sixth album, also titled Juicy Fruit. The mid-tempo song is arguably Mtume's most well-known, proving enormously successful on R&B radio stations and nightclubs when first released...
" by Mtume
Mtume
Mtume was a funk and soul group that had several R&B hits in the 1980s. Its founder, percussionist James Mtume, previously played with Miles Davis in the 1970s. Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas and Tawatha Agee.-History:...
, "Between the Sheets
Between the Sheets (song)
"Between the Sheets" is a quiet storm funk song released by American R&B/soul/funk band The Isley Brothers in 1983 off their album of the same name on the T-Neck imprint.-History:...
" by The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper...
and "Computer Love" by Zapp & Roger as references for their work. They also said that they had tried to record a cover of the latter, without success, stating "maybe it's just too perfect".
Chart history
"Real Life Is No Cool" debuted at #19 on the Norwegian album chart. The week after it fell to #39, before slipping out of the chart. The album didn't manage to peak higher than LindstrømHans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
's debut album Where You Go I Go Too
Where You Go I Go Too
Where You Go I Go Too is the first studio album by Norwegian electronica artist Hans-Peter Lindstrøm. It was first released in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2008 and was subsequently released the next day in the United States. The album comprises three tracks, roughly 30, 10, and 15 minutes in...
, which peaked at #11. "Lovesick" was released as a digital promo single at March 22, 2010. It performed well at the Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders), where it peaked at #12 and has stayed 4 weeks on the chart.
Chart positions
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
19 |
"Lovesick"
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
12 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 74 |
Track list
All songs written by LindstrømHans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
and Christabelle, except where noted.
- "Looking For What" – 6:06
- "Lovesick" – 3:12
- "Let It Happen" (Vangelis, Dassin) – 4:53
- "Keep It Up" - 3:28
- "Music In My Mind" - 3:19
- "Baby Can't Stop" - 6:11
- "Let's Practise" - 5:42
- "So Much Fun" - 4:55
- "Never Say Never" - 3:08
- "High & Low" - 6:21
Bonus disc
- Baby Can't Stop (Aeroplane Vocal remix) - 7:24
- Baby Can't Stop (Prins Thomas remix) - 9:29
- Baby Can't Stop (Idjut Boys remix) - 7:32
- Looking For What (Sally Shapiro remix - 6:59
- So Much Fun (Dølle Jølle remix) - 7:58
- Lovesick (Fan Death rework) - 3:17
Personnel
- Christabelle Sandoo - vocals and songwriting
- Hans-Peter LindstrømHans-Peter LindstrømHans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
- songwriting, electronics, recording and mixing. - Marita Sørlie - additional vocals on "Baby Can't Stop"
- Eivind Lønning - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
on "Baby Can't Stop" - Erik Johanessen - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
on "Baby Can't Stop" - Knut Sævik - horn arrangements, additional mixing and recording
- Kim HiorthøyKim HiorthøyKim Hiorthøy is a Norwegian electronic musician, graphic designer, illustrator, filmmaker and writer.-Biography:Hiorthøy was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway, and studied at the Trondheim Academy of Fine Art as well as the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen...
- artwork