Review - Humanoid - Frequency Magazine

An album review article by Sarah Tollie

Source: http://frequencymagazine.net/

Second Look: Tokio Hotel - Humanoid
It’s the one-year anniversary of Humanoid, the infamous, yet largely overlooked, electronic effort from love-them-or-hate-them band, Tokio Hotel. At Frequency, we’re giving these German rockers a second look.

The group’s story is a familiar one: In 2005, “Durch den Monsun” transported Tokio Hotel from small town Magdeburg to the “big time” (or perhaps, its German language equivalent). The four boys — twins Bill and Tom Kaulitz, bassist Georg Listing, and drummer Gustav Schäfer — quickly dominated the European, teen-screaming, fan-girling sonic landscape with songs of angst and rebellion, belief and hope.

Fast forward five years — and seemingly, not much has changed. Humanoid, the band’s latest bilingual effort, attracted the same ever-invasive press and ecstatic fans as its debut, Schrei, did. Yet it’s the pressure of that very press, those very fans (I use that term carefully) that took Tokio Hotel’s sound to the next level. That growth shocked and alienated (no pun intended) many and resulted in a commercial disappointment for the band, relatively speaking .

We’re looking back on what the mainstream missed.

The Guy Chambers-penned gem, “World Behind My Wall” gives a raw, mature ballad-take on the darkness of fame. It’s an all-too-familiar subject: Between broken beer bottles, break-ins, and stalkers posing as “fans,” the past two years have not been kind to the band. “Dogs Unleashed” transforms this battle into catchy electro-funk, while the pulsing, Queen-esque intro beat of “Hey You” and self-proclaimed Kaulitz twins-favorite, “Noise,” find the band in full force and ready to fight.

“Hello! The end is near/Hello! We’re still standing here,” proclaims Bill on the sci-fi (and slight Pink Floyd name-yank) “Darkside of the Sun.” This track, the third single, is one of the album’s strongest. Amplifying the elements of lead single, “Automatic,” “Darkside” is equal parts atmosphere, ease, and trademark Tokio Hotel defiance.

Somber closer, “Zoom into Me,” interrupts this steady electro-stream, but serves as a heartfelt follow-up to Scream‘s “By Your Side.”

Humanoid might have misled those expecting repeats of Scream and Zimmer 483 — but it was far from a misstep. As if those opinions matter: Tokio Hotel is, as the title track suggests, “against the rules” — and the band wouldn’t settle for anything less."

Hooray, a review that concentrates on their music!
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