FUTURE SHOCK

Another Hancock 's change of direction. As David Bowie, Herbie Hancock tried to catch every new trend in modern pop-music of the time and use it in his works. Sometimes it gave him a great results, often - not too much. This albums is kind of problem. I understand, that in a moment of it's release Hancock used just very fresh and almost underground hip-hop NY rhythms and techniques ( as many years ago he made with funk). So looking from this position, he is great experimentator and innovator - not many jazz musicians are so open minded for new trends.

But when I just start listening this album, from very first seconds Rockit just killing me! There were hundreds of TV shows and commercials during last 25 years all around the world with this song used as main theme! I hate this sounds! And not only because of this fame - looking from now that naive mix of computerised sound, robotic rhythm and optimistic-without-reason atmosphere sounds terrible right now!

The other songs sound different and often better. But again, large part of material sounds terribly dated now. Disco-like vocal in Future Shock, many sound effects here and there, all this gave the music archaic later disco-era feel.

From other hand, musicianship level is very high, and it is only reason for listening this album. You hardly find any other musical album of similar style recorded by so high professional musicians! I like to listen Hancock keyboards lines there and even few sound effects used ( from million others on the recording I don't like at all).

Speaking about album in whole, I think there are not too many fans of it. It is possible to find many interesting moments in it's music, but as musical work it is not too attractive.

In total 2,5