"the three sides of the cyanide valentine" heißt nun das zweite full length werk der band aus boston. sie bietet darauf ein von electronic bestimmtes klangbild, das von stimmen warm umwandet ist. die melodien strecken sich auf erwachsene größe, die arrangements sind von durchtrieben bis gelungen. allerlei spielereien ergänzen zu hülle und fülle. Das Kleinicum
"The vocals of both Zavracky and Kate Papineau whimsically control the group’s dominantly dark sound, woven together into a dream-like aroma. Papineau’s vocals go so extraordinary well hand-in-hand with Zavracky’s; it is a match made in heaven" obscuresound.com
"There is no reason people all over the world shouldn’t be listening to these guys. There is no excuse not to listen" Pasta Primavera
"They say if you don’t like the weather here, just wait five minutes. The same might be said of the music of Massachusetts native Jake Zavracky and his band The Cyanide Valentine, who continue to defy stylistic expectations on their second release, The Three Sides of the Cyanide Valentine (available for free download now at cyanidevalentine.com). It’s a record that volleys seamlessly between genres from track to track, and often within the same song. Whereas the band’s debut was a mash up of bass-heavy funk and pensive acoustic ballads, Three Sides finds Zavracky leaning on a decidedly more electronic approach, with washes of synth feedback coloring the hypnotic guitar loops. "Neon Skyhustler," a song that echoes the dreamier work of groups like Air is one case in point. Elsewhere, the band hews closer to a psychedelic formula like on standout tracks "Nice and Horrorshow" and "Neanderthals," the latter complete with gorgeous harmonies and sexy backups from new band member Kate Papineau." (Read the whole article in the myspace blog above) - Dig
"Believe [us] when we tell you that this man needs a good dose of Ritalin to calm the demans that inhabit his new-wave vocals. We concluded this after listening to ’’Let It Rot". This new album seems to suffer an identity crisis, but what a marvelus problem to have.....fearsomely eclectic.....lays claim to the throngs of Michael Jackson, Prodigy, and guitar arena rock -- usually in the same song."
- the Boston Globe
"On Let It Rot, Jake Zavracky of the Cyanide Valentine comes across like one of those normal white guys who court, and overcome, the world’s corruption in high-’80s movies - Jeff Daniels and Roy Scheider and Christopher Reeve weren’t exactly heroes; they obviously wanted something bad to happen and were surprised when it did but they got some nice action......Zavracky tries to seem decent enough to hate himself for taking money from his parents so that he can slink back guiltily to the "dirty city"; in exemplary high-’80s style....he knows why he should play the victim when it’s his woman who is the despicable whore. "I’m feeling thrown away/I’ve been selfish and all I’ve done is take" he sings, so moral apathy might just save him. And the music hopes to transcend cliche, suggesting the swagger of some flawed hero whose feigned grandeur is inseparable from his failings."
- The Village Voice
"[You are the Focus] could be one of this year’s catchiest pop songs."
- The Boston Herald
"A surprising and protean electro/synth-pop/rock band, the Cyanide Valentine have spun a stellar new set of dance songs. Along with pulsing beats and rehashed textures and arrangements, their debut LP Let It Rot also showcases Zavracky stylish sing-along croon and hushed acoustic swoon."
- Stuff@Night (Boston Weekly)
"DANSE DANSE DANSE! Cyanide Valentine, deserves your love and dance-floor attention."
- the Boston Herald
"Music fans may peg the Cyanide Valentine as an electro rock group.....and anyone who absorbs the Valentine’s 2005 debut "Let it Rot" will realize that such a categorization fails to cover the CD’s stylistic breadth. Sure Let it Rot’s opening tracks ripple with synthesized hooks just like an early Ministry record, capped by the ultra-catchy "You Are the Focus" but there are also ballads with finger-picked acoustic guitar, while the closing track "Deeper" sounds like a lazy recasting of the Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows".
- The Improper Bostonian (Boston Weekly)
"The shamelessness of these choruses is what I like so much about this [Let it Rot]. It never spares us bloating pretension......The Cyanide Valentine channel their joyful pop fan instincts into undeniable nuggets of rousing melody that expose the bitching critic as the least fun guy in the room, the scowling wallflower amid a staged celebration, and possibly the only guy not getting laid by evenings end.
- Delusions of Adequacy (online zine)
"It seems everything in rock has been reproduced in the past few retro years, and artists continually manage to surprise us with new ways of manipulating old sounds for the same effect. Cyanide Valentine is a case in point. The band incorporates rote nods to disco-bouncy Michael Jackson, alongside acoustic ballads a la Simon and Garfunkle under the umbrella of big beat DJs like Prodigy."
- the Lowell Sun
Thanks so much! Your words were correct...it was the best line-up ever! i couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening! You guys rocked, and I would love to play a show with you again son!
My favorite moment in the Sting movie "bring on the Night" is when BTRANFORD Marsalis is telling the story of trying to complement Sting but also seeing their true cultural divide when BM tells Sting "your Music is Motherfucker" and Sting retorts back something back very anal and English. You and I do not have the same cultural differences but I, sir, think YOUR music is motherfucker. Oh yeah, and I fucked your mother.
