Television Personalities - My Dark Places: Remixes (2006)

The trouble with remixes is that, similar to cover songs, they usually fall into one of two disappointing categories. (1) They don’t add much and sound fairly identical to the original, leaving you wondering why this version had to be recorded, or (2) they add too much and go off on a strange aural tangent far from the intention of the initial track, leaving you feeling disoriented. Thus, remixes often find themselves fated to be thrown in as EP filler or single B-sides.

This remix-only EP (issued opposite the album reviewed in my previous post) offers four tracks ripe for criticism. Actually, to be more honest, three are worthy of this, while one stands out as an exception to the rule of remixes stated above. The artists tackling Television’s tracks are Battles, Lingling, Black Dice, and Ratatat. While I love Battles dearly, their remix of the title track to the original album comes across as muddled, confusing, and without focus or direction. Both Lingling and Black Dice’s attempts are similarly disappointing, as they rework the sonic structure of the song so that it counters the original tone that still lingers with the lyrics. Only Ratatat’s version of “You Kept Me Waiting Too Long,” renamed here as “You Kept Me Waiting Too Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long” (fitting with Ratatat’s pleasingly repetitive aesthetic), offers changes that complement the original song instead of conflict with it.

Streamable Track: "You Kept Me Waiting Too Long Long Long..."


Artist Website / Album Purchase