Such a change from female to male vocals may seem somewhat radical, but the dark lyrical content remains: `now your newspeak's aging thin/ a pale and hanging faith/ a devil sick on sin' he laments on `Curl'. Indeed the greater change is in the music with the trip-hop feel giving way to harsher rhythms and brooding guitar work, of which the lead single `Low Five' is a fine example. The album lacks consistency, however, and the second single, `Ten to Twenty' is noticably weaker. Tracks such as `Wife by Two Thousand' and the title track itself promise but fail to deliver. Overall a bit of a disappointment, but if anyone is searching for an update of those bass heavy gothic standards they should go out of their way to hear the stand out track `Superbug'. It may be that Sneaker Pimps are merely regrouping, so to speak, but the problem is that they may find that their level of success mirrors the musical mood: down.


It grows On you   August 30, 2001
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

I heard Becoming X on a friend's cd - I thought it was great, so I looked around for more Pimps cds. I found Splinter. I thought it may be different - it was. It's a much more thoughtful album. It's heavier, 'rockier', darker and much more beautiful. It took me about five listens, to decide whether or not I liked the album, but I think that that, is one of its major qualities. Every time I listen to it, I get more out of it and like it more. It deserves much more recognition than it gets. It is a great album, with some weird moments. It is definitely not a sequel to Becoming X, but it is a great album in its own right. THe Sneaker Pimps, for me, are 'up there' with Radiohead as being able to create interesting music that is often complicated, takes thinking about, and is often creepingly beautiful. I hope thieir next album Bloodsport is as good.