RESTRICTED AREA FUN AND FEARLESS ALBUM LIFE IS PAINFUL RELEASE: FEBRUARY, 2004 REVIEW: FEBRUARY 25, 2004

He is still bouncing through different genres, Peter Elm. And he is doing it far better on "Fun and Fearless" than on "Realtime". There is something slightly desperate about it all, as it seems he wants to satisfy the whole spectrum of electronic music fans. The fact is, though, that he almost manages to pull it off.
"Tumbledown", with hints of Nitzer Ebb and Front 242 but significantly more melodic, comes first and builds anticipation. "I Still Believe", thereafter, shows Restricted Area from their most friendly side, with the most obvious reference being Pet Shop Boys (although the melody kind of reminds me of an old Iron Maiden track...). From then on it is usually a mix between overly nostalgic, but well crafted, EBM and more contemporary influences. "Fun and Fearless", while at times anxious and stale, efficiently shows what Peter can churn out of his machines when he puts his mind to it. Still, it leaves me somewhat scattered.

NIKLAS FORSBERG