After a few listens the sound grew on me but it's nowhere near the previously mentioned albums. It has a very acoustic feel, violins and guitars, and 'earthy' vocals (for want of a better term).

But then, I'm more into industrial sounds which are in abundance on the other 2 albums.

I'd still recommend Force the Hand of Change though; it's a good listen. All a matter of taste!


a culty sounding album   November 3, 1999
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Psychic TV's Force the Hand of Chance is an interesting mix of pop and experimental music. I think the album gets better as it goes along. A few listeners may find some of the lyrics unintentionally silly; however, the album definitely sounds different and a few tracks are even memorable. The two best albums to get from Psychic TV--that are also still available-- are Dreams Less Sweet (a classic!) and Hex Sex--The Singles (excellent pop music and much more).


Great album   March 10, 2001
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

While it is true that this is not the original album, it does succeed in giving PTV fans a chance to hear their early efforts without having to pay excessive prices for CDs.

So if you enjoy cutting-edge or advante garde music, this CD is for you. It's very esoteric, and the songs vary from straight-up, Beach Boys-like pop ("Drifting" "Stolen Kisses") to menacing ("Terminus" "Thee Full Pack") to twisted dancey stuff ("Ov Power") and back again. This album has some great moments in regards to Genessis' lyrics and voice -- something that was missing off later albums. You also get the skinny on the whole "Temple of Psychic Youth" movement, which is novel in its own right, at least as far as rock bands are concerned.

For the curious or uninitiated, check out "Hex Sex, The Singles" which is a collection of more poppy/dance stuff and is a good introduction into the world of PTV -- and again, you won't have to pay import prices. :-)

Welcome to the temple...


Pastoral Excursions   April 12, 2002
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

One finds a melodic, gentle and almost bucolic Psychic TV here, introduced by the folksy, tender Just Drifting, followed by the long spoken poem Terminus X-Tul. Stolen Kisses shares a title with a later song by Chris & Cosey, and I was rather disappointed to discover it wasn't THAT one - it's pleasant enough, though, in a sort of folk-pop way, like The Lovin' Spoonful or Francoise Hardy. Caresse is a lovely orchestral piece that ends with a baby crying, No Go Go is a gripping electronic sound collage, while Ov Power sounds a bit like Public Image Limited's "Metal Box" album. The beautiful Message From The Temple offers very practical advice on utilising the power of mind over some of the most eerie music on the album and is my favorite track. The instrumental Bubbles sounds like it was recorded through a vocoder but it has the most addictive melody, while the hidden track 13, perhaps called The Process, is another sinister collage of sound and voice. This album reveals its gems by repeated listening. A very diverse collection, but you won't find any techno beats or traditional rock amongst these often poetic, always interesting pieces.