Underworld - Classic or Dud?

I recommmend _dubnobass..._ because that's the best Underworld album and it's a genuinely good album. _Second Toughest..._ isn't nearly as strong and hearing "Push Upstairs" and "Jumbo" put me off of getting _Beaucoup Fish_, which I'll admit might have been a mistake because "King Of Snake" and "Cups" both rank up there among the best songs they've ever done. (But is it another case where the single is stormin' and the album is limpid? I don't know.)

But "Beaucoup Fish" is worth getting. Both "Push Upstairs" improve the more familiar you are with them - both seem insanely repetitive to begin with, but I found both grew on me enormously once I went walking around the city with them on my headphones. Plus, you're missing out on "Cups" (deep house par excellence), "Bruce Lee" (hip hop meets Detroit techno), "Kittens" (a storming epic), "Something Like A Mama" (jungle-inflected track like "Pearl's Girl" with its tongue in its cheek) and of course "King Of Snake". It's a strong album.

Admittedly, I am biased (met them live several times) and I am more of an ambient/idm fan (ala FSOL & AFX) & some trance (Juno Reactor), and have been for over a decade, so there's your caveat and explanation of my fangirl-ishness.

I could listen to that all day. Or at least for about 4 minutes, when I'd get really irritated and want to bust up something. Still.

For the most part I find Underworld a bit boring but I still have their CDs because I like some of the songs. They're really not a classic or a dud, to be honest. They're more an existance.

Strange - that's what initially attracted me to Underworld; and was the first step I took towards electronic/dance music - I hadn't heard any interesting throwaway cutup soundbytes-strung-together fractured- narrative stuff before, and the music seemed to be the perfect accompaniment to this - I couldn't imagine Karl Hyde-isms succeeding over a guitar backdrop etc. And as someone a very long way away indeed from Underworld's BritCity; it seemed oh so very exotic&mysterious&sexy. Inauthenticity of musical tourism, and all that guff; but Underworld were something I could be palpably excited by; and a doorway to a whole new world of music, apologies for RAGING CLICHES.

And I love Karl Hyde's lyrics.

i like all of their albums but [i]dubnobass..[/i] is defintely my favourite. i love the fact that the albums contain pure dance floor killers next to more downtempo tracks like [i]dirty epic[/i] and [i] m.e[/i]

they are also jaw-droppingly fantastic live - i've seen them seven times - and they were really the pioneers of taking dance music into the live arena and in so doing paved the way for bands like [b] orbital, chemical brothers[/b] and [/b]the prodigy[/b] to follow in their footsteps.

there's plenty of their live gigs available on audiogalaxy including the superb european club gig. fans should also check out [url] http://www.underworldlive.com[/url] which is an official site where you can download soundboard recordings of some of their gigs as well as some recent studio stuff such as the blue mountain sessions.

Those two tracks are great. I think I need to live with them a little more before they really sink in, but so far they're much better than, say, the ambient tracks on the "Pearl's Girl" single. (None of them can touch "Tongue", though.)

now, on to my ancedote, which is about how the promo vinyl we got for 'King of Snake' was a 12" and os I put it on at 33 and it was SUPER FUNKY like WOW until Karl's vox came in and it sounded like he was a dying robot from planet Opium. So I put it on 45 and it turned into house music, which while quite good was not nearly as enjoyable as the 33 version.

echo...

I also went to one of the concerts (Broadcast on Radio 1!!!!!) at around the time of "Dubnobass...", (The same night as they found the body of Kurt Cobain!!!!) and it was grebt/GRATE/etc!!!!! Unlike the recent "live" album, it was one big long DJ mix style jam, mixing in various bits of their songs. The track on the live album which mixes "Cowgirl" and "Rez" is nearest equivalent- imagine a whole concert like that with most of the tracks from "Dubnobass..." and an early version "Born Slippy"!!!! (I've actually got a tape of it somewhere, taped of the radio...)

Anyways, Underworld is still classic because did I mention that "Tin There" is basically my favorite techno barnburner ever?

The kickass house/blues romp "Big Mouth" (with some guy named Philadelphia Slim whom I've never heard of on harmonica!!) is another awesome underrated early Underworld song. Underworld kicks ass.

(I'm sorry I won't pimp out that article ever again, this is the millionth time, prob haven't written anything decent for free since, it was 18 months ago)

I've always liked his lyrics. maybe it's because I got into this band at the age of 13. I never thought they were that weird because I didn't know that much music. ditto for like, the guy from Cake, where it's really only now I realize how odd they were. I get why people don't like his lyrics but they do capture something pretty unique I think, particularly that night out feeling meeting people you'll never see again, always thinking what if...

that night out feeling meeting people you'll never see again

exactly

not having roots

are you listenin?
can you hear?

UNDERWORLD X KETTAMA 
fifteenth december pic.twitter.com/U6Ngxvkhq8

— Underworld (@underworldlive) December 10, 2023

This was better than I thought it would be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqgGlyehLE

Underworld x Kettama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwSNXtzWER4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J91SR8wfAvU

another one with Kettama, doesn't really sound like UW but it's pretty sweet

I had a load of marking to do tonight and put on Everything, Everything to make it more bearable, and the version of Moaner on the DVD is fucking incredible isn't it I am only used to the CD, why the fuck was it not on the CD?

You've all heard this a thousand times I'm sure, but I hadn't until just now, because some brilliant person put the whole DVD on youtube a year ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h93w-28dVY

the whole Pinkpop 1999 show where that version of Moaner was filmed is on YT if you want more of a concert experience - (oh, look for Palladium Koln 1999 there as well for another treat)

it wasnt on the CD because it's already 80 minutes long and they had to cut something

god I hope we get a vinyl reissue of it one day, I still don't think anything's captured the pure euphoria of live electronic music as well as this album does

A remastered / expanded double CD would be just fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNVSBjTGpDI

pretty!

What's this then

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/strawberry-hotel/1761865594

Looks legit going off some of the posts on the Underworld Drift FB group

oh nice!

had seen some buzz about people finding the title and Oct 25 release date, but the full tracklist and artwork are new. 15 tracks!

"Black Poppies" uploaded to Youtube a bit ago but now unavailable, here

Just realized the last Underworld album I really loved came out in 2002. (Well, that and the Japanese live album from 2005.) Still, I'll definitely listen.

Denver Luna AND the acappella ? wow

I thought “Barbara” and the Drift series were the proverbial roaring return to form.

actually between the acapella and "Stick Man Test" I'm guessing 11-15 are bonus tracks, though "Gene Pool" is def good enough for the album based on what we've heard live

really looking forward to this, you'd think Drift would've given us enough to chew on over the pandemic but nah, I want these guys to make as much music as they possibly can

Barking is a fantastic album

funny, was gonna reply to Boring that Barking is about the only agreed upon lowlight. Personally I can't really be bothered with Hundred Days Off

(the aforementioned 2002 record... though love Two Months Off)

I'll also rep for Barking.

OWB is my personal lowlight

I think out of obligation to a band I once considered one of my favorites I listened to every album that came after Beaucoup Fish a couple of times even though I didn't really enjoy them much, but they totally won me back with Barbara Barbara and Drift. Looking forward to this new album.

Barbara Barbara was a real stumbling block for me. Haaaaated that record. But some of Drift was really good, especially the stuff with the Necks.

Barking I really did like, still think a 'finished' version minus the guest producers might've been even better. lotta cool things were going on in these tracks that the guest producers just kinda smoothed over.

OWB has grown on me a lot lately, middle section is still a bit dodgy but the first 4 tracks are incredible, as are the last 3

oblivion with bells = perfect masterpiece imo

Black Poppies now on Spotify in some regions so assuming out everywhere tomorrow

Beginning of OWB = outstanding

“Ring Road” = unmitigated horseshit

rest of the album = who knows, i can never make it past “Ring Road”

qobuz has the track times. looks like mostly short tunes though "Gene Pool" is 9 minutes

https://www.qobuz.com/nz-en/album/strawberry-hotel-underworld/wbjl275992f9a

Got an email this morning about it. https://store.underworldlive.com/collections/strawberry-hotel?ml_sub=2563069657544135994&ml_sub_hash=g9y3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_underworld_album_coming_october_2024&utm_term=2024-09-06

Lot to parse on that sleeve.

ml_sub=2563069657544135994&ml_sub_hash=g9y3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_underworld_album_coming_october_2024&utm_term=2024-09-06

Lot to parse on that tracker.

rest of the album = who knows

god, what are you doing, “best mamgu ever” is on there

Faxed Invitation too, man did that track grow on me

Don’t blame me, blame “Ring Road”

i really like “ring road” bc there’s something wrong with me

"Techno Shinkansen" is on a game soundtrack, so we're able to hear all of side A now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfI1X9SMxZI

xp Lol I actually don't mind the vocal as much as Boy Boy Boy's. Anyway I like the whole album. I just can't get with the moodier bits of Hundred Days and Beaucoup Fish.

website's updated. iifu.club domain is live ("i'm in fucking underworld" - i think was on a recent tour shirt?) but is just a mailing list signup form. New merch that doesn't yet make any sense without hearing the new songs (no strawberry jam girl shirts??). Nice looking double vinyl but no super duper not-sold-in-stores editions. Wallet safe for today.

ya Techno Shinkansen rules. i can't wait to play it on the Shinkansen someday lol

very glad to be wrong about 11-15 being bonus tracks, I really do want "Gene Pool" on vinyl, that track is gonna be amazing

listening to Underneath The Radar for the first time. well ... I like the cover.

I Need a Doctor is a fun song

The two Freur albums are definitely worth a listen, that second one especially has some damn catchy tunes on it

yeah that's the one song I liked

did they ever do any of the old stuff live?

No although Karl did do Doot Doot live during his solo shows

Would be hilarious if they just broke out “Stand Up” or something though. I still love that song.

wonder if there's gonna be any deluxe stuff on this. something I love about their 93-96 period is that they've released so much material from it (or it's been otherwise discovered), you get to hear how different songs developed, but all the in-between versions are good in different ways. you can really hear all the different guises their music can take using the same elements. I mean just look at how amazing all the "Dark and Long" stuff is. part of why I loved Drift is because it sorta got back to that

i saw some speculation that IIFU is going to be some kind of extra release thing, new and/or archival. One of the new merch things has "iifu mix" of one of the new tracks written on it. So there's something there.

i signed up for the list on iifu.club but no idea if that's just the existing newsletter.

I’m not liking the newish post-Drift songs :(

what were your fave Drift bits? Curious. Every record does feel like something new. But Drift was so all over the place that none of the newer songs would've been out of place there, for me.

for an act that's put out some seriously moody records, i think of them overall as so euphoric. I adore the new "single". I can't get enough of "Two Months Off" these days during workouts. The live version and (new) old version they put out a year or two ago are immense.