Reviews!

[GLAKO-FAHN]

..except for the Rolling Stone one, which my takeaway is 'old man yells at cloud'..

it refers to 2016's born in the echoes and it almost reads like a positive review until you see 2.5★/5. i'm thinking they neither turned up the volume nor donned sensitive phones
;﹚

[Wolkenkrabber]

The Rolling Stone review and the Razzle Tazzle review are the same review, except the Razzle Tazzle one doesn't have the star rating.
I thought the Rolling Stone review was more positive than the 2.5 stars suggested it would be.

So far, I think I generally agree with that RS review. NG has some good stuff on it but it's not as good as Further (not even close!), or indeed the first three albums. I'm excited that there's a new album but a little surprised by the level of praise. My hunch is that when people look back on it six months from now they'll say: Maybe it's better than BITE (which seems to be getting a battering at the mo), but perhaps it's not quite as good as we said in the heat of the moment.

[Bosco]

The album hasn't wowed me, but I do think it's another quality experience for both die-hards to gnaw on and new fans to fawn over. And I think the mostly positive reviews are serving the purpose that this album is worth checking out, or at least looking into the catalogue of The Chemical Brothers.

[inchemwetrust]

The album hasn't wowed me, but I do think it's another quality experience for both die-hards to gnaw on and new fans to fawn over. And I think the mostly positive reviews are serving the purpose that this album is worth checking out, or at least looking into the catalogue of The Chemical Brothers.

I'm somewhere between 'wow' and 'average' right now in terms of the album. I have a write up about tonight and it ain't pretty.

At least tell us if it's a step up from 'insert past album here' or something in that nature.

Well for starters, what do you like most about the album?

[Bosco]

I touched upon this in the other thread... with most Chemical Brother albums I can gravitate towards a singular track (sometimes multiple on a few) where it isn't necessarily my favorite track on the album, but it is one where I can pinpoint as the heart of an album, and does somewhat of the heavy lifting.

Here is my ranking of albums from first to last:

Come With Us
Dig Your Own Hole
Further
Born In The Echoes
Exit Planet Dust
Surrender
Push the Button
We Are the Night


Here is my list of favorite albums with what I'm gonna call (for a lack of a better term) an album stalwart(s):

Come With Us - Star Guitar
Dig Your Own Hole - Setting Sun
Further - Swoon/ Escape Velocity
Born In The Echoes - Go
Exit Planet Dust - Chemical Beats
Surrender - Out of Control/ Let Forever Be / Hey Boy Hey Girl

(Here is where it gets difficult for me...)

Push the Button - Galvanize (Not a fan of the studio version track)

We Are The Night -  ?? Is it 'Do It Again'? If so, I really don't like that track. 'We Are The Night' (title track)? No, I don't think so. It's a fun ride, but it doesn't fit the bill.  Saturate? I like it, but like most EBW's that are featured on the albums I think their higher purpose is to keep all the albums connected. Not exactly a focal point (IMO). This album nothing but a mishmash for me.

So now we reach 'No Geography'

Nothing rings out to me as a focal point to the album. I find my self in a similar predicament as WATN. My initial thought is 'Got to Keep On'. But I just don't think this track is of my flavor.  'Free Yourself' could be the "stalwart" I'm looking for, but it just it sounds a bit recycled and forgettable (which I already did briefly,  https://forum.thechembase.com/index.php/topic,759.msg15827.html#msg15827)

Notice how just about all these tracks I'm referring to are singles and featured in their live sets. Beyond this 'No Geography' tour I'm not so sure what we're talking away from this album.

I do find the album more interesting than Push the Button and WATN. There is plenty of room for this album grow on me. Two tracks I know I like, are 'No Geography'(title track) and 'We've Got to Try'. But I don't think either are blemish free. Overall, I have a much more positive thought about the album then I may be indicating. I'm super happy we have a new album and their is a bunch of interesting sounds on this new album I can't wait to dissect with y'all.

[GLAKO-FAHN]

always interesting to see a different point of view, bosco. (i mean it.) my read on the `heart' of each album differs from all yours but come with us and exit [except i'd add hoops to the heart of CWU]..btw the `heart' of no geography is the universe sent me

[MIKL]

With the album being out for a while. I find myself only listening to the tracks that weren't released which means it boils down to about 20 min of listening. I need a break from the other tracks I've played them too much to listen to them at the moment because the offical album versions are no different to the when they were released as singles. If the album came out not knowing any of the tracks it could very well be a different review.

[inchemwetrust]

I do find the album more interesting than Push the Button and WATN. There is plenty of room for this album grow on me. Two tracks I know I like, are 'No Geography'(title track) and 'We've Got to Try'. But I don't think either are blemish free. Overall, I have a much more positive thought about the album then I may be indicating. I'm super happy we have a new album and their is a bunch of interesting sounds on this new album I can't wait to dissect with y'all.

I think that over time, you'll get the opportunity and closure to convey the feelings that you have on this album. Maybe a few more listens or something. I know that your not discouraged about the album, but I know your trying to find some very good reasons or incentives about this album. IMO I think everyone has had some trouble with an album or two after a few listens, but I really think you'll find some silver lining while the album is here, or even when your back from the live shows. Besides...the Dog Planet needs you! 

With the album being out for a while. I find myself only listening to the tracks that weren't released which means it boils down to about 20 min of listening. I need a break from the other tracks I've played them too much to listen to them at the moment because the offical album versions are no different to the when they were released as singles. If the album came out not knowing any of the tracks it could very well be a different review.

i too took a break from those tracks that were already released prior to the albums release. I wanted to freshen up my ears and give them rest. I got a pretty good warm welcome when I started hearing FY, WGTT, GTKO,

[Stefan]

i too took a break from those tracks that were already released prior to the albums release. I wanted to freshen up my ears and give them rest. I got a pretty good warm welcome when I started hearing FY, WGTT, GTKO,

Yep, I did that as well in the weeks leading up to the album. Instead I distracted myself by listening to the previous albums, in the order they where released, so that I can get a better context for the new material and how their music developed over time.

[Enjoyed]

Yep, I did that as well in the weeks leading up to the album. Instead I distracted myself by listening to the previous albums, in the order they where released, so that I can get a better context for the new material and how their music developed over time.

Exactly the same thing for me. Cycling around town with Chemical History in the ears was a true pleasure.

[Csar]

As suggested by material such as 'Eve Of Destruction', 'Free Yourself' and 'MAH', and by the Godley & Crème-indebted sleeve art, The Chemical Brothers are facing the apocalypse head-on, with peace, love, unity and respect as their electronic battle weapons. Whatever territory they conquer next is up to them, but it will likely start with their triumphant worldwide tour this year.

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/chemical-brothers-no-geography-album/

[Ben_j]

I received my Electronic Sound issue dedicated to Amon Tobin and they have a (really good) review on No Geography

[Biff]

Are there any technical interviews out there? I haven't come across much. I guess it's not like the old days of CWU when there were more electronic music magazines that they'd go into detail about production technique.

[UltimatePelmeni]

A bit late post.
The editors of the newspaper distributed in the Moscow metro think that Bango is #9 among the songs released last week.

[Champiness]

Every Chems record from Further onwards has been broadly hailed as a thrilling return to form by these outlets
Like, I'm not demanding that professional musical critics busy themselves with concern over the career trajectory of one of several 90's electronica survivors, but, you know, just statistically, at what point does one of them come to the conclusion that The Chemical Brothers have been pretty consistently good over the decades

(Also you're living a pretty sheltered fandom existence if you think any of these near-rave reviews are something to get bent out of shape over, no matter how callous the WATN slights or myopic the use of "No Path To Follow", a minute-long intro track consisting of vocodered vocals from a later song on the record, as as a microcosm of the Chems' ostensible wilderness period is.)

[Csar]

Every Chems record from Further onwards has been broadly hailed as a thrilling return to form by these outlets
Like, I'm not demanding that professional musical critics busy themselves with concern over the career trajectory of one of several 90's electronica survivors, but, you know, just statistically, at what point does one of them come to the conclusion that The Chemical Brothers have been pretty consistently good over the decades

(Also you're living a pretty sheltered fandom existence if you think any of these near-rave reviews are something to get bent out of shape over, no matter how callous the WATN slights or myopic the use of "No Path To Follow", a minute-long intro track consisting of vocodered vocals from a later song on the record, as as a microcosm of the Chems' ostensible wilderness period is.)

Thank you! It's become so tiresome to read this 90s refrain over and over again.

[Bosco]

(Also you're living a pretty sheltered fandom existence if you think any of these near-rave reviews are something to get bent out of shape over, no matter how callous the WATN slights or myopic the use of "No Path To Follow", a minute-long intro track consisting of vocodered vocals from a later song on the record, as as a microcosm of the Chems' ostensible wilderness period is.)

Since I think this was somewhat directed towards me, It was my impression that the writer was targeting 'No Path to Follow' the title, rather than the song itself. He was mocking the title of the song to supplant further criticism.  (Keep in mind Pitchfork paned WATN and just about all the other "collab-heavy" material they laid out throughout the 2000's. Thus, "the less said, the better.").

Me being filthy about posting the review is a nod to Pitchfork being so crafty and giving their writers liberty to use made up hot words like "miserabilia". You got to be an epic sized smug asshole to try and create a term like that, let alone cram it into a music review.

[sandelic]

miserabilia

It is actually a word. Latin, if memory serves. Nominative, plural, neuter.
They are still assholes, though.

[WhiteNoise]

(Also you're living a pretty sheltered fandom existence if you think any of these near-rave reviews are something to get bent out of shape over, no matter how callous the WATN slights or myopic the use of "No Path To Follow", a minute-long intro track consisting of vocodered vocals from a later song on the record, as as a microcosm of the Chems' ostensible wilderness period is.)

I think they actually mistook / misremembered Battle Scars as No Path To Follow, which is funny.

[inchemwetrust]

Ok it's not a review but I thought it be a good fit here.

"We'd spent ages working it out," says Rowlands. "'This will be amazing, playing Barry White and stuff at 9 o'clock on a Sunday morning, outdoors' – and people were crying, literally crying because they hated it so much. I remember one girl, just in tears, going and getting the manager, and him saying: 'You have to stop now.'"

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/apr/18/the-chemical-brothers-people-were-crying-because-they-hated-us-so-much

Lolz! Never heard this story before. Great read as it touches history of the social, and back again, while living thru the changes of music for the people. Great last paragraph by Ed!