the We Love Underworld thread

[androidgeoff]

What is better than 1 Underworld show?
2

[Enjoyed]

Also. Yes to going to both shows. Did you guys buy tickets?

[androidgeoff]

I am unsure about the 2nd show. I really need to get home that day, but... so tempting

[MadPooter]

I have tickets to both shows.

But, it's unlikely that I'll be able to get to both of them... I may only be able to go to the one up here.

I'll have to play the one in Pomona by ear...

[Enjoyed]

I haven't listened yet. It's blocked here in the states, which I took as a sure fire sign that I should wait to hear it on the album in a few weeks.

[WhiteNoise]

Wait Mr. Enjoyed. Wait.

[MadPooter]

I haven't listened yet. It's blocked here in the states, which I took as a sure fire sign that I should wait to hear it on the album in a few weeks.

I tried to take a listen using Hola through Chrome. No go. Sad.

[MadPooter]

I really enjoyed listening to this.

I don't like I Exhale. I seem to like the other tracks, a couple of them I like a *lot*.

[Wolkenkrabber]

So did anyone listen to/watch the 6 Music Bristol gig? "We are bricking it...and this is our new stuff" said Karl. A comment on the lack of rehearsal from UW's point of view, but I was 'bricking it' too with regards to being able to like this new stuff.  I'm relieved that I do like at least some of it. And one track in particular is so damn good it seems to elevate the status of the whole album.

(BTW Do people say "Bricking it" aka "shitting a brick" outside the UK & Ire? I honestly don't know. But I've always thought that "shitting a gallon of soup" would be a better representation of feeling truly trepidatious. Your shit would be runny, not hard!)

Anyway, some "Barbara Barbara" thoughts (spoilers obvs) :

I Exhale: Not bad, not amazing. Nice big drums and synths.  It gets a bit repetitive towards the end. The chanted vocals have an almost punk vibe, however the "blah blah blah blah blah" bit starts to sound like Karl is bored, or the actual song is bored with itself.

If Rah:  The one with the "Yeahs".  There's an awful lot of talking over the chugging electro groove.  More tuneless chanting on this one.  When Karl echoes "Have a good time" and later "...fly" it reminds me of UW's cover of Baby Wants To Ride, (as does I Exhale for that matter). As the layers build and the "luna luna" vocal arrives, the track improves.  Nice piano-y sounds, and (slightly naff) big chords after the breakdown.  A solid track in the end.

Low Burn:  Ahh THIS is the one, the one that makes it all worthwhile.  Just gorgeous. The strings-y orchestral bits, the French horn (I presume) and that brooding melodic bass-y hum.  A melodic bass hum makes everything sound better – and kinda important.  The smile on Karl's face during the intro at Bristol says he knows it's good. He wasn't bricking it on this one. Perhaps UW should write more songs with "Burn" in the title, 'cause this is as good as Beautiful Burnout.  Eleven out of ten.

Santiago Cuatro:  If I didn't know this was UW...I wouldn't know. Dating back to '08, it sounds like the soundtrack to a love scene from Man On Fire or some other South/Central America based thriller. The Cuatro, I have now learned, is a four stringed guitar-like instrument that looks more like a lute. Well, well! Nice to get some 'live' playing from Karl front and centre. The moody soundscape is perhaps the only hint that this isn't from the World Music section of the record store.

Motorhome – The hypnotic mantra "What don't lift you drags you down, keep away from the dark side", is either addictive or overly repetitive; I can't decide.  Is that a Moroccan instrument that 'whiddles' it's way in, or an electronic version of one? Whatever it is, it reminds me of Further era Chems.  Nice piano, and I think, real bass guitar. I expected a bigger ending but overall, "nice" describes this one. Very nice actually.

Ova Nova: The first thing K&R wrote when they got back together. I didn't like it in the preview clip, but I like it a bit more now.  Could have been on Barking perhaps.  The verses are a bit meh, but the "change your miiiind" bit is catchy.  It's like a breezy poppy euro tune that might go down well in the more commercial clubs of Spain and Ibiza. I can imagine a pop-house cover version that dumps the early verses and becomes a sing along anthem for girls who've drunk too many Bacardi Breezers.

Nylon Strung:  Again the poppy, catchy euro vibe.  High Contrast has stated that he co-produced the album but it's other Barking producers, D Ramirez and Mark Knight who come to mind for this and the track above. The "I wanna hold you" line made me wonder if Oleatta Adams would pop up and sing "Get here if you can".  In fact there are some beautiful female backing vocals on this one (by Rick's daughter allegedly) which add a touch of class to the cheese.

And...that's it? Just seven tracks or 45 minutes of music. Easily UW's shortest album to date...  Unless you get the Japanese import or the £100 vinyl box thingy where bonus track, Twenty Three Blue awaits you. Rumour has it that it's a good 'un. Hope so, it might make the album feel a bit more substantial.  I nonetheless look forward to it's release, in a 7 outta 10 kind of way.

Wait.

I couldn't!

[androidgeoff]

I am excited!

I Exhale has grown on me. It is all I have listened to.

Yes, I really like the music video.

Which reminds me. The music video for Go should have been Tom and Ed having a race, a la

[ThePumisher]

Full album stream:

http://groove.de/2016/03/14/underworld-barbara-barbara-we-face-a-shining-future-stream-premiere/

[Wolkenkrabber]

It's everywhere, although The Guardian claim they have an "exclusive album stream"
Barbara Guardian

[Enjoyed]

Stop it stop it stop it! It'll be here in 3 days.

[Wolkenkrabber]

So bonus track Twenty Three Blue can now be heard in 90 sec preview form on itunes Japan.
It sounds like a spoken word type thingy. Slow handclap beat, menacing deep synths, karl talking over the top. A little distorted guitar comes in to punctuate things.  And...then what? Is there a chorus, or a melodic bit? We'll have to wait and see...

[MadPooter]

Absent the first two tracks I really like the album immensely.

[neorev]

Twenty Three Blue is by far my favorite track. Can't believe it's only a bonus track for Japan. Listening to it in 24/96. It's a dark track.

[WhiteNoise]

This is the best work, the best album Underworld has ever released. Period. Nylon Strung has me in tears.

[ThePumisher]

This is the best work, the best album Underworld has ever released. Period.

yo tellin' me album with pearls girl on it is not best? yo sayin barbara is north korea while everything else is only south korea? me have to think about yo sayin.

I shouldn't go the forums while drunk 

[Enjoyed]

This is the best work, the best album Underworld has ever released. Period. Nylon Strung has me in tears.

We seem to agree on almost everything... So I'm dangerously optimistic about tomorrow.

[WhiteNoise]

We seem to agree on almost everything... So I'm dangerously optimistic about tomorrow.

I really can't even begin to explain why I love it so much. Just know that the sound of Underworld destroying Underworld while still being Underworld is clicking perfectly with me and the music I've been into recently, and as a collection of music, this album exceeds the sum of its parts moreso than even Dubnobass does. I love it for many completely different reasons than I love Second Toughest.

Also, I was borderline deliriously tired on a Greyhound bus coming home from a New Order gig in the very early morning when I first listened to it, that may have made things a bit more perfect.

yo tellin' me album with pearls girl on it is not best? yo sayin barbara is north korea while everything else is only south korea? me have to think about yo sayin.

I shouldn't go the forums while drunk 

Please do.

I gotta go resurrect Buzzed Posting...