My Case for We Are the Night

[Agent8bit]

For the record ... been here for well over a decade, but lost my login info and wanted to get this off my chest. I used to be "Alchmst" and "Stumpbone," but my 44-year-old brain isn't allowing me to find those keys... so, here I am.

So a while back, I saw the thread to vote on the order of their albums. And actually, that may have been on Reddit or something. But regardless, no matter what world something like that happens amongst the Chemical faithful, We Are The Night is considered to be a bottom of the list dweller.

And I am not one of those people. Just yesterday, I went through that album front to back and I still, without apology, find it to be in the top 5 for me, and sometimes, top 3.

I always chuckle when I bring up the Pitchfork review that gave it a 3.4 out of ten. And I even find myself baffled amongst friends in the Chemmies community that have such disdain for it.

For me, that album came out at a pretty pivotal time in my life. I had recently moved to California to explore post-college life. And in 2007, I got to see the Brothers on stage for the first time ever at Nocturnal Wonderland in LA. It was the tour supporting We Are the Night, and they played A TON of the songs from that record.

Which brings me to another point ... I think the Brothers are still immensely proud of that album, seeing as both Saturate and Do it Again have been in the live shows since their inception. And part of Burst Generator was used in recent tours to transition between Go! and the next song in the set. Now, We Are the Night, Burst Generator, All Rights Reversed and parts of other songs have faded away as usually happens when a new album comes out and the live set changes. But man ... I remember those tracks from that show, and the videos of Glastonbury that year ... it was an insane set, and kinda the beginning era of what we see as their current live build with the insane visuals and integrated lighting.

But outside of the live performance of these songs, I just find myself confused about what I'm hearing that people aren't. We Are the Night is a fun and nuclear uplifting rave banger.... All Rights Reversed is one of my favorite hard-hitting collabs of theirs... Do it Again, I mean, it's Do it Again. Then the flow from Burst Generation to A Modern Midnight Conversation is classic shit from the Brothers.

And Battle Scars and even moreso, The Pills Won't Help You Now... these songs could've been on Surrender and it would've made sense. TPWHYN brings me to tears nearly 20 years after it was released.

So let's crack open what I see as the Elephant in the Room.... the Salmon Dance. Having been a life long fan of the Pharcyde, hearing Fat Lip on a track still brings me immense joy. And I understand some folks having sour tastes about hip hop songs on their albums ... they seem to always bring out intense opinions. But I think that song has aged for me like a bottle of Cali cabernet. I turn it up now in the car and let the base rattle the windows. And it's so incredibly clear that everyone making that track was having such a great time.

Bonus discussion of sorts .... Get Yourself High and The Golden Path barely preceded We Are the Night and those two songs were clearly incredible appetizers for the era that WATN kicked off.

And for even further fun .... I hear a lot of WATN on Further, which is often labeled as some sort of career renaissance milestone. To me, the vintage synth sounds and the uplifting tone has DNA from WATN.

Anyways ... after my 973rd listen through of WATN, I just wanted to share with the homies that I think it gets way, way, way too much flack. And I thank them for having followed their creative hearts to what I find to be a personal masterpiece in my life.

[ThePumisher]

Bonus discussion of sorts .... Get Yourself High and The Golden Path barely preceded We Are the Night and those two songs were clearly incredible appetizers for the era that WATN kicked off.

Both where released 4 years before WATN and in between they've releases Push The Button - "barely" is perhaps not the best description 

But yes, WATN is underrated, even though i'm not giving it the attention it should get.

[Agent8bit]

Both where released 4 years before WATN and in between they've releases Push The Button - "barely" is perhaps not the best description 

But yes, WATN is underrated, even though i'm not giving it the attention it should get.

Shit ... you're right. I had my timeline all screwed up. 

My point with that specific timeline statement was more aimed at the blasphemous music media that tends to bundle the early 2000s through Further as some weird era where their creativity slipped and they were just collaborating for the sport of it. 

Get Yourself High, and Golden Path, most of Push the Button, and We Are the Night ... they still slap unlike many electronic acts could never dream of. But I'm preaching to the choir. 

[Bosco]

I appreciate your enthusiasm, and I'm trying to be more cognitive from yucking other peoples yum... but I respectfully disagree.

I personally think the low score from Pitchfork was earned. If someone comes to me wanting to learn about The Chemical Brothers, WATN is absolutely the last album I'll point them to. And it's not because of the proverbial whipping boy, "The Salmon Dance"... I'll reserve my choice words about "All Rights Reversed", seeing as you have a very different take.

I will admit I'm more nostalgic for that era based on the fact that, I too, saw them for the first time on tour in 2007 (also at Nocturnal Wonderland). Their primary demographic was still very active and expressive, and they still were quite important in the modern music world at that time. It also was the last time they put a full effort in physical releases for both album and singles.

[Agent8bit]

I appreciate your enthusiasm, and I'm trying to be more cognitive from yucking other peoples yum... but I respectfully disagree.

I personally think the low score from Pitchfork was earned. If someone comes to me wanting to learn about The Chemical Brothers, WATN is absolutely the last album I'll point them to. And it's not because of the proverbial whipping boy, "The Salmon Dance"... I'll reserve my choice words about "All Rights Reversed", seeing as you have a very different take.

I will admit I'm more nostalgic for that era based on the fact that, I too, saw them for the first time on tour in 2007 (also at Nocturnal Wonderland). Their primary demographic was still very active and expressive, and they still were quite important in the modern music world at that time. It also was the last time they put a full effort in physical releases for both album and singles.

What is it you don't like about the album? I'm intrigued to hear people's thoughts on that one. 

Yeah... that was the last Kate Gibb run. But... Beautiful Feeling is a collective of art again. But it is a thing for me that I always paired them with... the art and the music, together. My wife and I have 5 Kate Gibb prints, about to have 6. And all but one are reprints of Chemical Brothers art. 

But yeah ... humor me if you don't mind. What is it about WATN that puts it at the bottom for you? Since we're playing fair, that album for me is Push the Button, and then maybe right now ... Beautiful Feeling. 

[Bosco]

It sounds hodge podge. WATN has an intriguing start to the album, but after the self title track, I lose the rope and never seem to wrangle in the concept of the album nor am I able to carve one through my own subjectivity. When music inspires me, my imagination feels stimulated, and sometimes I conjure visual representation which makes the music even more fulfilling. I fail to make that happen with every track from the WATN era.

WATN era made me notice The Chemical Brothers lean on repetitive phrases WAY too much, and if it's not done in a clever way or too forcible, it can be a deterrent. 

All Rights Reversed is function-able, but perhaps the worst Chemical Brothers track in their entire catalog, IMO. It's funny because I think my initial takeaway from this album was this WAS my favorite track from the album. But as time went on, it has gone to my least favorite Chemical Brothers track in existence. I will say the breakdown sounds good, but I see little purpose for this song other than the fact they were trying to latch on to some indie blog-house interest at that time. The vocals are horrendous, and the whole thing feels horribly generic. Now, fast forward to Klaxons - Love Frequency (Tom Rowlands remix), that's a tasty bit of a redo.

I too have Push the Button 2nd to last on my album list, but I feel there is more redeeming qualities to that album than WATN.

[Enjoyed]

A Modern Midnight Conversation is top 10 Chemical for me. Easily.

I'm staunchly on Agent8Bit's side here. The album is great and I agree that the criticism is harsh.

I personally feel way more of a through-line on this album than on PTB. The sonic quality of each track fits together so nicely I think. And the final 5 tracks are such a joyous ride. It's all quite warm and dusty and squelchy and very vibrant, colour wise. On the flipside, PTB is quite rubbery and sticks very much in the lines of each drawing I'd say - I guess you can argue that's also a through line... I may be talking myself out of this argument altogether... BUT I do think WATN does flow and journey nicely, personally.

The early parts of the album are definitely very "singles" heavy, which isn't unique for The Chems nor most bands, and I can agree that these aren't quite the heavy hitters of their entire catalogue - but for the era, I think they are perfect examples of what kind of musical world they were exploring. DIA holds up (largely due to its - for some, perhaps outstayed - inclusion in their live show) and Saturate feels like it somehow bridges the gap solidly between this and Further.

I will also concede that there is a bunch of nostalgia and good memories wrapped up in this album for me. I was fundamentally a Chemical Brothers fan at this point - collecting all the singles on all the formats, relishing in each new Gibb joint and scratchy b-side (mmmm Clip Kiss) - but I do also regularly come back to this album and, again, similar to Mr 8Bit, listen through. There's no low points for me on this - memory fueled or no - it's just great technicolor psychedelic electronic music!

I know we have also talked in person about the opening track, and how it shouldn't be the little overture version of Battle Scars... But I also love that! And the freakin' synth punch you get when WATN kicks in is so tasty. I love it!

[Bosco]

I've been on here a long time now, and I think there is too much effort to prop up WATN as some misunderstood gem. Can it just be the polarizing album that it is? I mean, I've come to terms that Come With Us will forever live in the shadows of the 3 preceding albums before it, no matter how I frame how special it is. Maybe WATN was always supposed to be a different flavor where it wasn't supposed to garner positive reviews from the greater whole?

Guys, before you label me as some straight up hater, I own the album like 5 times over.

[Agent8bit]

I've been on here a long time now, and I think there is too much effort to prop up WATN as some misunderstood gem. Can it just be the polarizing album that it is? I mean, I've come to terms that Come With Us will forever live in the shadows of the 3 preceding albums before it, no matter how I frame how special it is. Maybe WATN was always supposed to be a different flavor where it wasn't supposed to garner positive reviews from the greater whole?

Guys, before you label me as some straight up hater, I own the album like 5 times over.

oh man... no name calling from me in this community of human gems. I'd never.

I find it fascinating how a single piece of music can resonate with others differently. It's not my mission to convince someone that's heard the album as much as I have. And WATN is clearly the polarizing album you mention it to be.

It's just so funny to me how Enjoyed and I find it in one place in their collection, and others place it oh so differently.

The human brain and heart are just amazing things for adding color to life. And I love that album.

That said... if you love an album that others don't, isn't it precisely a misunderstood gem in your eyes? No need for propping up. I listen to it straight through, frequently. To me, it is a gem.

[Agent8bit]

A Modern Midnight Conversation is top 10 Chemical for me. Easily.

I'm staunchly on Agent8Bit's side here. The album is great and I agree that the criticism is harsh.

I personally feel way more of a through-line on this album than on PTB. The sonic quality of each track fits together so nicely I think. And the final 5 tracks are such a joyous ride. It's all quite warm and dusty and squelchy and very vibrant, colour wise. On the flipside, PTB is quite rubbery and sticks very much in the lines of each drawing I'd say - I guess you can argue that's also a through line... I may be talking myself out of this argument altogether... BUT I do think WATN does flow and journey nicely, personally.

The early parts of the album are definitely very "singles" heavy, which isn't unique for The Chems nor most bands, and I can agree that these aren't quite the heavy hitters of their entire catalogue - but for the era, I think they are perfect examples of what kind of musical world they were exploring. DIA holds up (largely due to its - for some, perhaps outstayed - inclusion in their live show) and Saturate feels like it somehow bridges the gap solidly between this and Further.

I will also concede that there is a bunch of nostalgia and good memories wrapped up in this album for me. I was fundamentally a Chemical Brothers fan at this point - collecting all the singles on all the formats, relishing in each new Gibb joint and scratchy b-side (mmmm Clip Kiss) - but I do also regularly come back to this album and, again, similar to Mr 8Bit, listen through. There's no low points for me on this - memory fueled or no - it's just great technicolor psychedelic electronic music!

I know we have also talked in person about the opening track, and how it shouldn't be the little overture version of Battle Scars... But I also love that! And the freakin' synth punch you get when WATN kicks in is so tasty. I love it!

technicolor psychedelic is an incredible way to explain it. There just does seem to be a vibrant buzz of joy to a lot of it. Like ... compared to no geography which is a masterpiece, but written around brexit and covid... the mad as hell and eve of destruction tones are completely counter to most of the bubbles of cyan and tangerine that come from we are the night and das Speigel.