For That Beautiful Feeling (XDUST12)

[satur8]

Beck just off of a remarkable Grammy win for Album of The Year. St.Vincent an alt-pop indie darling, still in the apex of her career.  And finally the return of Q-Tip a beloved member of one of the most important and influential hip hop groups. A Tribe Called Quest would release their final album the following year.

Those are great points. I guess I was thinking more like a fan than I realized.

I love Wide Open, but I think Skipping Like A Stone, Live Again, and even Fountains are all far superior to the other album's opening 3 of Sometimes I Feel So Deserted, Go, and Under Neon Lights.

[shakermaker]

8 years have also passed since BITE. buying habits have changed.

[Wolkenkrabber]

I would probaby agree with Bosco's comments, and I'd suggest that Go in particular was a sort of sleeper hit that everyone seemed to know - whether they heard it on a car commercial or a sports broadcast or whatever.

Some further opinions here which I can't necessarily back up with facts:

I suspect most people in their teens or 20s - if they've even heard of the Chems - probably associate them with their Dad's generation rather than their own.
Those Dads will be 40-50 ish and probably not as interested in listening to new music, even if
a) it's by an artist they like
b) it's actually good.

I saw someone in comments on YT (or social media?) commenting on Live Again: "this isn't what I got into the Chems for when I bought Exit Planet Dust".
I think those of us on the forum are bigger fans than the average person and perhaps more open minded about new music, rather than saying "this isn't Block Rockin Beats".

The biggest "hit possibilty" on FTBF for me is probably SLAS but it would need a re-edit (bring the chorus back towards the end) and a de-clutter (like the extended mix but...shorter) in order to become a radio hit. And a hit does make a difference.

Anyone remember the (radio? podcast?) interview that Tom and Adam Smith did, I think around 2019, when Adam asked Tom: "would you do a whole album live?" Tom replied: "not yet". I think Tom is aware that as an audience gets older they just want to hear the old hits, even if the new stuff is good.

In the case of say, Rolling Stones fans, they probaby haven't missed much if they've avoided new Stones albums after about 1984. In the case of The Chems, it's a shame if people don't want to open their minds to new music. But you can't force them to.

The Stones have continued to do fine live (I considered tickets for their last Hyde Park gig, then looked at the price and said "nope" - there's only two original members left at this point!).
The Chems autumn tour is pretty close to being sold out so I'm sure their UK/European tour future will be fine for many years to come. I noticed that T&E mentioned the live reaction to FLIAD (greater than to HBHG, they reckon) so maybe their new music will still make an impact on people - if they go to see the Chems live.

[gfa2001]

new merch out in the UK + got glint hat is back!

restocks of some special ltd editions too etc

[HavanaVegas]

It's a shame this album hasn't been a commercial hit, even though it is a critical darling. The CD has hardly been out of my car stereo in the past (nearly) 2 months 


I suppose they just need the right singles like "Go" and "Got To Keep On" to catapult them back into the mainstream. 

[𝒥𝑅𝒮𝒵]

I suppose they just need the right singles

I think that the main 3 they chose (or 4 when we get back to the og, non album in mind release of TDTYF) are pretty on spot when it comes to that.
Sadly it isn't as black and white as "this song is amazing" for it to be noticed when there's such an abbundance of music around

[inchemwetrust]

[shakermaker]

I'm pretty excited by the nomination, surprisingly given I usually don't give a damn about the Grammys. happy for the album to get some attention!

[Bosco]

New FTBF merch

https://merch.thechemicalbrothers.com/



Live Again shirt probably best design in years! That's unless, symmetry plays a big role in your life.

[Wolkenkrabber]

^ Including the book - the deluxe edition with the 7" for £130: "Last 100 copies now available exclusively through the store!". Which may interest one or two people here.

I like that Live Again Tee. I think because a) it's not just a walking billboard advertising the band and b) it's an actual piece of artwork.
The colouring and abstractness is I think, reminiscent of the almost ubiquitous Scremadelica Tees I tend to see when I go to gigs (perhaps a reflection on the kind of gigs I go to). I remember Bobby Gillespie saying he wanted the Scremadelica artwork to take inspiration from New Order's Peter Saville artwork: a strong graphic image with no band picture. And I agree with Bobby's taste: so New Order (& Peter Saville), Primal Scream and the Chems (Nicholas Krushenick) "Love Juice" artwork perhaps all falls into a certain type, which I like.

PS New Order have a song called Love Juice. They only ever played it once live in Australia, and never released it.
PPS We have a merch thread. Maybe this should be there?

[GLAKO-FAHN]

live again is an awesome shirt..but i'm not really too keen on the sleeve logo

[Csar]

live again is an awesome shirt..but i'm not really too keen on the sleeve logo

Yeah. But it's almost the first time for me where a Chems shirt instantly looks "organic" and not, for lack of a better word, "contrived" or lackluster. I think this one works really well as a Chems shirt. The artwork doesn't look like it was just slapped onto any shirt, it just really flows well. I also like that the logo is not too big and prominent but still noticeable enough to stand out and compliment the shirt, like a final touch. I've always loved their logo, but sometimes it wasn't placed very well on some of their merch.

I would like the Skipping Stone shirt as much, but it's missing the logo and thus missing some vital part that would make a perfect Chems shirt for me

[shakermaker]

it won "the album award" at rolling stone UK awards.

not a best album award, just "the" album award.

rolling stone awards are a thing.

acceptance video: https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=870450094483124

https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/news/the-chemical-brothers-rolling-stone-uk-awards-2023-34293/

[Wolkenkrabber]

Ah you beat me to it. Rolling Stone UK, but yeah it's nice anyway.
The album continues to be liked the by the critics. General public be damned!

https://twitter.com/RollingStoneUK/status/1727813054019051583

[Enjoyed]

it's not just a walking billboard advertising the band

I've been thinking about this a lot, as I know it's a sentiment that a few share here on the forum.

Is there an issue with advertising the band? If it was a huge brand like Apple, then I could understand not feeling like you want to do their job for them, but even then, I typically will wear something with a logo on it because I DO want to advertise that brand. I want people to know I'm a fan of my local sandwich shop, and if it drives more business to them as a result, great! 

And especially for The Chems, who we've discussed not being considered as relevant as they used to be - wouldn't it be a good thing to help out with the advertising while also showing off your fandom?
I've legitimately had 3 or 4 conversations with strangers in the past few months who have seen my Chems hat or sweater and start chatting to me about them, telling me they haven't thought about The Chemical Brothers in ages. I let them know they just put out a new album, if my wife is there she usually gushes about the live show, and there's some interest piqued for them - to revisit someone they had forgotten about, or enjoyed somewhat in the past. Plus, I selfishly get to talk about my favourite band, or in other cases my favourite record labels, eSports team, or coffee roasters.

I don't know - I just feel like buying and wearing merch is a win win. Unless it's a brand you don't care for, in which case we wouldn't be having a conversation in the first place about wearing their logo!

Thems me thoughts, anyways.

[Wolkenkrabber]

I would like the Skipping Stone shirt as much, but it's missing the logo and thus missing some vital part that would make a perfect Chems shirt for me

No, it's perfect. The logo is inside to reassure the wearer of its origins but the Tee itself is pure art. Why sully it with a commercial logo?

Is there an issue with advertising the band? ... I typically will wear something with a logo on it because I DO want to advertise that brand. I want people to know I'm a fan of my local sandwich shop, and if it drives more business to them as a result, great!

And especially for The Chems, ... wouldn't it be a good thing to help out with the advertising while also showing off your fandom?

I don't know - I just feel like buying and wearing merch is a win win.

Going to secondary school in Ireland, everybody had these yellow canvas satchels. People would draw on them or write the name(s) of their favourite bands on them. 90% of those satchels had U2 written on them somewhere, and for me it got a bit tedious. Admittedly I did partake in the band name thing too, I had New Order, The Smiths and one or two other 'alternative' names scrawled on mine (The Chems didn't exist yet). I guess it's an identifying thing. I didn't have U2 on there though; too predictable!

The stachels would wear out after a year or two and people would buy new ones. By the time we reached 6th (final) year, most people had stopped putting band names on their satchels - they had kinda grown out of it.

As an extension to that, I feel it's a little corny to sport a band name on my clothes which promotes them. If people want me to promote things, they should pay me! So I like Tees that can celebrate the band without feeling like they're a commercial enterprise. I don't want to feel used.

I wish we didn't live in a world where everyone is advertising stuff. I notice the advertising at the US tennis open which I don't notice as much at Wimbledon (although it is at Wimbledon too - more subtly) and I think it's kinda garish. It makes things less pure.

I've noticed Ed Simons wearing a CALM/Blue Monday shirt in photos more than once in the past year. I like it precisely because it doesn't scream the band name. In fact I have a black tee with the original 1983 sleeve art myself. Unless you know how to tranlsate the colour code on it, then you're not going to know that it says anything. In the Factory Records years, it was common for New Order not to put the band name on the front of their records. Particularly the singles (a format which is/was generally released with commercial intentions). And I loved that. I still remember seeing the Touched By The Hand Of God 12" in HMV and immediately knowing it was them. I had never seen it before; I just knew.

In the case of these Nicholas Krushenick Tee's it seems a shame to add a commercial logo to them. If you know you know, or I guess you could ask if it catches your eye.
I'm not here to promote the commerical aspects of an artist/band who is considerably richer than me. I want the world (and art) to be as unsponsored and as pure as possible, and if people want me to clearly promote their band/business/whatever, then they might want to pay me or at least give me a freebie.

I remember Soulwax once handed out Tees to everyone at their gig (admittedly promoting Part Of The Weekend Never Dies) and I thought that was a cool move. If The Chems and others would like to follow suit and get us all to promote their brand/band as we emerge from their gigs, then I might oblige them! I will admit that it's a nice logo and looks good on coffee mugs.

So that's my anti-commercial, art for arts sake take on things. But to be clear, I'm all for The Chems promoting their music/brand, I just dont think I should be paying to help them.

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old fart though, eh?

[Csar]

No, it's perfect. The logo is inside to reassure the wearer of its origins but the Tee itself is pure art. Why sully it with a commercial logo?

Because it looks darn sweet. The font is so unique that I consider it art, too, and would never think of it as "commercial" (how dare you  ). It gives Chem shirts/ merch the final touch.

[ThePumisher]

View this post on Instagram

Anybody knows what second slide is showing?

[shakermaker]

I feel it's a little corny to sport a band name on my clothes which promotes them. If people want me to promote things, they should pay me!

this, at least for bRand names. Nike doesn't need me repping them, ROFL. I'm not promoting them for free. heck I'd be paying them for the shirt in the first place. no. (similarly, I try to not refer to stadiums by their current sponsor.)

I like it precisely because it doesn't scream the band name.

these are my favorite kind of shirts too. to people who know, it's an immediate way to connect, almost a secret message. and to people who don't know, it may just look like a cool shirt.

but, I love band shirts in general. as Enjoyed mentioned, it can be a great conversation starter, and I'm happy to get word out there for smaller bands - it's like I am paying it forward for the pleasure that the band has brought to my life.

[Bosco]

The sleeve or back of shirt really is the ideal spot for a bands logo.

FTBF has the perfect color scheme to do a very loud and attractive track jacket. Solid zippered Blue Jacket, white Embroidered Chems logo over left breast, yellow contrasting cuffs and collar, and album artwork on back of jacket. Can even explore this in baseball tee form.