release date: Sep. 23, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Chumbawamba, Neil Ferguson
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Tubthumping" (4 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 2, "Amnesia" (4 / 5) - 3. "Drip Drip Drip" - 5. "The Good Ship Lifestyle" - 7. "Outsider" - 10. "Smalltown" - 12. "Scapegoat"
[ full album playlist ]
[ full album playlist ]
8th studio album by Chumbawamba and the first on a major label. The nine-piece band-collective here are: Lou Watts on vocals, keyboards and as "nippy winger", Danbert "The Cat" Nobacon on vocals and as 'goalkeeper', Paul Greco on bass and as 'solid centre-back', Boff on guitar, vocals and as 'midfield dynamo', Jude Abbott on trumpet, vocals and as 'tigerish left-back', Alice Nutter on vocals and as 'team coach', Dunstan Bruce on vocals, percussion and as 'opportunist striker', and Harry Hamer on drums, programming and as 'hardened sweeper'. Neil Ferguson is also credited as band-member, although not depicted on the inlay band photo - he is credited playing keyboards, guitars, sponge & bucket.
The album was not the first I heard with the band as I already knew Anarchy (1994), which didn't make me more interested at the time but when I saw the animation movie "Shrek", I rediscovered the band. Of course I noticed the track "Tubthumping" - everyone did. I rediscovered the '94 album again, and all of a sudden I got it, a bit bewildered as to why I didn't get it in the first place. Anyway, this one is pretty neat. The album was seen as the band's commercial breakthrough, which was a difficult move for an anarchist band, and many of their "old" supporters criticised the band for selling out by signing with EMI. Apparently, the band argued that they live in a commercial world and that all record labels including their former label didn't care about their ideas, political stands, but only found the band interesting because of the potential profit. I really enjoy this one, and it makes me think of the early 80s British project-band Carter USM and its use of electronic to create alt. dance in a combo with stylistic bonds to punk rock and with a social stand, which again goes back to the late 70s more straight punk rock bands like Angelic Upstarts, Crass, and the like.
Chumbawamba has a strong critical view on capitalism, our Western lifestyle and modern consumerism, and in that positions itself like many others on a political far left-wing but unlike many other spokesmen, they do it with intelligent use of humour, brilliant lyrics and great songs. So the fact that they make use of all possible styles in a huge blend makes it very much their own blend. It's for one thing highly original but also good songwriting - and that's what music is about isn't it?!
I find this the band's best album.
Recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]
