release date: Apr. 4, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Chumbawamba, Neil Ferguson
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "I'm With Stupid" - 2. "Shake Baby Shake" - 3. "Pass It Along" - 11. "I'm Not Sorry, I Was Having Fun" - 14. "She's Got All the Friends"
9th studio album by Chumbawamba follows 2½ years after Tubthumber (1997) and it's their second album for EMI. Both in style and in lyrics, they have moved somewhat towards a mainstream pop / rock universe, although, it's also highly unconventional consisting of 25 tracks [!] with a total running time at 55 minutes, which leaves the average playing time per track just a little above two minutes. With short tracks in between more regular compositions, they still maintain their tongue-in-cheek British humour and enjoyable look on everyday life. Earlier albums had either more electronic edge and / or political harsher stands, but what I really miss here are the great catchy melodies.
In a way this is their The Beautiful South album. It's close to being sophisti-pop which is a long way from their anarcho-punk roots.
WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get... meaning: a barking dog?! I mean that has to be taken into consideration. The band has always had at least one foot in the (ultra-) left side of British politics and been an outspoken valve of some sort. The barking dog that tells you something isn't right [right?!]. And then with song titles here dealing with completely non-political issues, it becomes a wee bit odd. Where's the bite then?
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 1,5 / 5 stars ]
