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| 2015 Deluxe Edition |
release date: Sep. 28, 1999
format: 2 cd (2015 remaster - Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Ben Watt
label: Edsel Records - nationality: England, UK
Tracklist: Disc 1, 1. "Five Fathoms" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Low Tide of the Night" - 3. "Blame" (5 / 5) - 4. "Hatfield 1980" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Temperamental" - 6. "Compression" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Downhill Racer" - 8. "Lullaby of Clubland" - 9. "No Difference" - 10. "The Future of the Future (Stay Gold)" - *11. "Firewall" - *12. "Come In (unfinished album track)" - *13. "Temperamental (live at The Forum, London, 1999)"
Disc 2, "Remixes": 1. "Five Fathoms (Club 69 Future Club mix)" - 2. "Five Fathoms (Kevin Yost Enlightenment mix)" - 3. "Temperamental (Pull Timewarp mix) - 4. "Temperamental (Hex Hector and Mac Quayle Reverse Drum dub)" - 5. "Temperamental (Wamdue Project remix)" - 6. "Blame (Fabio remix)" - 7. "Blame (J Majik VIP remix)" - 8. "Downhill Racer (Kenny Dope remix)" - 9. "Lullaby of Clubland (Markus Schulz Tribal Journey)" - 10. "Lullaby of Clubland (Matty Heilbronn II Deep Club mix)"
*Bonus tracks
10th studio album by Everything but the Girl originally released on Virgin Records. The album is the so far final studio album by the twenty-year old duo. On a superficial level it's odd to put a highly successful project to a halt. The huge success from the mid 90s up until this point has much to do with their decision to step into the electronic genre. Todd Terry's remix of "Missing" (1994) became their biggest hit. The house element from that could easily be found on the '96 follow-up album Walking Wounded where it's blended nicely with trip hop, which proved to be another fine statement and evolvement of their music.
Temperamental is an even more electronic-founded album than its two predecessors without much of the trip hop sound from Walking Wounded but it introduces a great synthesis of house, downtempo and the duo's trademarks of jazz pop elements from sophisti-pop and lounge. On top of a strong unique sound the album is like one long meditative take.
The reception of the album was very positive. The duo faced fine reviews and had become a huge name in electronic club-land. Watt intensified his work as producer and DJ, but the couple apparently felt trapped in the stardom that followed Temperamental and only wanted to lead a more private life. In 1998 Tracey Thorn gave birth to twin daughters, and a son followed in 2001, which possibly was decisive changes in their private life and also brought an end to this great duo. Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn were married in 2008, and they're still both engaged in music, although, there are no signs of a continued close musical partnership as Everything but the Girl, alas.
To me, this is one of the very best by the duo, and also one of the absolute best of the year.
Highly recommendable.
About the remaster:
The Deluxe 2xCD Edition remaster booklet is a fine updated package. Not as much for being a remaster as I find it a bit difficult to hear the big differences, but for adding another 3 tracks to an already brilliant album, and on top of that it gives you an additional 10 remixes that are all very unique despite originating from only 5 different songs.
The album is simply one of the best by the duo continuing in the electronic steps laid out on Amplified Heart and followed on Walking Wounded.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
1999 Favourite releases: 1. The Chemical Brothers Surrender - 2. Underworld Beaucoup Fish - 3. Everything but the Girl Temperamental
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| back cover |
