The last time I listened to an album as much as I've listened to this one was Alabama 3's "Le Peste"



so yeah, years

I've just listened for the first time (well, about an hour and ahalf ago), I'm gonna add my 2 cents and give some thoughts:



Galvanize - Heard it before, it grew from the first time. Now it's storming, not the best opener, but still good! Thumbs up

The Boxer - Very different from what I was expecting. It's not bad, I think it needs more time. Thumbs down

Believe - Heard it once before, but didn't get much of an impression. Now, it's fantastic! The bass & sounds are amazing, this is a goody! Thumbs up

Hold Tight London - Wow, this track is underrated! This is one of my fave tracks on the album, pumping 4x4 beats combined with beauty sounds. Really dig this. Thumbs up

Come Inside - Hmm. Had to listen to this twice. It was built up heavily by everyone, and I'm not sure it fully delivers at the moment. It's a good track, but that bass seems to stick out a bit, as does the vocal. That said, the beats and sounds in the track are kick ass. Again, more time required (get rid of those expectations) Thumbs up

The Big Jump - Another corker! This one is big, I love this! It seems a little tongue-in-cheek, with a "look how big and phat this is" feel to it - not subtle in that sense. That must be why I love it! Thumbs up

Left Right - As said earlier, this proves the Chems have range! Err, this could quite easily be the next single, as all the hip-hop nuts would buy it. You know, those peeps with the souped-up cars and gold chains. Could be why I don't dig it yet. Not Chemical enough on first listen, a little run-of-the-mill commercial, but a few more listens before I settle on a judgement. I must have listened to "The State We're In" 200 times before I gave up trying to love it like the others. Thumbs down

Close Your Eyes - This track is incredible!! I was totally blown away by it! One word - psychedelic. It gave me a trip! The Chems always said it was cool to make people trip to music without drugs, just through the power of the music. They've certainly done that here!!! Thumbs up

Shake Break Bounce - First listen, I'd have to say it's below par. I don't get it at the moment. Not that it's complex, it just doesn't strike with me. I think it's expectations again - this time from the title. More time again. Thumbs down

Marvo Ging - This track is cool! It reminds me vaguely of Surrender (the track), sort of a trippy melodic deal. I like it, don't know where the negativity came from. Thumbs up

Surface To Air - Seems well overrated at this point. It's good, reminds me of The Golden Path, but without the annoying Flaming Lips (don't start!). Considering the amount of time it takes to get going, the ending is a real disappointment. They should have left a part or 2 going, and then faded it out. Or at least had a wind-down/sweep sound at the end. It's better than the end of AONO, but that's not hard. Thumbs down



Disclaimer: Thumbs down doesn't mean I hate it, it means that it didn't make me goes nuts over it. I wasn't like "this track is incredible!", it was good, but didn't have that "wow" factor.



Final note: This album is different to what the Chems have down before. Wow, I've never said that before. X-D But seriously, it's got a very different feel to it. I think it's because of the amount of guitars and real bass (electric or acoustic), it really feels like a "band" record instead of a "dance group" record. Not as much as Palookaville (at least, the singles from it) thankfully, but it's a different edge, that'll take some time to adjust to. Any remixes will be amazing I reckon!



Anyway, that's my 2 cents as promised :D

Thats a cool review as i said to you chemicalfan. Im really enjoying getting different peoples views.



I think that the album is great and is a good progression from Come With Us.



Although 'Left Right' isnt my fave track i really do like the way the album has a mix of hip hop, rock and indie vocalists.



I can see your point Chemical Fan about it being more of a band album, maybe this will mean the live shows could take more of a band approach in terms of guest vocalists.



Saying that after the Wolves gig im expecting a guest at evry show, but i know it was a very rare thing to happen.

What's the name of this topic again... O well

Aight, guess it's time for my review:

(A "+" for songs that get stuck in my head, BTW :D )



Galvenize: A very good opener... but I like the pacing of the single better than the album version. It's better than LH or CWU and maybe MR as a starter. There's not much else to say that hasn't been said. 8.5/10



The Boxer: The vocals are awsome, plus there is tons of hidden noises in it and I think it's the sucessor to LFB spirtitually... or whatever. Plus the pounding piano got stuck in my head. 9.5/10



Hold Tight London: I really like this also, but I feel that the voice is a tad to soft to get into the groove like Beth and Hope songs. Lot's of mind-blowing subtle noises in this one also. 9.0/10



Come Inside: Lov'in this tune! It's got a really nice Chem. old school feel and has a nice break with horns and the voice sample is creepy-cool. I tend to get this stuck in my head alot... which means: 9.75/10



The Big Jump: At first, thought the lyrics were weak, but then I thought later on "this song isn't fuckin' about lyrics!" During the time when I'm bored in school, I try to think of this song, but the noises elude me. I think that means that they're really complex, more than I first thought.

Hmmm.... 9.5/10



Left Right: I havn't actually got this one, decided to save this for when I actually get the Album in the mail.



Close Your Eyes: This one I hated at first, but then got into it, I think it helps to listen with headphones or good speaker system a few times first. I really love the womens voice with that beutiful synth saying somthin' about love. 8.75/10



Shake Break Bounce: The voice in this song reminds of crystal method's Acetone, with the "chika-A's." The drums and beats that they're used for sound amazing and the overall vibe is pretty strong. Also love the Ah's sung after it gets done saying the name for a while to break up the repetion, something the big jump kind of has missing. 9.25/10



Marvo Ging: I don't get why people call this one "weak" either. This has one of those played in every-which-way strings, and really has the psychaedelic feel of past songs that I love so much. Plus, it got stuck in my head, which you know means it get's a better score. 9.5/10



Surface to Air: About the only thing that I don't like about the song is that the whole song has "diga" oscilating pitch noise, which is the first thing you hear (though it almost disapears by the time half the noise pile on.) I love all the hidden noises and this one also feels pychaedelic. The ending really is shabby either because

*spoilers*(high light if you really want to read)*spoiler*

It is really not the expected ending and has a mixed up sounding voice as the robot at the start.



I love the robot voice at the start as well (got stuck in my head)9.9/10



Overall:9.5-.75/10

Note: The only thing I feel is missing is Beth or Hope... or both 8) That and there is no song actually named after album like the last 4.

TEH, you left off Believe for some reason. Pity, because it's one of the best tracks.

Whoopsadoodle, you're right. :-//



Believe: I found this to be too simplistic actually. At least until they start messing around with the two sirens... melikes that. The vocals are really nice, but you never get a change, not even like "would you like to come inside? would you like to come in now?" which is very minimal. But the way the voice has different feeling fixes that. 9.0/10

Come inside reminds me of Under the influence anyone else getting that?

ACIDCHILDREN Escribi�:

Come inside reminds me of Under the influence anyone else getting that?

Yeah, very much so. And that's a good thing for me, since Under The Influence is one of my all-time favourite Chems tracks.

I liked under the influence... but, it was just so repetitive. My favorite part was when the songs starts to pick up and kind of starts-dies 4 times. That was freaking sweat. Dicka-psooooo, dicka pasoooo. I heart that part.

Boy with the Golden Eyes Escribi�:

a very excellent record...



just listening to it and discovering more and more new things. ah! it's good to be a chemical brothers hardcore-fan in this days...

There is so much going on in this record, so much texture and depth, so many layers upon layers of sounds. After a week of solid listening to this, I'm still discovering some things I didn't catch before. It's like having your ears opened up with each listen, like getting to know a person. I'm just taken aback at how human this record is.

ACIDCHILDREN Escribi�:

Come inside reminds me of Under the influence anyone else getting that?

I hear the similarities, but Under The Influence didn't jump right out at me when I hear Come Inside. Come Inside could remind me of any Chemical Brothers song, I just can't put my finger on which one, exactly!



I'll have to get back to you on that. ;)

why the freak do us americans have to wait a day for the release. its so unfair!



in any event, im too lazy to read the thread, hows the new album?

The new album kicks some serious butt, man. It really really does!



I hope you like it!

I got it!

Come inside is like the sucessor to Hey Boy Hey Girl. It has the same build up with a wierd voice saying something abstract, then it hits you. Wham! Instant classic! (!) It's really hard to explain all the other similarities, so just think about it yourself.

hi! :) i just wanna say that...surface to air...its my favorite! i love that track! :D makes me feel good! :P

I hate this thread.

JacksRevenge Escribi�:

I hate this thread.

This is a quality thread. Its better than every other PTB thread where people are like 'I GOT MY COPY'.



Anyways i cant see any track that compares to HBHG expect mayb EBW7 which isnt on the album.



What i like about this album is the blend of rock, hip hop and indie as i have said before. It shows alot more variation in what the chems can do rather than two big beat/Breaks albums eg EPD and DYOH. Compared to Surrender and Come With Us i think it takes the good bits out of both of them for example the acid sounds in Surrender and the peacefullness of CWU, plus adding some hip hop getting back to there roots.

I really like 'Come Inside', i was trying to think about what it reminds me of. Then i thought about going to the dentist cause theres allways a pleasent female voice, then u go in and they have drills, just like the tune with the weird noises that i think sound like drills. Or maybe even going to a blood test cause after the track u feel like something has been sucked from you.

Im also really digging 'Surface To Air', i think this is better than 'Star Guitar'. Its such a lovely tune that you can either chill or really dance your ass off to. Im so looking forward to seeing live again, i didnt appreciate it enough over the summer but now i have listened lots i can see how good it really is.

Ok, this may seem weird but Left Right reminds me of two things:



-the slow heavy beat for some reason reminds me of "Purple Haze" I think it is by Jimi Hendrix



-the line "I'm a soldier" reminds me of Yoda in the Star Wars Gangsta Rap (funny!! http://atomfilms.sho...nt/gangsta_rap)