New Underworld album out today, much better than I expected. Standouts so far are Santiago Cuatro and Nylon Strung. Listen here:
http://state.ie/features/underworld-barbara-barbara-we-face-a-shining-future
Finally got my hands on a copy of this and the new James albums.
The Underworld album for me is massively different to their standard stuff. And that is in a good way. I liked I Exhale straight away. This album doesn't have a King of Snake, Cowgirl, or Born Slippy, but it is a wholesome album, definitely more challenging and experimental than some predecessors. Musically it is a bit more intricate and considered. Three listens in and I really like it, the last 3 songs on the album are really awesome.
It is the first album that I wouldn't describe as headphone music, as a lot of Underworld sounds really intense and almost made for headphone listening. This is an album you can put on, sit down, and enjoy.
The James album really struck me as different. There's probably only 1 track that is identikit James, with maybe 2 other tunes slipping into their style. The rest is very experimental for them, quite challenging at times. They seem to have a groundswell of support appeared all of a sudden (they were beating Adele almost all week in the charts til friday), but given their notorious fanbase it is quite likely the album will drop relatively quickly I'd guess. It would have been quite simple for them to crank out an album to go with the good feeling of La Petit Mort, but they've not gone for tried and tested in any way, and that's one of the things I love about them. Four listens in, and I'm really liking it. Opening track Bitch is superb.
I have also learned that listening to previews online does absolutely nothing for new releases. I listened to both prior to release, and the feeling was everso "meh". However, on hearing both on a proper stereo, with proper balance, and bass, the deepness of the sound in both albums really comes out. I hereby give up on preview streams, and will save myself to hearing it in good quality sound in the future.
One last thing - both albums are just under 45 mins each (indeed a few Underworld fans are disappointed in this - 7 tracks). Personally I loved that, and was even tempted to crack out a TDK C90 to put them both on as they'd fit perfectly!
