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  #1  
Old 09-07-2010, 11:17 AM
BrotherLovesDub
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Re: Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Future Proof View Post
push boundaries
I'm so sick of 'pushing boundaries' as a requisite for good music. Why does a band that's been at it almost 3 decades need to push boundaries? You do realize that there was nothing on Beaucoup Fish that pushed boundaries right? I assume you weren't listening to all the other stuff around at the time that was actually pushing boundaries. Underworld have never, NEVER been about pushing boundaries and to hold them to that standard is a fools game. Combining pop and techno? Been done long before Underworld, long before Dubno. Underworld are not and have never been innovators. They've just been damn good at combining the right elements in making dance music you could sing along to.
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Last edited by BrotherLovesDub; 09-07-2010 at 11:21 AM.
  #2  
Old 09-07-2010, 12:11 PM
Future Proof
Richard Simmons
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Re: Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub View Post
I'm so sick of 'pushing boundaries' as a requisite for good music. Why does a band that's been at it almost 3 decades need to push boundaries? You do realize that there was nothing on Beaucoup Fish that pushed boundaries right? I assume you weren't listening to all the other stuff around at the time that was actually pushing boundaries. Underworld have never, NEVER been about pushing boundaries and to hold them to that standard is a fools game. Combining pop and techno? Been done long before Underworld, long before Dubno. Underworld are not and have never been innovators. They've just been damn good at combining the right elements in making dance music you could sing along to.
I assume you wouldn't know what music sounds like when it raises the bar. Otherwise you wouldn't be claiming that dubno and stiti didn't bring something different to the table.
  #3  
Old 09-07-2010, 12:40 PM
34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j
blue
 
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Re: Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Future Proof View Post
I assume you wouldn't know what music sounds like when it raises the bar. Otherwise you wouldn't be claiming that dubno and stiti didn't bring something different to the table.
yes but "great" albums don't really need to be that innovative. Take the Cars first album, or maybe even Technique by New Order (to use another sacred cow) - neither of them really were terribly innovative, but they were great albums besides...
  #4  
Old 09-07-2010, 12:45 PM
cacophony
disquietude
 
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Re: Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)
Quote:
Originally Posted by 34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j View Post
yes but "great" albums don't really need to be that innovative. Take the Cars first album, or maybe even Technique by New Order (to use another sacred cow) - neither of them really were terribly innovative, but they were great albums besides...
agreed. i was thinking something similar after my last post.

bands don't have to move the bar to produce great work. radiohead, as an example, has followed a gradual evolution and frequently revisits familiar territory with brilliance.

but when a group does consistently raise the bar it can make fans like us a bit greedy. we want it want it want it and we're disappointed when we don't get it. it doesn't mean the work isn't good, we just get greedy and want new and sparkley ideas.
  #5  
Old 09-07-2010, 12:51 PM
Future Proof
Richard Simmons
 
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Re: Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)
Quote:
Originally Posted by 34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j View Post
yes but "great" albums don't really need to be that innovative. Take the Cars first album, or maybe even Technique by New Order (to use another sacred cow) - neither of them really were terribly innovative, but they were great albums besides...
You're right, and there are more than a few albums I've listened to where I've felt that nothing new was added, but old ideas had just got polished to a point of near perfection. That said, Barking is NOT that album. It's not a bad album, but!!! It's not (IMHO) a classic, and my axe to grind came entirely from the fact that this UW album felt much more nestled in the middle of the pack than any other. I talked about OWB in my original post and how I felt that it was largely a failure. However, it was a risky, daring album with an original and unique feel... and it didn't work.

I have not listened to every album ever made myself. But I've listened to enough to know somewhat when artists are playing it safe, and when they are trying to write something completely different from both A.) their back catalog and B.) their contemporaries. And truth be told, I haven't unanimously liked anything Underworld has put out since STITI. But in spite of the fact that I've had a hard time with the rest of their releases I can feel in their music that they're always reaching and digging for something deeper. Always except for with Barking, a good album with no ambition except to (it seems) make everyone bust a move "when the lights go down".

But whatever, they've contributed enough to their scene and I'd wager that they personally had a ton of fun working with others, and enjoyed how much pressure was lifted when other people were brought in to do some of the heavy moving. This was a good record for them, and with good results in places. It's a different animal than everything else they've done however, and the samey-ness of this record compared to the modern scene is a major detraction.

Last edited by Future Proof; 09-07-2010 at 12:55 PM.
  #6  
Old 09-08-2010, 10:02 AM
ultradave
the doorway boy...
 
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Re: Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub View Post
They've just been damn good at combining the right elements in making dance music you could sing along to.
here, here!
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  #7  
Old 09-09-2010, 04:00 AM
Andrea
light at heart
 
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Re: Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub View Post
....They've just been damn good at combining the right elements in making dance music you could sing along to.
Amen to that
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  #8  
Old 09-09-2010, 05:20 AM
big screen satellite
Still Number 1
 
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Re: Is Underworld innovative?
IS Underworld Innovative

or

ARE Underworld Innovative

i go with the latter...


i can't answer the question, its subjective, what's innovation??

JBO - now they were innovative in signing UW & The Dust Brothers - or we're they just clever? Its more likely right place right time....

and Danny Boyle was innovative in his selection of Born Slippy for his sound track.
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  #9  
Old 09-09-2010, 09:09 AM
froopy seal
amazinglytogetherpinniped
 
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Re: Is Underworld innovative?
Quote:
Originally Posted by big screen satellite View Post
IS Underworld Innovative

or

ARE Underworld Innovative
*prepares popcorn*
  #10  
Old 09-09-2010, 11:09 AM
TheBang
Admaxistrator
 
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Location: Sunny Hawaii
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Re: Is Underworld innovative?
Quote:
Originally Posted by big screen satellite View Post
IS Underworld Innovative

or

ARE Underworld Innovative
Haha, I wrestled with that in my mind just after creating the topic. Ultimately, I decided to leave it as is.
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