Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)

[chems1919]

I'm surprised by the amount of people that are disappointed...I am pleasantly surprised with the album. I think it sounds incredible, way better than I thought it was going to be. It has a pop, single-friendly sound, but at the same time you have dark and brooding moments (especially with the beautiful Grace).

Bird 1 sounds incredible, it's a great opener track. It's Strumpet for God's sake, it's what we've always been wanting and we are finally getting it in a great form, yet people are disliking it? I guess I just don't understand why. Grace even sounds like the best version of Telematic Peal I've ever heard. Always Loved a Film is way better than its single version, as is the case with Scribble (since you hear more bits of YDS). I would have loved to have YDS instead of Scribble, but that idea got shot down long ago.

I agree that Hamburg Hotel is a bit strange, but it doesn't seem different from other UW releases. They seem to do this with every album, and I'm quite liking the track since it balances the pacing of the album. Diamond Jigsaw is even great (mainly the chorus...the opening is a bit too much at times); which I'm stunned because I'll admit I was scared when I heard PVD was going to collaborate.

I will agree that Louisiana is...different. I was turned off the first time I listened to it and I'll admit as of right now, it might be the weakest point in the album. But I have a feeling that it will change the more I listen to it. The only thing that's turning me off is the vocals, but like I said I think it's a grower. And the bonus track is completely sweet. Ambient UW = awesome.

So yeah, I'm thrilled with the release and I hope more people enjoy it as much as I do. UW gets a big thumbs-up from me. I like it more than OWB and AHDO. Sure, I would love UW to get back to their roots and make releases like Second Toughest in the Infants, but I don't think there's any turning back. Bands evolve; some do it for the better and some for the worse. I personally think UW is continuing to grow in a unique way.

[BrotherLovesDub]

Originally Posted by Lx_Nen

if New Order had written it, it would be a worldwide number 1.

new order had 1 song hit number 1 and it was a stupid football track.

[big screen satellite]

Originally Posted by 34958hq439-qjw9v5jq298v5j

good review mongoose...I agree with almost all of it (except that I liked the Chariots of Fire synths).

Here's my honest take...this is kind of like the Thriller of electro

lol that is so true

best review ever!

shame it won't sell like it...

[big screen satellite]

Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub

new order had 1 song hit number 1 and it was a stupid football track.

bands the likes of New Order / Depeche Mode will never have another single that even gets close to number 1, likewise, neither will Underworld, if released today Born Slippy wouldn't have dented the top end of the charts.

Popular music has changed beyond all recognition of the past, these acts would only hit number one if they included some crazy named 'rapper' or a female vocalist called Katy, Gaga or Shakira

chart success is not necessarily the measure of a good pop tune...

[Flywaver]

Right then its now time for a Flywaver review!

Bird 1.... One downside for me with this. I prefer the name Strumpet! Luv it!
Was this named as a carry on from OWB closer Loads Of Birds...? Apart from mentioning said name in the track. Anyway a good opener. I still slightly prefer Strumpet but this is growing on me. So 7.5/10

Always Loved A Film.... A corker!! I liked version 1 and couldnt get into more recent variations but this has such an optimistic vibe. I dont find it cheesey at all.It needs to be in a movie so it can maybe get Underworld memorable for something other than BS NUXX. ALAF is Underworlds Beautiful Day far as im concerned. Also im so happy i can hear it with out Pete Tong ruining it.
9/10

Scribble... A great change to You Do Scribble and its a straight in your face track that has WE ARE BACK written all over it. Ok with other producers like the rest of the album but its Underworld alright. Gets an 7.5/10 from me.

Hamburg Hotel... Im getting this Phonestrap6/Autotrader4 vibe from this crossed with MMM..Skyscraper I Love You which is no bad thing. Gets an 8/10. Im finding this intriging

Grace... it flows nicely but to me its the albums filler which ill be more likely to skip. Guess it cant all be perfect. Ring Road was the same and Push Upstairsi cant stand either! Anyway 6/10

Between Stars... Now this and next track Diamond Jigsaw will hint of Beacoup Fish commercial dance tunes. But isnt it about time Underworld went and revisited the hands in the air Euphoria!? Clubs will love this track...8/10

Diamond Jigsaw... Guitar and ohhh it sounds like New Order. So what! New Order wont care they have retired. Perhaps a tribute to New Order in this! Also i love the Never Ending Story style sound in the chorus. This is epic. I thought i would miss this the original version but brave and great move Rick and Karl!.. 9/10

Moon In Water..... The drum comes in at a perfect pace. Ive always been a fan of the ambient side of Underworld and this is a much improved beauty that was very good anyway. Well chuffed with this album so far.... 8/10

Louisiana...I thought my heart was going to be broken. Tears were rolling and at 2 mins in i was going to cry in horror as it almost turned to awful cheesy sound but it barely lasted seconds and it self redeemed. Phew! Still its a mellow pleaser... 7/10
This now edited to 9/10! Woke up this morning and played it first. Such a nice tune as you wake up. This track now hit me!


Simple Peel. Now i adore this ambient track. The church bells remind me of somewhere in the Alps as a lad. Anyway i dont feel it belongs as an extra. This should be as part of the supposed other Riverruns that never appeared... Maybe it fits. I need more listens. Bamboo would of been a belter as a closer. I still give this track 9/10 but im confused that this little gem became an album extra...

Barking i give you 8.5 out of 10. Your the best album since STITI for me. Found BF was too commercial but was redeemed by Kittens and Jumbo. AHDO and OWB are about equal but a tad better than BF so...

DNBWYHM 8.5/10
STITI 9.5/10
BF 7.0/10
AHDO 7.5/10
OWB 7.5/10
Points through vague memory lol Also i know i need to listen to MK1 Underworld.....

[sy2004]

As usual Underworld fans differ in opinions, for now this is my score:

very good - Bird 1, Always Loved A Film, Scribble, Diamond Jigsaw, Grace
good - Hamburg Hotel (could have been better with some kind of vocals, Between Stars
just ok - Moon In Water
sort of b-side stuff - Louisiana, Simple Peal (both should have been replaced with other unreleased tracks played live before)

Bird 1 is absolutely top, should have been extented or doubled in time

This album is gonna get in a loop play from track 1 to 7. The rest will be mainly skipped.

[TheBang]

Originally Posted by Flywaver

Also i love the Never Ending Story style sound in the chorus.

Damn you for pointing that out. That's one of my favorite parts too, and now I'm going to think of Never Ending Story when I hear it.

[big screen satellite]

Originally Posted by TheBang

Damn you for pointing that out. That's one of my favorite parts too, and now I'm going to think of Never Ending Story when I hear it.

well try listening to the start to Moon in Water without thinking of the start of All Saints - Never Ever...

'a few questions that i need to know...'

[the-star-samurai]

After first listen:

Bird 1 - 5/5 - I fell hard for "Strumpet" this past summer and then this seems like a great logical step from there. Needless to say, I can't wait to drive to this song in the morning. ♥
Always Loved A Film - 4/5 - I just listened to the single for this song after listening to the radio rip tons of times to get over the Silver Boots version. And I am loving this version more with each listen - the high energy, the guitar breakdown, and just - singing along to it and FEELING the energy itself. It just FEELS good.
Scribble - 4/5 - I've been listening to this since like...I think June? So I'm kind of just avoiding it like I did with "Crocodile" when Oblivion With Bells released. But I still love it. I am incredibly biased since I love liquid funk, Hospital Records, and High Contrast. Plus those Underworld elements of voice sampling and Karl's singing. How can I possibly NOT like this song?
Hamburg Hotel - 2/5 - This needs to grow on me - because to be honest, I don't remember what it sounds like right now. And I was looking forward to this song - so I am slightly disappointed with it.
Grace - 3/5 - Love~~~ I haven't listened to "Telematic Peel" that much anyway (I was more enamored by "Jumping Then Cran", sorry guys.) But if I can sing along to it, then it's a great thing. A song for the ladies? Well I'm a lady and...it's cool with me.
Between Stars - 5/5 - Fuck yes.
Diamond Jigsaw - 5/5 - As a long-time PvD listener, I did hear a few elements of his style. But nothing overbearing - which is a huge plus. Plus with the guitar portions and how they were placed - amazing.
Moon In Water - 3/5 - I need more listens of this - it's pretty chill and of course, voice sample is a huge plus. I'm sure with more listens I will fall hard for this song.
Louisiana - 10/5 - I am horribly horribly horribly biased when it comes to this song. Ever since "Jumping Then Cran" aired on one of the webcasts, I fell HARD in LOVE with it and hoped and hoped and hoped for a proper quality version of it to surface. So when I heard it became "Louisiana" for Barking, I thanked Underworld from the bottom of my heart. I'd repeat the hell out of "Jumping then Cran" and sing along and just FEEL the emotion. (I also drew sketches and pictures with the lyrics - I memorized the hell out of those lyrics!)
I can see how it doesn't fit on this album. But I don't give a shit - it's 3 minutes longer, and the new elements don't really overwhelm the original aspects of the song. I nearly cried listening and singing along to it the first play through.
Simple Peel - 5/5 - Always loved this song. So whatever - automatic 5/5. I don't care if it's a bonus track, it is awesome.

So yeah. I really really like this album. Out of 10, I'd give it an 8. It proved again to me that "Hell yes, Underworld can never disappoint me. NEVER".

Underworld continues to make it difficult to rate their albums in order of how much I love them. Oblivion with Bells did help me through a week of pneumonia in October 2007. (Literally the week I received my copy of the limited edition preorder, I had to go to the hospital.) So I have a huge personal connection with that album that cannot be broken.

[holden]

Ok, i couldn't resist. Wanted to wait for the box to appear, but i'll still have fun with that, listening to the other disc and looking at the art and videos, etc.

So i took "Barking" out for a walk in the Toronto drizzle today. Early impressions:

Bird 1 - Enjoying the crispness of the LP version and being able to make out the lyrics better than the live renditions. A bit of menace or at least suspense to open the record. Also surprised how effective the refrain is, as it's several minutes in before we hear "There is one bird in my house". 8/10
Always Loved A Film - Since this has been living in my player for weeks, not much surprise, other than it's still catchy as heck. The downside for me is what i interpret as Knight/Ramirez backing vox on the "and i don't know if i love you more..." bridge. Would prefer to hear Rick. It's a fine single, but as we kno, it's a far ways off from the works in progress, which all had a rough edge. 7/10
Scribble- Same as above, no surprise. But it's still delightful, and in the realm of Two Months Off...uplifting, imminently danceable. 7/10
Hamburg Hotel - I also get the "Mmm skyscraper" and mid-90's b-side/jams feel from this. The distorted and barely deciperhable female vocals, the drum patterns, the chord progressions - all distinctly Underworld. The arp-y bassline has some great effects added. Yeah, it sort of fades away, but there are a lot of elements to enjoy. 8.5/10
Grace - Haunting lyrics, driving beat. The choir effect at the start is not my favorite. But hey, waitresses, violently in love, a bit about music being too loud, silence a blessing - this is a stark contrast to the jubilant singles and the tender closer "Louisiana". One of the more claustophobic and dark tracks fo UW, in the vein of "Stagger". 8/10
Between Stars - Definitely agree with the Depeche Mode comparisons ("Behind the Wheel"?). Very synth-pop. Not crazy about the lyrics, and i think this one is a little overproduced. By the end, i was turning the volume down. Probably will grow on me, but not feeling it right now. 5/10
Diamond Jigsaw - PvD's involvment in this one doesn't bother me in the slightest. It's rocking and hard-driving. I certainly hope the junky guitar riff is Karl playing livee, not a sample! Similarly, the ending breakdown has what sounds like live drums. Certainly hearkens back to mki UW and late 80's/early 90's synth rock. Much better without the cheesy synth stabs from former live versions. Much improved, i think. 7/10
Moon In Water - Definitely my favorite of the album. Yes, it clashes with the songs before, perhaps because of the metaphysical(?) lyrics ( i can hear reviewers wondering "What the F is this about?") and female voice, but it also paves the way from dance to the tender closer. When the "does not wait to catch his reflection" loop and beats kick in, it's bliss. And it only gets warmer. I love how the vocal loop is treated with chorus or flanger or whatever until the words are less important than the melody. So glad that this got the LP treatment, as the radio broadcast version has been a favorite of mine, but it did seem unfinished. I could listen to this 10 times in a row, it just makes me feel infinite. 9.5/10
Louisiana - whoa. This is just a beautiful track. Yes, definitely a bit out of place considering what came before, though i do think it benefits from having Moon In Water's somewhat more warm/calm influence separating it from Diamond Jigsaw. "When you touch me, planets in sweet collision. Quietly violent." "I fell asleep last night on the Underground" "...bullets in conversation." Wow. I'm about to cry. It's no banging ender like "Moaner" or "Leutin", but it's an emotional core to what is, in spots, a glossy populist record. 8.5/10
Simple Peel - works for me. Calming drones and bells that fade as if walking down the streets. We know Rick and Karl have been up to ambient or sounscape-ish ttracks for a while, this is fine as the bonus track. 7.5/10

Overall, very enjoyable listen, unscientific average 7.6/10. It does seem like a collection of singles until tracks 8-9-10 sort of consolidate a deeper mood that i guess was evident on Bird1 and Grace. Its not just hands-in-the-air euphoria as ALAF, Scribble, DJ would seem to imply. It also occurs to me that all previous albums may seem cohesive and sequenced because we KNOW them that way. Very few tracks in their back catalog are mixed together end-on-end, and certainly BF had several big singles all in a row. So with time and listens, this will feel just as deliberate and "right". For the moment, i'm just enjoying the surprises.
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