Thoughts on Barking (Track by Track)

[Sappys Curry]

I don't know what I'd rate this album as, but it is indeed growing on me more. I already posted a lot of my thoughts on the album in an earlier page. I'd probably give it a B grade as of now, and I know this album will grow on me more. It took time for AHDO to grow on me more, and it took time for OWB to grow on me more. One thing to be said, I'm definitely not disappointed with this album. I like this album. Underworld has never disappointed me with an album (okay, except for AHDO, but over time, I came to like it significantly more and thought to myself "why was I ever disappointed with this?!" ).

Originally Posted by holden

So with time and listens, this will feel just as deliberate and "right".

That is a good way of putting it, and is kind of what I mean when I say this album will grow on me more with more listens.

[cacophony]

Originally Posted by big screen satellite

I know there will be people who won't like this album, but fuck it.. i love it, its the best UW album since Dubno.

I'm sincerely surprised to read this. I feel like it's their weakest release to date, challenging ADO for the title. It's disjointed an you can hear exactly where they stop and their collaborators begin. Vocal treatments are dry and amateur sounding, most of the tracks are significantly shorter than they could have been, and theres none of the inclination to let a good groove build and play out like on dubno.

I'm thrilled strumpet and YDS made it on the album, and to a degree ALAF and beneath stars. But they all sound like lesser versions of the live versions we've been hearing up until now.

Edit: wanted to mention how much I'm enjoying hamburg hotel. Lovely surprise.

[monochrome]

I've decided to wait as much as I can until my 2CD box comes in the mail, but I cheated just a little by giving myself a new "single", Grace.

I'm 100% FLOORED by Grace. This is a 10/10 track for me, everything works so well in my opinion.

It feels like a much more focused "Glam Bucket"--anyone else feeling this?

[big screen satellite]

Originally Posted by cacophony

and theres none of the inclination to let a good groove build and play out like on dubno.
.

thats because its not dubno... Underworld didn't want to do long epic tracks for this album - buy a sasha album if you want epics or just revist dubno (which is stilll great), this is short sweet pop / dance friendly music

its totally accessible and enjoyable imo

its not for fans of epic electronica they've been there and done that

[holden]

Originally Posted by big screen satellite

thats because its not dubno...

...or STITI or BF or AHDO or OWB!
(thought it's a little bit Change the Weather/Underneath the Radar!)

Every album has been an evolution in sound. We tend to think of Dubno and STITI as these sacred cows, epic and perfect. Yeah, well, each of them has a few so-so tracks , and just because they have a few longer songs or a few "epics", that doesn't make the tracklisting or content any more cohesive or intentional. As i said above, give Barking a few more plays and its sequence and moods will feel intentional and "just right", too.

Nope, Barking's not Dubno. It's stylistically leaning towards simpler, catchier singles. But not without a bit of experimentation (Hamburg, Louisiana) and nods to their past (Simple Peal, Grace). After a few listens, it's definitely working for me.

i guess i just get a little tired of folks holding the first few albums up so high. They're great, yes, but i go through moods with them all. Each has tracks i love, tracks i can do without. But the sum of the parts is always head and shoulders above pretty much any other band out there.

[potatobroth]

Bird1 is unmistakably (STITI era) Underworld. ALAF is unmistakably (ADHO era) Underworld. Hamburg Hotel and Louisiana (must i spell that track name wrong every time??) are total throwbacks. Moon in Water also sounds like a progression and I think that track is spectacular.

While I agree that Between Stars doesn't come off as special, the others listed above totally do.

I can hear the heavy hand of the collaborators on occasion but not to the degree that I expected to and for the most part, its in the background to my ears. Scribble being the worst offender. That barely sounds like Underworld to me, but to be fair, You Do Scribble never sounded like Underworld to me until 2 years into its live life cycle.

[bas_I_am]

I really thought I was going to hate this album, but I have to say, it is a grower. I dont think you can listen to it with the same critical perspective as you would their other albums. Its a totally different beast.

Bird 1: a great tune but it is missing a bridge around the 5 minute mark, else it would be a perfect pop song ( 8 )

Always Loved a Film: blissful pop. . . hated it when I heard the radio edit. I understand the New Order comparisons. Good or bad. . . its the best New Order track in 20 years. This one has a bridge and it gives me chills ( 9 )

Scribble: Ugh. . I just can't get into this. The begining reminds me of Peter Gabriel's "Red Rain." I can't stand the snare drum nor the synth line. It just goes on too long without doing anything interesting ( 2 )

Hamburg Hotel: Love it! Am I the only one that hears elements of "blueski" in it??? ( 9 )

Grace: Love it!!! The guitar line is haunting ( 9 )

Between Stars: I thought I hated this track, but I am really growing to love it. . . the builds and the releases. . . a total wall of sound. the production seems a little too bright possibly, but its a winner. ( 8 )

Diamond Jigsaw: Its as if they took Juanita's bouncing ball rhythm, mixed in elements of U2 by putting guitar and pop lyrics on it, and created something that the masses can love. C'mon guys. . . there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with that!!! ( 8 )

Moon In Water: Perfect execution! its got all the underworld sonic bells and whistles but with a perfect pop structure. The way it undulates from melancholia to pure joy is simply beautiful!!!! "manifests. . . manifests. . . manifests. . . manifests. . . " BOOM!!! ( 10 )

Lousiana: As was said in a review somewhere, it sounds as if Karl has been listening to Talk Talks's Spirit of Eden. It really doesnt do anything for me ( 5 )

Simple Peal:I guess this is a bonus track for the japanese release??? It does nothing for me. ( not rated as it isn't on the release proper)

This averages to 7.5 on a track by track basis. Add a point for overall album construction and I give it a 8.5 or 4 out of 5 stars

Now I can understand why many don't like it. Thats your opinion and you are welcome to it. But I think the guys succeeded in what they set out to accomplish - make a "Pop" album.

Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

[Sappys Curry]

Originally Posted by cacophony

I'm sincerely surprised to read this. I feel like it's their weakest release to date, challenging ADO for the title. It's disjointed an you can hear exactly where they stop and their collaborators begin.

That is how I feel. Perhaps their least impressive release for me; its competition is AHDO. This album will most likely end up ranking fifth or sixth for me. It is a solid album that I enjoy, but I just don't ever see it surpassing OWB and BF for me.

And Dubnobass and STITI are my favs by them (in my top three for albums in general) and those releases are great. Someone said that they could do without some tracks on them, but I at least like every track on both albums, if not love 'em.

But MK III UW is still great and it is the type of UW I've been listening to the most lately; even before I received my copy of Barking.

I guess for me, what holds me back from liking Barking more than I do is that 3 of the 9 tracks aren't too good to me. Between Stars is one of them. It is the one I like the most of those three, but it isn't too impressive to me. Grace is a track some people love, but for me it is on the weak side. It is okay. I just don't "feel it" like some others do. Scribble is the other track that is weak to me. It is a bit enjoyable; a happy tune. Grace and Scribble end up ranking last for me on this album, though. I would have liked Scribble more if it wasn't for those darn "synth stabs". : p All the other tracks are good or very good to me.

[bryantm3]

lazy me, i haven't ordered the record yet. however, i'm almost 100% sure that i will like it better than OWB and it will compete with AHDO and BF for me. to me, OWB was by far their worst effort.

[Lx_Nen]

An interesting set of reviews, I think it's a good sign that everyone seems to like and dislike a different set of tracks, that means it's our individual tastes showing, not a problem with the album itself.