Phases of Underworld

[holden]

Listened to a few of the LP's today, and got to thinking, "How have Underworld evolved?" Clearly mki into mk ii is a big leap, but although UW have a distinct sound, i think we can all agree, despite our favorites, each UW record has a unique "feel", new sounds and styles.

So. If you could describe each (major) Underworld release with a single word, what'd it be? And why?

Here's a personal view to get you started...

Dubnobasswithmyheadman: eclectic (clearly trying to define their new sound, dance tracks with a few leftovers from the synthpop days)

Second Toughest in The Infants: artistic (comfortable in the experimental role, with expansive tracks, dark moods, challenging melodies)

Beaucoup Fish: energetic (their most dance/singles oriented track, full of Detroit hooks, repeated themes, crisp production)

Everything, Everything: Celebratory (Every single, every album track comes of fas epic, well-planned and very well received. If this album came out a decade later, you could add "Two Months Off" to the mix)

A Hundred Days Off: Secure ( i remember reading interviews that the first UW LP without Emerson was going to be "more rock". It wasn't. In fact, the Moroder-esque basslines recalled a lot of "Beaucoup Fish". Still, some daring tracks, and everything well crafted, assuring us that Rick and Karl were secure in how to make danceable electronic music)

Oblivion With Bells:introspective (described by Karl as "the album Rick wanted to make", it's fairly low in the mix, more sound experiments, arpeggiating pianos, organic drum patterns and instrumentation)

Barking: Populist (collaborations/remixing/additional production abounds. While the bones of UW are there, each track is polished to a modern sheen, to appeal to fans of multiple genres).

[the mongoose]

Dubnobasswithmyheadman - Atmospheric: From the wind in the skyscraper to the rusty metal gate in Tongue, there is an element of 'being there' that has been fairly lost until the recent Simple Peel.

Second Toughest in the Infants - Mellow: A better term might be meloncholy due to some of the more introspective moody style of some tracks; but since some of the tracks are more upbeat yet still chilled out I've going with Mellow. Or fuck it, I'm going with "emotional". Grrr, one word for this album is tough....hahaha.

Beaucoup Fish - Professional: The tracks here all have a polish and effortlessness to them that makes it seem impossible to believe that this album wasn't a huge Mtv hit in the U.S. like Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers were around the same time. Amazing production and lyrics (and artwork) that really shined and fired on all cylinders.

A Hundred Days Off - Classic: Not in the sense of timeless or best of the best (arguably), but in the sense of a tried and true favorite that is still what you've come to expect. Which during this timeframe there was a lot of speculation and uncertainty as to what we could expect from an Emerson-less UW, so to have the same good vibes spilling from the speakers was the aural equivalent of down home cooking.

Oblivion With Bells - Combo: Very emotional (in the instrumentation and the lyrics) and full of soul. The moodiness of Second Toughest mixed with the lessons learned from 2 Months Off = a peanut butter and pepperoni sandwich that was actually very tasty when it had no right to be. The kitchen sink.

Barking - Nerf: Taking the best of what Underworld does and grinding it down into a fairly safe pop formula with which to foam coat other's production, then ensuring that it is still fun for kids of all ages. A bold move, but also a nice little walk out into the sunlight before they headed down into the depths of Frankenstein's lab and now deep into the crypt of the demon known as Tiesto.

[bryantm3]

dubnobasswithmyheadman still retains an 80s synthpop sound and is my favourite album, to me it represents the pinnacle of that style of music and one of the last albums of the 80s, all the while retaining those weather sounds and sense of openness that many of their albums so desperately needed such as oblivion with bells. i guess if i had to pick a word it would be analogue

second toughest in the infants with the first two opening tracks, is the closest they've gotten so far to progressive rock. the tracks are written in movements, for goodness' sakes. the rest of the album i find not as exciting but tracks like air towel and the quiet drama of stagger retain a degree of progressivity and a strong wish to create and complete a musical storyline. the word is symphonic

more later

[potatobroth]

Dubno: Grooving
From right at the first few notes, this album grooves for me.

STiTI: Dreary
Always picture a rainy day while listening to this one. Most tracks give me the feeling of looking out a raindrop-filled window during a storm.

Beaucoup: Jumbo
Big departure. Big sounds. Faster pace. Big beats. And Jumbo.

AHDO: Whimsical
Seems much more playful than any of the three previous albums.

OwB: Remniscent
Great album that uses the moods for both Dubno and STiTI.

Barking: Dancey
Speaks for itself.

[//\/\/]

Barking: un-derworld.

[Andrea]

go for the pure
live and direct
tribes of vibes
on the road
been around since
restless phone
don´t ask me why
the other way around
love letter
language
yes
that hurts
shame on you
jam in the belly
you are laughing
but it is

...a bit of topic but I don´t know how to describe it

[Dirty Canuck]

Holden's description pretty much sums it up for me. Well stated.....

[bryantm3]

Beaucoup Fish evolved from second toughest in that it sought to be more accessible, from the sound of the bus coming to a stop in new york this album burst itself into the real world where anyone could listen to it and enjoy it, and it had a distinct city feel to it. the word is urban.

A Hundred Days Off made things a little bit less direct, a little bit less open than the release before it— by incoporating a lot of strange instruments and taking the approach that "we're not going to do what people want us to do", they took it back home and made it personal. the word is warm

[undarrenworld]

Dubno: Heart

The starting point of MKII.

STITI: Soul

More delicate side of Underworld.

BF: Brain

Electric impulses, pure, sharp contures.

AHDO: Dream

More dreamy album.

OWB: Memories

Memories of STITI.

Barking: Movement

High Speed travelling, the other side of BF, not sharp, but stylish...

[Strawman]

Originally Posted by Dirty Canuck

Holden's description pretty much sums it up for me. Well stated.....

Yep have to agree with that...well described Holden.

I will state, however that STITI represents to me the pinnacle of uw. Juanita/kiteless/to dream of love is just the best electronic piece of music ever written. Then Confusion the Waitress, Air Towel, Pearls Girl, Banstyle/Sappys Curry.....it's just the best....all of it is magic. The lyrics too.....the lyrics!!