Yeah, I know, dance electronica is supposed to be deader than dead. But the Chems were probably the best of the mainstream bands during the late ninties and one of the very few that actually released entire albums of excellent stuff. Song to a Siren still sounds great in my car to me...

Anyway, they have a new album coming out in two weeks. Advance notice seems very positive. Their last two albums were ok (Surrender was actually pretty good), but this album is being marked as the Official Return To Form.

Here's an article about it:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co....429849,00.html

I hope it is more like their first album. That album is fantastic start to finish.

There aren't too many electronica/techno albums I can take (Leftfield's "Leftism" and "Vegas" by Crystal Method are the other two), but it would be nice to hear something like their first album.

First, by using the clumsy term "dance electronica", I presume you are referring to house music. Second, I believe you are from Chicago? I can assure you that house music is alive and well in Chicago.
Also, you should seek the Chems studio version of "Song To The Siren". The one on the album is a live version.
Jon

That's a big 10-4, Professor.

Sid, thanks for mentioning Leftfield! I had never heard of them before (having lived part of the last 10 years under a rock) though I had heard of CM. Going to give them a try...

-Gunshy

No problem. I think "LEFTISM" is probably my favorite electronica/techno/whathaveyou album. I can play that thing nonstop over and over again. Its a shame that they aren't together anymore.

Chemical Bros. is house music now???

Just picked this up last night and loaded on the iPod. Listening to it now. So far it seems pretty good.

Others have mentioned its a "return to form". I'm not sure a "return to form" is a good description. After reading early reviews I was expecting some block rockin beats type of sound. Its different than their "Dig your own hole" and earlier efforts. It's alot "dancier" with some of the grit and what not taken off. However having said that, its a really well produced and put together disc. They seem to be able to blend the musical elements better now, rather than relying and one or two good hooks.

It also has just the right amount of bass. Enough to shake the walls, but not so much thats its obnoxious. I mean this cd kicks ass even in the POS stereo in my car.

Overall.....a solid 4 out of 5.

I'm a little wary of this, NME really ragged on this and gave it a pathetic rating of 4 (out of 10). At some point this week I hope I can make it over to Tower and give it a listen before I plunk my money down.

Looking forward to hearing this, all I gotta do know is wait for the library to get it in.

I'm going to jump in and agree with what everyone said about Leftism. It kicks ass. I got it a while ago and still give it a spin every so often. Vegas and Tweekend have to be my fav CM CDs too.

I'm going to have to download a couple of the tracks off this Chemical Brothers CD before I decide to buy it or not. I don't mind that's more "dancier" then their more big beat stuff. Star Guitar is one my favorite songs by them.

I heard some tracks from the new cd at Tower Records the other nite. I liked what I heard. But I've liked most of the stuff they've done and i've yet to buy any of their cd's.

I like the album, I just didnt care for "Believe" and "Left Right".

I don't like the singing in "Believe" and "Left Right" really sounds like a rap song

I'll have to give it some a few more spins in the future so i can come up with solid overall opinion on the album.

It took me a few listens to finally get into the Ohgr albums and now i love them.

yea, i agree, i dont like LEFT RIGHT either. that and one other track is skipable in my opinion, but the rest is really tight and solid.

LOVE track 5.

Thank you for the recommendation.
Somehow I had previously missed out on this group.

Not the narrow definition of house meaning 4-to-the-floor, wailing divas, cowbells, and 808 kicks, but house as a general umbrella for all dancefloor-oriented rhythmic tunes. Sorta like when people refer to techno without meaning Juan Atkins, 303 squelches, or "Strings Of Life". Ya know?

As for the new Chems album....whoa. For reference, I'm obsessive about, and have hoarded dance music since the spring of 1989. My brother produces breaks and has releases on 3 worldwide labels, and I have every original Chems track and release including all the EP's from the Dust Brothers era. Let me say that this new Chems album is singlehandedly the most disappointing release I've heard (from anyone) since Song to the Siren blew my skull off in 1993. Absolutely disappointing, embarassing almost. Do yourself a favor, track down the Abe Duque remixes of Galvanize and leave the rest on the cutting room floor where it belongs.
Jon

I really like the song "The Boxer" (REALLY LIKE IT) but i do listen to it and get a "Daft Punk" vibe from the intro.

I had a similar thing with one of the later songs where i was thinking that either the intro or a certain part of the song sounded like something Orbital would do.

Yikes! You've convinced me.

I've only listened to it twice so far and pretty much like it except for the first song "Galvanize"....something about it really gets on my nerves.

[QUOTE=Sid Ceaser] "Vegas" by Crystal Method QUOTE]

Excellent CD!

****************

Have any of you guys heard of the British band called Curve? They are great: very dark/dance/somewhat industrial on some songs.

I just picked up the new Chemical Brothers album, but haven't had a chance to pop in it yet - it was cheap enough on sale for a "impulse" purchase.

Slightly diverging a bit, is anyone here a fan of the band "Delerium"? Not really a bad per se, it's one of the guys from Skinny Puppy and something else I think - but, anyway, I really love everything they have done since the early '90s album "Karma". They make good use of guest female vocalists.

I'm noticing that most of my favorite electronica albums all happen to have been released around the same early 90's time period. Hoom. Strange.

I'm also a big fan of a band called "Mono". Their album was called "Formica Blues", and they had the song "Life in Mono" featured on the Great Expectations soundtrack from the mid 90's. They kinda came and went, and I never found out about any other albums from them.

I'm kinda shocked that techno is kinda falling by the wayside - you would think as digital music technology gets more advanced, guys like Leftield and Crystal Method would survive and create really good stuff. But instead they break up, or make less than stellar albums.

I'm digressing.

Leftism was one of my favorite CDs. I was on a road trip about 4 years ago, and my discman (with the Leftism CD inside) fell out of the car at some gas station in BFE Wyoming. Of course, I didn't realize the discman was missing until a stop in Salt Lake City.

I like the new Chemical Brothers album. Not as good as some of the other releases, but still good.

Mine tend to be mostly from the early to mid 90's. My quest as far as aquring music at this point is findig the first Apollo 440 album and some (old skool) Technotronic.

I remember them. I don't know if they had another album.

I liked Underworlds last album...i admit their live album gets more play simply because "Juanita/Kiteless" is awesome live.

And i have yet to be unhappy about any Daft Punk album (except ALIVE 1997).

We have a chain of used stores in my area called Turn It Up! music. Mostly located in Mass, NH, and VT. They usually carry all european versions of cd-releases. THey have the 2 disc version of Leftfield's "Leftism" that has a bonus cd of remixes and stuff. Prices are usually right around 8 bucks for the set.

Their website is horridly out of date, and doesn't reflect their inventory very well (both the Vermont and Keene NH store had the 2 disc Leftism cd, but the website says it doesn't find anything by that name), so if anyone is in this area, you might find some good suprises.

Make sure you check out the 5 dollar box by the register - sometimes good stuff finds its way into there as well.



Daft Punk *thumbs up*

Finally bought this album. IMO, the best Chems album since Dig Your Own Hole. Very consistent and great beats. Best track: "Surface to Air".