On the shelf 074: Chumbawamba
Jul. 14th, 2012 10:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedsitter23As you likely have heard Chumbawamba have called it a day.
Frequent visitors here know that I am a big, big fan of the band.
Because of my ties with college radio, i was already familiar with them by the time "Tubthumper" hit. I remember first hearing that song, and thinking equal parts "It's incredibly brilliant" and "This band will never get played on the radio".
After the success of Tubthumper. I, of course went back and made myself familiar with the back catalog, and then had to run out and see the anarchic (in more ways than one) live show (Cheers GarbageCanMusic!).
Three years later, they made WYSIWYG which I thought finally captured the band perfectly. Although, by then, the pop run had ended. four years after that, the most recognizable members of the band (Alice Nutter, Dunstan Bruce, Danbert Nobacon) left, but the band continued in on in a new direction. headed by the core of three long-time members of the band, they ditched the electro-pop they were known for, and embraced folk, acoustic music and a capella.
Even then 21st century Chumbawamba was as innovative as always (and they often showed up on my Year End best-ofs). The Boy Bands Have Won and ABCDEFG are the best of this era.
Before the split, though, they left us with one last disc. The band had collaborated with the aggit-prop Red Ladder theater company to put together a production called Big Society! with Phil Jupitus in a starring role.
A lot of hype was made that this was a departure for Chumbawamba, but I really didn't think so. There always seemed to be a love for music hall in Chumbawamba, and a an appreciation for per-rock n roll era music (they made an album called English Rebel Songs 1381-1914 to drive that point home).
I like the music a lot. It is certainly Chumbawamba, and it's a brilliant idea (using the early 20th century to highlight the problems of the current day- ruthless bankers, gung-ho military leaders, xenophobia, class warfare, etc.).
I will warn you right away that this is certainly not for everyone, but some of you will appreciate it. The Big Society soundtrack is available on Amazon and elsewhere.
Frequent visitors here know that I am a big, big fan of the band.
Because of my ties with college radio, i was already familiar with them by the time "Tubthumper" hit. I remember first hearing that song, and thinking equal parts "It's incredibly brilliant" and "This band will never get played on the radio".
After the success of Tubthumper. I, of course went back and made myself familiar with the back catalog, and then had to run out and see the anarchic (in more ways than one) live show (Cheers GarbageCanMusic!).
Three years later, they made WYSIWYG which I thought finally captured the band perfectly. Although, by then, the pop run had ended. four years after that, the most recognizable members of the band (Alice Nutter, Dunstan Bruce, Danbert Nobacon) left, but the band continued in on in a new direction. headed by the core of three long-time members of the band, they ditched the electro-pop they were known for, and embraced folk, acoustic music and a capella.
Even then 21st century Chumbawamba was as innovative as always (and they often showed up on my Year End best-ofs). The Boy Bands Have Won and ABCDEFG are the best of this era.
Before the split, though, they left us with one last disc. The band had collaborated with the aggit-prop Red Ladder theater company to put together a production called Big Society! with Phil Jupitus in a starring role.
A lot of hype was made that this was a departure for Chumbawamba, but I really didn't think so. There always seemed to be a love for music hall in Chumbawamba, and a an appreciation for per-rock n roll era music (they made an album called English Rebel Songs 1381-1914 to drive that point home).
I like the music a lot. It is certainly Chumbawamba, and it's a brilliant idea (using the early 20th century to highlight the problems of the current day- ruthless bankers, gung-ho military leaders, xenophobia, class warfare, etc.).
I will warn you right away that this is certainly not for everyone, but some of you will appreciate it. The Big Society soundtrack is available on Amazon and elsewhere.
