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Album Review
by SaschaS
24-1-2005
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More on: Chemical Brothers
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| ChemBros: 'Push da Button'; that simple? |
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Chemical Brothers: 'Push The Button'
(Freestyle Dust/Virgin)
Chemical Brothers: Ed’n’Tom diversity show goes on
It is hard to believe it is 11 years since Chemical Brothers burst out of the UK’s underground scene and they are on album number five. [The previous four sold in the excess of 8 million units.] And yet, ‘Push The Button’ doesn’t sound tired, recycled, clichéd… for the best part.
On ‘Push The Button’, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons try once again to demonstrate that beat-based innovation, inspired collaboration and sheer sonic excellence are their stock-in-trade. And, it is a fact - sporadically… The lead single 'Galvanize' is a Middle Eastern-flavoured powerhouse that grabs you by the limbs, soul, attention… Featuring A Tribe Called Quest legend Q-Tip, it is the most instantaneous song on the album.
The strongest moments on the album are the rap ones, the current No.3 UK hit and ‘Left Right’, with Anwar Superstar, brother of Mos Def, on the mike: it is a political stomper featuring angry anti-war rhymes. The funky-rocker ‘Believe’ features Kele Okereke, singer with hot new art-rockers Bloc Party; something like Talking Heads through a Kraut-mincer.
Old sparring partner Tim Burgess [of The Charlatans] disappoints on 'The Boxer' but there are Chemi Bros’ chill-out moments… First, ‘Close Your Eyes’, that recalls the psychedelic spirit of the duo’s past collaborations with Mercury Rev and Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips; this time, their creative partners are the emerging/tipped The Magic Numbers, the double-sibling foursome who have been causing all manner of fuss on the London gig circuit. You can hear their Mamas & The Papas-type harmonies recorded here first...
Later on there is a track that remind us of Tangerine Dream, then - the slow-building ‘Surface to Air’… This is the Chemical Brothers in 2005, in command of variety of genres but - Gothic… The point being that the word has no connection to the Goths but is derived from the Greek goetic which means - magical (action). We could do with more of it…
Thus, in the world were mediocrity is the supreme ruler, the Chemical Brothers rise above the average… Alas, it may not be to the standard they set a wee bit earlier… [Or, as courageous as LCD Soundsystem on his title-less debut; review on Weds.]
Solid but not anthemic; Milky Way seems further this wintry night...
7/10
SaschaS
6-2-2003
The Chemical Brothers’ album ‘Push The Button’ is released 24 January 2005 by Virgin
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