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Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
For some dumb insomnia reason I counted the number of tracks I like on each album and scored it like a school test. For example, I like every song on Dubnobass, so that’s 9/9 or 100%. On Barking I like four out of nine tracks, and 4/9 is 44%.
So here are Underworld’s albums ranked from most to least favorite as determined by science. Tie: Dubnnobasswithnyheadman - 100% Second Toughest in the Infants - 100% Beaucoup Fish - 90% Oblivion With Bells - 73% A Hundred Days Off - 70% Barbara Barabra, We Face A Shining Future - 50% Barking - 44% |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
Do you include both discs for Barking, or just the 'main album'
Dubnnobasswithnyheadman - 8/9 (I just can't 'get into' Surfboy) Second Toughest in the Infants - 8/8 = 100% What's funny, is that I didn't like the album at all when I first bought it. It wasn't until after I bought BF, and something clicked. I think I maybe just wasn't 'the right time'. I probably wouldn't have become a fan of UW had I not been up late one night watching Mtv, and saw the video for "Push Upstairs." Beaucoup Fish - 11/11 = 100% A Hundred Days Off - 7/10 = 70% Oblivion With Bells - this was a hard one for me, b/c it's a really great album, but I also feel that you need to be in just the right mood / headspace for a bulk of the album... 6/11 = 54.5% Barking - 7/9 = 77.8% Barbara Barabra, We Face A Shining Future - 4/8 (if you include 23 Blue) = 50% |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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BTW I didn’t like Surfboy either until the remaster, then it sounded like a brand new song to me. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
wow, fun! for Science! Here are mine and the songs I'd typically skip in (parentheses).
Bold highest score, Itals lowest score. 88% – Dubno: 8/9 (Surfboy) 87% – STiTI: 7/8 (Stagger; never did much for me) 90% – BF: 10/11 (Push Downstairs; I'd skip Shudder if I could :/) 80% – AHDO: 8/10 (Ess Gee, Little Speaker: i prefer the demo album to the released one with longer Twist and MoMove) 66% – OwB: 8/12 inc Loads of Birds (Crocodile, Boy Boy Boy, Cuddle Bunny, Cockerel) 70% – Barking: 7/10 Inc Simple Peal (Grace, Between Stars, Simple Peal) 75% – Barbara Barbara: 6/8 incl 23 Blue (I Exhale, Nylon Strung) |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
[puts on multi-lens glasses & zizek voice]
yesh but have you chried ranking eash track indivishually, zshen calculating zshe averagshe to get zshe mosht realishtic zhcore short version: Second Toughest in the Infants: 91% Dubnobasswithmyheadman: 82% Beaucoup Fish: 80% Riverrun: 75% Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future: 74% A Hundred Days Off: 66% Oblivion With Bells: 64% Barking: 42% even though this extremely scientific ranking takes a deep backseat to the rating i'd give out of personal sentiment/impact, there aren't too many surprises in here, even though this was fun to do. If I had more time I'd go by era to include b-sides/rarities --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dubno ---------- Dark & Long: 10/10, MmmSkyscraper: 9/10, Surfboy: 7/10, Spoonman: 8/10, Tongue: 8/10, Dirty Epic: 10/10, Cowgirl: 10/10, River of Bass: 8/10, M.E.: 4/10 Total: 74 / 9 = 8.222 = 82% Second Toughest -------------------------- Juanita: 10/10, Banstyle: 10/10, Confusion: 10/10, Rowla: 8/10, Pearl's Girl: 10/10, Air Towel: 10/10, Blueski: 8/10, Stagger: 7/10 (-2 points for the "cover your teeth..." part tbh) Total: 73 / 8 = 91.25 = 91% Tonight, Matthew, I'm Going to be Underworld ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cups: 10/10, Push Upstairs: 10/10, Jumbo: 8/10, King of Snake 9.5/10, Winjer: 7/10, Skym: 6/10, Bruce Lee: 7/10, Kittens: 6/10, Push Downstairs: 8/10, Something Like a Mama: 7/10, Moaner: 10/10 Total 88.5 / 11 = 8.04 = 80% AHDO --------- Momove: 7/10, Two Months Off: 8/10, Twist: 6/10, Sola Sistim: 4/10, Little Speaker: 9/10, Trim: 2/10, Ess Gee: 7/10, Dinosaur Adventure 3D: 6/10, Ballet Lane: 7/10, Luetin: 10/10 Total: 66 / 10 = 6.6 = 66% Riverrun ------------ Lovely Broken Thing JAL to Tokyo: 9/10, Billy Goat: 8/10, Peggy Sussed: 6/10, Dub Shepard: 8/10, Lenny Penne: 8.5/10, Monkey Witness: 7/10, Witness: 7/10 Total: 53.5 / 7 = 7.6 = 76% Pizza For Eggs Food A Ready: 8/10, Back in the Fears: 7/10, Vanilla Monkey: 10/10, (Skipping Flatz tbh), Ancient Phat Farm Coat: 8/10, Play Pig: 7.5/10 Total: 40.5 / 5 = 8.1 = 81% I'm a Big Sister And I'm A Girl, And I'm A Princess And This Is My Horse Peach Tree: 9/10, Mowed Path: 6.5/10, Showlder: 6/10, Wedge: 7/10, 11 Hundred Hz: 6/10 Total: 34.5 / 5 = 6.9 = 69% 226 / 3 = 75% Oblivion With Bells ---------------------------- Crocodile: 7.5/10, Beautiful Burnout: 9/10, Holding the Moth: 8/10, To Heal: 6.5/10, Ring Road: 2/10, Glam Bucket: 9/10, Boy Boy Boy: 0/10, Cuddle Bunny: 8/10, Faxed Invitation: 8/10, Good Morning Cockerel: 6/10, Best Mamgu Ever: 6/10, Loads of Birds: 6.5/10 Total: 76.5 / 11 = 6.38 = 64% Barking ------------ Bird 1: 7/10, ALAF: 4/10, Scribble: 3/10, Hamburg Hotel: 6/10, Grace: 5/10, Between Stars: 5/10, Diamond Jigsaw: 3/10, Moon in Water: 3/10, Louisiana: 2/10 Total: 38 / 9 = 4.2 = 42% Barbara Barbara ------------------------ I Exhale: 8.5/10, If Rah: 8.5/10, Low Burn: 6/10, Santiago Cuatro: 7/10, Motorhome: 5/10, Ova Nova: 9/10, Nylon Strung: 8/10, Twenty Three Blue: 7.5/10 59.5 / 8 = 7.4 = 74% |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
dunno why my post isn't showing up on the thread list but i'm too vain to let it disappear so i'm posting again
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
Holy shit. Dubman has thrown down the gauntlet. Will have to revisit.
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
Revelling in just how staggeringly different mine and dubman's opinions are. Excellent post.
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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Yeah i got a hint of that from your posts in the other thread i hijacked. plus my preferences have subtly morphed on their own over time. i wanna get in your head and see your list though! |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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Dubno ---------- Dark & Long: 8/10, MmmSkyscraper: 9/10, Surfboy: 6/10, Spoonman: 6/10, Tongue: 9/10, Dirty Epic: 10/10, Cowgirl: 7/10, River of Bass: 4/10, M.E.: 10/10 Total: 69 / 9 = 7.666 = 77% Second Toughest -------------------------- Juanita: 9/10, Banstyle: 10/10, Confusion: 6/10, Rowla: 4/10, Pearl's Girl: 9/10, Air Towel: 7/10, Blueski: 6/10, Stagger: 7/10 Total: 58 / 8 = 7.25 = 73% Beaucoup Fish ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cups: 9/10, Push Upstairs: 9/10, Jumbo: 9/10, King of Snake 6/10, Winjer: 8/10, Skym: 7/10, Bruce Lee: 8/10, Kittens: 6/10, Push Downstairs: 6/10, Something Like a Mama: 10/10, Moaner: 7/10 Total 85 / 11 = 7.7272 = 77% AHDO --------- Momove: 9/10, Two Months Off: 7/10, Twist: 6/10, Sola Sistim: 8/10, Little Speaker: 6/10, Trim: 7/10, Ess Gee: 9/10, Dinosaur Adventure 3D: 4/10, Ballet Lane: 8/10, Luetin: 10/10 Total: 74 / 10 = 7.4 = 74% Riverrun ------------ Honestly never paid attention to the separate 'tracks' (and don't even know what half of them are called), but I'd give Lovely Broken Thing an 8, Pizza for Eggs a 5 and I'm a Big Sister 8 probably. Lack of physicals mean it's also an era I know far less than the others. Oblivion With Bells ---------------------------- Crocodile: 7/10, Beautiful Burnout: 10/10, Holding the Moth: 9/10, To Heal: 8/10, Ring Road: 9/10, Glam Bucket: 9/10, Boy Boy Boy: 7/10, Cuddle Bunny: 7/10, Faxed Invitation: 8/10, Good Morning Cockerel: 10/10, Best Mamgu Ever: 10/10 Total: 94 / 11 = 8.5454 = 85% Barking ------------ Bird 1: 7/10, ALAF: 5/10, Scribble: 6/10, Hamburg Hotel: 7/10, Grace: 8/10, Between Stars: 3/10, Diamond Jigsaw: 8/10, Moon in Water: 4/10, Louisiana: 9/10 Total: 58 / 9 = 6.44 = 64% Barbara Barbara ------------------------ I Exhale: 8/10, If Rah: 8/10, Low Burn: 8/10, Santiago Cuatro: 4/10, Motorhome: 6/10, Ova Nova: 8/10, Nylon Strung: 9/10 51 / 7 = 7.28 = 73% The most obvious differences are M.E., Diamond Jigsaw, Louisiana, and the bulk of OWB. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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I'm also including the 2 previous UW LP's which obviously have fallen through the cracks... :D Underneath The Radar 50% (Call Me No. 1, Miracle Party, I Need A Doctor, Bright White Flame, The God Song) - Overall not a terrible release for the sound they were going for, however, I think Freur was a bit better. Change The Weather 30% (Fever, Mercy, Mr. Universe, Texas, Thrash, Sole Survivor, Beach) - This LP marks the end of a New Wave/Pop/Funk era and likely could have been the end of UW... dubnobasswithmyheadman 100% - Pivotal. Second Toughest In The Infants 100% - Going strong with a hard beats and thus reaching Techno King status. Beaucoup Fish 64% (Winjer, Skym, Kittens, Something Like a Mama) - I do like this whole LP, it was really when I got into them and I was fortunate enough to see them perform live when they came to the U.S. and played a show in Santa Monica, CA. It's what ignited my desire to see them every time I could when they make it out to the west coast. A Hundred Days Off 50% (Twist, Little Speaker, Ess Gee, Dinosaur Adv 3D, Ballet Lane) - Exit Emerson. As a duo, this LP was a test to their creativity and whether or not they could survive. It had some very strong tracks, which still stand as a few of my favourites. Oblivion With Bells 73% (To Heal, Cuddle Bunny..., Faxed Invitation, Good Morning Cockerel) - My % may be boosted because I included Loads of Birds, which should have been released on every version of OWB because it's one of their better tracks. Barking 60% (Hamburg Hotel, Diamond Jigsaw, Moon In Water, Louisiana) - Most of the tracks that I don't mind, I just feel like they would have been fine as a B-Side... You Do Scribble and some of the other River Run tracks would have been more successful had they been released w/this LP... IMO... Barbara, Barbara... 80% (If Rah, Santiago Cuatro) - I still rank it a 10 because Twenty Three Blue is absolutely amazing and Nylon Strung is still an instant repeat almost every time I play it. Well, this has been fun! |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
OK, I'll bite:
dubno: d&l: 10/10 | mmm skyscraper: 10/10 | surfboy: 8/10 | spoonman: 6/10 | tongue: 9/10 | dirty epic: 10/10 | cowgirl: 10/10 | river of bass: 8/10 | me: 7/10 total = 78/90 = 87% STITI: Juanita/Kiteless/TDOL: 10/10 | Banstyle / Sappys Curry: 7/10 | Confusion: 7/10 | Rowla: 5/10 | Pearls Girl: 10/10 | Air Towel: 7/10 | Blueski: 6/10 | Stagger: 7/10 total = 59/80 = 74% BF: Cups: 10/10 | Push: 10/10 | Jumbo: 10/10 | King of Snake: 9/10 | Winjer: 7/10 | Skym: 5/10 | Bruce Lee: 10/10 | Kittens: 9/10 | Push Downstairs: 2/10 | Something Like a Mama: 8/10 | Moaner: 9/10 total = 89/110 = 81% EE: not an album, but rating it just to give Nuxx no points out of spite Juanita / Kiteless: 10/10 | Cups: 10/10 | Push: 10/10 | Pearls: 10/10 | Jumbo: 9/10 | King of Snake: 10/10 | Nuxx: 0/10 | Rez/Cowgirl: 10/10 total = 69/80 = 86% AHDO: Mo Move: 9/10 | TMO: 9/10 | Twist: 5/10 | Sola Sistim: 3/10 | Little Speaker: 5/10 | Trim: 3/10 | Ess Gee: 2/10 | Dino Adventure 3D: 8/10 | Ballet Lane: 5/10 | Luetin: 6/10 total = 55 / 100 = 55% riverrun: not going to try to rate this, it's not an album OWB: Crocodile: 10/10 | BB: 10/10 | Holding the Moth: 7/10 | To Heal: 0/10 | Ring Road: 9/10 | Glam Bucket: 9/10 | BBB: 7/10 | Cuddle Bunny: 6/10 | Faxed Invitation: 9/10 | Good Morning Cockerel: 7/10 | Best Magmu: 8/10 (not including Loads of Birds because it was never part of the album for me, I got the JP version way later, and it wouldn't change the score anyway) total = 82/110 = 75% Barking: Bird 1: 7/10 | ALAF: 10/10 | Scribble: 7/10 | HH: 6/10 | Grace: 4/10 | Between Stars: 9/10 | Diamond Jigsaw: 0/10 | Moon In Water: 7/10 | Louisiana: 9/10 total = 59/90 = 66% BB: I Exhale: 7/10 | If Rah: 9/10 | Low Burn: 7/10 | Santiago Cuatro: 5/10 | Motorhome: 0/10 | Ova Nova: 8/10 | Nylon Strung: 6/10 | 23 Blue: 9/10 total = 51/80 = 64% ====================================== That puts my bythenumbers ranking at: dubno, BF, OWB, STITI, Barking, Barbara, AHDO |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
okay, so if we're ranking each individual song...
If a track gets a 10, does that mean we think that there's not a better edit or remix of the track? Or just that you really like it? And, if it's a track that you always skip - does that mean that it'd have to be ranked '5' or lower? |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
I was at that Santa Monica show! It started an hour late.
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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it's interesting because you don't seem to be into the quieter, textural tracks off their early albums as you are into their later ones. and for me that's almost completely flipped Quote:
SOME THINGS YOU DON'T GET TO KNOW. Quote:
.........huh. is hating on Nuxx really a thing? |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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It is for me I guess? All opinions subject to the whims of my idiosyncratic brain. |
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
Okay - this was harder than I thought it'd be... and plus I kept going "well, if I gave 'song A' an 8 then I can't give 'song B' an 8 too"
Dark & Long - 8 Mmm Skyscraper - 10 Surfboy - 2 (it only gets points for the last 3 minutes, but even that goes on a bit too long) Spoonman - 7 Tongue - 9 Dirty Epic - 10 Cowgirl - 10 River of Bass - 9 M.E. - 6 Juanita / Kiteless / To Dream of Love - 10 Banstyle / Sappys Curry - 8 (“Sappys Curry” goes on a bit too long) Confusion the Waitress - 8 Rowla - 7 Pearls Girl - 10 Air Towel - 6 Blueski - 8 Stagger - 7.5 Cups / Pins - 10 Push Upstairs - 10 Jumbo - 9 King of Snake - 6.5… although it’s hard for me to rank it, as it’s fantastic live… but it’s missing something on the studio version. Winjer - 7 Skym - 7.25 Bruce Lee - 8 Kittens - 7 Push Downstairs - 9 Something Like a Mama - 7 Moaner - 10 Momove - 8 Two Months Off - 9 Twist - 6 (prefer the early version, or the live version) Sola Sistim - 8 Little Speaker - 7 Trim - 3 Ess Gee - 7 Dinosaur Adventure 3D - 6 (prefer the RCM, or when they played it live) Ballet Lane - 4 Luetin - 10 Crocodile - 7 Beautiful Burnout - 8 Holding the Moth - 9 To Heal - 3 Ring Road - 9 Glam Bucket - 9 Boy Boy Boy - 5 Cuddle Bunny - 7 Faxed Invitation - 4 Good Morning Cockerel - 6 Best Mamgu Ever - 8 Loads of Birds - 7 Bird 1 - 9 ALAF - 5 Scribble - 4 Hamburg Hotel - 6.5 Grace - 7.75 Between Stars - 6 Diamond Jigsaw - 6.5 Moon in Water - 4 Louisiana - 5 I Exhale - 8 If Rah - 1 (the only version that I can stand is the Herbert remix) Low Burn - 7 Santiago Cuatro - 8 Motorhome - 3 Ova Nova - 6 Nylon Strung - 5 Twenty Three Blue - 10 |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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YOWZAH good to see another River of Bass fan though. i want more numbers so fringe patterns can come up and we can have, like, factions. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
I’m new to the forums and comparatively new to Underworld so I hope my feedback is of value, anyway here goes:
Dubnobass Dark & Long: 8/10, Mmm…Skyscraper I Love You: 10/10, Surfboy: 7/10, Spoonman: 6/10, Tongue: 8/10, Dirty Epic: 10/10, Cowgirl: 10/10, River of Bass: 7/10, M.E.: 10/10 76 / 90 = 84% STITI Juanita: 10/10, Banstyle / Sappy's Curry: 10/10, Confusion the Waitress: 7/10, Rowla: 6/10, Pearl's Girl: 10/10, Air Towel: 7/10, Blueski: 8/10, Stagger: 10/10 68 / 80 = 85% Beaucoup Fish Cups: 10/10, Push Upstairs: 7/10, Jumbo: 10/10, King of Snake 10/10, Winjer: 7/10, Skym: 7/10, Bruce Lee: 9/10, Kittens: 10/10, Push Downstairs: 7/10, Something Like a Mama: 8/10, Moaner: 7/10 92 / 110 = 84% AHDO Mo Move: 9/10, Two Months Off: 10/10, Twist: 8/10, Sola Sistim: 7/10, Little Speaker: 7/10, Trim: 4/10, Ess Gee: 5/10, Dinosaur Adventure 3D: 5/10, Ballet Lane: 6/10, Luetin: 10/10 71 / 100 = 71% OWB Crocodile: 9/10, Beautiful Burnout: 10/10, Holding the Moth: 9/10, To Heal: 8/10, Ring Road: 2/10, Glam Bucket: 8/10, Boy Boy Boy: 7/10, Cuddle Bunny Vs. Celtic Villages: 6/10, Faxed Invitation: 10/10, Good Morning Cockerel: 10/10, Best Mamgu Ever: 10/10 89 / 110 = 81% Barking Bird 1: 8/10, ALAF: 10/10, Scribble: 7/10, Hamburg Hotel: 7/10, Grace: 6/10, Between Stars: 5/10, Diamond Jigsaw: 6/10, Moon in Water: 6/10, Louisiana: 3/10 58 / 90 = 64% Barbara Barbara (inc. 23 Blue) I Exhale: 9/10, If Rah: 10/10, Low Burn: 10/10, Santiago Cuatro: 5/10, Motorhome: 5/10, Ova Nova: 10/10, Nylon Strung: 8/10, 23 Blue: 7/10 64 / 80 = 80% ------------------ In order: STITI, dubnobass / Beaucoup Fish, OWB, Barbara Barbara, AHDO, Barking Not too surprised by these results. I’ve only known the band for a few years (and dubnobass was released before I even was born) so I wonder if I would feel differently about certain songs if I’d grown up with them. Quote:
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
As fun as this is, and it is fun
And as much as I’ve exacerbated it, and I’ve absolutely done that. And as non-serious as it is, unless khouri is taking this very seriously indeed Rowla is a pretty good flashpoint to argue for The Album as beyond a collection of well or badly ranked tracks. I understand everyone being a bit down on it, but within the context of the/an album it’s a beautiful spot to stop the train and let this glide over and around you. Uncomplicated, subtle, not too exciting on its own but a great addition to the slate. Anyway onto the fan thing again |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
That's funny, because I find 'Rowla' really derails the album for me. It brings me out of the ambience of the rest of it.
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
I'll add to the stats/discussion:
Dubnobasswithmyheadman: Dark & Long: 8/10, Mmm…Skyscraper I Love You: 9/10, Surfboy: 6/10, Spoonman: 8/10, Tongue: 6/10, Dirty Epic: 10/10, Cowgirl: 10/10, River of Bass: 7/10, M.E.: 8/10 72 / 90 = 80% Second Toughest In the Infants: Juanita: 10/10, Banstyle / Sappy's Curry: 9/10, Confusion the Waitress: 7/10, Rowla: 7.5/10, Pearl's Girl: 7/10, Air Towel: 8.5/10, Blueski: 6.5/10, Stagger: 9/10 64.5/ 80 = 81% Beaucoup Fish Cups: 10/10, Push Upstairs: 9/10, Jumbo: 9.5/10, King of Snake 10/10, Winjer: 7/10, Skym: 7/10, Bruce Lee: 8/10, Kittens: 9/10, Push Downstairs: 7/10, Something Like a Mama: 7.5/10, Moaner: 9.5/10 93.5/ 110 = 85% A Hundred Days Off Mo Move: 9.5/10, Two Months Off: 9/10, Twist: 8/10, Sola Sistim: 7.5/10, Little Speaker: 7/10, Trim: 5/10, Ess Gee: 6/10, Dinosaur Adventure 3D: 9/10, Ballet Lane: 8/10, Luetin: 10/10 79 / 100 = 79% Oblivion With Bells Crocodile: 8/10, Beautiful Burnout: 9/10, Holding the Moth: 9/10, To Heal: 7/10, Ring Road: 6.5/10, Glam Bucket: 8/10, Boy Boy Boy: 5/10, Cuddle Bunny Vs. Celtic Villages: 5/10, Faxed Invitation: 10/10, Good Morning Cockerel: 7.5/10, Best Mamgu Ever: 8/10 83 / 110 = 75% Barking Bird 1: 8.5/10, ALAF: 8.5/10, Scribble: 8/10, Hamburg Hotel: 9/10, Grace: 6.5/10, Between Stars: 6.5/10, Diamond Jigsaw: 6/10, Moon in Water: 9.5/10, Louisiana: 6/10 68.5 / 90 = 76% Barbara Barbara We Face a Shining Future I Exhale: 7.5/10, If Rah: 9.5/10, Low Burn: 10/10, Santiago Cuatro: 6/10, Motorhome: 6.5/10, Ova Nova: 10/10, Nylon Strung: 9/10 59 / 70 = 84% So, 1) Beaucoup Fish @85% (no surprise) 2) BBWFASF @ 84% (somewhat of a surprise to me, but...science!) 3) STITI @81% 4) Dubno @80% 5) AHDO @79% 6) Barking @76% 7) OWB @ 75% (and that's not bad, i just don't really feel the more ambient tracks, whereas something like the I'm A big Sister... EP is just bliss). Fairly tight clustering, it seems. It all points to the fact that i really like most UW tracks, and there are just a few (Surfboy, Trim, Boy Boy Boy, Cuddle Bunny, Diamond Jigsaw, Louisiana, Santiago) that i'm ambivalent about, not even strongly disliking, just not my faves. Also through doing this, i note that for me, most records have a 2 or 3 song lull in the middle. Another observation...i was strongly influenced by nostalgia in this rating. Some tracks just bring memories that up the score. If i were to listen objectively today, certainly scores would change. And, like some of you, after seeing the scores, i immediately started questioning, second guessing and comparing. But that is manifestation of bias. Again, i like all of the UW mkii/iii releases...they just jockey for affection. |
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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"Air Towel" is good, but it goes on a bit too long, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was something started around the time of Dubno, but not finished until STITI As far as "Faxed Invitation" I don't know... it's not a terrible song, but I feel like... it'd almost be better if all of the sounds that are in the foreground were switched with the background stuff (and vice-versa) Now... "If Rah" ... To me, it sounds like someone doing a parody / soundalike to Underworld... like the lyrics remind me of when I'd play UW in my car, and my older sister would improvise her own lyrics to songs about what she'd see out the window (think: "Red hydrant Red hydrant, there's a car, and a dog" etc). It's also about 2 minutes too long, and is a bit monotonous. It's absolutely on my 'least favorite list' |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
Yeah, "Air Towel" and "Faxed Invitation" are two of my favorites from their respective albums. They're both sort of restrained, but I enjoy their groove.
Regarding "if rah", I'll admit and somewhat agree that the first few listens, I was concerned that this was UW by the numbers, and the "yeah, yeah, origin of numbers is a questionable hypothesis" and "Luna Luna Luna, in love with" bits at first blush are kind of cringey. But I take the album as an attempt to make interesting music unencombered by what Underworld had done previously, so I cut them some slack. Still, most of the song's lyrics are as obscure/evocative as any, and I think the track has an excellent build. Re:Rowla... I'm not as excited by the LP version, though the live track rocks! Cherry Pie on STITI would have been bliss. Can I throw this unpopular opinion out there? I'm not really a fan of Pearls Girl anymore! I think I've heard it too many times. Yes, a classic and a banger, but the past few years, I'm just less interested. Tin There mix has stood the test of time better. Further, at least NUXX live gets plenty of tweaks, whether in the intro or outtro jam. PG live versions mostly sound the same to me. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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oof, yeah. if you can get past this, then you're alright for the rest, which he does pretty well for. i also think the music is a very fine mix of elements that normally wouldn't work on me. it's classy and dramatic and just cheesy enough to be fun but not stupid Quote:
PG beat still does big work for me, but i see what you mean! It's a bit "shut up and play the hits" when live and the track has been ubiquitous enough elsewhere that it's not just itself anymore. Tin There i used to obsess over, but i still don't understand why it spends the back half coasting [on what, exactly?] after cresting like that. boring! my pick for standing the test of time is the 14996 version. it feels fast, vivid, which has more to do with its dynamism than literal speed. all the classic imagery immediately pops up too Quote:
it's a dimension, not a derail! |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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found these kind of interesting. stagger is a beautiful track absolutely smeared by some poor lyrical choices, but that's just imo. i don't think we've talked much about it here but Dino 3D. what a weird moment that was. the first sign that something was coming off the rails for me. the vocal treatment, the serviceable.. everything. the lyrics. such a dud track for me that i couldn't even hate it, it was just this lump in the middle of an album. didn't understand why it came all the way to us. seeing someone rate it highly makes me wonder if there's a different angle to it than the one i always assumed. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
let's check in on my most hated track of theirs:
Boy Boy Boy: 7/10 BBB: 7/10 Boy Boy Boy - 5 Boy Boy Boy: 7/10 Boy Boy Boy: 5/10 mmm. too high. far too high. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
It's funny to see such different opinions. Here's mine (using joethelion's template :D )
Dark & Long - 9 Mmm Skyscraper - 8 Surfboy - 9 Spoonman - 10 Tongue - 9 Dirty Epic - 9 Cowgirl - 8 River of Bass - 9 M.E. - 7 Juanita / Kiteless / To Dream of Love - 10 Banstyle / Sappys Curry - 10 Confusion the Waitress - 8 Rowla - 9 Pearls Girl - 8 Air Towel - 10 Blueski - 10 Stagger - 9 Cups - 10 Push Upstairs - 7 Jumbo - 8 King of Snake - 6 Winjer - 9 Skym - 9 Bruce Lee - 6 Kittens - 7 Push Downstairs - 5 Something Like a Mama - 10 Moaner - 9 Momove - 9 Two Months Off - 5 Twist - 7 Sola Sistim - 6 Little Speaker - 8 Trim - 5 Ess Gee - 1 Dinosaur Adventure 3D - 5 Ballet Lane - 5 Luetin - 10 Crocodile - 5 Beautiful Burnout - 5 Holding the Moth - 7 To Heal - 8 Ring Road - 6 Glam Bucket - 3 Boy Boy Boy - 5 Cuddle Bunny - 7 Faxed Invitation - 10 Good Morning Cockerel - 9 Best Mamgu Ever - 9 Loads of Birds - 9 Bird 1 - 5 ALAF - 3 Scribble - 2 Hamburg Hotel - 8 Grace - 7 Between Stars - 6 Diamond Jigsaw - 5 Moon in Water - 3 Louisiana - 2 I Exhale - 8 If Rah - 8 Low Burn - 10 Santiago Cuatro - 3 Motorhome - 2 Ova Nova - 8 Nylon Strung - 8 Twenty Three Blue - 10 STITI: 93 % Dubno: 87 % BF: 78% Barbara: 71 % OWB: 69% AHDO: 61 % Barking: 46 % Pretty much the order I had expected. Seems I'm the only one who thinks Ess Gee is downright awful. :rolleyes: :D |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
Seriously, what am I missing with Blueski? Everyone seems to score it highly but I honestly don't get it at all! When I get round to doing my scores it will get 0 as it is a waste of 3 minutes in my opinion! They could have put the full version of Rowla on STITI and squeezed in Oich Oich or Cherry Pie. I just don't get what everyone see's/hears in it? ����
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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Now, DA3D...I love this because it's a banger on a sometimes subdued record. Yeah, it's kind of a KOS retread, but I love that track and am fine with a relentless techno beast from time to time. Plus, when AHDO came out, I was doing a lot of 6-hour drives, and this record and Beaucoup Fish kept me alert and awake. Driving fast at night with Dino playing just seemed perfect. Really, Underworld has scored so much of my adult life, I can't help but associate tracks with specific, personal memories. Regarding Ess Gee and Blueski, and Santiago for that matter, I'm fine with Karl getting a little guitar noodling on record. He has such a textural sound and all of these tracks explore interesting takes on simple loops. I dunno, sometimes a breather in the middle is as good as a banger |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
like getting a slice of life bit after a bunch of set pieces. gives it space, something more everyday, and fits well into that world. they're not essential, but they're worth appreciating, and a good argument to feature, if an album is a statement.
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Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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I'll never get the hate Ess Gee sometimes gets. It's such a pretty little piece, and it's only a couple of minutes long. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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The cynic in me says they are fillers and just add an extra track number so a non-die hard fan may be tempted by a longer album! |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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that's kind of stupid, dude! |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
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It's just a thought I've had in the past and it's how it feels to me in the flow of the album. I wonder if it's a little trick like when the last track on album has a 'secret track' after the end of the last track but it's after a few minutes of silence so it makes the album seem a bit longer- eg Massive Attack 100th Window at the end of Antistar there's 10 mins of noise so when you put the cd in it looks 10mins longer than it actually is! I know I've got other albums from back then (that I can't remember right now) with similar things like that. Maybe (as it seems) my cynicism is totally off the mark but there always used to be/still are 'filler tracks' on albums and I just feel that Blueski is one and SQ on BBWFASF is another and I am really surprised at how much love it seems to be getting! |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
So, here is mine, following dubman’s template.
I actually listened to everything listed here while scoring, but I was not able to fully listen to Barking, I cannot help myself, I just don’t like it. Since I was at it, I also added my most listend to EP’s plus Teatime Dub Encounters (which I have not heard a whole lot, but do like) and Drift, because I listen to it the most right now. short version: Albums:
My Fav EPs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dubnobasswithmyheadman ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dark & Long: 8/10, MmmSkyscraper: 8/10, Surfboy: 7/10, Spoonman: 5/10, Tongue: 10/10, Dirty Epic: 6/10, Cowgirl: 7/10, River of Bass: 8/10, M.E.: 5/10 Total: 64 / 9 = 7.1111 = 71% Dark & Long (4 track ep) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hall's mix: 8/10, Dark Train: 10/10, Most 'Ospitable: 7/10, 215 Miles: 9.5/10 Total: 34.5 / 4 = 8.625 = 86% Dark & Long (6 tack ep) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dark & Long 7”: 8/10, Thing in a Book: 10/10, Spoon Deep: 8/10, Dark Hard: 9/10, Dark Train: 10/10, Burts: 9/10 Total: 54 / 6 = 9 = 90% Second Toughest In the Infants (Europe LE, 2 disks) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Juanita: 10/10, Banstyle: 10/10, Confusion: 10/10, Rowla: 10/10, Pearl's Girl: 10/10, Air Towel: 10/10, Blueski: 10/10, Stagger: 10/10 (Born Slippy (NUXX): 8/10, Rex 8/10) Total: 100% (With disc 2: Total: 96 / 10 = 9,6 = 96%) Pearls Girl (the US Version) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Pearl's Girl (Tin There): 10/10, Pearl's Girl (14996 version): 9/10, Puppies: 6/10, Oich Oich: 8/10, Cherry Pie: 10/10, Pearl's Girl (edit): 6/10, Pearl's Girl (album version): 10/10, Mosiac: 9.5/10, Deep Arch: 9.5/10 Total: 78 / 9 = 8.6667 = 87% Beaucoup Fish ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cups: 10/10, Push Upstairs: 10/10, Jumbo: 9/10, Shudder / King of Snake 8/10, Winjer: 6/10, Skym: 8/10, Bruce Lee: 7/10, Kittens: 10/10, Push Downstairs: 10/10, Something Like a Mama: 10/10, Moaner: 8/10 (I like the single “album version” better) Total 96 / 11 = 8.72 = 87.2% Everything, Everything ----------------------------------------------------------------- Juanita / Kiteless: 6/10, Cups: 6/10, Push Upstairs: 8/10, Pearls Girl: 10/10, Jumbo: 5/10, Shudder / King of Snake: 7/10, Born Slippy (NUXX): 7/10, Rez / Cowgirl: 6/10 Total: 55/8 = 6.875 = 69% (no surprise I hardly listen to it, I also like the DVD playlist better, but especially it feels too constructed and most of the trex are too close to the actual studio versions…) A Hundred Days Off ----------------------------------------------------------------- Mo Move: 8/10, Two Months Off: 10/10, Twist: 9.5/10, Sola Sistim: 8.5/10, Little Speaker: 10/10, Trim: 8/10, Ess Gee: 7/10, Dinosaur Adventure 3D: 10/10, Ballet Lane: 9/10, Luetin: 10/10 Total: 90 / 10 = 9 = 90% Riverrun ----------------------------------------------------------------- Lovely Broken Thing JAL to Tokyo: 10/10, Billy Goat: 8/10, Peggy Sussed: 6.5/10, Dub Shepard: 9/10, Lenny Penne: 10/10, Monkey Witness: 6/10, Witness: 8/10 Total: 59.5 / 7 = 8.5 = 85% Pizza For Eggs Food A Ready: 10/10, Back in the Fears: 10/10, Vanilla Monkey: 9/10, Flatz: 9/10, Ancient Phat Farm Coat: 9.5/10, Play Pig: 10/10 Total: 57.5 / 6 = 9.583333 = 96% I'm a Big Sister And I'm A Girl, And I'm A Princess And This Is My Horse Peach Tree: 10/10, Mowed Path: 9/10, Showlder: 6.5/10, Wedge: 8/10, 11 Hundred Hz: 10/10 Total: 43.5 / 5 = 8.7 = 87% The Misterons Mix Peach Tree: 9/10, Vanilla Monkey: 8/10, Lenny Penne: 8/10, Billy Goat: 9/10, Back In The Fears: 9/10, Play Pig (Pig & Dan mix 1): 10/10, Food A Ready: 10/10 Total: 63 / 7 = 9 = 90% Total: 35.783 / 4 = 8.94583 = 89.5% Oblivion With Bells ----------------------------------------------------------------- Crocodile: 7/10, Beautiful Burnout: 9/10, Holding the Moth: 10/10, To Heal: 3/10, Ring Road: 9.5/10, Glam Bucket: 8.5/10, Boy Boy Boy: 9/10, Cuddle Bunny vs The Celtic Villages: 10/10, Faxed Invitation: 8/10, Good Morning Cockerel: 6.5/10, Best Mamgu Ever: 9/10, Loads of Birds: 10/10 Total: 99.5 / 12 =8.29 = 83% Barking (both disks, because I like many trax on disk 2 much better) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Bird 1: 3/10, Always Loved a Film: 2/10, Scribble: 5/10, Hamburg Hotel: 7/10, Grace: 7/10, Between Stars: 4/10, Diamond Jigsaw: 0/10, Moon in Water: 5/10, Louisiana: 0/10, Simple Peal: 9/10 (Disc 2: Strumpet Groove: 6/10, Always Loved a Film (Lemonworld mix): 8/10, You Do Scribble: 7/10, Hamburg Hotel Essex: 9/10, Grace (Telematic Peal mix): 8/10, Between Stars (Lemonworld mix): 6/10, Diamond Jigsaw (demo mix): 0/10, Moon in Water (Lemonworld mix): 7/10, Louisiana (Jumping the Cran): 2/10) Total: 42 / 10 = 4.2 = 42% (Disc 2: Total: 53 / 9 = 5.8888889 = 59% Total: 95 / 19 = 5 = 50%) Barbara Barbara ----------------------------------------------------------------- I Exhale: 8/10, If Rah: 8/10, Low Burn: 10/10, Santiago Cuatro: 9/10, Motorhome: 8/10, Ova Nova: 6/10, Nylon Strung: 7/10, Twenty Three Blue: 10/10 Total: 66 / 8 = 8.25 = 82.5% Teatime Dub Encounters ----------------------------------------------------------------- Bells & Circles: 8/10, Trapped: 7/10, I’ll See Big: 6.5/10, Get Your Shirt: 7/10 Total: 28.5 / 4 = 7.125 = 71% DRIFT Episode 1 “DUST” ----------------------------------------------------------------- Intro (BYTWB): 6/10, Universe Of Can When Back: 9/10, Dexters Chalk: 10/10, Another Silent Way: 9/10, Low Between Zebras: 7.5/10, A Very Silent Way: 10/10 Total: 51.5/6 = 8.583333 = 86% DRIFT Episode 2 “ATOM” ----------------------------------------------------------------- Appleshine - Film Edit: 9/10, Molehill: 10/10, Threat Of Rain: 10/10, Brussels: 9/10, Soniamode: 10/10, Appleshine Continuum: 8.5/10 Total: 56.5/ 6 = 9.4166667 = 94% ----------------------------------------------------------------- While I could not listen to barking, I at least can now put my dislike into words: This sounds like Rick and Vince Clark tried to have a love child, but the outcome is a latter day Depeche Mode album (I love everything DM made till Ultra, there it just starts to hurt my ears) and I do still like Erasure a good bit, but not enough. Oh, my. [Edit:] I also own underneath the radar, and while I think it would easily get a 60 to 70% from me, I do not like to mix MK1 and 2. Its just to different and I do not have a digital copy at hand so I could not even listen. Ha. The 2nd one I have not heard, so, no opinions. |
Re: Determine Your Favorite Underworld Album - With SCIENCE!
.........huh.
is hating on Nuxx really a thing?[/QUOTE] Well, it is for me in a way. I got interested in Underworld because of it, but I never really liked it after listening to 2nd toughest. I would actually argue I like the Darren Price Mixes from the Double Single way better. And if original mix, then I would prefer the 2003 12'' edit. I would not give it a zero, but a solid 4. I listen to it in concerts, but sometimes I skip. |
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