Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

(Originally written in the 'Barking (Track by Track)' thread, then cut out of the thread and turned into a discussion about innovation, and now cut out of that thread and turned into the general thoughts/overview thread that you're about to read. Links to the former thrads are at the bottom.)

I don't feel like doing a track-by-track review, as I don't want to have to describe what the differences in the tracks are.

The problem with this album is that there's only one song that really tries to push boundaries and academic UW tendencies instead of stay in a safe spot. Louisiana is the unlikely song on the album, in particular an album that owes as much if not more to Kylie Minogue and Madonna as it does sweaty warehouse floors and heady art shops. Initially I was unpleasantly surprised that such a melancholy, serious affair would close this album out, but the more I hear it, the more that I'm struck with how good it is. It shows RnK in a different light, is daring and even though I feel that they could have exercised more discretion when recording the vocals, the little breaks and fluctuations in Karl's voice are honest and real. This I feel is what some reviewers talked about when they were saying that straight-forward lyrics were a surprising fit for UW, as the only thing remotely abstract about the lyrics are the metaphors that are fairly clear to understand in the song's context.

This is a well enough and enjoyable (note this!) album but the problem is that anyone could have made this album, whereas with any of the other studio releases from MK2 and MK3 one could ever claim that. Then again, after listening to the atrocity of OWB I can't help but wonder if at this stage that the boys are played out to the point that they just can't write a solid hour's worth of music for an album anymore. But even then, OWB was honest. Just call this album "UW and friends" to get it over with, and let's see if I'm right or wrong when the outtakes album becomes available.

A harsh review, but an honest one. This is maybe the best album since Beaucoup Fish, not as good as DUBNO and certainly not as good as STITI, but those albums are tough acts to follow.

A thread concerning Underworld's innovative qualities (or lack thereof) can be found here, if you'd like to participate in it: http://www.borndirty.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17092

A thread with deeper, track-by-track synopses can be found here: http://www.borndirty.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17065

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

after hearing the samples of the demo versions, the songs sound nearly as completed (or possibly better on a few) before the DJs got in the mix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnoAqwvQdbg

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

Ahahaha - I totally disagree about OWB being an 'atrocity' - I love it. Then again it's a 'love it or hate it' type of album, so I can understand. But totally agree about "Louisiana".

But wasn't this album meant to be like - a collaborative thing with other artists and full of songs that would sound brilliant live? In that context, the rest of the songs make perfect sense. If they meant to push their sound to a different level, then...in that light, the album would fail.

So technically...this album wasn't supposed to be like the most innovative thing ever, but just an album filled with good vibes? If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me. Yet in a way, they haven't really collaborated with other artists like this before. So in a way, that's them...experimenting...in that sense. Or maybe I'm reaching for straws there. In each album they try something new in the aspect of the process of making it. And I think Barking, in that sense, follows that trend.

And can someone tell me how "Moon In Water" involves High Contrast? Because I, as an avid listener of his, have no freaking clue WHERE his sound is through the entire song. I just hear Underworld.

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

Can someone split this thread again into a discussion on musical atrocities and what The Hague plans on doing about them?

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

I always loved that name; I always felt that any city that had "the" as the first part of the name had to be pretty cool. :)

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

This demonstrates that High Contrast has what it takes to be the best kind of producer, as opposed to a remixer.

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

OWB an atrocity? huh. get new ears. srsly. OWB is underrated. Its better than the new album anyway. And I dont think my opinion on that will change with repeated listens.

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

I don't necessarily think that's true...yes, this does have a kind of "generic" sound in places, a lot of standard 4/4 beats and predictable build-ups, but that doesn't mean anyone could have made it. There are a lot of albums by The Fall that are very structured and safe sounding and yet they are unmistakably The Fall...this album is unmistakeably UW. If you know any albums that sound like this one please point me to them!

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

Lol, my opinion's not going to change with repeated listens either. ;)

Re: Barking -- Some general thoughts
 

Would have to say Barking is a lot better than OWB.

IMO