Is Underworld innovative?

[Future Proof]

Well? are they??

[BrotherLovesDub]

Originally Posted by Future Proof

push boundaries

I'm so sick of 'pushing boundaries' as a requisite for good music. Why does a band that's been at it almost 3 decades need to push boundaries? You do realize that there was nothing on Beaucoup Fish that pushed boundaries right? I assume you weren't listening to all the other stuff around at the time that was actually pushing boundaries. Underworld have never, NEVER been about pushing boundaries and to hold them to that standard is a fools game. Combining pop and techno? Been done long before Underworld, long before Dubno. Underworld are not and have never been innovators. They've just been damn good at combining the right elements in making dance music you could sing along to.

[dubman]

i think the term is pretty loose in general. whenever people said it i never took it to mean for music in general, but defined within their own progression. and there is a feeling that they've taken to "doing their version" of existing directions many bands have taken, (lets make an album like a movie score! let's make a really pop one!) whereas AHDO for all of its faults cant really be described as easily.

ultimately i dont care too much because "pushing boundaries" joins other meaningless phrases like "soundscapes" or "musical journey", and there are people who think they do that for real, so yr basically right. just perspective i guess

[cacophony]

i totally disagree with the assertion that they've never been innovators.

also, no one could ever accuse you of playing softball with your opinion, BLD.

[BrotherLovesDub]

Originally Posted by cacophony

i totally disagree with the assertion that they've never been innovators.

also, no one could ever accuse you of playing softball with your opinion, BLD.

Give me what, in your opinion, is the clearest example of Underworld being innovators.

[dubman]

the more i know about music from whatever era any underworld album came out, the more i see the different strands they've pulled from to make their own thing. it wasnt moving any genres anywhere, just moving blocks around in people's heads.

[cacophony]

what specifically are you looking for? a single track or single moment in their career that you could point to and say, THERE IT IS? because good luck identifying that moment for any musician. music is all about influence and being influenced and even innovators will draw upon influences.

but just to use a sacred cow as an example, STITI was innovative. yes yes yes, you can point to all kinds of musicians sharing the landscape that were moving in a similar direction, but UW crafted a sound that was distinctly different and more evolved than their previous release and they packaged it with an intelligence that superseded their contemporaries.

[cacophony]

Originally Posted by dubman

it wasnt moving any genres anywhere, just moving blocks around in people's heads.

excellent summary.

[Future Proof]

Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub

I'm so sick of 'pushing boundaries' as a requisite for good music. Why does a band that's been at it almost 3 decades need to push boundaries? You do realize that there was nothing on Beaucoup Fish that pushed boundaries right? I assume you weren't listening to all the other stuff around at the time that was actually pushing boundaries. Underworld have never, NEVER been about pushing boundaries and to hold them to that standard is a fools game. Combining pop and techno? Been done long before Underworld, long before Dubno. Underworld are not and have never been innovators. They've just been damn good at combining the right elements in making dance music you could sing along to.

I assume you wouldn't know what music sounds like when it raises the bar. Otherwise you wouldn't be claiming that dubno and stiti didn't bring something different to the table.

[dubman]

BLD has listened to every record ever made