The Chemical Brothers, “Further” (Astralwerks)
are such a creation of the electronic-music-loving ’90s that it’s hard to place them in 2010.
From their drug-hinting name to their big-beat sounds, the Chemical Brothers were the ’90s superstars/critical darlings of electronic music. They skipped clubs in favor of larger concerts and, eventually, headlining gigs at festivals. And while they’ve experienced highs and lows with their full-length releases and white labels, the group has been a consistent force in club culture and mainstream pop culture alike.
But Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands have been making music together for more than two decades, and while their music hasn’t changed all that much, a lot has changed in electronic music in that time.
To their credit, “Further” stays away from the sound du jour (dubstep, glitch- hop) in favor of their traditionally sweeping, occasionally dizzying house bangers. This record sounds like a Chemical Brothers joint. And they’re still having fun with the many sounds at their fingertips, focusing on original creations over samples — though the end of the 12-minute epic “Escape Velocity” more than borrows from the Who’s “Baba O’Riley.”
To their detriment, “Further” sounds like the natural follow-up to 1997’s “Dig Your Own Hole.” It’s sonically bright and adventurous, but do we need a back-to- basics record from the Chemical Brothers more than 20 years after they debuted on the Manchester club scene? — Ricardo Baca
Various Artists, “Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 34” (Universal)
Some would argue against reviewing compilations such as . After all, these are the ubiquitous, played-out songs that have ruled at radio.
But you can also make the argument that artists who land on “Now!” say something about our national head space, our general disposition. It’s mostly upbeat, and it’s all about the pop throughline.
“Now!” wants to make you move. And while many of these songs are redundant for pop music fans with a monthly iTunes budget of $30 or more, No. 34 is a semi- comprehensive look at what America prefers in the summer of 2010.
“Now!” is always fashioned like a mixtape, and this edition starts with pop-infused R&B and moves on through a hip- hop set to the pop and the rock and the country. Rihanna and Ke$ha are neighbors here, which makes sense. (They’re touring together this summer.) Ludacris and will.i.am make two appearances each, with their own tracks and via guest spots — Justin Bieber’s “Baby” for Luda and Usher’s “OMG” for Will. Colorado act OneRepublic makes the cut with its single “All the Right Moves.” And indie act Temper Trap makes a surprise appearance at the end with “Sweet Disposition.”
For “Now!” to make 34 releases, they must be doing something right. Is it regurgitation? Redundant? Ridiculous? Revisionism? Yes, but those are also cornerstones of pop music. — Ricardo Baca
Nada Surf, “If I Had a Hi-fi” (Mardev Records)
Far too many artists utilize cover songs as filler and miss out on the intended purpose of taking an old song and reworking it into something new.
latest, “If I Had a Hi-Fi”, takes a different tack in performing other artists’ songs by putting a refreshingly indie pop-rock spin on them. “If I Had a Hi-Fi” might not break new ground, but it highlights Nada Surf’s musical talents to take other artists’ material and make it their own.
The significance of the album lies in its unique selection as Nada Surf covers Depeche Mode, Bill Fox, Kate Bush and the Go-Betweens, to name a few. Nada Surf chose a good variety of songs from different genres as they pushed themselves here, though not all of them completely work as some of the slower numbers drag a bit, and Spoon’s “Agony of Lafitte” sounds a little too close to the source material.
Still, the band deserves credit for not simply sticking with acts that share their own musical style. “If I Had a Hi-Fi” does not satisfy like new material, but does serve as a whimsical treat. — Greg Stieber
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post. He is also the executive director of the , Colorado’s premier indie music festival. Follow his whimsies at , his live music habit at and his iTunes addictions at .
Greg Stieber is a Denver freelance writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
