The album title partially derives from the transition of the duo from their previous incarnation, The Dust Brothers, following a law suit from the Beastie Boys collaborators of the same name. They selected Chemical as the replacement term after their song 'Chemical Beats', off this album. This, the group's debut LP, reached number 9 in the UK charts, and made some headway in the US too. The band subsequently became something of a behemoth, including winning three Grammys and a Brit, and are still producing records.
Leave Home is an absolute 90s dance classic. The vocal sample drips with utter self-assuredness, and the crescendoes and guitar licks are wonderfully fresh. It has a lot of depth, and never feels repetitive. In Dust We Trust starts out as a real ripsnorter, but loses its way slightly; there are still some pretty tasty drops in there though. The smooth slide into Song to the Siren, which combines siren like voices with an actual siren. If this is an accurate taste of a live Chemical Brothers performance, then I can imagine it would be quite the experience. After that the album ends up being moments of audacious brilliance, surrounded by more moments awaiting these. For example, Three Little Birdies Down Beats has the Fifa sample that absolutely takes me back, but were it not for this, the use of a phaser to vary the sound over and over again is a bit boring. Fuck Up Beats could let the drums off the chain, but doesn't, and so it flatters to deceive. Chemical Beats lacks sufficient beatage, Chico's Groove lacks the necessary groove. One Too Many Mornings is a bit more interesting, with its vocals and unusual sound effects ebbing and flowing nicely. It's a decent chillout, morning after the night before kind of track. Life is Sweet has a great beat, but the vocals leave me a bit cold, although Chloe really enjoyed it.
Overall, I really enjoyed a few tracks off the album, but it didn't really stand up to repeated listens as a whole body of work. Whilst the concept of a dance album can really work, Underworld being an example who get it right, it can just sounds like a collection of catchy beats, nice piano/guitar lines, and snappy samples. This album falls slight victim to that, and whilst I'm sure the energy of a buzzing crowd would carry you along when listening to it live, just listening to it at home it can't quite generate enough momentum to carry itself off for its 50 minute duration.
Chloe's album rating: 6
Chloe's favourite track: 9. Life is Sweet
Olly's album rating: 6
Olly's favourite track: 1. Leave Home
Next week we're rolling with 966. Fishscale by Ghostface Killah. Yes, I used that phrase. Yes, I apologise unreservedly.
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