The Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night
Aug 14, 22:01 by Stefan KoopmanschapI’ve been a fan of The Chemical Brothers ever since finding out about them through either Setting Sun or Block Rockin’ Beats (I can’t really remember which). It opened my eyes through a completely different type of music in a period where house was my main choice. The refreshing sound that Tom and Ed brought helped me discover a lot of different music.
However, starting with Surrender and continued on Come With Us, they didn’t convince me anymore. Their sound became much more commercial, and it seemed they were simply aiming their music at the mass market. Then came Push The Button. Their sound remained in a more commercial direction than their earlier material, however, their music had it’s own identity again, was able to convince me again. To grab me again.
From this history I came when I first got a hold of We Are The Night, their latest album. It seems they’ve continued their work of Push The Button on this album, with a little less refreshing and a little more repeating. The sound it still quite commercial, but instead of refreshing their sound, they start borrowing from the older material, using older styles in a new coat. Now, this at first may sound a bit negative, but I definitely don’t mean it that way. We Are The Night is still able to convince me and grab me as Push The Button did. All Rights Reversed, Saturate and Do It Again are convincing in their house style. A Modern Midnight Conversation has a very nice Donna Summer-ish disco sound to it, however borrows back to the bassline also used in Out Of Control. Das Spiegel and Battle Scars have a more electro/synthpop sound to them, that I haven’t really heard before in the Chemical Brothers’ music but I care little for to be honest. The Pills Won’t Help You Now is a ballad, that even though it sound different does remind me of Where Do I Begin. Where Do I Begin, however, had the advantage of Beth Orton helping out in the vocal parts.
Even though the above does list some similarities with earlier music or reasons I might not like it, except for Das Spiegel and Battle Scars I really like what I’m hearing on this album. And then we’ve not yet talked about two tracks that I want to highlight.
First of all, a 2:25 minute track called Harpoons. Beautiful ambient, a style I’m not used to from The Chemical Brothers that they prove to handle very well. Beautiful, atmospheric material. Maybe they should do more of this!
And then, the track I can’t stop listening to. It’s cheesy, highly commercial, but so damn good! Of course, I’m talking about The Salmon Dance. Funny vocals, a beautiful sound reminiscent of The Neptunes, catchy melodies. It has everything in it to become big. BIG. It’s a great track that I’ve heard way too little on the radio so far!
So yes, this album is amazing. Where with Surrender and Come With Us the exceptions were the good tracks, now we’re back to a period where the exceptions are the lesser tracks, and the rest of the album is solid. Give me more of this!
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