Track Listing

1. Conversation Intercom
2. Saturday
3. When logics die
4. Much Against Everyone's Advice
5. Overweight Karate Kid
6. Proverbial Pants
7. More Than This
8. Too Many DJ's
9. Temptingly Yours
10. Scream
11. Funny

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23076 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Thank Beck, but modern-day alternative rock is all about fusion. On Much Against Everyone's Advice, Belgian electronic funk-punk rockers Soulwax are horribly eager to keep all posts covered, and if they never quite achieve the kitsch majesty of Mr Hansen's Midnite Vultures, then at least on the juddering techno workout of "Conversation Intercom", or the Black-Sabbath-gone-hip-hop beat-fest of "Too Many DJs" they add a whole new spin to the conveyor-belt of MTV-friendly angst. The problem is, over the length of Much Against Everyone's Advice, it never seems to be quite enough. There's too many understated interludes--see the eminently forgettable likes of "More Than This" and "Scream"--to make Much Against Everyone's Advice any more than a entertaining diversion. It seems that even in Soulwax's cutting-edge super-futuristic worldview, there's room for an inordinate amount of filler, and in its attempt to claim every genre under the sun, Much Against Everyone's Advice spreads itself too thin. --Louis Pattison END

CD Description
Like Oasis, AC/DC, and the Kinks before them, Soulwax revolves around two brothers, guitarist David and singer Stephen DeWaele. Their debut album, MUCH AGAINST EVERYONE'S ADVICE, is a blend of rock stylings, cool dance beats, and traces ofelectronica. The title track is a perfect example of what the band is about, as it opens with a funky drum machine beatbefore rocking out with real drums and hard, crunching guitars. Other highlights include "Overweight Karate Kid", "Too Many DJ's", and the sort-of Jeff Buckley tribute called "TheSalty Knowledge of Tears". F.Y.I.--the brothers are also a world-famous DJ duo, playing in clubs around the world as the Flying DeWaele brothers.

Customer Reviews

undeniable potential indescribably unfulfilled.
"They are one of the best live bands around at the moment"....there we go then, that's got the obvious out of the way. Soulwax are an amazing live band and the Dewaele brothers are fine DJ's, but 'Much Against Everyone's Advice' doesnt really put this across. The maverick singles are all there, 'Conversation Intercom', 'Too Many DJ's' and the title track itself, all reminders of what got you interested in Soulwax in the first place, and what led you to witness the avalanche of style and sophisticated Belgian quirkiness that is their live show. Reminders of why you spent hours trawling the internet for those bootleg remixes of Beck, Skeelo and the Prodigy that represent the fruits of the Dewaele's disc-spinning prowess. But they are not on this album, nor is the exquisite live version of Prince's 'Pop-life'. You dont get a free strip-light mic stand with every purchase and Steven Dewaele wont come round your house and play keepy-uppies like he did at V2000 last summer. So what do you get? Well have no fear, despite what you may think on your first few listens, this is not 3 singles + 8 fillers, the other tracks on the album could almost be arranged on a sliding scale between 'pure' Soulwax and 'ballad mode' Soulwax, with 'Too many DJ's' at one end and 'When logics die' at the other. "Ballads!" I hear you cry....why yes, but despite the clumsy seeming lyrics and the 'is this meant to be ironic?' factor, Much Against Everyone's Advice does reward repeat listenings, with 'Funny' and 'Saturday' really defining Soulwax's sound. So should you buy it? Go and see them live and you will have no choice, but fear not, you wont regret it, even if it is just because you have secured ownership of a piece of memorabilia connected to the best Belgian band in the world.

grower.
I first heard of Soulwax when I saw them support The Wannadies?! They clearly blew them out of the water, and every other band that followed them on their many festival appearances that year (2000). After getting this album I had to wonder whether I had been a bit too drunk on those occasions. It seemed to contain none of the power that I had remembered, and I was disappointed by how flat it all sounded. Anyone who's seen them live will contest that the human breakbeat solo of the recorded version of Too Many Dj's pales in comparison to what they did live.
Despite this I still listened to the album (rarely) because I really liked one or two songs off of it. Then by late 2001 I realised it was getting played at least a couple of times a week (Just kind of crept up on me.) so I have to admit it, every cut on this record is really good and as a whole I love this album. It still pales when compared to their live work, but they are an exceptional live act - kind of remind me of The Who who are my favourite band, I love every album but none of them match up to my live recordings.
If you like guitar music with intelligent lyrices, then you need to own this record.

Soulwax saved my life from everyday chart music. THANK YOU!
Another fantastic album from across the seas. This band is a must see/hear phenomenon that has surely become a serious artifact in the indie/rock scene. With each and every song pleading to convince you how much personal input the group are letting out, it is no wonder why it is recommended being "Much against everyone's advice". If it is Conversation Intercom with it's hard hitting, honest rock that takes you to some splendid chord movements that send you humming along to for days, or if it is Too Many DJ's with it's stylish combination of rock and dance that took the words right out of my mouth, with new boundry breaking ideas and plausible harmonies and melodies, this selection is surely one of the best alternative albums of the year and is sure to take a whole new outlook on indie/rock music. Highly recommended! The perfect antidote to anyone who suffers from boy and girl band syndrome. A winner!