Product Description

While the band's previous album retreated from the carefully arranged popcraft of DIG YOUR OWN HOLE towards more familiar in-the-mix DJ territory, the Chemical Brothers once againprove themselves masters of the studio on SURRENDER. Thingsopen on an upbeat, infectious note with "Music: Response", a track powered by tinny, bleeping synth effects straight out of Kraftwerk's "Pocket Calculator". Eminently danceable breakbeats and surging synth lines are consistent elements of SURRENDER--the Brothers haven't abandoned their techno roots--but the arrangements are structured with more than dancingin mind.
The varying timbres of the electronics, the dynamic range of the funk-derived rhythms, and the character ofthe spoken and sung voices that pop up throughout the albumall contribute to SURRENDER's listenability. The album's second half even ventures into neo-psychedelic balladry on "Asleep From Day" and "The Sunshine Underground", with gently loping beats and swirling keyboards. "Dream On" recalls the Beth Orton contributions to DIG YOUR OWN HOLE with its folky acoustic guitar strumming, gently panoramic arrangement and '60s folk-rock structure. It is the contrast between club-oriented beats and spacey artistry that makes SURRENDER a success.

Track Listing

1. Music Response
2. Under The Influence
3. Out Of Control
4. Orange Wedge
5. Let Forever Be
6. Sunshine Underground
7. Asleep From Day
8. Got Glint
9. Hey Boy Hey Girl
10. Surrender
11. Dream On

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24532 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-21
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Chemical Brothers released their third album with their status as one of the UK's most exciting bands unassailable. Surrender, managed to enhance their already burgeoning reputation, drawing on the talents of a formidable array of celebrity collaborators including Missy Elliott, Oasis' Noel Gallagher and Bernard Sumner. The Brothers shifted their attention away from hip-hop breaks towards more traditional 4/4 beats, but their unique blend of visceral energy, inventive melodies and eclectic samples remained unaffected. "Out Of Control", featuring the fragile vocals of Sumner, sounds like New Order on stronger drugs, before erupting into a groovy, guitar-studded monster not dissimilar to many of Underworld's offerings. The fairytale chords and Oriental chimes of "Sunshine Underground" provide a refreshing change in direction, while Mercury Rev's Jonathan Donahue makes a refreshing appearance on the psychedelic rock finale, "Dream On". Surrender is a deeply satisfying album from a band who grow from strength to strength. --Ed Potton

Customer Reviews

100% fantastic
What an album! Great for getting ready for a night out, blasting in the car, or pretty much anytime when you want to feel good.
classic

Their Best.
Surrender is, for me, the album that defines the The Chemical Brothers, and builds on the exceptional production of Dig Your Own Hole. Surrender has mellower moments than Dig, but still contains belters such as "Music: Response", "Out of Control", "Hey Boy Hey Girl". These tracks demonstrate the Chemicals' ability to zap your mind and body of emotion, and absorb you completely in terrific, pumping dance music. But this is no ordinary dance album, for its musical nuances, beats and imagination make it a cut above the rest. "The Sunshine Underground" grows satisfyingly, and "Asleep From Day" and the title track provide tranquil moments to balance out the heavy, thumping drive of tracks like "Under The Influence". The Chemicals are at the top of their game here, losing their way with their next two albums, but, fortunately, back to their best on We Are The Night.

Pschdelic beats
The Chemical Brothers, unlike too many dance acts, weren't satisfied with sticking to the same formula. So where "Exit Planet Dust" was more of a big-beat album (note how many tracks are called "(something) Beats"), and "Surrender" is more of a techno album (see "Elektrobank", "Setting Sun" with it's beat pinched from The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "Doesn't Matter), "Surrender" is more of a pschdelic album. It's less about the rhythm and more about differing colours, rhythms and timbres.

So "Music: Response" opens things up with a tinny sound, relieved when the bass rumbles in. "Under The Influence" is quite cold, as is "Out Of Control" - they seem to be more about the texture of the sound rather than the stomping beats of old. This however really does work on the key tracks, "Let Forever Be", with it's very Beatlesey bassline and on "Sunshine Underground" which shimmers and vibrates with a delicious delicacy. Then there's "Hey Girl Hey Boy", which is the dancefloor-filler, but it's more a disco tune than a techno slammer.

Overall, it's an interesting album, which stretches the boundaries of dance music, but takes it away from what made it (and the Chemical Brothers) successful in the first place - kicking beats, funky rhythms, meaty hooks.