19. The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole
April 27, 2010
The Chemical Brothers. You could say that these guys were the first “arena” techno artist. You could also say that Daft Punk was, maybe The Prodigy. I’m not going to say either, but its been said, and I think that it deserves to be pointed out. This album did win them a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance though (for Block Rockin’ Beats). Techno/Electronica has more subgenre’s than rock music does probably, but if The Chemical Brothers were going to be stuck in a sub-genre, it would be big beat electronic dance. (Thanks to Wikipedia for that, because I couldn’t think of one to stick them in)
You can read my Aphex Twin post if you want to know how I listen to techno for this blog. I don’t complain repetitiveness, because its supposed to be. This album I didn’t have to go find on a streaming site or go buy, because I actually already have this one. I have never listened to it critically before though, so I’m interested on what I will notice.
Block Rockin’ Beats – This song samples Schoolly D. (had to look that up, because I couldn’t figure out who that was) They won a Grammy for this for a reason. Hearing this live must be amazing. One thing I love about the Chemical Brothers is that they are so unique. I can’t think of another artist(s) that has they same sound as them. Even copy cats can’t pull it off.
Elektrobank – I don’t even know what to say about this one besides that its amazing. If you guys listen to this album, you need to wear headphones to hear the ridiculous turntable work.
Setting Sun – Noel Gallagher (of anti-Oasis fame) does the vocals on this. It definitely adds something different to the performance. I like this one, and it deserves to be mentioned.
It Doesn’t Matter – this is my least favorite on the album. I know that techno is repetitive, but listening to a slightly annoying robotic voice telling me “it doesn’t matter” wears on my nerves just a bit.
Where Do I Begin – This is my favorite on the whole album. It’s not normal, not just for the Chemical Brothers, but for the techno genre. It’s a mix of acoustic and electronic, and it’s absolutely lovely.
I love it when I already own the album that Tom Moon suggests in his book. Makes me feel like my personal taste in music isn’t so terrible. And quite a few times during this project, music that he suggests becomes part of my taste. But I’ve learned that one should never close themselves up to a genre as a whole or decide they dislike an artist or album before they give it a chance, you may be in for a surprise.
