Surrender

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Editorial reviews

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

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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.

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-01-21 rating:
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.

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review by: date: 2006-12-19 rating:
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.

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review by: date: 2004-10-24 rating:
Great Album!
This is a great album and one of my favourites in my CD collection.

Music: Response - this song gets a bit tedious after about 3 minutes, but it has a catchy rhythm.

Influenced - Personally don't like this song, as I think it's extremely boring, the worst song on the album. It just seems to drag on for the entire 4 mins or so and so now I just don't bother listening to it!

Out of Control - Fantastic song, one of my favs on this album. It has a really catchy bass line which I found myself humming for days afterwards after the first time I heard it. The vocals could have been better though...

Orange Wedge - Again, a great song, with a catchy rhythm, especially the intro. The song varies throughout and doesn't get boring at all, another one of my favourites.

Let forever be - Another good song with a good intro and a fantastic bass line, again very catchy, the lyrics go well with it as well.

The Sunshine Underground - Some say this is the best song on the album? I personally disagree, but we each have our own opinions, I think it just drags on and on.

Asleep from Day - A calm song, with good lyrics, a good song if you like the slow quiet type songs as well, which I do.

Got Glint? - Great intro with a good rhythm throughout. Bass line is progressive and catchy.

Hey Boy, Hey Girl - This was the first ever song I heard by the Chemical Brothers, and this is what persuaded me to buy one their albums, so it is fair to say I think this is a great song!

Racing the Tide - This is another great song, another one of my favourites from this album. Throughout the song, there is the feeling of progression with good drum riffs and bass lines.

Dream On - Not a bad song, but not as good as some of the others. Vocals blend in well into the background, but the song does drag on a bit.

Overall, this is a fantastic album and I would reccommend it to anybody, wether they are current Chemical Brothers fans or just want to listen to some of their stuff!

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review by: date: 2004-02-25 rating:
Psychadelic Heaven
This is a masterpiece. Nothing less. I bought this album 3 years ago, its a timeless, inovative, and something that The Chems are famouse for, genre busting.

Like every album, there are always standout tracks, however all tracks on this cd are amazing, each song having its own personality to match whatever mood you are in.

The singles are very strong, Heyboy Heygirl charting the highest at number 3 in 99. The best track on the album however is The Sunshine underground, a Pink Floyd, Asian Techno explosion, pure hedonism.

Buy this, rite now, because this is a classic, THe chemical Brothers are without doubt the best dance group the industry.


review by: fuzzyfreak date: 2003-08-20 rating:
No, no, no, no, NO!!
I am sorry people but you can not deny the excellence of this album. I am still listening to it now, it has many uses - when I am down it'll pick me up, if I need some overlay music for a home video I go to this album first, if I am down the gym pumping iron then this will keep me going til I drop. If an album is so versatile and can stand the test of time (let's face it, what percentage of your total collection do you still listen to regularly? - 5% ?) If it can pull out many emotions and can be enjoyed at any volume then it has to be a top album right?

what are you hesitating for?

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