Never Never Land
UNKLE
Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker, 3D, Josh Homme
Producer: Richard File, Antony Genn
Global Underground (USA), 2004
1 CD
Catalogue #: 4012
EAN: 0828272140121
UPC: 828272140121
You save: 20%
UNKLE: Richard File (vocals, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, programming); James Lavelle.
Additional personnel include: Joel Cadbury (vocals, acoustic guitar); Ian Brown , Josh Homme, Robert Del Naja (vocals); Patrick Byrne (guitar, piano); Jimmy Hogarth (guitar); Antony Genn (piano, synthesizer, background vocals); Brian Eno (synthesizer, sound effects); Jarvis Cocker (synthesizer); Mani (bass guitar); Shawn Lee (drums); Richard Flack (programming); Graham Gouldman, Beccy Byrne, Melissa Jacques (background vocals).
UNKLE's long-awaited 2004 follow-up to 1998's PSYENCE FICTION sees DJ Shadow M.I.A. and mainstay James Lavelle instead employing longtime party pal Richard File, who replaces Shadow's loping, doom-laden vibes with something a bit more psychedelic and free-floating. A plethora of stellar guests solidifies the new sound, including Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja (the synth-laden "Invasion"), Jarvis Cocker and Brian Eno (the 4 a.m. paranoia of "I Need Something Stronger"), and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme (the urgent "Safe in Mind [Please Take This Gun from Out My Face]").
"In a State" is a smooth, groove-heavy track, with File crooning a refrain that seems like it finally escaped from some mid-1990s dance-floor. Even some Stone Roses get thrown into the mix, with vocalist Ian Brown and bassist Mani reuniting on "Reign." The range of styles and moods here is impressive, considering that it all comes together with the epic scope of a soundtrack to some film too cool to ever be released.
Tracklist
UNKLE
Formed in the mid '90s, trip-hop act UNKLE was started by the owners of the U.K. electronica/dance label Mo' Wax, James Lavell and Tim Goldsworthy, with turntable ace DJ Shadow on board as well. The group's success was brought on by a cerebral yet highly fun mix of hip-hop beats, woozy jazz samples, and high-profile guest lists that included at various points Ian Brown, Mike D., Thom Yorke, and Josh Homme among many others. UNKLE's 1998 debut full-length, PSYENCE FICTION, is a classic of the illbient/turtablism sound. Lavelle, along with a rotating cast of collaborators, released two more full-lengths under the UNKLE name, including another star-studded affair in 2007's WAR STORIES. Goldsworthy, who left UNKLE early on, founded the DFA record label in 2001 with American James Murphy.
Brian Eno
Pick almost any forward-looking trend in rock and you're likely to find that Eno blazed the trail. Beginning in the 1970s, Eno pioneered everything from art-rock to ambient music to sample-based electronica. His career began with Roxy Music, where he broke new ground with his synthesizer work. From there he went on to an illustrious solo career full of innovative electronic music as well as classic rock-based albums like ANOTHER GREEN WORLD. Along the way he found time to produce landmark albums by the likes of U2 and Talking Heads.
Jarvis Cocker
Britpop icon and pop music bon vivant Jarvis Cocker first found fame with his band Pulp. Concurrent with Pulp's demise in the early 2000s, Cocker moved to Paris and engaged in all manner of hip artistic endeavors, musical and otherwise. In addition to Relaxed Muscle, his cheeky on-again/off-again dance project with Richard Hawley, Cocker kept himself busy musically with contributions to the soundtrack for HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, as well as the debut album by Charlotte Gainsbourg. Cocker released his long-awaited debut solo album, JARVIS, in 2006 on Rough Trade.
