Bam's Music Reviews: War Stories (Unkle, 2007)
I'm Bam. I like possums, I like music! Let's get into it~
War Stories is a trip hop album from the musical group UNKLE. Originally released through the now defunct label Surrender All (which happened to be ran by UNKLE!) in late June of 2007, the album happened to be the final release of the third incarnation of the music group, along with the final album involving Rich File, who had been with the group since their debut album in 1998, Psyence Fiction. Much like every other album by the group, many of the songs featured popular artists from the alternative and electronic scene of the time, including Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age), 3D (Massive Attack) and Ian Astbury (The Cult). I've been a casual fan of UNKLE for about six years now, and songs from War Stories happened to be some of the first ones I was introduced to. It's only fitting, then, that I'm tackling this album as the first one from their repertoire! Without further ado...
This album is quite the monster in terms of size, featuring anywhere between 15 and 17 songs depending on which version you might be listening to, and clocking in at anywhere between 70 and 86 minutes in length! For this particular review, I will be referring to the Spotify release of the album, and I will not be mentioning the two remixes of "Burn My Shadow", as I'm mainly focusing on the core tracks on the album.
One of UNKLE's strongest suits when it comes to making trip hop specifically is how they incorporate a feeling of melancholia into their songs. While bands like Sneaker Pimps certainly did other aspects better, this album features some incredibly depressing tunes in it, such as "Price You Pay". Richard File's quiet baritone vocals really serve to give many of the songs that extra emotional push to really bring the tears out, while "Hold My Hand" has him take on a more monotone sound to better help convey the dark message about trying to seek comfort while in the throws of drug-induced disassociation. However, that isn't to say that the album lacks energy, far from it. "Crystal", the album's lead track, serves as a perfect opener, mixing dark orchestral strings with fast drum beats and a fat, fuzzy bassline. "Morning Rage" is one of my favorite ones from the album when it comes to this aspect, being an energetic song encouraging people to rise up, giving me somewhat similar vibes to "Uprising" by Muse from The Resistance.
Now, I hate to be the guy to rain on another vocalist's parade, particularly when it comes to incredibly talented people like Rich is. But let's be real here: it wouldn't be an UNKLE album if the features didn't absolutely steal the show, and boy do the steal it here! Every single one of my favorite tracks from this recording happen to have features on them. Y'know, I think I can see why Rich decided to leave the project after this album... No track on the album conveys this feeling than the most popular track from the album, "Burn My Shadow", featuring Ian Astbury from The Cult.
"Burn My Shadow" is... a beast. It's my favorite track on the album, and the second best track UNKLE has ever put out, right behind "Rabbit In Your Headlights" from Psyence Fiction. The loud, banging drums, the quiet jingling of the glockenspiel, the rough and plain acoustic guitar all mixed in with Astbury's voice brimming with emotion serves to make a song that has such an effect that it's hard to put into words just how good the track really is. It's definitely not a perfect album (some of the mixing could be more balanced, particularly with the electric guitar seemingly peaking), but it's easily one of the best trip hop tracks I've listened to in years.
Many of the other features also do an amazing job on this record. "Keys To The Kingdom", featuring Gavin Clarke from Clayhill, does what "Hold My Hand" sets out to do, only just, well.. better! Clarke's voice fits perfectly to a song detailing someone noticing the beauty of the world while under drugs and letting it take him over. "Persons & Machinery", featuring the band Autolux, is a dissonant and melancholic track brought up strongly by the vocals of the singer Carla Azar. Special mention also goes to the final official track of the album, "When Things Explode", once again featuring Ian Astbury (that man is so wonderful!). The track is a quiet and slow tale trying to raise the spirits of those the world has utterly wrecked. It's another track that instinctively brings a tear to my eye.
Of course, the album does have some... less than special tracks to it. "Mayday" featuring the band The Duke Spirit really doesn't feel like it fits with the other tracks, really sounding like a Muse track in a somewhat unfitting way. It also gives me similar feelings to works of The Black Angels, which, again, don't exactly fit this album that well. "Twilight", featuring 3D of Massive Attack fame, feels oddly underproduced compared to the rest of the album, which would be understandable if it was a track from MA, but it ends up feeling a bit flat here. That being said, there's more good here than bad, by a long shot.
War Stories is definitely not UNKLE's best work, but comparing to their previous albums and the stuff they would end up putting out later, I still highly recommend this album! It's a very nice mix of alternative rock sounds with traditional trip hop goodness, with many people from all over the sphere pitching in to create an unforgettable experience. Tissues and alcohol are highly recommended for this one!
War Stories is a trip hop album from the musical group UNKLE. Originally released through the now defunct label Surrender All (which happened to be ran by UNKLE!) in late June of 2007, the album happened to be the final release of the third incarnation of the music group, along with the final album involving Rich File, who had been with the group since their debut album in 1998, Psyence Fiction. Much like every other album by the group, many of the songs featured popular artists from the alternative and electronic scene of the time, including Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age), 3D (Massive Attack) and Ian Astbury (The Cult). I've been a casual fan of UNKLE for about six years now, and songs from War Stories happened to be some of the first ones I was introduced to. It's only fitting, then, that I'm tackling this album as the first one from their repertoire! Without further ado...
This album is quite the monster in terms of size, featuring anywhere between 15 and 17 songs depending on which version you might be listening to, and clocking in at anywhere between 70 and 86 minutes in length! For this particular review, I will be referring to the Spotify release of the album, and I will not be mentioning the two remixes of "Burn My Shadow", as I'm mainly focusing on the core tracks on the album.
One of UNKLE's strongest suits when it comes to making trip hop specifically is how they incorporate a feeling of melancholia into their songs. While bands like Sneaker Pimps certainly did other aspects better, this album features some incredibly depressing tunes in it, such as "Price You Pay". Richard File's quiet baritone vocals really serve to give many of the songs that extra emotional push to really bring the tears out, while "Hold My Hand" has him take on a more monotone sound to better help convey the dark message about trying to seek comfort while in the throws of drug-induced disassociation. However, that isn't to say that the album lacks energy, far from it. "Crystal", the album's lead track, serves as a perfect opener, mixing dark orchestral strings with fast drum beats and a fat, fuzzy bassline. "Morning Rage" is one of my favorite ones from the album when it comes to this aspect, being an energetic song encouraging people to rise up, giving me somewhat similar vibes to "Uprising" by Muse from The Resistance.
Now, I hate to be the guy to rain on another vocalist's parade, particularly when it comes to incredibly talented people like Rich is. But let's be real here: it wouldn't be an UNKLE album if the features didn't absolutely steal the show, and boy do the steal it here! Every single one of my favorite tracks from this recording happen to have features on them. Y'know, I think I can see why Rich decided to leave the project after this album... No track on the album conveys this feeling than the most popular track from the album, "Burn My Shadow", featuring Ian Astbury from The Cult.
"Burn My Shadow" is... a beast. It's my favorite track on the album, and the second best track UNKLE has ever put out, right behind "Rabbit In Your Headlights" from Psyence Fiction. The loud, banging drums, the quiet jingling of the glockenspiel, the rough and plain acoustic guitar all mixed in with Astbury's voice brimming with emotion serves to make a song that has such an effect that it's hard to put into words just how good the track really is. It's definitely not a perfect album (some of the mixing could be more balanced, particularly with the electric guitar seemingly peaking), but it's easily one of the best trip hop tracks I've listened to in years.
Many of the other features also do an amazing job on this record. "Keys To The Kingdom", featuring Gavin Clarke from Clayhill, does what "Hold My Hand" sets out to do, only just, well.. better! Clarke's voice fits perfectly to a song detailing someone noticing the beauty of the world while under drugs and letting it take him over. "Persons & Machinery", featuring the band Autolux, is a dissonant and melancholic track brought up strongly by the vocals of the singer Carla Azar. Special mention also goes to the final official track of the album, "When Things Explode", once again featuring Ian Astbury (that man is so wonderful!). The track is a quiet and slow tale trying to raise the spirits of those the world has utterly wrecked. It's another track that instinctively brings a tear to my eye.
Of course, the album does have some... less than special tracks to it. "Mayday" featuring the band The Duke Spirit really doesn't feel like it fits with the other tracks, really sounding like a Muse track in a somewhat unfitting way. It also gives me similar feelings to works of The Black Angels, which, again, don't exactly fit this album that well. "Twilight", featuring 3D of Massive Attack fame, feels oddly underproduced compared to the rest of the album, which would be understandable if it was a track from MA, but it ends up feeling a bit flat here. That being said, there's more good here than bad, by a long shot.
War Stories is definitely not UNKLE's best work, but comparing to their previous albums and the stuff they would end up putting out later, I still highly recommend this album! It's a very nice mix of alternative rock sounds with traditional trip hop goodness, with many people from all over the sphere pitching in to create an unforgettable experience. Tissues and alcohol are highly recommended for this one!
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