_The Altogether_: Classic or Dud?

DAN SEE THE LAYO AND BUSHWACKA THREAD.

(also have you heard the new Underworld, it's very dubnobasswithmyheadman meets muzikizum, not as fantabulous as their past work but still going to be very good from what I've heard, obviously without Darren Emersons holy touch they can never be quite the same)

Faves on this CD, so far: 1) "Tootled": The fact that it samples Tool had no sway on my preference;>; 2)"Doctor?": old "Doc Who" memories...;3) "Funny Break (One Is Enough): sweetest chill-out song I'd heard in ages.

If you don't like it, at least I can't be found. Heh;>

[Another recommendation from them: "Belfast". Had to go on Audiogalaxy to hunt this down, but an absolute gem.]

Tim: Morrissey is also a twat, yet I love most of the stuff that The Smiths have put out. Maxwell is King Twat XXXI, yet his version of "This Woman's Work" is incredible. I don't think that "Illuminate" would work half as well without Grey's vocal cutting through those lovely synth burbles.

The second disc is great, but I already had all of the tracks on it between singles and MP3s.

I traded off my copy a few weeks back.

But The Altogether era is over now - take a listen to Technologiski Park, a new track that'll appear on the XXX soundtrack... proper STORMING old-school Orbital Brown Album/Middle of Nowhere stuff. A real return to form that everyone should listen to as soon as possible.

Revive.

This review of Wonky - http://www.fmvmagazine.com/?p=6627 - posits The Altogether as "known for its raw, challenging edge". I've not listened to it in probably a decade; is it due a reevaluation?

"raw" as in undercooked, "challenging" as in challenging to like, "edge" as in borderline.

I seem to recall Funny Break (One Is Enough) being very pleasant in a focus-group-designs-an-Orbital-single way.

I seem to recall thinking the vocals were rubbish.

I mean I love - who doesn't - the inventive and wonderful wordless or at least impenetrable vocals in Halcyon and Sad but True. Funny Break was just some shit rhyming couplet repeated ad nauseam, with some wailing in the background.

I seem to recall Funny Break (One Is Enough) being very pleasant in a focus-group-designs-an-Orbital-single way

yep - I always loved that track. not as immersive as their past attempts in that vein but it's a lot catchier. the Altogether isn't really a terrible album. if you combine the two discs there's probably a solid hour of good material. and "Tension" is pretty damn amazing.

There shouldn't be any words on Orbital tracks but Funny Break does better than most. The only other tracks I have any interest in going back to are Meltdown, which is fantastic, the Doctor Who thing and Last Thing.

the tracks on disc 2 that aren't remixes are all pretty good. wish they were on the actual album.

oh man I had COMPLETELY forgotten about "Meltdown", how is that even possible