REVIEW: Chumbawamba, Tubthumper (Republic/Universal)
- Simon West
That's right - that song. One of the most unlikely hits in recent months comes from one of the most unlikely sources. Chumbawamba have been around for more than ten years, but chart success has eluded them up until now. They'll need another hit now, of course. Unfortunately, Tubthumper seems to be equipped with just the one.
Tubthumper kicks off with "Tubthumping" - that song. The success is thoroughly deserved - an absolutely classic chorus, and overall the best lager-related chant since Underworld's "Born Slippy". The stated definition of Chumba's Tubthumping is "... stumbling home from your local bar, when the world is ready to be PUT RIGHT...", and the music and lyrics convey this attitude well.
As every article about the band has pointed out, as "England's Favorite Anarchists", Chumbawamba's lyrics tend to deal with social and political issues, and Tubthumper continues the tradition. The usual activist topics are all represented, from homelessness and exploitation of the workers, to Britain's new government in the rather good next single, "Amnesia".
Perhaps the biggest disappointment with Tubthumper is the mood overall. The music is pleasant - good hooks, nice bit of brass here and there, very tuneful, but largely forgettable. A couple of songs beside the single stand out - "One By One", dedicated to "to all workers who take on bosses", and the anti-racist "Scapegoat", but by and large it's all rather uneventful. Perhaps amiable catchiness is the best way to put your point across, but I like a little more aggression with my social commentary, whether it's the punk snarl and bile of Carter USM, the rage of the Manics, or even the hip-hop/Clash style of The 25th Of May (no, seriously, does anyone remember?) Chumbawamba hit this groove occasionally, notably on "I Want More" with its attack on the "tearoom England" of the upper classes, but elsewhere the lyrics are less effective because the music just won't let you get riled up enough.
By and large though, Tubthumper is a success - not least because of the lyrical content currently infiltrating even the dullest record collections around the world. A little more aggression might have made for a truly memorable album, rather than simply a good one. A final note - the album is significantly poorer without the booklet's accompanying set of quotes and comments. These had to be excised for legal reasons Stateside, but can be found in their entirety at The First Church Of Chumbawamba - http://www.chumba.com . Well worth checking out, which applies to the album as well.
