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Rating: I start by saying that I know nothing about UNKLE.
I only know that they have already released another full album (PSYENCE FICTION, 1998, for Island Records) and a plethora of EPs, singles, and remixes, that the duo was originally formed by James Lavelle - the boss of Mo' Wax Records - and Dj Shadow, and that after the latter's departure, Richard File joined, another expert manipulator of infernal machines. Not knowing the first album, I can only imagine it was infused with hip-hop and trip-hop sounds, given Dj Shadow's presence. Reading the bio on the internet, it seems it was just like that...
Instead, the matrix supporting NEVER NEVER LAND (Island) is made of decidedly spacey electro-rock.
With this album, UNKLE (aliens with cone-shaped skulls and pointed ears) take us on a long and winding journey through the "land of nowhere".
Do you recall the radio being turned on in SONGS FOR THE DEAF by QOTSA? It's like taking a ride in a Mustang across the Mexican border, right? Well, with NEVER NEVER LAND, it feels the same, only with a stellar spaceship on the edge of space... Metallic voices in the background, magnetic and throbbing sounds, electro-seminal interludes... the common thread linking the pieces is like a space-trip between supernovae and planets from other galaxies.
Expedition into the infinite space where it is possible to encounter seductive entities: a great Josh Homme on vocals in the compressed and slow Safe In Mind, Ian Brown and Mani of the Stone Roses in the sweet but harmonious Reign, 3D of Massive Attack in full mezzanine form in Invasion, Brian Eno and Jarvis Cocker unleashing their deadly kaos-ambient-synthesizers in I Need Something Stronger...
This strange, hypnotic journey continues smoothly, intriguing until the end, among the screamadelic Glow (with vocalist Joel Cadbury of South) and the beautiful concluding ballad Inside.
Interesting, complicated album, filled with details. Sumptuous electro-nu-prog-rock, absolutely to be listened to with headphones. Highly recommended for those who love music in its cosmic alterations.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Back and Forth (00:54)
What's it like...
to be back?
You see things in life
And you'd bit surprise what you see
Life, your whole life, is changes
You go through changes in your life
One second you've got it made
Next second, you're down in the dumps
And it goes back and forth
Throughout your whole life
One second you've got the most beautiful girl in the world
Next second, you don't even have a girlfriend no more
And it goes back and forth
And back and forth, you know?
And this is life, man, it's changes
This is what you gotta go through throughout your whole lifetime
I'm going through changes...
I'm going through changes...
I'm going through changes...
Never...
Never...
Land...
02 Eye for an Eye (05:45)
Even now in Heaven there were angels carrying savage weapons
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
Does our ruin benefit the earth?
Does it help the grass to grow?
The sun to shine?
Is this darkness in you too?
Have you passed through this Night?
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
Where you're going, you're not coming back from
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
This great Evil...
Where's it coming from?
How'd it steal into the world?
Who's doing this?
Who's killing us?
Mocking us with the sight of what we might have known
Run, run, run...
Run, run, run...
An eye for an eye...
A tooth for a tooth...
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
An eye for an eye...
A tooth for a tooth...
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide
(An eye for an eye...)
Are you righteous?
(A tooth for a tooth...)
Kind?
(Run, run, run but you sure can't hide...)
Does your confidence lie in this?
(An eye for an eye...)
Are you loved by all?
(A tooth for a tooth...)
Do you imagine your sufferings will be less?
(Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide...)
Because you loved goodness, truth?
An eye for an eye...
A tooth for a tooth...
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide...
Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide...
What are you to me?
03 In a State (06:59)
My mind is in a state
Cause all I seem to do is take my fate
Well I try a bigger space
But all the world are crushing at the gate
This time...
This time...
Reality's struck me between the eyes
My mind is in a state
As everything I miss it comes too late
So I try and disappear
To do there is only one way out of fear
This time...
This time...
Reality's struck me between the eyes
My mind is in a state
But all I need to do is change my pace
And I know there's fear to face
But happiness is fogging as embrace
This time...
This time...
This time...
This time...
This time...
This time...
04 Safe in Mind (Please Get This Gun From Out My Face) (06:21)
Don't you go to turn around
Under the moon and stars
Can you find where hides the love?
Breathing down your neck
Someone's found a way
Someone's found a way
Someone's found a way
Someone's found a way
Someone's found a way
Someone's found a way
Someone's found a way
Someone's found a way
I see the moon, the moon sees
All I do is twist in the breeze
Someone's found a way
To break into my mind
Someone's found a way
To break into my mind
Someone's found a way
To break into my mind
Someone's found a way
To break into my mind
(Someone's found a way...)
....to break into my mind....
Life's a gun that's always pointing
Life's a gun that's pointing in my face
Aaaahhhh...
Aaaahhhh...
(Someone's found a way...)
(Someone's found a way...)
(Someone's found a way...)
(Someone's found a way...)
Aaaahhhh...
Aaaahhhh...
Aaaahhh...
Someone's found a way...
Someone's found a way...
Aaaahhh...
Someone's found a way...
Someone's found a way...
(To break into my mind...)
(To break into my mind...)
I like...
The street, the smells
The sense of the underworld
Sometimes you come face to face with yourself
05 I Need Something Stronger (04:08)
And I wrote my happiest songs
Every child may joy to you
What's wrong?
Nothing but the real
It is you that needed something stronger
I need something stronger...
If you have a problem don't hesitate to ask for assistance
What's wrong?
What's wrong?
Nothing...
What's wrong...?
What's wrong...?
(What's wrong?)
Wha, wha, wha, wha, wha.....
Can you feel this?
What is that buzzing?
Are you now, or have you ever, moved slowly?
(I need something stronger)
(?????)
(???????)
(What's wrong...?)
(What's wrong...?)
What's wrong?
It's just a matter by you looking it, that's all...
07 Panic Attack (05:13)
As I juxtapose
Between lock and load
Gotta cut some slack
Between these back to back panic attacks
(Panic attack panic attack)
I love the madness
It's killing me
Our love is behind
And I'm so blind I cannot see
As I juxtapose
In between lock and load
Gotta cut some slack
Between these back to back panic attacks
(Panic attack panic attack)
I love the madness
It's killing me
Our love is behind
And I'm so blind I cannot see
I love the madness
08 Invasion (05:15)
Show them only
Flesh you needed
You want it for you too
Stares, stares that follow
Stares, stares that follow
They want it for you
Are you all that
You're cracked up to be?
We all want it for you
Sacrificial
Made for TV
Laughter's coming
And goodbye kisses
Gave him family
Pray your dream
Pray you're dreaming
Are you all that
You're cracked up to be?
We all want it for you
Are you all that
You're cracked up to be?
We all want it for you
Stares that follow
Friends to call on
Don't be desperate
Show them once
Sacrificial
Made for TV
Laughter's coming
Goodbye kisses
Pray you stutter
Pray it's not old
Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye
09 Reign (05:32)
I am the lightning, i am the heat
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, rain (reign) all day
I am the rain
I'm gonna reign this way again
I am the rain
I am the spy
Before the blade
I am the raindrop out at sea I cause
The ripples that becoming crashing waves
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, rain (reign) all day
I am the rain
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
I am the rain
I'm gonna reign this way again (this reign way again)
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, rain (reign) all day
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
I am the rain
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
I am the rain
10 Glow (04:18)
Out of all context and scenery
It shows laughter is inside of me
Aching paths dont cross so easily
Break my back to see things differently
So glow
We've held off the cold
Low and behold
The seasons passing too
I find reasons and stop wondering
The different ways in which we feel the same
Give to much to..???
Now the second time means more to me
So glow
We've held off the cold
So glow
We've held off the cold
Low and behold
Turns winter spring and fall
11 Inside (07:21)
The only thing that burns in Hell
Is the part of you that won't let go of your life
Your memories, your attachments
They burn them all away
But they're not punishing you, they say
They're freeing your soul, relax
Something's gone
This can't go on
This open road
For far to long
Through all these tears
No light appears
And all that trust
It's turned to dust
So one thing's clear
Am I here?
Am I here?
So break on through
For something true
Cause love's confused
And now I see
Sense in all of this
Something's got to give
You don't wanna see
You don't wanna see inside of me
You don't wanna see
You don't wanna see inside of me
You don't wanna see
You don't wanna see inside of me
You don't wanna see
You don't wanna see inside of me
In time
You'll find
In time
You'll find
You don't wanna see
You don't wanna see
You don't wanna see
You don't wanna see, you don't wanna see inside of me
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