Search - Chumbawamba :: What You See Is What You Get ( WYSIWYG )

Another accomplishment from Chumbawamba

Seth Hauser | Chicago | 04/05/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If the only song you have ever heard by Chumbawamba is Tubthumpinng, and if you think the name of that song is actually "I Get Knocked Down", then this album is NOT for you. If you bought the Tubthumper album and hated it, then why the heck are you reading this review? If you are still here, that must mean you know a little someething about Chumbawamba. This album is pretty typical of previous albums, though Chumba fans will tell you that no two albums are really all that similar. WYSIWYG is a blend of Brit pop and punk, with the occasional violin throw in for good measure. Most of the tracks are 2 minutes or less (enhancing the punk feel of brief songs), and the album plays almost like one continuous shifting tune rather than 22 individual ones. "She's Got All the Friends" is the most Tubthumper-esque song, which explains why it's supposed to be the new US radio hit. Overall, it's a good album, worthy of a purchase if you're a true fan. It ranks up there with "Anarchy" and "Shhh", but is truly in a class by itself. However, I know for a fact that Tubthumper was not a huge hit in this country and I doubt that WYSISYG will fare much better. That's just because this nation thinks Korn and Limp Bizkit or N'Sync and Britney Spears are the only "listenable" forms of music.Regardless, true Chumba fans, no matter where in the world you are, will dig this album."

Chumbawamba's best since the '80s...

Andrew Miller | Kansas City, MO | 06/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although many casual radio listeners have written off Chumbawamba as one-hit wonder now that the anarchist ensemble's "Tubthumping" has started to fade from airwaves, movie trailers, and sports highlights clips, long-time fans might recall that the group's artistic apex came more than a decade ago. On albums such as Pictures of Starving Children Sell Millions and Never Mind The Ballots, Chumbawamba combined Crass' art-punk and radical discourse with Peter, Paul, and Mary-style harmonies. Later, the group replaced high-speed drum beats with mellow programmed dance rhythms, and while some cried "Judas" and abandoned it immediately, others decided to wait to see where Chumbawamba was heading with this seeming concession to the mainstream. In interviews, various members of the group explained that they were looking to reach a wider audience, to bring its political ideology into the Walkmans of mall-shopping pop fans rather than continuing to preach to the converted at packed punk clubs. The plan succeeded, as its latest album went multi-platinum while inspiring television shows and magazines to offer its members a forum to share their beliefs. However, with the group's follow-up WYSIWYG, the question becomes: Is anyone still listening? If not, it's their loss. WYSIWYG is an amazing collection of 22 compact tunes that pair caustic commentary and cheery music in a manner reminiscent of The Smiths. The album's first single, "She's Got All The Friends," sees the band unloading on an easy target (popular rich girls), but its abundant pop hooks and ingenious doo-wop interlude make it easy to forget the tune's relatively uncreative subject matter. Fortunately, the rest of the record, which is packed with upbeat horn accents, Beatles-type melodies, and airtight harmonies, is as compelling lyrically as it is musically. Among the highlights are "Pass It Along," a Pet Shop Boys-style dance-floor rant about the sense of isolation created by Internet shopping and home-security systems, "I'm Not Sorry, I Was Having Fun," a perky tune about the riots at Woodstock and Seattle, and "I'm Coming Out," a biting track directed at homosexual celebrities who choose to spend their careers in the closet. Brief diversions such as "Ladies For Compassionate Lynching" and "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Jerry Springer" offer a humorous jolt while contributing to the album's seamless flow. On WYSIWYG, Chumbawamba takes accessibility to new extremes. The victims of these barbs, such as Charlton Heston ("Moses With A Gun") and Florida's wealthy resort-home dwellers ("Celebration, Florida"), could hear these tunes on their favorite easy-listening station and hum along mindlessly, unaware of the venom directed their way. It's been said that music soothes the savage beast, but Chumbawamba suggests that the converse is true -- a sharp-teethed political animal can use melody to charm its way into the homes of an apathetic populace."

Great Chumbawamba all over this album!

K. Brown | Walnut, Ca USA | 04/27/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tubthumper, the one Chumbawamba CD that might stick in the general U.S. public's mind, had one excellent song that was a huge hit. The rest of that album, in my opinion, was drab."What You See Is What You Get" could very well fade from music history, which would be a shame. This is an overall excellent album where one great cynical tune flows into another; it's not unlike an upbeat anarchic version of a Pink Floyd album like "Wish You Were Here" or "Dark Side of the Moon." Many of these songs have some good sharp humor added ("Jesus in Vegas," "Moses With a Gun"), which is refreshing since there are massive amounts of "left wing humor" that lacks any wit whatsoever (See almost any humor oriented show on any National Public Radio station---NPR rocks, EXCEPT in the humor department!) And Chumbawamba finds a good balance of humor, good music, and cynicism to make this CD a work that is well worth your while to pick up. Some of the ideas in these Chumbawamba's lyrics are insightful, some are overboard liberal (even for my taste!). Whether I dig the words or disagree with 'em, they are well put to an awesome soundtrack. Take a chance on this album."