Search - Underworld :: 1992-2002

Disc 1 Provides New Content ; Disc 2 Fails to Do So

Adam Powell | Philadelphia, PA USA | 01/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I wish Underworld had simply released only the 1st disc, and charged less for the set. Disc 1 is great, as it offers several rare tracks; Big Mouth, Dirty, mmm Skyscraper I Love You, & Spikee. These songs are all great, and make the CD worth purchasing... or at least purchasing used. Disc 2, however, is less exciting. It contains 9 tracks, 4 of which are either identical or slightly modified copies of songs from Beaucoup Fish. CD 2 is basically filled with slight variations on songs that are already in any Underworld fan's collection. I wish that instead of re-releasing a bunch of songs that people already have, Underworld had released more rare material. If anything, I think that the original songs are better than the remixes. In general, the originals tend to have longer and more complex lyrics."

Fans Should Venture Into This Underworld

boxingelena2000 | USA | 01/20/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Unless you have been following the English band's entire career since its formation in the early-90s, and through its radical transformation from rock to ambient trip-hop to intelligent dance music, and hence have every single they've ever made, `1992-2002''s variety of the band's stylistic trends should provide an enjoyable retrospective glance at Underworld's classics.
The highlights on Disc 1 are definitely the trippy 1994 hits `Mmm Skyscraper I Love You' (with otherworldly lyrics - `..and I see Elvis, and I hear God on the phone...'- and a muted, eerily perpetual beat); `Dirty Epic` (the complexity of this dub track rivals the best of Orbital and q-ziq); and `Dark & Long' (close your eyes, pretend the world just exploded and you're floating through space - the impact of this long and amazing track).
Those songs led to the opening track of Disc 2: the incredibly dark and energetic `Cowgirl' astounds with its ever-increasing layers of rhythm and melody. 1994 track `Born Slippy' is a modern dance classic, the monotonous lyrics have become the symbol of Danny Boyle's druggie hit `Trainspotting'. The film's extended soundtrack belongs to Underworld's composition, which masterfully represents the addled mind of an addict. `Push Upstairs', from Beacoup Fish, is a classy dance track, visualized very well in an amazing video everyone should check out - it dilutes the song's pretentiousness with fuzzy gorgeous landscape images; by itself `Push Upstairs' wears itself out after three minutes. `Moaner', on the other hand, benefits from its regularity - it starts off with an instrumental accelerating beat that doesn't let up until the last second, and then starts from the beginning with the supplement of emotionally charged lyrics. `Moaner' would be a craze at any club.
The rest of the tracks do not particularly stand out, but they do emphasize the quality of Underworld's highlights. Complex and stunningly vivid, `1992-2002' is Underworld's reminder that they are one of the most complex and gifted trios in contemporary dance music."

Very strong collection.

DocSmithers | los altos, ca USA | 08/06/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Underworld...Well if you're reading this you are either a die-hard fan, or soon to be. '92-'02 is a wonderful album and great starter if you don't own an album yet. Plus, it's relatively cheap!

The straight talk is buy "Second Toughest in the Infants" as well-that is a 6 star album. Let these albums sink in slowly, they will stick with you forever. And play it loud."