A Hundred Days Off

Underworld

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 2002)
• Original Release Date: September 24, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: V2 North America
• ASIN: B00006JBKQ
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,433 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Unlike the Chemical Brothers--their longstanding U.K. brothers in electronica--Underworld have been allowed to grow (relatively) old without being accused of stagnating. A Hundred Days Off, Underworld's first studio release since the departure of member Darren Emerson, demonstrates why. An ecstatic headrush of percolating beats, swirling synth, and shape-shifting melodies, A Hundred Days Off drags everything from Delta blues to space-age pop onto the dance floor. Because the pair takes their cues in part from the real world, filtering each idea through the prism of a rave record, we get wonky faux church bells chiming in one especially frenzied passage of the nine-minute epic "Two Months Off." Elsewhere, as on the curiously named "Trim," straightforward vocal phrasings are set against (what might be) twangy, scotch-soaked guitar while a static drum beat clicks in the distance. On the towering centerpiece track, "Dinosaur Adventure 3D," a vicious cymbal guts an otherwise unassuming house track, albeit one built on an increasingly complex (and speedy) palette of sounds, before a tribal vocal goosesteps over top. Clubby, dubby, and positively smokin'. --Kim Hughes

From URB Magazine

"Earth to Scott — hello? Green still means go on this planet."

I blink and look up. I'm behind the wheel of a car next to a stunningly beautiful brunette who looks oddly familiar. OK, this must be a dream. Or maybe it was the handful of mushrooms I ate last night. A car behind us honks, so I drive.

We're somewhere on the Pacific Coast Highway, heading north toward Malibu. At least that what a sign says as we whiz past it. As far as dreams go, this one was shaping up quite nicely.

"No, you're not dreaming," laughed my mysterious companion. "Don't you recognize your own world?"

Taking off my sunglasses and squinting at the rich blue of the sky crashing into the ocean's paleness and the quiet majesty of the mountains, this was definitely Southern California. But something still wasn't right.

"Here, look at this." Miss Mystery holds up a copy of URB magazine. On the cover is a picture of her, riding in a car just like the one we're in. The headline screamed: "DANCING QUEEN: Is This the Most Influential Face in Electronic Music?"

That's when I realized who she was — the girl from the infamous Mitsubishi commercial. The hottie in the white hat who pops and locks to Dirty Vegas' "Days Gone By" to sell cars to young Americans with money (or at least decent credit). The same car I realize that I'm driving.

"My name's Dusty," she said. "I'm definitely real."

"I get it now," I realize aloud. "This is just a big metaphor on how 'future music culture' and commerce have collided to create a surreal universe where Basement Jaxx soundtrack Pringles and Coca-Cola adverts and Dirty Vegas debuts in the Billboard Top 10 thanks to a hot car commercial starring you dancing around to their song. Rather creative, if I do say so myself."

"Maybe, but how does the new Underworld album fit into all of this?" she yelled over it blasting from the stereo.

"Oh, that's the easy part," I replied. "What's always set Underworld apart is the fact that their music has consistently transcended the pop culture world around them, the dogmatic use of "Born Slippy" in Trainspotting be damned. From the menacing pulse of 'Dinosaur Adventure 3D' to the glacial funk of 'Little Speaker,' A Hundred Days Off is akin to classic Detroit techno in the way it delves deeper into the machines and technology to find the humanity at their core. Like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder at their prime, Underworld makes genuine soul music brimming with emotion and meaning."

"So what are you trying to say?" Dusty asked with a wry smile.

"I'm saying that in 2002, Underworld has outpaced the competition and released the electronic album to beat. Timo Maas' Loud is still up there, but it's safe to say that A Hundred Days Off is right at the top of the techno-pop heap."

Dusty just laughed and turned the stereo up as I hit the gas, racing into the Technicolor sunset.

Scott Sterling

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Underworld's new dimension, October 22, 2002

By	C. G. "seagrass" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

I'm always amused by the so-called "true fans" who only want their favorite bands to produce the same album over and over again. Sure, "Second Toughest in the Infants" was and is a great album...but whatever happened to judging an album on its own merits? You can't compare AHDO to 2nd Toughest, because, quite simply, the albums are 6 years removed. Would any Underworld fan really be happy if the group HAD produced the same album 3 different times, just because it did well critically? What artists worth their salt write music for CRITICS?? I am quite pleased with Underworld's new direction, actually. "2 Months Off" is a bright and cheerful barnburner, and a great choice for a single (the video for it was just perfect)...and the final percussion break left me wanting more, in a good way. "SolaSistim" blew me away as well, although in a different sense. I'd really like to hear the group try an all downtempo album after hearing that song.
It sounds to me like Hyde and Smith are using Emerson's departure as a launching point for new ideas (good or bad), which I always welcome from any artist...it's just unfortunate that the majority of listeners will always be comparing this current incarnation of Underworld with its early years. I loved Beaucoup Fish (God bless Jumbo!), and I love A Hundred Days Off...and I could care less what anyone else thinks. If musicians constantly lived in the past, music would certainly be boring, eh?

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This album is worth "A Hundred Dollars"., May 12, 2003

By	Distant Voyageur "Nicholas Computer" (Io) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Underworld went into a state of limbo following the departure of one of their key members Darren Emerson in early 2000 and fans were left uncertain of their possible future. All of the uncertainties in my opinion have been completely blown away with their 2002 album entitled "A Hundred Days Off" and I have to say, it is another winning album.

The album might be disappointing at first. The songs are a lot simpler and shorter than and nowhere near as complex as those on their 3 famous previous albums. Despite the much simpler nature of the songs, this CD doesn't disappoint that much. Just don't expect explosive epic length tracks like "Banstyle/Curry" (Track 2 From "2nd Toughest") or "Rowla". Do expect great music to come from this album.

"Momove" leads this CD off. It starts with melodic bleeping effects and then becomes a highly danceable song with an odd atmosphere and grey ambience combined with pulsating rhythm. This song could almost fit well on "Beaucoup Fish". The song eventually intensifies towards the ending before the beats stop and the remaining parts of the song fade out. A wonderful opener. "Two Months Off" starts off with an odd whispering sound effect followed by a strong beat. The beat is followed by these odd chime like keyboards and then the song becomes a harmoniosl and upbeat song with a party like atmosphere. God only knows how well this song could do on the charts. "Twist" is a more laid back track with a darker and more tone down atmosphere but still with some upbeat and danceable rhythm. "Sola System" is an intoxicating ambient ballad with a jazzier style not heard before on any of Underworld's previous albums and has an addictive mix of keyboards, beat, and odd ambience that might appeal to those who love "Second Toughest". I just love the jazziness of the song. Quite frankly, there's more to this amazing track that this review can give out so it needs listening. I agree with a previous review, it would be great of Underworld made a down tempo album like this. "Little Speaker" is an odd track that starts with a mix of dubbing and jazzy keyboard fused with dance beat and a girl voice talking about something (It's hard to make out what she's saying). The song is kind of repetitive at first but eventually, piano parts come in when the song pauses and then a haunting almost New Agey ambience comes in and the song becomes a melodic track that is almost like a lighter watered down cousin to "Air Towel". "Trim" is a more twangy bluesy song that has some twangy guitars and light beats and almost sounds like a country song but much more sophisticated. A pretty good song. "Ess Gee" is a semi-filler track that is somewhat similar to "BluSki" but without the threatening intensity or edge of that song and feels more like an interlude. "Dinosaur Adventure 3D" though is classic Underworld bringing back the aggressive dance rhythms that defined their last album "Beaucoup Fish" with an explosive melodic dance track with aggressive beats and explosive electronica. "Ballet Lane" is a mid-tempo track with glistening guitars and an array of beat and keyboards reminiscent of those from "Dubnobasswithmyheadman". The final track "Luetin" is a quirky dance number that brings this album to a marvelous close.

Overall, I have to say that "A Hundred Days Off" is another winning accomplishment from one of the most unique techno dance groups of modern times. The album doesn't stack up to "Beaucoup Fish" and it doesn't even come close to reaching the terrifying heights that "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" and "Second Toughest In The Infants" did as they are the best techno/dance albums ever made will never be topped but "A Hundred Days Off" is an important album as it proves that Underworld were able to survive the departure of one of their key members and still continue to crank out great music for the ages. This is their fourth masterpiece on a row. Go and buy this CD. :)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than most people say, really., July 24, 2003

By	Angry Mofo "angrymofo" - See all my reviews

When Darren Emerson left Underworld, anyone could see that a critical backlash was coming. After all, Underworld had been consistently well received by the critics throughout their careers, even in the case of the somewhat disappointing Beaucoup Fish. But now, the critics had the perfect chance to turn on them, and many did, claiming that it just isn't Underworld without Emerson, and Hyde and Smith should just give up since they're obviously doomed to utter failure, and so on. Fortunately, they are wrong. A Hundred Days Off is a great comeback after Beaucoup Fish, and though it isn't the best Underworld album (that honour stays with their 1993 debut), it's really far better than anyone could expect given the circumstances. For instance, Hyde's lyrics are actually about things again! And he remembered that he owns a guitar! It's absolutely incredible!

That's not the extent of it, though. Aside from being about things, Hyde's delivery is once again potent and inspired. Take the second single "Dinosaur Adventure 3D," for instance. The music, eight minutes of very aggravated jungle with one four-note lead over the drums, is the weakest part, but the vocals are great - Hyde keens desperately in a Celtic style, and when he gets to "War machine! War machine!" it really is quite rousing, which hasn't been the case with Underworld for a while. If the music had more variety, the song could have replaced "Cowgirl" as Underworld's best anthem, but even as it is, it's quite a victory. "Two Months Off," the other single, is Underworld at their most elated, showing that they don't have to develop the themes of "Dirty Epic" to be good. The song leads one on for a minute of drums and samples, only to unleash the heavenly leads and usher in the real song, which sounds vaguely New Orderish. I think that it isn't the three-note riff that carries the song, but rather the hefty punch of the percussion; in fact, I daresay that the rhythm track here may well be Underworld's best ever.

But fortunately, there's more to the album than two singles. There are the excellent dance tracks "Mo Move" and "Luetin," both infectious, edgy, fast-paced, propulsive and flawlessly produced. The former effortlessly resurrects Underworld's dark vibe; the latter, Underworld's sense of anxious wonderment at motion through strange places and images. Then there's "Ess Gee," which sounds like the best Aphex Twin track in over seven years, and "Ballet Lane," which is similar to "Ess Gee" in its rainy-day mood but is given away as an Underworld creation by its beat. "Trim" is a surprisingly effective depiction of a sluggishly hot summer day, featuring Hyde's underused guitar and the timeless line "get on a boat and float." All of these are successes in their own right. The other three tracks don't fare as well - "Twist" is decent enough filler, but "Sola Sistim" and "Little Speaker" could stand to have their running times halved (or, alternately, to be joined into one song). Maybe one of the B-sides for the album would have been a better choice. But no Underworld album is ever without some filler, and the highs greatly outnumber the lows.

Some might say that Underworld's sound is simpler here, continuing the trend set by Beaucoup Fish. To some degree, that's true: this album contains no ambitious epics. It's even the first Underworld album to run for less than seventy minutes and have no songs longer than ten minutes. But ultimately, songs are what Underworld were always best at, and an album with a focus on great songs is a perfectly good thing. Their future is still up in the air - repeating this album, good as it is, still won't be a very good idea - but I'd say that for now, they're certainly back in the groove.