Shhh

Chumbawamba | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 23, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Southern Records
• ASIN: B000000J19
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,465 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #47 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Alternative Pop

Editorial Reviews

When Chumbawamba decided to enter the '90s in style, sampling from the likes of Marc Bolan, Paul McCartney, ABBA, and Free for an album called Jesus H. Christ, they found a big wall of rejection -- no publisher would let them use the samples. Their reaction? This album, aptly titled Shhh. There are plenty of dance beats and programming to support tracks that do tend to meander a little bit, without the focus they'd gain in a couple more years. And so tracks like "Big Mouth Strikes Again" and "Happiness Is Just a Chant Away" lose their punch, even with the big choruses (and the latter's mantra of "Harry Roberts" is simply hilarious). At times they've left fairly plain evidence of where they'd intended to put the samples, like ABBA's "Money Money Money" or T. Rex' "Solid Gold Easy Action" -- in fact, spotting the fake sample becomes a fun game to play while listening to this. However, that novelty belittles the politics that lie beneath the music. Chumbawamba is an anarchist collective, and while the bandmembers wear their hearts on their sleeves, they're very thoughtful and clever, leavening the harsh reality of their political views with plenty of pop culture references and humor, some of it self-deprecating. But, to be fair, they're still finding their new voice, having left their punk pasts behind, and the momentum of the dance scene hasn't completely caught up with them yet, so much of the music comes across as tentative rather than forceful, which has the domino effect of diluting their most powerful weapon, the lyrics. So, to cut a long story short, it never quite lives up to its potential (and the samples probably wouldn't have made it much better, frankly). Not their best work, but interesting, and often amusing. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A minor masterpiece, sadly overlooked., February 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shhh (Audio CD)

Wow. How did this album go unnoticed? It's as if a bunch of talented, musical lunatics were hiding in the recording studio when the Beatles were making "Abbey Road" and waited until the Fab Four left. Then they leapt from the shadows, grabbed George Martin before he could get his coat on, and at gunpoint made him produce an extended "Abbey Road" coda, a quirky, edgy collage filled with hilarious--and often gorgeous--in-your-face social commentary. "Shhh" is loopy and profane, clever and funny, filled with catchy tunes and dirty lyrics. It owes much to the Paul McCartney/George Martin approach to creating a cohesive whole by stringing together an odd assortment of songs and musical segues, but without the silliness; Chumbawamba mixes memorable tunes with overdubbed street noises, English music hall accompaniment, French horns, BBC news broadcasts, barnyard Sgtpepperstuff, and close harmonies, then tosses in an abundance of off-the-wall, anarchist philosophy ("...I'm havin' a wonderful time, drunk on communion wine..."). It's an amazing journey that's fun to take over and over again. It's a tasty audio feast that keeps heading somewhere new. Invite your most musically inclined friends over for a huge plateful. It's delicious. STEVE MOSS [e-mail]

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shhh shows off Chumbawamba's many faces, March 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shhh (Audio CD)

It's too bad most folks know Chumbawamba only by their commercially successful, yet banal, Tubthumber cd. Shhh exhibits the band's real ability to adroitly mix musical themes with political and social commentary, all with a special blend of humor. Hope Chumbawamba sticks to those roots and doesn't become sterilized by the allure of their new stardom.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Without doubt an outstanding album of pure brilliance., June 23, 2003

By 

"cabledemon" (Bolton, England...) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shhh (Audio CD)

As far back as I can remember, I have had much respect for this more than talented band. Great friends of Margaret Thatcher...lol... they have trawled through the eighties and of course up to the present day, masters of political and religious ridicule which is heavily present in each of there many albums. Shhh is no exception. The music is a mix of classic punk distorted guitar played with great tradition of the late seventies, catchy flowing keyboards, bass and drums in perfect unison, all wrapped up with those lyrics that make the most hardened capitalists squirm... Believe me, this album is a must for anybodies collection, and if you have not had the pleasure of sampling this most under rated band of all time, this album is the one I reccomend you start with... and if you ever get chance to see them live, well, I suppose thats another review... and experience...