A Singsong & A Scrap

Chumbawamba | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 9, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Trade Root Music
• ASIN: B000M2E3BS
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,985 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Laughter in a Time of War

2. William Francis

3. By & By

4. You Can (Mass Trespass, 1932)

5. Walking into Battle with the Lord

6. When Alexander Met Emma

7. Fade Away (I Don't Want To)

8. Bankrobber

9. Learning to Love

10. The Land of Do What You're Told

11. Bella Ciao

12. Smith & Taylor

Editorial Reviews

While it's a slimmed-down (four person) and definitely acoustic Chumbawamba releasing their disc on a U.K. folk label (No Masters) with some decidedly folkie guests like melodeon player Andy Cutting and singers Coope, Boyes & Simpson, don't think of this as a folk record. Chumbawamba's pop sensibilities and sly sense of humor remain firmly intact for Singsong and a Scrap, just in a different setting. They're as political as ever -- the vocal beauty of "Walking into Battle with the Lord" uses traditional structures to take aim at war in the name of religion, and "The Land of Do What You're Told" fires its shots across the bows of reality shows, for example. But there's an odd tenderness to "When Alexander Met Emma," the story of revolutionary Emma Goldman's great love, and "William Francis," about a friendless aristocrat and landowner. "Learning to Love" stands the old idea of the maid waiting for her man to return from war on its head, and "Bella Ciao" offers new, very relevant words to a traditional Italian song. Yet there's also a glorious cover of the Clash's "Bankrobber" here, the voices soaring on the works and strengthening the notions of poverty and idealism. The band have improved greatly as singers, as the a cappella numbers illustrate well, giving full-throated roars to the lyrics. Never known in the past for their instrumental subtlety, this incarnation of the band actually understates rather than bludgeons, and persuasion works better than force on these songs. Intelligent as ever, and with eyes not jaundiced by fame, the cottage industry Chumbawamba works well indeed. ~ Chris Nickson, Rovi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chumbawamba=Melodious Variety, March 20, 2006

By 

m.mcginnis "experiment" (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Singsong & A Scrap (Audio CD)

Just like every album in Chumbawamba's precious line of gems, A Singsong & A Scrap does not fail to surprise, entertain, or fuel your inner hopeful understanding for sense, and peace.

The album seems to be centered around the unfair workmanship and anarchist principles of the late 1800's and early 1900's. The album cover, as well as many of the song titles and lyrics promote this (When Alexander Met Emma refers to the relationship between Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman, two proprietors of the anarchist movements in said times).

But don't let the theme distract you, if olden times aren't your thing. The lyrics are not dated in the least, and can blantantly pertain to modern day societal greivances, undoubtedly. They reek with intelligence and inspiration, and personally well up the potential anarchist and fighting spirit in myself, personally.

As for the music: Completely folk, and extremely soft in its own rite. Have a listen to the chord progressions in "The Land of Do What You're Told" or the intense vocal arrangements in "Bankrobber" or "Bella Ciao", concerning at least four or more voices sometimes. To me, they require extreme talent, due to how complex and more often than not, brilliantly done they are. This album also has an absense of horn instruments, as well as any satiric lyrics or vocal styles seen in previous albums, keeping up with the folk and "olden times" theme of struggle in an Industrial Revolution type era. This blend of events from the past into today is seamless, and an extremely clever choice at that. Perfect grounds for Chumbawamba to go simply wild over.

It is of course not perfect (as my rating shows), despite all of my praise however. This albums harbors some tracks which seem essentially and supposedly self-referential and knowing in that they wrote them for the sake of writing them. "Learning to Love" is a good example. It seems to me as if they felt they needed to add this overly-sappy and drawn-out track to the list, just to have that type of song on there. Or the bagpipes in "By & By": Although this song is very calm and brilliant in itself, the bagpipes seemed to be added just for the sake of reminding you that this album is DEFINETLY set in times that would inspire this sort of folk music. Clever and effective in immersing you into this era, but a little annoying and extreme in some cases.

This is the perfect album to bewilder your friends. Ask them if they remember the "I get knocked down" song, and band. Then play "William Francis" for them. Tell them it is that same band that performed that annoying song so often 9 years ago, and watch their faces twist. I hope their premonitions about this group will change after hearing what kind of music they can produce smoothly, and excellently: Anything. (As long as it can harbor a message, those sly dogs.)

This is what I mean by variety. Chumbawamba can produce any genre and style of music they wish. As they age, they obviously seem to become more "knowing" of their capabilities and talents, but because they have been around for so long, their repetoire makes for some very different listening material. And A Singsong & A Scrap is a perfect example of this progression of consistent change.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A radical sing-along from British punk rockers Chumbawamba, January 20, 2007

By 

wildflowerboy (planet earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Singsong & A Scrap (Audio CD)

Whether they're attacking capitalism, Christian fundamentalism, or war, Chumbawamba will entertain and inspire you. This mostly acoustic, punk rock-folk cd is a welcolme new addition to the AK Press folk series and a must-have for every activist's cd collection. I especially love "When Alexander Met Emma", a love song about Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman, "By and By", which honors Joe Hill, and "You Can (Mass Trespass, 1932)", a song which inspires us all to reclaim the commons, an urgent message in an age of gentrification, IMF/World Bank structural adjustment programs, biotechnology, and resource wars. With its beautiful harmonies and radical politics, this is yet again another excellent cd from AK Press. As always, I look forward to see what they're going to publish next!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All Hail The Gentle Revolutionaries, January 18, 2007

By 

Alan "50percent" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Singsong & A Scrap (Audio CD)

I'm pretty jazzed to be writing a review of this now that it has seen a domestic release. I heard a few snippets off of internet radio earlier and liked what I heard, but the $25 plus import price tag put me off. Then I bought the CD on vacation in Europe last summer, and it quickly firmed up a spot as the most played purchase I made in 2006. It's a great record, particularly played all the way through. Instrumentation is almost exclusively acoustic, giving it a kind of pseudo-Americana, folky feel. Probably the best track for me is "By and By" which would be my choice for the song to be played at my funeral (even with the lyric mourning Joe Hill, a deceased activist). The lyrics start as follows "Don't waste the days when I'm dead and I'm gone/Wind up the clocks, ring around, carry on" and just keep getting better. There is a melancholy tone to the whole thing, which makes a nice contrast with the pointed lyrics in places. The acapella "Walking Into Battle With The Lord" is just fantastic. Never thought I would hear that kind of thing on a mainstream pop record. I was not a huge fan of CW's earlier albums, as they did seem to be making political points at the expense of sonic artistry. But here, everything gels together in an impressive fashion. Give it a listen. You won't regret it.