Never, Never, Land

U.N.K.L.E.

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 2004)
• Original Release Date: October 26, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: U.N.K.L.E.
• ASIN: B0002VEPB2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,590 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Like the end-of-season regenerations of Doctor Who, every new record from James Lavelle's UNKLE finds the musical project at the climax of some dramatic transmutation. Never, Never, Land is no exception. Soon after the release of 1999's Psyence Fiction, beats wizard DJ Shadow announced he'd never work as a member of UNKLE again--and accordingly, the first thing you notice about Never, Never, Land is the absence of his robust percussion. But once over that minor disappointment, it's not hard to wallow in this record's impressively dark scope.

With the aid of new collaborator Richard File, Lavelle has made a record that connects the dots between the creeping melancholy of Talk Talk, the scaly electronics of Massive Attack's Mezzanine and the grand sky-bound epics of the Verve. Like its predecessor, there's a proliferation of guest appearances: Jarvis Cocker, Josh Homme, Brian Eno, Ian Brown, Massive Attack's Robert del Naja. But the vocals are assimilated much more successfully here, ensuring that guest never overpowers song. Lavelle still has a fine eye for casting his songs in the grandest narratives: "Panic Attack" samples the robotic pulse of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" and overlays it with blurred electronic shimmers and driving bass. Mind you, it might be the understated numbers--"Glow", "Inside"--that provide some of the record's loveliest moments. --Louis Pattison

Product Description
Almost five years have passed since UNKLE's debut album Psyence Fiction, one of the nineties more important and controversial musical releases which featured producer DJ Shadow, The Verve's Richard Ashcroft and Mike D of the Beastie Boys on vocal duties. Additional album highlights were Thom Yorke's haunting "Rabbit In Your Headlights" and a then unknown, Badly Drawn Boy's cathartic "Nursery Rhyme."

But that was then and this is now... now is very different. Following the release of Psyence Fiction, Shadow returned to the States to work on The Private Press (with Lavelle as A&R). James Lavelle is the constant in UNKLE and he's forged a new production partnership with long-time friend Richard File for UNKLE’s new album, Never Never Land. Lavelle said of File in Jockey Slut 2002: "Richard loves music, he's open-minded, he's brilliant technically, he's an absolute lunatic, he's a star, he's my best friend." In 2000, they moved into an Old Street flat together. It proved a very hedonistic time, a lost weekend that actually turned quite fruitful. In the same year they produced the band South for Mo' Wax and recorded a brooding, sinister soundtrack to Jonathan Glaser's film "Sexy Beast".

On the long awaited sophomore UNKLE endeavor, Stone Roses front man Ian Brown--whose "Be There" with UNKLE in 1998 went top ten--returns on the album's lead-off single "Reign" with fellow Roses member Mani tending to bass. Long time friend and inspiration 3D (of Massive Attack) contributes to "Invasion," Jarvis Cocker and Brian Eno duel with synths on "I Need Something Stronger," Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age contributes a schizoid vocal over a bassquake on "Safe In Mind" and Joel Cadbury of South's pretty Beatles-esque ballad "Glow" is the penultimate track. The album is rich in atmosphere, a lush cinematic experience in sensurround sound. If Psyence Fiction sounded like the future, Never Never Land is a post-apocalyptic travel log.

And it's been quite a trip for the men from UNKLE.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars UNKLE: Never, Never, Land, November 20, 2004

By	James Amos (OH, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When one of my former student housemates handed me a copy of 'UNKLE's 1998 debut album 'Psyence Fiction' a few years ago I knew it was going to be special. Not only did I have a lot of faith in this particular friend's recommendations, but the album featured some great cover art by the unmistakable Futura 2000, and the promotional sticker on the front mentioned collaborators like Thom Yorke Ian Brown, and Richard Ashcroft. Of course it was going to be good.

It didn't disappoint, in fact it became one of the most listened to albums of my whole 3 year stay at University.
James Lavelle and DJ Shadow had created something truly original. I even used the library's incredibly slow computers to download the video to 'Rabbit in your headlights' -- which, if you haven't already witnessed, is disturbing, cerebral, and quite brilliant.

The winter of 2004 heralds the return of James Lavelle to American shores, this time teaming up with Richard File to produce ''Never, Never, Land'' -- yet another revelation in modern dance music. Collaborators for this new album include vocals from Ian Brown, Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker and 'Massive Attack''s inimitable 3D.

After a brief intro, `'Never, Never, Land'' opens with the ominous "Even now in Heaven there were angels carrying savage weapons" -- a track with a not-so-subtle anti-war message, with samplings from the movie 'A thin red line' used to great effect.

The album evolves through many atmospheric channels, from the heavy break beats and stomping baselines of 'Eye for an Eye',
to the thoroughly chilled ambience of 'In a State' or the free-flowing electronica of 'Invasion'. Some tracks like 'Safe in Mind' have obvious rock influences and vocal mixes used in very interesting ways.

Like it's predecessor, ''Never, Never, Land'' is not your average mix of club anthems or dance-floor hits -- you'll not find this at Ibiza this coming summer (except as a Sasha or Digweed remix, perhaps) it is a serious experiment, for fans of originality -- a refreshing alternative to more fashionable and generic sounds.

Which is why I love it, but also why I am a little disappointed. For me, it still holds true that a sequel is hardly ever as inspiring as the original. ''Psyence Fiction'' was such a raucous injection that I think Lavelle will have to work much harder to improve upon it.

I don't know if it can be attributed to the absence of DJ Shadow, or the fact that this time around the collaborators are not so `A-list' -- you can find much discussion of this around the internet and I'm not sure any of it offers conclusive evidence -- but there is definitely something missing.

Overall the album feels much more professional, more 'crafted' than their seminal work, -- this is what I find the least compelling. I just think some of the magic gets lost when all of the raw creative power of the original experiment gets whittled down by too much editing and perfecting. There is also the lack of epic tracks like 'Rabbit in your headlights' and 'Lonely Soul' to really draw me in.

And if anyone is wondering if the McLaren award winning video to 'Eye for an Eye' is included on the CD release -- sadly, no. I think this is another major shortcoming.

But having said all of that, this second installment is still one of the best dance music releases I've experienced in a long long time, and should still get credit for being bold and unusual in a genre that is mostly steeped in uninspiring clubhouse pop with lyrics like

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars UNKLE: A Dark Project, January 6, 2005

By	D. R. Martens (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Atleast that's what i hear, but not in the way the cover might suggest. It's not scary, its meditative. The odd lyrics from "the thin red line" bring a tone of solemn to the album. Regardless, of my early impressions the album is brilliant- and even more so, because i havn't heard sasha's remixes off of his Involver for quite some time. I wish I had bought this before i heard those monster tracks. The space has allowed me to be honest with this review, this is an incredible album- not a dance album though. This is an infusion of definate massive attack legend-- it's more easily relatable to mezzanine. but there are stints of acoustic guitar a current trend in beat music, along with vocals that mimic Beck at times. Arguably, its a failure to try and draw comparisons, this an experiment, a project for lavelle- and a success. maybe james lavelle should stick with this concept in general, leave the clubs behind- its not a bad way to hear your tracks remixed by sasha and hear him bending the ground with them.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your run of the mill everyday average stuff, December 28, 2004

By	NRT (FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never, Never, Land (Audio CD)

I really like discs that push the limits or try to do somthing different than your standard mix CD. Don't get me wrong I love a great mix, most of my favorite CD's are mixed (my current favorite being Armin's Universal Religion Live in Ibiza). This CD is different - don't expect to DANCE to it - this is dark and melancholy and a good disc to think or write to or whatever you may do while listening to music. This disc is great from begining to end, and make sure to buy the special 2 disc edition becuase the second disc of remixes is outstanding as well. This is not for the everday run of the mill electronic listener, but if you are brave, willing to expand your music horizon, and care to take a slightly dark journey into UNCKLE, welcome aboard.