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Decksandrumsandrockandroll

 
Album Review: Decksandrumsandrockandroll

  • Artist: Propellerheads
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: January 26, 1998
  • Genre: Electronica

Review

Really, the title says it all -- Decksanddrumsandrockandroll is about as close to rock & roll as big-beat techno is going to get. Taking their cue from the Chemical Brothers, the Bath-based duo Propellerheads offer a set of pummeling, ultra-loud beats that may dabble in funk, house, hip-hop, soul, and rap, but which all come out sounding as aggressive as rock. Not that there's anything wrong with that -- at its best, big beat is as invigorating as any other music -- but Propellerheads don't have the finesse, innovation, or style of the Chemical Brothers, the leading proponents of big beat. When they shake the beat up, whether on the wah-wah-drenched "Velvet Pants" or the pair of John Barry/James Bond tributes (a reworking of their cover of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and "History Repeating"), it sounds like a tactical move, since they know they can't spend the entire album on thundering dance cuts like "Bang On!" and "Take California." That said, Decksanddrumsandrockandroll remains a strong big beat album, even if it ultimately doesn't reveal anything new, because the duo knows how to craft a hard-hitting, infectious rhythm track. And while that doesn't make them the next Chemical Brothers, it does make them the best in this style since the Chemicals. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Take California Alex Gifford Propellerheads (7:21)
Velvet Pants (Lyrics) Alex Gifford Propellerheads (5:46)
Better? Will White Propellerheads (2:03)
360 Degrees (Oh Yeah) De La Soul, Alex Gifford De La Soul, Propellerheads (4:27)
History Repeating (Lyrics) Alex Gifford Shirley Bassey, Propellerheads (4:02)
Winning Style Alex Gifford Propellerheads (5:58)
Bang On! (Lyrics) Alex Gifford Propellerheads (5:44)
A Number of Microphones on Her Majesty's Secret Service Will White Propellerheads (:45)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service John Barry Propellerheads (9:20)
Bigger? (Lyrics) Alex Gifford Propellerheads (2:20)
Cominagetcha Alex Gifford Propellerheads (7:02)
Spybreak! Alex Gifford Propellerheads (6:58)
You Want It Back (Lyrics) Jungle Brothers, Will White Propellerheads (5:59)

Credits

Shirley Bassey (Engineer), Shirley Bassey (Performer), Prince (Engineer), David Arnold (Arranger), De La Soul (Performer), Alex Gifford (Noise), Alex Gifford (?), Chris Lawson (Guitar), Mike Marsh (Mastering), Propellerheads (Producer), Propellerheads (Main Performer), Mike Thomas (Guitar), Lee Strickland (Photography), Will White (Drums), Will White (Noise), Will White (?), Dave Trump (Assistant Engineer)
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Wikipedia: Decksandrumsandrockandroll
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Decksandrumsandrockandroll
Studio album by Propellerheads
Released 26 January 1998
Genre Big Beat
Length Wall of Sound – 68:56
Japanese – 99:20
DreamWorks – 67:45
Label Wall of Sound
DreamWorks Records
Producer Will White
Alex Gifford
Professional reviews

Decksandrumsandrockandroll is the first (and currently the only) album by the British band Propellerheads, released on 26 January 1998 by Wall of Sound (UK) and DreamWorks (U.S.).

Contents

Track listing

Wall of Sound

The original release of Decksandrumsandrockandroll features 13 tracks. Most tracks are instrumental pieces of big beat, breakbeat and trip-hop, sometimes with vocal samples. The exception is "History Repeating", which features vocals from veteran jazz singer Shirley Bassey. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is a remake of the James Bond film's theme, and is a collaboration with composer David Arnold and his orchestra. All tracks were produced by Will White and Alex Gifford. "Take California" was the first song to be used in an iPod advertising campaign, appearing in the first commercial for the original model. "History Repeating" was used in a Pantene Pro-V shampoo commercial. "Bang On" was featured in the Nintendo 64 game Wipeout 64 and the first episode, "The Sofa", of sitcom 15 Storeys High. It also appeared on the soundtrack to the 1998 film Lost in Space. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" also featured in full on Tony Hawk's prominent skateboarding movie titled "The End". "Spybreak!" was featured in The Matrix during the famous Lobby Scene.

  1. "Take California" – 7:23
  2. "Echo And Bounce" – 5:29
  3. "Velvet Pants" – 5:49
  4. "Better?" – 2:05
  5. "Oh Yeah?" – 5:28
  6. "History Repeating" – 4:05
  7. "Winning Style" – 6:00
  8. "Bang On!" – 5:57
  9. "A Number Of Microphones" – 0:48
  10. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" – 9:23
  11. "Bigger?" – 2:22
  12. "Cominagetcha" – 7:07
  13. "Spybreak!" – 7:00

Wall of Sound (Japanese edition)

The Japanese edition of the Wall of Sound album includes a bonus CD with the following tracks:

  1. "You Want It Back" – 6:01
  2. "360° (Oh Yeah)" – 4:29
  3. "Go Faster" – 6:12
  4. "Ron's Theory" – 6:38
  5. "Dive" – 7:04

Dreamworks

The Dreamworks label released the album in North America and South America. This edition differs from the Wall of Sound album by removing "Echo And Bounce" from the soundtrack, and adding "You Want It Back", a collaboration with the Jungle Brothers, added at the end of the CD. The version of "Oh Yeah" was retitled to "360° (Oh Yeah?)", and features vocals from De La Soul, which are absent from the WoS release.

All tracks by Alex Gifford except were noted

  1. "Take California" – 7:21
  2. "Velvet Pants" – 5:46
  3. "Better?" (Will White) – 2:03
  4. "360° (Oh Yeah?)" (De La Soul, Gifford) – 4:27
  5. "History Repeating" – 4:02
  6. "Winning Style" – 5:58
  7. "Bang On!" – 5:44
  8. "A Number Of Microphones" (White) – 0:45
  9. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (John Barry) – 9:20
  10. "Bigger?" – 2:20
  11. "Cominagetcha" – 7:02
  12. "Spybreak!" – 6:58
  13. "You Want It Back" (Jungle Brothers, White) – 5:59

Personnel

  • David Arnold – Arranger
  • Shirley Bassey – Engineer, Performer
  • De La Soul – Performer
  • Alex Gifford – Noise
  • Chris Lawson – Guitar
  • Mike Marsh – Mastering
  • Prince – Engineer
  • Propellerheads – Producer
  • Lee Strickland – Photography
  • Mike Thomas – Guitar
  • Dave Trump – Assistant Engineer
  • Will White – Drums, Noise

 
 
Learn More
Wall of Sound: Bustin' Loose (1998 Album by Various Artists)
Decksandrumsandrockandroll [Japan] (1998 Album by Propellerheads)
Propellerheads (Electronica Band, '90s)

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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