''Uneasy Listening'' is a compilation album by

anarcho-punk Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, hardcor ...

band Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary *Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran *Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania * Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...

Chumbawamba Chumbawamba () were a British rock band formed in 1982 and disbanded in 2012. They are best known for their 1997 single "Tubthumping", which was nominated for Best British Single at the 1998 Brit Awards. Other singles include "Amnesia", " Enou ...

. It contains songs from the time of their first album '' Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records'' up to 1998.

Release

The album was released in the United States in 1998, to expose American audiences to the group's music before "Tubthumping," as their preceding studio albums had received only a limited stateside release and the record labels were being uncooperative with regards to the group's preceding albums there. The album compiles songs from the group's pre-''

Tubthumper ''Tubthumper'' is the eighth studio album and the major label debut by English Rock music, rock band Chumbawamba, released on 1 September 1997 by EMI. The album was written and produced by Chumbawamba, with additional production from Neil Ferguson ...

'' albums, from '' Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records'' to ''

Swingin' with Raymond ''Swingin' with Raymond'' is the seventh studio album by anarchist punk band Chumbawamba. The album cover features a photograph of Raymond Mills, whom the band selected for his tattooed hands. Musical style The first half (tracks 1–6), entitl ...

'', although the majority of the songs are from the group's two preceding albums, ''Anarchy'' and ''Swingin' with Raymond''. However, the album contains one previously-unreleased song, "We Don't Go to God's House Anymore", which is based on a tune derived from the

Alabama 3 Alabama 3 are a British/English musical group founded in Brixton, London in 1995. They are best known for their track "Woke Up This Morning", which was used for the opening credits of the TV series ''The Sopranos''. In the United States, the ...

song " U Don't Danse 2 Tekno Anymore". The cover photograph depicts

Buenaventura Durruti José Buenaventura Durruti Dumange (14 July 1896 – 20 November 1936) was a Spanish insurrectionary, anarcho-syndicalist militant involved with the CNT and FAI in the periods before and during the Spanish Civil War. Durruti played an in ...

, an anarchist soldier and revolutionary who died fighting fascists in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

in 1936."Uneasy Listening" album booklet The album was initially released in 1998 as a German import, although it was re-released in 1999 and 2001 by

EMI Music Distribution EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

Critical reception

The album elicited highly favorable reviews upon its release. Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a grade of an "A−" and praised the album as "funny," opining that the collection also demonstrates that their music was "catchy" long before "

Tubthumping "Tubthumping" is a song released by British rock band Chumbawamba from their eighth studio album, ''Tubthumper'' (1997). It is the band's most successful single, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. It topped the charts in Australia, ...

" and noting that "the notes (in the booklet) are worth reading."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

awarded the album four out of five stars and praised the collection's inclusion of "Ugh! Your Ugly Houses," also commenting that "if you don't have the studio albums, this is the best place to start." In the Rolling Stone Album Guide, the album holds a score of three and a half stars; critic Douglas Wolk felt that the album contains the group's "angriest," "funniest," and "most tuneful" songs in the group's repertoire, singling out the lyric "Nothing ever burns down by itself/Every fire needs a little bit of help" as the single best line on the record.

Track listing

All tracks written and produced by Chumbawamba except where noted.

References

{{Authority control Chumbawamba albums 1998 compilation albums