Oblivion with Bells is the seventh studio album from Underworld, released on 3 October 2007 (2007-10-03) in Japan, 15 October 2007 (2007-10-15) in the EU and 16 October 2007 (2007-10-16) in the US. Due to the success of lead single "Crocodile" and the use of "To Heal" as a central theme in the film Sunshine, Oblivion with Bells has sold over 93,000 copies worldwide, as of 23 May 2008.

Oblivion with Bells
Studio album by
Released3 October 2007 (2007-10-03)
Recorded2000–2007 at Abbey Road Studios, Lemonworld Studios, and around the world
GenreTechno, progressive house, ambient, downtempo
Length58:12
LabelDifferent Recordings, Traffic, Side One Recordings
ProducerRick Smith
Underworld chronology
Live in Tokyo 25th November 2005
(2005)
Oblivion with Bells
(2007)
Barking
(2010)
Singles from Oblivion with Bells
  1. "Crocodile"
    Released: 12 September 2007
  2. "Ring Road"
    Released: 6 July 2008
  3. "Holding the Moth"
    Released: 7 December 2008
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic64/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Alternative Press[3]
NME8/10[4]
Pitchfork6.0/10[5]
Q[6]
Record Collector[7]
Release Magazine9/10[8]
Resident Advisor[9]
Slant Magazine[10]
URB[11]

Critical reception edit

Oblivion with Bells received mostly positive reviews from most music critics. The album has a score of 64/100 on Metacritic based on 24 reviews. AllMusic gave the album 3 out of 5 stars saying "The acid techno is firmly in place, with little or no regard for developments in the form after the '80s. Still, unlike other electronica mainstays who have occasionally revealed a little weariness – either from trying to change or trying to stay the same – Underworld never sound particularly tired on Oblivion with Bells". NME gave the album 8/10 saying that "Oblivion With Bells is less the comedown than the sound of the party still going 10 years on". Drowned in Sound gave the album 6/10 saying that "After an auspicious introduction Oblivion With Bells has disappointingly descended into an irreconcilable docile abyss".

Track listing edit

All songs by Karl Hyde and Rick Smith.

No.TitleLength
1."Crocodile"6:32
2."Beautiful Burnout"8:11
3."Holding the Moth"5:31
4."To Heal"2:38
5."Ring Road"4:33
6."Glam Bucket"5:48
7."Boy, Boy, Boy"6:07
8."Cuddle Bunny vs The Celtic Villages"2:24
9."Faxed Invitation"4:46
10."Good Morning Cockerel"2:30
11."Best Mamgu Ever"9:12

Additional track on the Japanese release (Traffic, TRCP10):

  1. "Loads of Birds" – 5:30

Book of Jam – Video DVD [UWR-00017-5 (UK) and SOR0001 (US) only] edit

  1. Crocodile (video) – 3:57
  2. Tokyo Makuhari (slideshow with "Boy, Boy, Boy") – 1:32
  3. Metal Friend (video) – 1:37
  4. Abbey Road Recording Session (slideshow with "Globe") – 1:31
  5. Good Morning Cockerel (video) – 2:31
  6. Rez Live (video) – 9:28
  7. Art Jam (slideshow with "Faxed Invitation") – 1:46

Release history edit

Country Release date
Japan 3 October 2007 (2007-10-03)
Europe 15 October 2007 (2007-10-15)
United States 16 October 2007 (2007-10-16)

Appearances edit

To Heal appears as part of the score for the movie Sunshine. Glam Bucket and To Heal both appear in the video game Need For Speed Undercover.

Translation edit

  • The word "mamgu " (pronounced "mam-ghee" ) from the track "Best Mamgu Ever" is the Welsh word for grandmother[12]

Charts edit

Chart (2007) Peak
position
Belgian Albums Chart[13] 27
Dutch Albums Chart[14] 15
French Albums Chart[15] 134
German Albums Chart[16] 76
Japanese Albums Chart[17] 6
UK Albums Chart[18] 45
US Billboard 200[19] 169
US Billboard Electronic Albums[19] 1
US Billboard Independent Albums[19] 18

References edit

  1. ^ "Oblivion With Bells Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  2. ^ Oblivion with Bells at AllMusic
  3. ^ Their eighth album, Oblivion With Bells, showcases a more refined approach. [Nov 2007, p.176]
  4. ^ "NME Album Reviews – Underworld: 'Oblivion With Bells'". NME. 12 October 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  5. ^ [1] Archived 8 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Expansive opener, 'Crocidile' finds them locked into the pulsing techno groove that made 'Born Slippy' so maddeningly addictive. [Nov 2007, p.148]
  7. ^ "UNDERWORLD – OBLIVION WITH BELLS". Record Collector.
  8. ^ "Underworld: Oblivion with Bells – Release Music Magazine review". Releasemagazine.net. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  9. ^ "RA Reviews: Underworld – Oblivion With Bells (Album)". Residentadvisor.net. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  10. ^ "Underworld: Oblivion with Bells | Music Review". Slant Magazine. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Underworld – Oblivion with Bells | URB". Archived from the original on 6 May 2013.
  12. ^ Manning, Kara (8 October 2007). "Underworld Release New 'Physical' Album Along With Internet Offerings – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  13. ^ "ultratop.be – Underworld – Oblivion With Bells". ultratop.be. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  14. ^ "Underworld – Second Toughest In The Infants". dutchcharts.nl. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  15. ^ Steffen Hung. "lescharts.com – Underworld – Beaucoup Fish". lescharts.com. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche – musicline.de". musicline.de. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  17. ^ Underworld discography
  18. ^ "UNDERWORLD | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  19. ^ a b c "Artist Search for "underworld" | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 August 2016.