The Chemical Brothers – No Geography review

Who says rock and roll will save the earth? It’s certainly had enough chances, but every time we get close the devil on it’s shoulder starts to whisper sweet nothings in our ears all over again.

Back in the very late 80’s when Chemical Brothers Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands were playing raves in Manchester the smart money was on the guitar being extinct by the time the 20th century hit, such was the grip breaks and bleeps had on the nation’s youth. Much has changed since then but the duo find a world still teetering on an edge of oblivion of our own making. No Geography is a response to that human desire to destroy everything it touches, a frequently ecstatic record with a serious message lurking underneath.

This then is the dichotomy of bad news making for great records, as a tiny cabal of Britain’s far right politicians dragging us, lemming-like, into the socio-cultural night has inspired them to create their best album in decades. Strip away the angst though if that’s your preference and with tunes like Eve of Destruction and Got To Keep On the grooves are as deep and urgent as anything in their back catalogue, bangers with a widescreen soul. Let the devil fiddle with his strings – you don’t need to be an angel to love this.

You can read a full review here.