Herbert Albums (8)
'There's Me and There's You'
Release Date 10/3/2008
Tracks 12
Label K7
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Given Scale's use of sounds that come from associable objects like fuel pumps and coffins, as well as its maker's unflagging devotion to recording methods of greater (and almost Jackass-like) extremes, it would be easy to prejudge the album as dry and joyless. One poor drummer was recorded under water, in a hot air balloon, and in a car driving 100 miles an hour -- hey, for kicks next time, why not record his finger cymbals as he grapples a shark wearing a Dick Cheney mask? Thankfully, if all you care about is the listenability of the results, all the contextual and conceptual stuff matters not a lick. Herbert is more upset about the state of the planet than ever, especially when it comes to the actions and inactions of Bush and Blair, but he has also made it known that he aimed to make an enjoyable, richly musical album full of melodies and multi-part harmonies. If the occasionally overcooked Goodbye Swingtime and the thoroughly constricted Plat du Jour were necessary phases to reach this place, so be it -- each of Scale's first four songs rival anything in his past, whether it's "Going Round," "Suddenly," his best remix work, or his productions on Dani Siciliano's Likes... and Roisin Murphy's Ruby Blue. It's clearly the most pop-oriented songs on the latter two releases that inform Scale the most. The most biting political line comes during the first verse of "The Movers and the Shakers": "I just don't know how to bring about your downfall/Damn fool, go figure out how those Christian bones can orchestrate shock and awe." However, for the remainder of the album, it's not difficult to forget about Herbert's motives and issues and take full delight in the shapely sounds, whether they're coming from a drum recorded in a cave, an orchestra recorded at Abbey Road, or vocalists recorded in Herbert and Siciliano's home. Though Herbert has outdone himself and matches his ambitions with his achievements, the songs are unmistakably his and Siciliano's, sounding like no one else, twisting and swinging and drifting with optimum vibrancy. Some of them are big and bold enough to be used in a stage production. All of them are 100 percent heavenly, even when they're dealing with loss. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
'Goodbye Swingtime'
Release Date 5/19/2003
Tracks 10
Label Accidental
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Matthew Herbert doesn't come by his swing connections lightly. As a teenager he played keyboards in a 25-piece Glenn Miller tribute band, though it must be granted, that gig was simply one among many during an active early career. (He began making music at the age of four, inspired by his father, a sound engineer for the BBC.) After a decade making records under several monikers, time spent exploring the music of sound in a dance context, Goodbye Swingtime -- his debut at the helm of the Matthew Herbert Big Band -- comes as a surprisingly trad date. Still, while the record begins with songs that flaunt his compositional skills (he and arranger Pete Wraight reveal an affinity for progressive chartmakers Stan Kenton and Gil Evans), Herbert's production abstractions do take on an increased role during the course of the record; eventually, he throws out the rule book entirely. Thus, songs toward the end will obviously be of the most interest to Herbert's fan base. Approaching and occasionally exceeding the skill of his productions for Around the House and Bodily Functions, they illustrate Herbert moving forward to embrace a sound that's just as fractured and freewheeling as before, but colder and more alien. (If he was the postmodern Giorgio Moroder before, Goodbye Swingtime makes him sound like the 21st century Kurt Weill.) Regular vocalist Dani Siciliano appears on several tracks, and is magical as usual. Sandwiched between her best features ("Chromoshop" and "Misprints") is the instrumental highlight of the record, "The Battle," an ultramodern Kenton-style arrangement shot through with numerous delightful tangents; Wraight and the band appear to enjoy the challenge of approximating Herbert's cut-up production style. Several of Britain's finest swing musicians -- Gordon Campbell, Graham Russell, Nigel Hitchcock -- are in the band, and for those with an interest in and an understanding of Herbert's methodology, Goodbye Swingtime was written according to the rules of PCCOMM. Also, for each track Herbert details the various samples used and their significance, most involving political commentary; luckily enough, the album is entertaining enough on its own. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Since Bodily Functions is the first Herbert production album available in wide release (distributed in America through !K7), it shouldn't be surprising that the soundman/producer extraordinaire hones and refines ideas he'd been working with for several years instead of introducing a new direction. Bodily Functions is very similar to his Around the House LP from 1998 (many of the tracks were first worked on as early as 1996), the unifying theme here being relations between human beings instead of their relations to their home environment. Though many of the samples here are culled from the anatomy, listeners still reeling from the recent surgery-sampling Matmos LP will be happy to find that, except for the first track (a meditation on newborns featuring various gurglings and cries), there aren't many identifiable bodily functions in the mix -- though a quick glance at the booklet credits will convince listeners otherwise, it's easy to assume Herbert simply has a few freaky new drum machines producing all those odd effects. Many tracks were recorded according to the details of his Personal Contract for the Composition of Music (PCCOM), a set of production rules preventing him from overly leaning on the crutches of modern technology. Therefore, no samples other than those he's recorded himself, no simple preset synthesizer effects, and a reliance on traditional, played instruments instead of their close electronic equivalents. Despite all the science and dry theorizing, Bodily Functions is a very warm record, seemingly unencumbered by the concepts behind the music or its production. It's basically Herbert heading a postmodern lounge act, with a parade of friendly musicians -- and his own electric piano -- placed under the calming, languorous vocals of Dani Siciliano. Though it veers from earthy jazz pieces ("I Know") to clicky tech-house numbers ("Leave Me Now") with barely a pause at all, Bodily Functions hangs together much better than any previous Herbert album. It's the perfect marriage of art and intelligence. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Though genius sampler/producer Matthew Herbert is less known for his mixing skills, his first DJ album succeeds on the same terms as his production work: toying with the formula of techno and concocting some seriously entertaining dance music in the meantime. From the beginning, Herbert flaunts his lack of experience by skewering the more perfectionist aspects of dance DJs, talking to himself during the intro: "Now, I must remember/I'm a human, I'm allowed to make mistakes." As for the musical portion of Let's All Make Mistakes, Herbert finds a range of producers in touch with his vision of skittery, frenetic, vaguely organic electro and acid house, calling on names like Si Begg, Mr. Oizo, Isolée, and Nightmares on Wax who share his half-serious outlook on serious dance. Herbert also allies himself with sound architects farther afield, but ones with common links to his minimalist bent and fascination with the music of sound. Detroiters Plastikman, Theo Parrish, and DBX, plus Chicago freakazoid Green Velvet, all show up with hard, trance-state techno that works well in context. Of course, what's a producer's mix album without plenty of his own tracks? Herbert obliges with five of his own productions (scattered across three aliases) plus his remix of Moloko's "Sing It Back." Relentless, addictive, and deliciously fun, Let's All Make Mistakes is a mix-album classic from a man with no business making mix albums. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With the addition of vocalist Dani Siciliano on several tracks, Around the House is much more suited to straight-ahead dance music than Herbert's previous work. The deep liquid basslines and staccato kitchen-sink percussion (reminiscent of a more skeletal Chic) are working in support of something -- namely, Siciliano's languorous vocals -- and Herbert proves quite adept at backing a singer. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The best tracks from his first three limited-edition Phono twelves and some new goodies fill out a solid stack of future-house grooves. The tongue is definitely in the cheek on many of these tracks, but so are the heart and soul where they should be, with Herbert's power at evoking the best aspects of all-night sweaty warehouse parties in top form. The triple-pack vinyl version sports a slightly different tracklisting. ~ Sean Cooper, All Music Guide
