Pearl's Girl

by

Underworld

Edit

This EP feels like an extension of the Underworld LP that preceeded it, "Second Toughest In The Infants". If you scrap the album version of "Pearl's Girl" and it's edit, which are really the only downpoint. Don't get me wrong, but the edit isn't needed and the album mix feels like it's at the wrong place in the CD. If you get beyond that, this release feels like it should be another album instead of a single release. The first mix of "Pearl's Girl" bears no likeness to the original, and relies on just a hard thump to drive it through to your skull. The second mix only bears a slight likeness, but otherwise resembles a car chase leading to deadly results. "Puppies" feels rather pointless, and leans towards disturbing in places. "Oich Oich" bears no resemblance to Underworld of yore. Music this lush and deep doesn't even seem humanly possible. "Cherry Pie" is simply awe-inspiring. Even though it steals the introduction to one of Underworld's other songs, "Rowla", it's an entity to it's own. Starting from a seemingly simple techno riff, "Cherry Pie" starts tearing to a heavy snare and effects workout, never relenting in it's pace. It feels divinely constructed, gliding from point to point without a hitch. "Moasic" feels like you might have taken too much yage or peyote, whatever your poison may be. The tribal drums and feel of this track makes you look to the side, just so you can be sure there really isn't a shamen sitting next to you. "Deep Arch" expands lightly on the ending of the classic anthem "Born Slippy .NUXX", winding it's way into pure childish delight.

If familiar with Underworld, I suggest buying this EP as a companion to "Second Toughest In The Infants". It gives the album a whole new dimension. If starting out with Underworld, view this release as more of a dessert: to be eaten after the main course. Buy "Second Toughest In The Infants" or "Dubnobasswithmyheadman" first. If this ditched the edit of "Pearl's Girl", it could work as another Underworld album.

I love any band where buying the singles is like getting a whole new album. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what Underworld is all about; if you're looking up a single, you're familiar with the band. Trust me, you won't regret buying this. In addition to the album version of "Pearl's Girl," it contains eight tracks that bear no resemblance to the single, even the remixes. I think the standouts are "Puppies," which is an odd, almost Godspeed-You-Black-Emperorish kind of thing (though more upbeat), and "Deep Arch," which doesn't change much over its eight minutes of running time but, like most Underworld, has a great, ambient, city-at-night feel; a soundtrack for driving on just the right kind of evening.

This ain't gonna convert the unconverted, but for fans it's a solid buy.