Everything, Everything is the title of a forthcoming release from the band Underworld. There will be a CD as well as a DVD, the latter of which will have DVD-ROM tracks on it as well. It is a collection of live tracks; the CD will be released Sept. 9th (I believe) 2000, with the DVD to follow some time in October. The DVD will be a full multimedia 'toy' according to its creators, Tomato; it will contain tools to allow users to mix their own shows by selecting tracks, camera angles, etc. etc. as well as several games and 'media toys.' One example: A sort-of-sampler/sequencer that maps snippets of one Underworld song to keys on the keyboard; the user will be able to 'type' a song out while the program generates a video (or perhaps while the user watches a video, I'm not sure).

Underworld fans, dirties, start your wallets. I've already pre-ordered mine. I thought it was interesting that the album was, in fact, named the equivalent of 'Everything 2' (even though it's a lyric from one of their tracks that predates the website, darn it).

addicted to rez...

Update: DVD Review

The DVD is even better than I'd hoped. Heehee. It comes not only with DVD content, but with DVD-ROM content. This latter consists of two software installers (one for Windows, one for MacOS) which place the 'everything everything' software on your computer. This software contains four primary pieces:

  • The Wongizer - a multimedia sequencing toy
  • headset - an indescribably neat experiment in multitrack and stereo
  • web - a set of links to UW related websites
  • live - maybe the coolest part, this applet allows the user to receive live updates from UW's websites, designed explicitly for the users of this software (i.e. the DVD owner). Live audio and video streams are available, as are a webcam and some additional streaming media. One cool example: Webbooks, which are rapidly-changing frames of video, usually with text superimposed, that go by too quickly to discern individual images. When the mouse button is held down, the current frame freezes, allowing for a 'book' that is almost impossible to read in the same order twice.

The DVD content is no less cool. There is the expected series of live concert footage, divided into tracks. In addition, there is an option to 'program your own gig' - i.e. to select a track order, with Underworld video and graphics masking the cuts automatically. also available is the Tomato Art jam, which consists of an alternate video track to the DVD. This track offers the most excellent video streams that Underworld continuously run during some songs, and this one runs the entire concert. There's a track of 'outtakes' consisting of quick shots of the band and audience members, and two alternate video tracks (kittens and rowla) with a more passive visual set.

All in all, I can't recommend this DVD strongly enough if you have ever liked anything about Underworld. If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go dive back into the tomato Art Jam of Rez/Cowgirl again...

Update: CD Review

This CD is a must-have if you like this group. I just got my copy. While all the tracks are tracks we've heard before, these versions almost seem expanded somehow, and horizontally, not in length. The crowd noise is present, but only in selected spots where it is most effective; this is essentially a new studio mix using live show audio as source material.

The Shudder/King of Snake mix is truly amazing. I'd say the same for Rez and Cowgirl, but I've always loved those tracks, so I may be a tad biased. There is additional material added to nearly every track (save Rez and Cups, which are shorter) in the form of the band riffing as they go. Underworld is known for tweaking their loops and mix on stage, and sometimes a tweak that becomes a staple in the stage show never makes it back into the album cuts or their remixes. This release fixes that for these tracks, as most of the stage flourishes are there (AFAIK, comparing with the two live shows I heard from this tour in the U.S.) and really change the feel of the tracks even more than the crowd noise.

If you're really into Underworld you'd probably buy it anyway; if you're curious about this band and why those who see them live seem kind of fanatical, this is why. It's a good mix of tracks from their recent career as well.

Apparently the DVD will have multiple camera angles and audio tracks, as well as an app that lets you mix your own show,both vid and audio, as well as a couple of Tomato Shockwave art toys. Can't wait. Heeheehee. Credit card vibrating in readiness.

Update: a passer-by FedEx guy just came in as I was blasting Kiteless and declared after a few minutes that it sounded like the early live Genesis (Gabriel-era) he grew up with, and then demanded the name of the band. When I told him that it had just been released, he made me write down the band name and album on a sticky.

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