Tubthumper

1	Tubthumping 4:38
2	Amnesia 4:08
3	Drip, Drip, Drip 5:08
4	The Big Issue 4:37
5	The Good Ship Lifestyle 5:13
6	One by One 5:45
7	Outsider 4:08
8	Creepy Crawling 4:03
9	Mary, Mary 4:58
10	Smalltown 3:13
11	I Want More 4:01
12	Scapegoat 5:15

Barnes & Noble

This British anarchist collective spent more than 15 years wreaking havoc in the European underground, releasing uncompromising punk albums that raised the hackles of politicians and pop stars alike. But then Chumbawamba discovered that it could be much more subversive from within the system and began working with more accessible styles, a decision that ultimately led to the worldwide hit "Tubthumping" in 1997. That raucous, ubiquitous anthem is indicative of what you'll find on TUBTHUMPER, an album that's as chock-a-block with insistent dance rhythms as it is with messages that subtly insinuate themselves into the gray matter in the space between beats. And quite a wide variety of those went into the making of the disc, which whirls dizzily from Celtic folk to electro-trance to good old-fashioned punk rock. Tracks like "The Good Ship Lifestyle" and "The Big Issue" prod and provoke, proving that Chumbawamba hasn't lost an iota of its squat-born credibility -- but you don't have to be a card-carrying member of the party to join the party. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Chumbawamba had been kicking around the British indie scene for years, releasing nine albums before Tubthumper unexpectedly brought the band to the top of the charts not only in England, but around the world. The difference between Tubthumper and the rest of {|Chumbawamba|}'s catalog lay in "Tubthumping," a giddily infectious blend of big dance beats, pop hooks, and football chants. It's a standout single, one that finds the group at its catchiest, and there isn't anything quite as good on the remainder of Tubthumper, an album that finds the group downplaying its notorious political radicalism in favor of pop and dance. Still, there's a handful of cuts scattered throughout the record that make the album worthwhile, and there's no denying that "Tubthumping" is a hit single unlike any other. It's one of the least likely hit singles ever, and that alone makes the record distinctive. Stephen Thomas Erlewine