And that should be enough for you, because in looking forward to a UK tour that’s coming to a town near you throughout November while simultaneously looking back over a career that’s currently celebrating its 10th birthday, Andy Cato and Tom Findlay certainly know how to make you shake that ass, with or without Fatboy Slim to help them out.
You can almost forgive them for the fact that this compilation could have been called ‘Songs From The Adverts and Computer Games’. It’s not Groove Armada’s fault, really, that they can give Moby a run for his sell-out money. They shouldn’t be so damn catchy.
That one from the Renault Megane advert? Check. That one from the Mercedes Benz ad? Check. Marks and Spencers food? Yup. That’s the way to make sure the public remember who you are. Most of the others have appeared on screen here and there too, such as the subliminal ad for the band that is Superstylin’ (used on the soundtrack to the Bollywood hit Bride and Prejudice) and At the River, which has been used all over the large and small screen far more times than it’s worth listing here.
Of course, all of these are already easily available on their previous Greatest Hits album (sorry, Best Of – completely different), originally released in 2004, which does leave you wondering whether the addition of a couple of new songs from their only intervening studio album, Soundboy Rock, really does warrant a new one.
It probably doesn’t, of course, but Greatest Hits might get more radio play than their 2CD collection of rarities, GA10, out on November 12, thus drawing attention to that and the tour and getting them a bit more media exposure in the process. You can’t fault the lads for trying.
Besides, there’s always the chance that Song 4 Mutya will bring in fans of the ex-Sugababe, of course, and shift a few more copies to her fans. This might have been a cleverer marketing ploy had the song not already appeared on her album Real Girl, released in June, meaning that her fans don’t exactly need a version of it surrounded by 13 tracks from a band they’re less interested in. But never mind
Pointless cash-in to promote more worthwhile collection of oddities, then? Probably, but damn good housey trip-hop none the less, let’s face it. There’s nothing from their first album Northern Star, but plenty from across the other six studio albums they’ve given us.
Notable highlights… well, you know what they are. It’s always good to hear Chicago and Lightsonic again. Not At The River, though. I’m thoroughly sick of that one by now. You too? Yup, thought so. Ah well.
Groove Armada MP3s or CDs
Groove Armada on Spotify
