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Album Review: Chumbawamba, WYSIWYG

(Universal)

Two stars out of a possible five stars.

The British self-ascribed "anarchists" Chumbawamba, who brought the U.S. one of the most annoying songs of 1997, "Tubthumping," are back again.

For the year 2000 they've got WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) - an equally irritating and trite album stuck on spewing forth mindless cynicism and boring pop melodies.

The group, which began as a commune, has been recording music for 12 years now, most of which reflects the band's issues with society.

The band follows one philosophy: don't follow the rules.

Unfortunately, the band's greatest acts of civil disobedience include chanting "Free Mumia Abu-Jamal" at the end of a performance on David Letterman's "Late Show" and subtly advocating the stealing of their own album on "Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher" - something the band later denied.

On WYSIWYG, songs like "Social Dogma," "Ladies for Compassionate Lynching" and "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Jerry Springer" all spout stale political pop melodies, most of which are void of any passion or strength.

On the song "I'm Coming Out," singer Alice Nutter comments on Western society's obsessive materialism. Singing in a monotone voice over a bland pop rock beat, Nutter mutters "All dressed up in drag/In a Gucci body bag." Brilliant.

The problem with WYSIWYG is that there seems to be a certain na•vetˇ saturating every aspect of it, and in the band's attempt at being archaic, their cynicism (on just about every pop culture topic imaginable) comes off as corny and meaningless.

In a time where political rock music is reaching new levels with bands like Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine, Chumbawamba's weak attempt at social reform just doesn't cut it.

-Barry McGuire