authentic music. Chumbawumba have to their credit done the latter and it is as refreshing as a bucket of water of the head of the Deputy Prime Minister’s head. This can be demonstrated recourse to the album’s opening track; ‘The Wizard of Menlo Park’ featuring old style eccentric Chumbawumba instrumentals and lyrics that Mick Skinner would trade a lifetime of Doner Kebabs for; “Old Thomas Edison mixing up the medicine, messing up time from
Accrington to Amazon. See them all come with their wires and booms and their itchy little things saying ‘Play your funky drum!” ‘Un’ is a variety packed anarchic indie offering that highlights the fact that the wacky group fuelled by the chirpy vocals of Dunstan Bruce, seems to be just having fun and is relishing their time away from the public glare. There material is peppered with cutting edge lyrics and topical tirades against the establishment. ‘On eBay’ lashes out at the looting of Iraqi national treasures from under the noses of the US Forces. ‘Un” contains typical Chumba idiosyncrasies, but most of all it is an insightful and compelling listen, with each number having its own merits. Therefore, there is no standout track to provide a distorted view of the band this time around. Catch Chumbawumba live on their forthcoming UK tour; 7th May 04 Assembly Rooms, Ludlow (UK) (Acoustic set)
9th May 04 Theatre Royal, Northampton (UK) (Acoustic set)
8th June 04 Fleece & Firkin, Bristol (UK)
9th June 04 The Mean Fiddler, London (UK)
10th June 04 Irish Centre, Leeds (UK)
12th June 04 Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham (UK) 16th June 04 Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (UK)
17th June 04 The Met AC, Bury (UK)
18th June 04 Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven (UK)
4th July 04 Bridgewater Festival (UK) David Adair | 
