What do you do when everyone tries to sound like you? What no one would expect, that's what. The Chemical Brothers' third album "Surrender" recaptures the same vibe they found mining old-school hip hop on the "Loops of Fury" EP, only this time they find it in mid-1908s house. And, midway through the disc, you'll find some of the most adventurous psychedelic electro-pop ever assembled--even a collaboration with Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval that'll leave you feeling buzzed all day long.

With the Chems forsaking their trademark block-rockin' beats for the traditional 4/4 of the dance floor, it shouldn't come as that much of a surprise to anyone who bought DJs Tom Rowlands and Ed Simon's mix album "Brothers Gonna Work It Out"--this is just the boys going back to their roots here. Only, instead of simple club-ready retreads, they lay down some impressive sonics that simultaneously seem dated and futuristic, familiar yet not too accessible. Even the blatant Beatlemania of "Let Forever Be," with Oasis's Noel Gallagher, is forgivable since it's such a wonderful reminder of what these three did when they attacked us with that trippy ditty "Setting Sun" two years ago.

The Chems fancy themselves as album-making artists, not merely single-pressing DJs. At the expense of underground credibility, what the Chems have done here is bold and enticing. Track after track unfolds almost delicately, without the industrial onslaught of "Exit Planet Dust" or the heavy funk of the gold-selling "Dig Your Own Hole." The bottom line is, any Chem album is going to be bliss, but this time they've created something that absolutely commands repeated listenings to fully appreciate--that's not a chore, but a gift that keeps on giving.

Alas, one small complaint: "Out of Control," a collab with New Order's Bernard Sumner, is the only cut that's out of place here--it sounds a lot like one of New Order's weaker cuts, "Fine Time." Since this session was released as a single anyway, it would've been a wiser marketing and arranging move to keep it off the album--since it's lumped in with other, more mature-sounding tracks, the song just comes off as dull. Still, a small price to pay for such otherwise crafty and creative, pop-based musicmaking.

I think it's too bad that customers buy a new album, like Surrender, and expect it to be another Dig Your Own Hole, and trash it if it's not. I take my hat off to the boys for trying something new rather than stay with the same old Block Rockin' Beats routine. I enjoy "Hey Boy" because it seems more sarcastic than egotistical (their references to 'superstar DJs' and the cheerful 'here we go!'.. sounds like they are making fun of the hype rather than basking in it) I also enjoyed the retro 80s flavor of music:response. My favorite song on this album is Got Glint?... it's a simple song but there's something fresh about it and the 80s flavor about it really appeals to me. Some of the melodies in this album also have a nice eastern ring to it that is subtle but refreshing. Someone who prefers the older chemical brothers might come away dissappointed but if you're willing to listen to something new and different, give this one a try! P.S. See them live if you can. They are wonderful and the concert's what got me into them!

This is one of the most wonderful collections of modern audio I have had the privilege to witness. From beginning to end, this masterpiece is without a doubt, hands down, the electronic album for the ages. #1 on my all-time album list, this would be the one to take if you were to be stranded on a desert island for the rest of your life with a CD player and a lifetime supply of double A's. It's hard not to find a track here you won't be addicted to. Every melody and every beat is molded and cut from (what can only be hailed as) a miracle of sound. Whatever the Chemical Brothers did to compose this piece of art, I pray, they can replicate in the future. This is a mandatory must-have for anyone into the techno-dance scene -- and even if you're not, please, please, please take a chance and listen to this one...I can't imagine how you could possibly be disappointed. There certainly aren't enough praiseful adjectives to describe this work. I know God must have it next to his stereo in the sky.

It's tough to be fans of Tom and Ed, a.k.a. the Chemical Brothers. From their early DJ sets to their breakthrough and still best album Exit Planet Dust, we know what breakbeat fueled wonders they're capable of. Yet they continue to stray from their "Big Beat" sound after hearing the waves of similar bands, and this is their farthest departure yet.

So on the one hand we get glorious remnants of what they can do; Music:Response is a funky, bleepy stormer, and easily the best tune on the disc. It blends into "Under the Influence" with a huge dropping baseline and flittering melody on top. It then mixes not so well into the dud "Out of Control", mostly a failure due to Sumner's vocals. Check out their B-side on the Music:Response cd single for a much better, vocalless glimpse of what this song could have been. "Orange Wedge" is layered percussion and such that doesn't do much, while "Let Forever Be" is Beatles meets the Brothers, and the most debatable track (though I happen to like it). The Sunshine Underground is the spiritual heart of the CD, a psychedelic 8 minute piece that is, as always, cleverly produced but ultimately a shallow attempt at a vision not carried through. "Asleep from Day" is instantly skippable, featuring the drowsy vocals of Mazzy Star". But things do start to pick up with the excellent "Got Glint" and it's acid-house leanings and "Hey Boy, Hey Girl" with it's simple yet catchy old-school sample. The disc ends with a failed attempt to capture the flavor of "Private Psychedelic Reel".

The Brothers prove that when they want to make hits to move you, they are masters- there are 5 hits on this CD which warrant this a great purchase. But when they make songs to please themselves, the efforts are not compelling enough for us to join in.

I don't understand why this album gets panned by critics and fans of the Chemical Brothers. In my opinion this is their best CD. So many styles of music were explored here with many having their roots in other genres (shoegaze, house, acid, trance). Overall this is a much more varied album than both Exit Planet Dust and Dig Your Own Hole combined. I was tired of those two albums years and years ago but this one still gets played while hundreds of albums I own don't.

Favorite tracks: Asleep From Day, The Sunshine Underground, Surrender, Dream On