The Crystal Method back with new album

The Crystal Method back with new album

4 May, 2009 | 10.06AM

• Written by: Liz Miller
• Filed under: Music News: the crystal method, tiny e records

If you were (lucky enough to be?) a raver in North America between 1995 and 2002, you no doubt know The Crystal Method, not just by name but by reputation. 

TCM were true masters of the big room breakbeat style that appealed to ravers and non-ravers alike. Sometimes referred to as big beat, their peers in this genre were Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and The Prodigy.  As big as those names may seem, Ken and Scott were considered equally fee-worthy by promoters and punters alike. In fact, their debut artist album ‘Vegas’ (1997) was one of the biggest selling electronic albums of all time.

And, yes, as their name might suggest, these guys weren’t known for their sobriety.  They had a fan site called gotmeth.net and even had a breakdancing mascot on their later tours named Nosey whose entire face was… you guessed it…a nose (taken from their video for ‘Name Of The Game’).  They were truly underground, unsuitable for TV, and unpresentable to your parents, but with a sound that appealed to commercial rights-hounds.

Rather ironically, in the last decade they became even more mainstream than many of their counterparts. Around the same time that their 3rd album ‘Legion of Boom’ (2003) was nominated for a Grammy, their music started being picked up for everything from car advertisements to soundtracks to video games. Instead of hitting festival circuits they started scoring themes for TV programs like Third Watch and Bones. And instead of touring Europe, they were remixing Pirates of the Caribbean anthems for Disney.  They were even the first act to work with Nike on their running soundtrack series.

Their fans always hoped though, that The Crystal Method hadn’t left clubland for the “big time” forever. Despite their last mix album ‘Drive’ (2006) being available only at Best Buy stores as some sort of corporate marketing deal, they have come back full circle to putting their newest album ‘Divided By Night’, out on their own Tiny E Records.

Out May 12th, TCM’s fourth artist album is a fresh, updated take on their trademark sound, with everything from their classic chilled out big beat sound (a la the title track ‘Divided By Night’) to current-sounding electro-infused indie beats (‘King To The Wreckage’, ‘Sine Language’) and even a bit of fully song-structured electronica represented (my favorites, ‘Black Rainbows’ and ‘Come Back Clean’)

And boy have they learned how to network Hollywood-style.  Their impressive list of vocal collaborators on the album includes lead singer Justin Warfield from She Wants Revenge, Emily Haines from Metric, Meiko, Jason Lytle from Grandaddy, Matisyahu and LMFAO, with additional instrumental cameos from New Order bassist Peter hook, and Peaches / Hole drummer Samantha Maloney.

Even more good news… after breaking a five year hiatus from live shows, TCM will be on tour all over the USA this summer.

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