F*** U twice

 

Overshadowed perhaps only by Massive Attack in their sheer experimental talent and genre-bending music, Archive have enjoyed an increasingly acclaimed career in their native Britain first, then in most of Europe. Several of their songs, including 1996’s “Nothing else” or the epic 16-minute long “Again”, have become classics showcasing the very specific, sophisticated and ever changing sound of the band. But “Fuck U”, taken from their 2004 Noise album, is arguably the most memorable of them all, not only thanks to its beautifully growing intensity, but also because of its rather straightforward message…

Written in response to the 2003 invasion of Irak, it served as a musical gut reaction to the political situation of the era. And it was received as such, expressing feelings of disgust and desperation as the UK, US and a host of other countries started a war for highly questionable reasons — triggering an ever more questionable outcome. While “Fuck U” starts off as a peaceful composition, with almost intimate vocals on top of a crystal-clear keyboard track, they eventually culminate with heavily saturated guitar riffs and a voice that has now turned sharp and accusatory. Live versions of the song only highlight the symphonic nature of the work, and its eventual impact on listeners.

Now, a year after the band celebrated its 25-year anniversary, they decided to go one step further. As part of an upcoming album entitled Versions and featuring new renderings of their earlier work, we were just presented with an updated version of “Fuck U”, with new singer Lisa Mottram uttering the now (in)famous words. While this version inherently feels more experimental and less geared towards fostering anger or indignation, with Mottram’s hushed voice and layered electronic tracks in the background, it still serves as a pleasant reminder of the power this song possesses. Perhaps more in its original incarnation, but still: well worth remembering…