The Singles (Basement Jaxx album)

The Singles
Greatest hits album by
Basement Jaxx
Released21 March 2005 (2005-03-21)
Recorded1996–2004
Genre
Length57:32
LabelXL
Producer
  • Simon Ratcliffe
  • Felix Buxton
Basement Jaxx chronology
Kish Kash
(2003) 		The Singles
(2005) 		Crazy Itch Radio
(2006)
Singles from The Singles
  1. "Oh My Gosh"
    Released: 14 March 2005
  2. "U Don't Know Me"
    Released: 13 June 2005
  3. "Do Your Thing"
    Released: 26 September 2005

The Singles is the first greatest hits album by English electronic music duo Basement Jaxx, released on 21 March 2005 via XL. The album contains two new songs, "Oh My Gosh" and "U Don't Know Me", which were both released as singles. "Do Your Thing" was previously included on the 2001 Rooty album, but with the release of this compilation album, the single was re-released in the UK after the two aforementioned singles.

Later editions of The Singles included the "JaxxHouz" radio edit of "U Don't Know Me" in place of the original album version. A special edition of the release included a second disc of previously unreleased material.

Background and release

Talking about the compilation, Buxton told Canadian music magazine The Record:

[...] It's a collection of all our popular songs really, a collection where people could get all the main songs that they liked. It seemed like a good idea to put it out now because a lot of people were coming to our shows and didn't really know that a song like "Romeo" was by the same people who did "Where's Your Head At". Our music [across the years] is quite different so it has probably taken people a while to realise that it's all by the same band. So yeah, that was why really. It could be a collection for people who'd only just found out about us, or seen a live show and wanted to get our music.[1]

"Oh My Gosh" was the first single from the album. Released simultaneously with the album was The Videos, a video album containing the group's music videos, several live tracks, and four extra video clips.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
musicOMH(favorable)[3]
NME4/10[4]
Pitchfork9.5/10[5]

Andy Kellman from AllMusic gave the album a very positive review, calling it "a timely and nearly faultless stop-gap compilation."[2]

PopMatters ranked the album the 19th-best reissue of 2005.[6]

Promotion

Basement Jaxx embarked on the Live 2006 tour of the UK in support of the album, which began on 28 November 2006 in Plymouth, England and ended on 8 December 2006 in Glasgow, Scotland. In total there were eight shows.[7]

Glastonbury Festival headlining

On 6 June 2005, it was announced last-minute that the duo would replace Kylie Minogue as headliners for the 2005 Glastonbury Festival due to Minogue being diagnosed with breast cancer.[8] According to The Guardian, the reactions to this news were "muted". Basement Jaxx's headlining was said to be a departure from the usual rock bands that used to headline the festival, as was Minogue's planned appearance.[8]

While performing onstage, Scottish musician Bobby Gillespie called the band "Cocksuckers – no offence to cocksuckers," before slating everyone from Minogue to the crowd itself and eventually getting booed off stage. Basement Jaxx's vocalist Vula Malinga recalls: "I remember us girls were like 'WHAT? Shut Up! Come on let's take him! Warrrgh', but the guys were just like 'Everyone's entitled to their opinion.' In the end I think the crowd spoke for itself."[9]

Despite heavy rainfall during the year's festival, the duo's performance was well received.[10] They also included a carnival version of Motörhead's "Ace of Spades" in their set.

Track listing

The Singles track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Red Alert" (featuring Blue James)
3:37
2."Good Luck" (featuring Lisa Kekaula)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
  • Kekaula
3:32
3."Romeo" (featuring Kele Le Roc)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:26
4."Oh My Gosh" (featuring Vula Malinga)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:57
5."Bingo Bango"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
  • Bolivar
3:48
6."Where's Your Head At" (featuring Damien Peachey)
4:00
7."Rendez-Vu"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:45
8."Jump n' Shout" (featuring Slarta John)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
  • Mark James
3:39
9."Lucky Star" (featuring Dizzee Rascal)
  • D.Mills
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:54
10."Plug It In" (featuring JC Chasez)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:20
11."U Don't Know Me" (featuring Lisa Kekaula) (later replaced by JaxxHouz Radio Edit, running 2:56)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
  • Kekaula
3:36
12."Do Your Thing" (featuring Elliot May)
4:20
13."Jus 1 Kiss"
3:37
14."Flylife"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
4:04
15."Samba Magic"
4:50
Special edition bonus disc – Bonus Traxx
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Magnificent Romeo"
4:28
2."I Beg U"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:42
3."Mere Pass"
4:29
4."Miracles Keep on Playin'" (Red Alert Remix)
4:34
5."Bongoloid"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
4:22
6."Good Luck" (Live)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
  • Kekaula
4:53
7."Rendez-Vu" (Latin Version)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
4:07
8."Broken Dreams" (Acoustic)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
2:42
9."Ha Choo"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
2:35
10."Onyx"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
4:10
11."I Live in Camberwell"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:38
12."Camberskank"
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
5:43
13."Jus 1 Kiss" (The Isley Bootleg)
5:02
14."Romeo" (Acoustic)
  • Ratcliffe
  • Buxton
3:35

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for The Singles
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] 3× Platinum 900,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

The Videos

The Videos
Video by
Basement Jaxx
Released2005
Recorded1997–2005
GenreElectronica
LabelXL

The Videos is a DVD by Basement Jaxx containing all official music videos, several live tracks, and four extra video clips.

It was released at the same time as The Singles.

Track listing

The Videos

  1. "Red Alert"
  2. "Rendez-Vu"
  3. "Jump N' Shout"
  4. "Bingo Bango"
  5. "Romeo"
  6. "Jus 1 Kiss"
  7. "Where's Your Head At"
  8. "Lucky Star"
  9. "Good Luck"
  10. "Plug It In"
  11. "Cish Cash"
  12. "Oh My Gosh"
  13. "Flylife"

Live Traxx

  1. "Red Alert" (Glastonbury 2000)
  2. "Jump N' Shout" (Glastonbury 2000)
  3. "Do Your Thing" (V2002)
  4. "Cish Cash" (Werchter 2004)
  5. "Lucky Star" (Fuji Rock 2004)
  6. "Good Luck" (Glastonbury 2004)
  7. "Supersonic" (Glastonbury 2004)
  8. "Where's Your Head At" (Glastonbury 2004)

Extras

  1. "The Road to Coachella"
  2. "Jaxx TV"
  3. "Tokyo Stench"
  4. "Bongaloid"

See also

References

  1. ^ "Basement Jaxx — Red Alert". The Record. Archived from the original on 23 March 2006. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "The Singles – Basement Jaxx review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 11 December 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  3. ^ Lyon, Charlotte (21 March 2005). "The Singles – Basement Jaxx review". musicOMH. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  4. ^ Cashmore, Pete (12 September 2005). "The Singles – Basement Jaxx review". NME. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  5. ^ Harvell, Jess (23 March 2005). "The Singles – Basement Jaxx review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 26 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  6. ^ PopMatters staff(s) (19 December 2005). "Best Reissues of 2005". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Basement Jaxx announces biggest UK tour". Basement Jaxx's official website. Archived from the original on 22 May 2006. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Jaxx replace Kylie at Glastonbury". BBC News. 6 June 2005. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  9. ^ Lucas, Becky (3 March 2008). "Basement Jaxx singer in Dubai". Time Out Dubai. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  10. ^ "The 100 best Glastonbury performances ever". Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Basement Jaxx – The Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  12. ^ "Ultratop.be – Basement Jaxx – The Singles" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – Basement Jaxx – The Singles" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Basement Jaxx – The Singles" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  15. ^ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending May 12, 2005". chart-track.co.uk. Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  16. ^ "Charts.nz – Basement Jaxx – The Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  17. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Basement Jaxx – The Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  18. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Basement Jaxx – The Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  19. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  20. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2005". Ultratop. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  21. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2005". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  22. ^ "2006 UK Albums Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  23. ^ "British album certifications – Basement Jaxx – The Singles". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 September 2022.