Anomie & Bonhomie

Anomie & Bonhomie
Studio album by Scritti Politti
Released	26 July 1999
Recorded	1997–1998
Studio	The Townhouse (London, UK); Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, California); Baby Monster Studios (New York City, New York).
Genre	Alternative rock rap rock hip hop
Length	49:27
Label	Virgin
Producer	David Gamson
Scritti Politti chronology
Provision (1988) Anomie & Bonhomie (1999) Early (2005)

Anomie & Bonhomie is the fourth album by the British group Scritti Politti, released in 1999.^[1] The album marks a sharp departure from their previous synthpop era and features contributions from rappers Mos Def, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, and Lee Majors of Da Bush Babees.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
NME	[3]

Anomie & Bonhomie was generally well received by critics; however, opinions regarding the reinvention of Scritti Politti's sound through its mixture with contemporary genres and vocal styles such as grunge and hip-hop, respectively, were both praised and denounced by critics.

Allmusic said that of the contemporary "updates" that "rapper cameos, vague house beats, grunge guitars -- sound as if they're pasted over backing tracks from 1986. Not necessarily a bad thing, but disconcerting, since the heart of this album is squarely in Cupid & Psyche 85 territory." Ultimately they conclude: "Anomie & Bonhomie [...] remains faithful to the sophisti-pop aesthetic the band pioneered in the mid-'80s."^[4]

NME stated that Gartside successfully takes influences from contemporary genres such as grunge and hip-hop and "hammers" them into the Scritti aesthetic, concluding, "Gartside has returned with an album as glossy, eccentric and beguiling as he's ever made" ^[5]

The Independent was more critical, claiming that Anomie & Bonhomie has an "uneasy alliance between hard rock, hip-hop and ambient", that the album "comes waving a big sign announcing its sophistication, but, for all the care and polish taken in its execution, it lacks the easy, relaxed air that sustains the truly sophisticated."^[6]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Green Gartside, except where noted.

1. "Umm" (Gartside, Lee Majors) - 4:14
2. "Tinseltown to the Boogiedown" (Gartside, Majors, Mos Def) - 4:55
3. "First Goodbye" - 5:13
4. "Die Alone" - 4:23
5. "Mystic Handyman" - 3:46
6. "Smith 'n' Slappy" (Gartside, Mos Def) - 4:53
7. "Born To Be" - 3:53
8. "The World You Understand (Is Over + Over + Over)" - 3:13
9. "Here Come July" - 4:00
10. "Prince Among Men" (Gartside, Majors) - 4:07
11. "Brushed With Oil, Dusted With Powder" - 6:05

Personnel

• Green Gartside – vocals, guitars, Ebow, vinylism (scratches), noises, music arrangements, vocal arrangements
• Allen Cato – guitars
• Wendy Melvoin – guitars
• David Dyson – bass
• David Gamson – bass, vocal arrangements
• Vere Isaacs – bass
• Me'Shell NdegéOcello – bass, backing vocals (2, 4, 8), rap (2, 4, 8)
• Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums
• William "Juju" House – drums
• Steve Pigott – string arrangements
• Paul Riser – string arrangements
• Brent Fischer – string contractor
• Patrick "Red Cloud" Mah – backing vocals
• Lee Majors – backing vocals (1, 2, 10), rap (1, 2, 10)
• Mos Def – rap (2, 6)
• Jimahl – backing vocals (4), rap (4)

Production

• David Gamson – producer, mixing (2, 4, 6, 9, 10)
• John Hopkins – recording
• Rail Jon Rogut – recording
• Tim Burrell – compiling engineer
• Bob Power – mixing (1, 5, 8)
• Bob Brockman – mixing (3, 7, 11)
• Michael J. Ade – pre-production recording
• Andy Houston – pre-production recording
• Tom Coyne – mastering
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Lon Cohen – guitar technician
• Bobby Schneck – guitar technician
• Ian Alexander – A&R coordinator
• Mary Hogan – project coordinator
• Green Gartside – art direction, design
• Paula Benson – art direction, design
• Paul West – art direction, design
• Mark Mattock – photography
• Simon Hicks – management

Studios

• Recorded at The Townhouse (London, UK); Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, California); Baby Monster Studios (New York City, New York).
• Mixed at The Enterprise (Burbank, California); Room With A View, Sony Music Studios and Battery Studios (New York City, New York).
• Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York).

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Anomie & Bonhomie: Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Scritti Politti – Anomie & Bonhomie > Review at AllMusic
3. "Anomie & Bonhomie". NME. 12 September 2005.
4. Scritti Politti - Anomie & Bonhomie Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 23 June 2023
5. NME (12 September 2005). "Anomie & Bonhomie". NME. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
6. "Pop: This Week's Album Releases". The Independent. 22 July 1999. Retrieved 23 June 2023.