Very Fast Very Dangerous is the second album by British rock band Reuben

Reuben (band)

Reuben were an English three-piece musical group from Camberley, Surrey. Their music was a fusion of alternative rock and heavy metal, as their songs cover a variety of styles, ranging from heavy and upbeat, such as their 2005 single "Blamethrower" to slower, more melodic songs such as their 2004...

, released little over a year after their debut

Racecar Is Racecar Backwards

Racecar Is Racecar Backwards is the debut full-length album by the British rock band Reuben. It was recorded between July and November 2003, and was produced by Jason Wilcock at his home-made studio in Chobham.-Track listing:...

. Song writing for this album begun as soon as the recording for its predecessor, Racecar Is Racecar Backwards had finished in September 2003. The name originates from a line in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...

. The album was produced by Chris Sheldon (who has previously worked for Feeder

Feeder

-Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...

, Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...

 and Biffy Clyro

Biffy Clyro

Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...

) at Raezor Studios.

Reception

Many fans noted Very Fast as a "stronger and more complete album" than their debut, and critics largely praised the album, calling it "fantastic" and "essential". However, smaller independent fanzines, who had notably praised Reuben in their early days, criticised the album as narrowing of musical scope given its more straightforward rock approach, and even accused it of being an attempt by the band at selling out

Selling out

"Selling out" is the compromising of integrity, morality, or principles in exchange for money or "success" . It is commonly associated with attempts to tailor material to a mainstream audience...

.

In a surprising feat for an underground rock band, the album entered #4 in the UK Rock Chart

UK Rock Chart

The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the Top 40 Rock Singles and the Top 40 Rock Albums Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company from physical record sales in British retail outlets with larger than average genrespecific sales....

s in its first week, beaten only by high-risers Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...

, Green Day

Green Day

Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...

 and The Rasmus

The Rasmus

The Rasmus are a Finnish rock band that formed in 1995 in Helsinki while the band members were still in upper comprehensive school. The original band members were Lauri Ylönen , Eero Heinonen , Pauli Rantasalmi and Janne Heiskanen...

. It made #87 in the mainstream chart, and one place higher than "Racecar Is Racecar Backwards".

Track listing

1. "A Kick in the Mouth
   A Kick in the Mouth
   "A Kick in the Mouth" is the eighth single by Surrey-based rock band Reuben, released in June 2005. It is the second single taken from their second album, Very Fast Very Dangerous . It was made available in both CD and vinyl format, with a different single b-side on each format...
   
   " - 3.25
2. "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" - 4.02
3. "Best Enemies" - 3.35
4. "It's All About Control" - 2.44
5. "Every Time a Teenager Listens to Drum and Bass a Rockstar Dies" - 5.11
6. "Nobody Loves You" - 4.54
7. "Blamethrower" - 3.10
8. "Keep It to Yourself
   Keep It to Yourself (single)
   "Keep it to Yourself" is the ninth single by Surrey-based rock band Reuben, and the third single taken from their second album, Very Fast Very Dangerous. It was released in September 2005, one week ahead of the album. The single was available on three formats: CD, 7" vinyl and a limited edition...
   
   " - 2.35
9. "Lights Out" - 4.11
10. "Alpha Signal Three" (feat. Karl Middleton) - 3.01
11. "Good Night" - 3.38
12. "Return of the Jedi" - 7.22
13. "Boy" - 4.06

Personnel

• Jamie Lenman - Guitars, vocals, piano
• Jon Pearce - Bass, vocals
• Guy Davis - Drums

The singles chart positions

Date	Single	UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	Notes
April 2005	Blamethrower	-	Download only single
June 2005	A Kick in the Mouth A Kick in the Mouth "A Kick in the Mouth" is the eighth single by Surrey-based rock band Reuben, released in June 2005. It is the second single taken from their second album, Very Fast Very Dangerous . It was made available in both CD and vinyl format, with a different single b-side on each format...	59
September 2005	Keep It To Yourself Keep It to Yourself (single) "Keep it to Yourself" is the ninth single by Surrey-based rock band Reuben, and the third single taken from their second album, Very Fast Very Dangerous. It was released in September 2005, one week ahead of the album. The single was available on three formats: CD, 7" vinyl and a limited edition...	62
February 2006	Every Time A Teenager Listens To Drum & Bass A Rockstar Dies	219	Split 7" w/Frank Turner Frank Turner Frank Turner is an English folk/punk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Winchester. Initially the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, Turner embarked upon a primarily acoustic-based solo career following the band's split in 2005. To date, Turner has released four solo albums, two rarities...

"Every Time A Teenager Listens To Drum & Bass A Rockstar Dies"

• This was the first Reuben track to feature a pre-song computer "beats" section
• The first time the lyric 'you're so pretty and I'm so stupid' is heard on this track, it was sung through a microphone stripped from a WWII tank that producer Chris Sheldon had bought.
• In the gap between the intro of this song and the start of the big riff, Jamie can be heard shouting 'place your bets now', a catchphrase from Channel 4
  Channel 4
  Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
  
   gambling show Banzai. Jamie is referring to the odds on whether or not the band will get through that particular take from start to finish without messing up.
• The song was originally called "Hulk
  Hulk (comics)
  The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
  
   Smash".

"Good Night"

• The talking on the front of this song is Chris Sheldon, talking about his performance of a few 'Come on's' at the start of the song, which Jamie had heard him doing in the control room and insisted he re-create. The squeals of 'argh' are genuine yelps of pain he emitted when Ryan had his headphone mix too loud.
• The band claim this song has "the worst lyrics for any chorus ever".

"A Kick In The Mouth"

• The tinkling sounds on the second verse are a selection of mugs and glasses from Raezor's cupboards, filled with varying amounts of water and hit with drumsticks by Jamie after Jon suggested it would be funny if they had them glasses with water in them on the song. They are actually in tune.

"Return of The Jedi"

• At 7.22, this is Reuben's longest song to date.
• This song was originally called "Recouping is SO 1987...", and kept this name until after the sessions. The section at the end of the song where the strings comes in is known as 'The sea battle'. The new title is taken from the Star Wars film of the same name
  Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
  Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
  
  .

Trivia

• The band demoed 18 tracks for inclusion on the album in one day at Jacob's studios in Farnham
  Farnham
  Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
  
  . These included two tracks which had been demoed for the first album
  Racecar Is Racecar Backwards
  Racecar Is Racecar Backwards is the debut full-length album by the British rock band Reuben. It was recorded between July and November 2003, and was produced by Jason Wilcock at his home-made studio in Chobham.-Track listing:...
  
   and not made the cut: "Stupid" and "Approaching by Stealth", the latter of which was later re-recorded by Sam Bell, who'd also engineered the demos, for inclusion on the vinyl release of the "Keep It To Yourself
  Keep It to Yourself
  Keep It To Yourself is the debut album by MullMuzzler . It was released on August 24, 1999.-Track listing:# "His Voice" - 3:43 # "Statued" - 3:23...
  
  " single.
• The band and the production team (Chris Sheldon, engineer Ryan and studio owner Ian), as well as a few guests managed to drink 750 cups of tea during the five week recording. When it was revealed that the band were only thirty or so cups away from drinking the whole of the third box of 250 teabags, a mammoth tea-drinking mission was undertaken.
• Martin, who played cello on the album, also played guitar in Therapy?
  Therapy?
  Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
  
  .
• The band's record company asked them if they would record the song "Blitzkrieg" during the album sessions if they had enough time, even though it had not made the final selection of 13 tracks that the band had agreed on. The band agreed, but ran out of time when a whole week was lost, spent re-recording guitar parts that were found to be out of tune. Up until that time, the recording had been running ahead of schedule.
• A blamethrower is a special kind of non-lethal weapon invented by Dr. A. Heller in the film Mystery Men
  Mystery Men
  Mystery Men is a 1999 comedy film based on a Dark Horse comic book series feature in Flaming Carrot Comics by Bob Burden, directed by TV commercial director Kinka Usher. It stars William H. Macy, Ben Stiller, and Hank Azaria as a trio of lesser superheroes with fairly unimpressive superpowers who...
  
  .
• A VFVD T-shirt can be seen in the Hadouken!
  Hadouken!
  Hadouken! are an English grime, electronica, dance band who formed in Leeds in October 2006 by singer, writer and producer James Smith, alongside his girlfriend, synth player Alice Spooner, guitarist Daniel "Pilau" Rice, and drummer Nick Rice. The band name is taken from the name of a special...
  
   video for "Liquid Lives", and on the Fightstar
  Fightstar
  Fightstar are an English alternative rock band from London. They formed in 2003 and their lineup comprises lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Charlie Simpson, guitarist and vocalist Alex Westaway, bass guitarist Dan Haigh and drummer Omar Abidi...
  
   "One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours
  One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours
  One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours is the second studio album by British alternative rock band Fightstar, released on September 24, 2007 through Institute Recordings, itself a subsidiary of independent label Gut Records...
  
   DVD, worn by drummer Omar Abidi.

External links

• Very Fast Very Dangerous at official site discography