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Chumbawamba


"Swingin' with Raymond" is the seventh studio album by anarchist punk band Chumbawamba. The album cover features a photograph of Raymond Mills. The musical style of the album is divided into two distinct halves. The first half, titled "Love It," consists of tracks 1 to 6 and features folk-styled love songs sung by Lou Watts, accompanied by acoustic guitars and violin. Chris Nickson, an Allmusic critic, described this section as "ironic," noting that the songs explore the love of ideas, turning love itself into a concept. The second half, titled "Hate It," includes tracks 7 to 13 and showcases the band's other vocalists, with faster rhythms, trumpet, and louder guitars. Nickson praised this section for its strong melodies and choruses. The cover art visually represents the contrast between the two halves, featuring a man with "LOVE" and "HATE" tattooed on his knuckles. Some versions of the LP were released as two separate discs, one for each part. The album was less successful in the UK than its predecessor, Anarchy, which had entered the top 40. Swingin' with Raymond peaked at number 70 on the UK Albums Chart, spending only one week on the tally.