MUSIC LIST
V ALBUMS
I Tracy Chapman: Crossroads (Elektra) IIer second album confirms two things that lsuspected from Chapman‘s hugely successful debut. One. that for a ‘protest‘ singer her greatest moments are her love songs. and two. that for someone mainly backed by acoustic guitar. her voice sits more comfortably on top ofa piano accompaniment. Crossroads does however establish her as the only mass-selling American artist to tackle frequently and successfully. serious political issues. and because of this she will
interest to buffs as
committed as themselves. and even that's pushing it. An excruciating album. (AM)
I Rickie Lee Jones: Flying Cowboys (Geffen) The four years taken to make Flying Cowboys could equally easily have fitted in between Pirates and The Magazine. although the Walter Becker production gives Rickie Lee her most commercial edge since ‘Chuck E‘sin Love’. with the soft reggae of ‘Love is Going to Bring Us Back Alive‘ complementing the spacey. off-the-wall rhythms of ‘Ghetto ofMy Mind‘. As for the rest of
the rest ofthe album suffers from a lack of focus. where a pruning of the musical content for some good ideas and great melodies may have helped. Perhaps this album suffers from too long having been spent on it. but it is a brave. ifnot entirely fruitful. attempt at something more thoughtful and less commercial than their previous records. (JW)
I AR Kane: I (Rough Trade) Ofcourse this double set could have been condensed into a single album. but AR Kane's mad torrent ofcreativity throws up a satisfying number of gems. It couldn‘t start off on a better foot than ‘Love From Outer Space'. which reprocesses 70s dance music with more energy and imagination than others have dared. and the momentum carries us through the predictable lapse into their trademark langurous dub before we're hit with another highlight. The number of musical references one could make from [would look like a join-the-dots chart gone mad — but it would be an index of possibilities. not riffs or textures. lsthisthe first record of the 90s? (AM)
The Siiiiluli'aumis
I The Snapdragons: Dawn Raids on Morality (Native) The Snapdragons recent
the mix. butcrucial. especially on the almost swing-like rhythms of ‘Below this Level' and the prime Can of‘I loolah Iloolah'. Can are never trying to blow your mind. though. only tease. puzzle and play forone's listening pleasure. It's not too late to catch on. (AM)
I Nicky Skopelitis: Next To
Nothing (Venture) Guitarist Skopelitis is joined by longtime associate bassist Laswell and visiting Brits Ginger Baker and Fred Frith for this engrossingly unclassifiable set. Rhythms of various ethnic origins blend with Skopelitis‘s terse slide work and Fred‘s nagging violin in the midst ofbig Bill's typically cavernous metal production job. The result is musicof shimmering. compulsive intensity. (TJ)
I John Zorn: Spy vs Spy (Elektra Musician) Released at last after interminable delays. but don't miss this one. Zorn transposes the music of ()rnette Coleman to an initially shocking hardcore format. but in the midst of land speed record percussion the indestructible melodic zest of the compositions remains intact. Napalm
some evidence of compositional flair would consolidate the arrival ofa very promising talent. Vigorous stuff. (TJ)
I Courtney Pine: A Vision's
1 Tale (Antilles) As ifin
response to the cautious response of the critics. here's Courtney proving his maturity with a sax plus rhythm. standards plus originals date recorded in America with
topnotch company.
Presenting a firmer grasp of internal dynamics than his previous post-Coltrane speed demon incarnation. Pine wrestles respectably with the ghostsof Iillington. Pres. Rollins et al. producing music that's sprung with the young man's tense concentration. Ironically though. it‘s when he learns to relax. like the marvellous. practised hand of pianist Ellis
Marsalis. that he produces
his most affecting statement. an unhurried. achingly emotive ballad reading of Skylark. The sound ofprogress being made. (TJ)
I Neil Young: Freedom (Reprise) As with Dylan's ()li Mercy. the rumours turnout to be totally correct — Neil Young has made his first brilliant album for years. Freedom takes three tracks from the acclaimed Japanese import Iz‘ldorado and
V BOOK NOW ROCK
I GLASGOW BARROWLAND (041 226 4679) The Wedding Present. 11 Nov; Lloyd Cole. 13 Nov; Michelle Shocked. 22 Nov; Marillion. 4 Dec; The Waterboys, 30-31 Dec.
I GLASGOW PAVILION (041 332 1846) Randy Travis. 9 Nov; Lulu G Jerry and the Pacemakers. 10 Nov; Billie Joe Spears. 11 Nov; Nanci Griffith. 14 Nov; Julia Fordham. 15 Nov.
I GLASGOW SECC(041248 3000) Edwyn Collins. 26-27 Nov; Alice Cooper, 50ec; Status Duo, 11 Dec; Erasure. 18Jan; Simply Red, 21 Jan; Chris Rea. 4 March.
I LIVINGSTON FORUM (0506 419191) The Cult. 20 Nov; Barbara Dickson. 24 Nov; Run Rig. 7 Dec; BrotherBeyond. 17 Dec.
I EDINBURGH PLAYROUSE (031557 2590) Stranglers. 5 March; Spandau Ballet. 6 March; Everything But The Girl. 10 March; James Last, 9April.
builds into a most rounded and complete work —
the LP. all of side one is brilliant. and side two
near-hit ‘Dole Boyson Futons‘ opens the
always be a more effective
Death fans. your and important medium
conversion to jazz begins
_ . ‘ I. H V ‘ q . r I H . H woingfromthe mostmanic i ' than the “keg of public contains a great eoser proceedings. and very hem. ( U) furs-{0n of .On Broadan Enemy and NWA' Even version of Gerry and The good it sounds too. But I Ch'ismpher “onyday, ' , 1‘ “W h v rd m [hc' ' . s . . . . Pacemakers' ‘Don't Let sin erJames Taylor has a .. ° )0" H L U “1 "afga'eto "afar 12N0V' so. Crossroads probably g - . Untitled (Novus) Ihe sax s' "illvt ‘nder '
h. .f. . . , d . the Sun Catch You tendencvtowardslines . . . ‘ ' mu'm‘ _- L . . JUllaFOTdham.15N0V.
d5 LWUSIdn 0111111“ 8 . _. . . g . ‘. ' . . . . virtuosi keep getting ‘Wrcckmg Ball‘. ‘Rockin EDINBURGH USHER
thanm prcdcccswr and . ( rying . ( lose to like inthe plurality fiction munbu thhquhc . m Fr ~ w) Mb m :ALL 225 756 L I 8'
_~ I ‘ ‘ N. .> ... .V.‘ ' ' ".. c In C'CC (f CZ. 5 uu themed dndtruswd I perfeetion. (JW) istruthisn tlies by playing“ lgvcapold markcd Similarity“) G i d h P I k formula runningthmugh the piekupofthe final '1 H n ‘1' ‘k. . _ y - . ‘ , WW3" l 3 “mm ersv the likesofiMatcrial track you hold out about d I'm“. .0 > “y. at ‘ 5PT‘“?§‘°°” 5.1.3.0”) in [.hL 12 NOV; Lloyd c°lev14N°V3 World; . b ‘ f . t as much hope {Or the maturity . for this spirited l, SA . its semi-Jingoistic Tammy wyneyye. 18 Nov;
Ls “E’mmng 0 . . . . . . funlhmughiihiifd bOP stadium rock chorus being H ("1' 130 wear 8 bn mm (JW) human raee as he does . 3‘" '"dv 33' ‘ (we aim “CC.th .md ngfiimmc IMIICI)‘ CUllCd coupled with verses about
Amund (China) ‘A5 L0“ they have occasional great JaCk'c McLean songbmms hnmglcssncss‘ drug abuse I GLASGOW KING'S Reed as you like .' says the flu... mumcms‘ led by dcm()R$IfillC§_iI stunning and single parents. In THEATRE (041 227 5511) flatmate of‘You Couldn't JOh'n Sullivan.s ' technical facility. At the short, Freedom has cmi Barber Band 10 Dec Get Arrested'. l was still economical but effective mOmL‘m hC'S 5'leng 0“ re-established Neil Young I GEASGOW PAVI'UON ' trvin to etover‘Good - . . . fit-S'le numbCTS(ChCCk0Ul as a ’uitar hero and a .
. g 8 gUIth. but allow . . . . 1‘ . . (041 332 1846)The Comes Patient Woman'. whichin , I themsclwwnd JTIO his VCTSIOR “IBM! 5 songwriter. and we should 24 N .s d L meme ‘ the country and western s, ( ,1; ' mmmcunihmugh tracks ‘Koko‘). but more be glad to have him back. 0 hov't y 253"
Pisstake stakesis i. r , _ , _' _. ' assurance on balladsand (JW) m es '3' ov' .
. that long outstay their I EDINBURGH KING 3 surpassed only by ‘Pills I Tears For Fears: The welcome (AM) THEATRE (031 2291201) and Booze' on the other i Seeds of Love (Fontana)A . . Th c . 1548 Nov side. a song that not even i brave move for a band . can: all? “me (MOWWV) I go'flgsg'cfl QUEENCS the most burned-out ' enjoying worldwide RCCUTdCd In 1986 but not HALL 031 668 2019M“ casualty would find success. TheSeeds ofl.ove C(ImPIC‘Cd “OI” “"5 Yum Sh ( d m 8 nd wNoyv. amusing. It‘s hard to spot can be faulted for many Riw_7‘i(rwunltcsthc m0” l 2933;? '39 a "fine ' the difference between things. but not for its lack dl§C1Pllan (:3‘." 0f the 805 a n {e187 Na‘ggohn the parodies andthe ofambition.Orzabaland “'"hlhc'r‘mgmals'ngcr- ’ ua 8' . DY. , serious homages. because Smith have broadened the American Mala)“ "clfaugh'm Tno‘ 1 Dec' Dan Stuart and Chuck theirhorizons. recruiting MOOI‘CY- (‘an's Strengths Chm Barber Band' 8 Dec' Prophet don‘t seem to the excellent ()leta have always PCC" I EDINBURGH USHER know the shit to avoid; Adams and session rhythmic and “mural HALL (031 225 5756) they love it all players of the highest rather than melodic. and , Clannad, 19 Nov; Syd indiscriminately. and standard toexecute their MO‘WCY‘S ""Cidsarc ! Lawrence orcnesua' 27 churn it out in astream new-found vision. While PcrfCCI f‘” the m‘md" NOV; Pat meme“ Group' 18 that‘s only really of this works on a fewtrae‘ks. ["93th undersmwd I" D“-
34 The List 27 October — 9 November 1989