MUSIC LIST
V ALBUMS
ITelevision: The BIow-Up/Suicide: Ghost Riders/? and The Mysterians: The Dallas Reunion Tapes/MC5: Babes in Arms (Danceteria) By providing cassette-only releases of live and rare material. the American ROIR label has been a godsend to fans ofcult bands like the above. Now. Danceteria in France have begun reissuing them on CD. and if this batch isany indication. they will be highly sought-after.
The Television set is basically a live bootleg. and sounds like it. but the muddiness is not so thick that Verlaine. Lloyd. Smith and Ficca don‘t come shining through in one of their fittest hours. (‘ontrastingly. Suicide. recorded in Minneapolis in 1981. are uncomfortably clear and in nagging. terrifying form. Martin Revstrips American musical history down to a bleached white skeleton on his Farfisa and K-Mart drum machine set-up. while Alan Vega tears large lumps out ofhis soul. lfanything. it'sa more essential document than the studio albums.
'.’ and The Mysterians' set is a 1985 reunion in which the proto-lggy and his pals play tightly and as closely as possible to the (ills' blueprint. ‘Ninety-six Tears' has been a touchstone for ‘punk' for 25 years. and one can ' imagine the newcomers
little rougher. so there's a ! strangely cabaret-ish feel to it. Finally. and despite some weak tracks. the I MCS‘s compilation is. you i guessed it. essential. Their 1 early singles are musically i tame compared to the beast that is Kick ()ulihe alums. but lyrically the 1 Five were alreadyspitting venom. And when theydo kick 'em out. like on ‘I Can Only Give You Everything‘. the sound is awesomely raw and uncontrolled. Which is ‘ what a ‘roar' is all about anyway. (Alastair Mabbott)
I I Kurt Weill: Die
3 Dreigroschenoper(Decca)
The music of Kurt Weill
and his contemporary.
llans Eisler. have found
I an impressive champion in singer Dagmar Krause in recent years. and she is nowjoined by Ute Lemper. Lemper‘s earlier
Sings K urr Weill ( Decca) disc established her credentials. and her role in this new recordingof The Th reepenny ()pera.
Sinfonietta conducted by Scottish Opera‘sJohn Mauceri. can only enhance her reputation. The mixture ofoperatic and popular singers works a treat. retaining the acerbic power ofthe original without giving in to either over-emphasis on agit-prop ranting. or the trap ofover-sweetness (ofwhich Bobby Darin‘s ‘Maek the Knife’ remains the epitome). Stripped of much of the dialogue. the music fills a single. highly enjoyable CD. (KM)
I Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds: The Good Son
' (Mute) Eighteen months
after Tender Prey. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds return with a quite extraordinary album. Recorded in Brazil. The Good Son is unlike any previous collection — more coherent and musically gentler. relying on subtle arrangements rather than overblown dramatics. ‘The Ship Song' single. with its heavy emphasis on piano. is as good an introduction as any. Throughout. a soaring string section adds to the overall feel ofmelancholy and sentiment. Rather
? than losing his way. the
new ‘mature' Nick Cave is at his most potent. (James llaliburton)
I Robert Plant: Manic Nirvana (Es Paranza) One has mixed feelings approaching the new Robert Plant album. On the one hand. he was doing James Brown pastiches with Led Zeppelin. so why should
hounds for incorporating an oh-so-hip sample of said Godfather into a strident rock number. however desperate and tokenist the gesture seems'.’ The influence of Zep on the younger acts he‘s trying to keep up with is incalculable anyway. On the other. he's produced a solid. workmanlike and rather dull LP. with enthusiastic young sidemen who could turnout faultless FM rock in their sleep. All inall. Plant seems to have nothing very new to say. A shame. (Alastair Mabbott)
I The BMX Banditos: C86 (Click) All you shamefaced BMX Bandits fans can step out of the closet now. because the twee-est band to walk this Earth since The Archies (and they didn't even really exist) have turned out an album that you can add to your collections with pride. Working with a single-minded determination. Duglas
i and his gang have crafted
a decidedly good collection which even sneaks in a very ‘Girl From lpanema‘ acoustic number among the indie guitar-pop and such choice items as Duglas‘s first faltering recording. made at an undisclosed age in 1969. The band have used the title ofthe 1986 NME compilation because. as the cutest of the cuties. Duglas reasons. they should have been on it. and now there is a ('86 with no one but
Banditos) on it. Sounds fair to us. Drop your hard-man shell and you'll agree. (Alastair Mabbott) if...
(Mammoth) A three-piece from Minneapolis. The Blake Babies play music that‘s neither nouveau country-rock nor fuzzbox drone (an ill-fitting cover of The Stooges‘ ‘Loose' being a slightly indulgent exception). Unadorned by gimmickry or additional instruments. the band rely on their sure melodic sense. singerJuliana Hatfield providing the final spark that elevates these fine songsinto something very captivating indeed. Take it home to have warm feelings about. (Alastair Mabbott) I The Band of HolyJoy: Positively SpooIted (Rough Trade) Johnny Brown has so much to say — about life. love. the Government and Kay Kent. the pro .‘v‘larilyn lookalike who even emulated her idol‘s suicide — that he yelps his lyrics to get them all to fit in the space available. One wonders what gems he might come up with if he‘d pare down his verbiage and slow down so that we could actually hear what he’s got to say. That said. lines like ‘()h
I The Blake Babies: Earwig
probably best left obscu re. Positively S'pooked cove rs almost
exactly the same ground
is last year‘s Manic. lMagic. Majestic. accordion. violin and piano matching Brown's frenetic rush step by step. When they slow down. as on ‘Shadows Fall‘. it‘s quite apparent that Brown will never be the next Brel. but as long as he knows it too. that's fine by me. (Alastair Mabbott) I STEVE LACY: Anthem (NOVUS) Lacy's pin-sharp tone on the soprano sax and the occasionally spare lines of his solos can prove forbidding to some listeners. but with the expanded ensembles in evidence here he manages to produce music that rouses both the head and the feet. At its centre a title piece commissioned by the French Govt. that‘s a setting ofa poem bythe Russian Osip Mandelstam. Anthem consistently offers music of compositional richness. but with cohorts like the splendid Steve Pottson saxes there's not a little fire as well. (Trevor Johnston)
I Mantronix: The Best Of
' (1986—88) (10) Even
_ Mantronix would have to ' admit that three years is
not an over-generous length of time from which to draw a ‘Best Of'. This particular one. while of moderate interest for those wishing to chart the progress of home-grown hip-hop. is not especially distinguished. (Alastair
anticipating something a with the RlAS Berlin l we fall on him like hungry The BMX Blindlls (0r great Chagalllan COW? 1er Mabbott) 8 May. I Savouma Stevenson. 23 29 Jun; BB-King. 30Jun; Holland 31 Band, 2241 Ensemble, 14 Ma ;Gusztav ' I EDINBURGH EXHIBITION May; Allan, 26 May. Chris Barber, 2 Jul; Aug, 9 Fenyo. 18 May.1gJun; ROCK "CENTRE (031 557 6969) g I GLASGOW MOlR HALL Maynard Ferguson. 5Jul; I Egmauncn USHER Junior Dept Concert, 26 ; Kenny ROtllmi. 5 Jun. | (041227§511)Na George Russell. 6 Jul; Dizzy HALL (1131 2231155) May; Scottish Chamber I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 1 H-Oganaolch, 9 May; Black Gillespie. 7 Jul. Capercaillie, 17 May; Ted Choir. 16 Jun; Junior Dept I GLASGOW (031557 2590) Suzanne UmlO'OSlr15 Mail. I GLASGOW THIRD EYE Heath 33113.18 May, Concert, 23 Jun; St Mary's BARROWLAND (041 226 : Vega. 5 May; Heart. 8 May; I GLASGOW PAVILION CENTRE (041 227 5511) Music School Concert, 24 4579)James'15May;Big I Jeit BeckGultarShop.9 (0413321845iM8WBlack. Eyuphuro. 5May; Masasu CLASSICAL Jun; From Paris To Glasgow country, 21) May; Deborah 1 May; Magnum. 28 May; 9 Matt: De Danaan.10 May; Band, 8 May; Gabriel (Operas), 25-28 Jun; Harry. 31 May; James, 5 l Hothouse Flowers. 30 May: John Martyn. 13-14 May; Jackson. 17 May; Steve I GLASGOW CITY HALL Tel-Aviv Duartet, 26Jun. Jun, I DID. 1 Jun; Robert Plant, 2 Thomas Maptumo. 17-18 Martland/Sarah Jane (041227 5511) SNO. 5 May; I GLASGOW THEATRE I GLASGOW CITY HALL 1 Jun: Slnead Connor. 20 Mai: Gil Scott-Heron, 19 Morris,19-20 May; London Mozart Players, 7 ROYAL (041 332 9000) (041 227 5511) Blues Band, Jun;The ChrlsllanS.1 Dec. May; Capercalllle. 20 May. Toumani Diabete/Torera May; Tallis Scholars. 12 Scottish Opera: Salome, 11, 14 May. I GLASGOW RENFREW Mpedzis. 22 May; 8 Shops May; Gabrieli Consort, 19 24.29 May; Cosi tantutte I ouscow HAMPDEN ‘ JAZZ 3, FOLK FERHYIO41227 5511) ForThe Poor. 25 May; May; Moscow Radio s0. 20 10.12.1730 May; PARK (041 227 5511) TommySmuh. 4—5 Malt; Pinslti Zoo. 2Jul; Pointy May; eecsso. 23 May; Madame Butterfly, 23. 25. Rolling Stones, 9 Jul, 1 I GLASGOW ARCHES AlvBaln. 7-9 May; Doneoal Birds, 3 Jul; Flat Earth Polish co, 24 May; Pops at 31 May. 2. 5Jun. I GLASGOW xmes ITHENRH0412275511) nghl.11Mav;Billy3f899. Society, 4Jul; NewVivola, the Phil. 27 May; I GLASGOW TRAMWAY THEATRE (041 227 5511) i Balllll MOSG'Gr 7/12 M87: 12-15 Mall: Mail/ital). 13 5 Jul; Hard Score, 6 Jul. BBCSSO/Stravinsky.16. 19 (041227 5511) Scottish Avia, 22-23 May; “1, tang. Kala'a mommy 8 MW: May; Alan Hull. 14 May; I GLASGOW TRAMWAY Jun. Early Music Consort. 22/23 24 May; Blues Brothers ; Masusu Band. 9 May: Axel Zwinoenberoer. 15 (041227 5511) Kronos I cuscow HENRY w000 May; $00 a Music Theatre 331111.25 May, : EYUPNUTOI 10 May; May; Pierre Bensusan. 16 Ouartet. 29 Jun; Tennents HALL (041 227 5511) Daniel Wales: The Martyrdom 01 St I Guscow pAVlLlou : Kallakoor 11 Mall: May: Hump" Family. 17-18 Live! Jazz, 30 Jun-1 Jul; Wiesner, 9 May; Yo Yo Magnus, 31 May-2 Jun; (041 33213451Man1n 5 SDGMDOTSkeer13-19 Mav- Mall: The Journalists, Kingsnalle Blues Caravan, 2 Ma/Kalhryn Stott. 18 May; . Kronos Quartet, 29 Jun. Stephenson a The t ' GLASGOW C”? "All 19-21 May; Tracey Nelson. Jul; Steve Williamson. 4 Evelyn Glennie, 21 May; ‘ I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE Daimees‘ 28 May; Nick 1 (041227 5511)Btlly Bragg, 19-20 May; Hank Jul; Jan Warriors, 531,1; wmiam Conway/peter (031 557 2590) Scottish Cave 8‘ The Bad Seeds. 30 1 8 May; DavySplllane. 8 Wangtord. 21-23 May; lvo Bobby Watson 3. sun, 5 Evans, 22 May, Opera: Madame Butterfly, May; Gary Numan, 25 Sept; { Mall; Pentium Cale ' PGDGSOV. 22-23 Mai; Lenny Jul; Willem Breuker I GLASGOW KELVIN HALL 26. 30 Jun; Cosi Ian lutte. Gene mm”. 19 am. ; Orchestra, 9 May: Otis Pickett, 23—26 May; Ronnie Kollektiet, 7 Jul. (041227 5511) SNO Proms 27, 29 Jun; Salome, 28Jun. I GLASGOW SECC(031557 i Grand 8 The Dancektngs. Scott. 24-26 May; Blues ’n' I cumasnunum 90.15.15, 19.23.25.311 I EDINBURGH OUEEN’S 6969) Helen Shapiro, 11 g 10 Matt: Steel Band. 13 Trouble. 29—30 Jun; Dave THEATRE (0236 732887) Jun. HALL (031 668 2019) May;xy1ie Minogue. 14 1 May; Dick Gaughan. 15 Bottles Sextet. 1-2 Jul; Tommy Smith, 21 May, I cuscow PAVlLlon Steven lsserlislPeter Evans, May; Metallica. 25 May; 3 MaviMlchael ( Sllm Galllard. 3—4 Jul; Tam I EDINBURGH GEORGE (0413321846)Amjad Ali 8 May; Scottish Belinda Carlise. 6 Jun; 1 O'SUIlleabhaln. 17 May; While Band. 7-8 Jul. SDUARE THEATRE Khan, 21 Jun; Ravi snanlrar, Ensemble/Tommy Smith. Sinead O'Connor. 19 Jun; ' Dolores Keane, 22 May. 7 I GLASGOW SECC(041227 Muzsiltas & Marta 8 Jul. 13 M87; GUSZlaV FenYO. 22 Ry Cooder/David Lindley. I GLASGOW HENRY W00D I 5511) Miles Davis Group. 3 Sebestyen (call 031 447 I GLASGOW RSAMD (041 May. 19 Jun. 27Jun; Miles Davis Group, HALL (041 227 5511) DanAr ' Jul. 6908 tor details). 3325057) Stuttgart Piano I EDINBURGH USHER 3 Jul; The Christians. 3 Dec. 1 BfaS. 10 May; Llam . ' I GLASGOW THEATRE I EDINBURGH DUEEN’S Trio, 6 May; Nash l HALL(U312281155) I tlvmssron FORUM 0 Flynn. 11 May; Marlon ROYAL (041 332 9000) Nina HALL (031 668 2019) John Ensemble,11 May; Helene ERGU/Tipoell. 5 May; 8N0 (0506 419191)Jethr0 Tull, Montgomerv.14ltlav: Slmone. 7Mav; CarolKidd, Martyn, 19 May; Jools Grimaud, 13 May; Scottish Proms 90. 2Jun. 5-9Jun.
The List 21) April — 3 May 1990 35