MUSIC
I A Certain Ratio: MCR (AGM) The current across-thc-board appeal ofdancc music has furnished A Certain Ratio with ideal grounds for staking their vanguard position in fostering this new musical climate — one that sees them regenerated and highly
V ALBUMS
l ideas at the outset who
hope to be seen as making ‘progress in rock‘ when in reality what they ultimately regurgitate is ‘progressive rock‘. Gone is the tacky glamour and flamboyancc that made them the undisputed queens of glam goth.
ejected somewhere in mid-Atlantic to be replaced by a
standard-issue HM squall. . Timotci-d hair down. By
However. though the mascara may have slipped. the embarrassing trite lyrics are still present and incorrect. compounded as ever by Jay Aston's contorted
dogburgcr. lrppcccably mannered and faultlessly dished up on a silver platter. it‘s all done in the best possible taste. lntermittently. ghastly
’ ghostly echoes of Fiddler‘s
Dram retch to the fore. as recent single ‘Primitive Man' testifies. But
and Can It Be. the forthcoming rollicking single. and we see ‘Ruby Bluc‘ begin to let their
album‘s-end the more brutish may be sick to the back teeth of what periodically teeters towards the realms ofa Morris dancers'
L short burst of spirituality.
is heavenly. ‘Michael'. as an angelic dialogue. is unearthly pleasure. Jordan mixes prose and poetry and music with classical. operatic case. As a latterday fount of fairytales and rock‘n‘roll. it is quite unique - l lans
Smith had no hand in this compilation of Beggars Banquet singles from
l984—89. Packaging aside.
l‘vc few complaints. except for the ho-hum
‘(‘ou|dn't Get Ahead” and
the inferior boxed set version of ‘Jerusalem'. I should know better than
listen to this could just leave you wondering at just how regressive and limp the new breed of indie wrmdr’rkrndr’n are. '(‘. R.E.F..P.' and the
trance-inducing ‘I-.A .' are
six and five years old respectively. and leave current heroes like lnspir'al ('arpets looking
sentimentality. llis heart's in the right place. assuredly. but it‘s in need oftimely cerebral intervention to bring it down from its castle in the air. (Fiona Shepherd)
I Roy Hargrove: Diamond in the Rough/Christopher Hollyday: On Course (both
‘Gorgeous' is traded in for . flanked by ‘The Quiet Christian Anderson meets 10 Spout Off in {Emmi 0f RCA/Nowsl/Bm"mm . ‘Jcalous‘. and their ' Mind'. a crescendoing Tommy (Craig McLean) Old Wilrhorses that don‘t Marsalls: Crazy People ~ ~ ‘ shimmery. frothy guitar is ' multi-track chorus treat. . 1 “99d ally iIS—‘lSlimCC‘ but 21 M05“: (CBS) Youthful
trumpeter llargrove's debut follows the familiar originals-plus-standards- plus-Monk recipe of many a contemporary blowing session to ho-hum effect. while le-ycar-old veteran l lollyday leads his own regular band and setsout his own Jackie McLean-influenced alto
. - r . . . . rett 'bereftol stall on a mor ‘satisfv' aPPcalirigto a whole new whinebHowhthefiofittng .-. .. , . aspizmio”(Alastair scmndmms: Sti‘l‘l.i':tl audienccofdiwmids. pretty oys ave a en. re inc .. is ISCIDI.‘ lBob MouldzBIackSheets wihhmt) the paw“) ("numb O Appropriatethen.that (FI‘W‘ cphc’d) ref’9allofizll’ursu"s- o1Rain(VirginAmenca) ‘ .Dam Ruddemggo Smkcs' the mn m ‘3 oncofthCighuraCks i ii - (Lung Mt um.) . workbOOk‘Buh Mm'ld‘S I (London)lftr'tckoneof Vlarsalis is stilltlic on - hcrc.'Gtdeogethcr‘. . IPreIab SprouLJordan. firstsolnalbum“name “mm . 1. Wk ih‘ '.h' . b“ he ‘hould feature 1 The comeba“ breakupof Husker Du .'5 ‘mi i‘m Sm ‘ L) ML [.0 L‘it‘ his 5 ‘ CBS/Kitchenwam) A ' ’ David Rudder seems to latest set hitting a fruitful Madchester s most ( was one of the rock
delightful vocal non-talents. Shaun Ryder and Bernard Sumner. deadpanningtheir way through a customarily non-eventful melody. lf Sting‘s ‘An Englishman In New York‘ can be graced with a whole new chart existence by the statutory laying-on-of—dancebeat. then I don‘t see why jazz-tinged tracks like ‘Funky lleaven‘ couldn't at least graze the Top 40‘s lower reaches. And with their 198(lsingle ‘Shack Up‘ revamped and ready for dancefloor domination. maybe A (.‘ertain Ratio will finally
I Ruby Blue: Down lrom Above (Fontana) As we would have expected from i such pukka names as Erika Spottiswoodc and Rebecca Pidgcon. Ruby
19-track . one hour-plus. quasi-concept album. boasting a dcliriously delicious sleeve and unfathomably enticing songs withinJordan is as replete a feast as we could have hoped for. ‘Looking For Atlantis‘. as single and opener. is probably the least appetising. the Sprouts‘ safest single yet. and completely at odds with what follows. What does follow is obscurity knocking: a bolero. a symphony. a swing. a doo-wop. a multiplicity of tracks that Paddy rightly calls ‘our most polarised effort yet.‘
albums of 1989. and its broadened palette of light and shade whetted one's appetite for the next. With ‘Black Sheets'. Mould has plunged back into the roaring maelstrom of the Huskers at their fiercest. but his anguished. scorching soundscapes have never been so monotonous or predictable. (Alastair Mabbott)
'7'“
~ V
have encountered sortie difficulty in accepting the frivolous. sunny atmosphere of calypso music. favouring the
: musical dictum that says
optimistic‘up‘ records
equals disposability.'l'he result is that those seeking ‘ (‘aribbean-flavtmred
spirit are struck head-on by the lacklustre marriage of pompous. climactic balladry and slick rent-a-party studio trickery. ‘Calypso Rising'
is soca meets Lionel Richie. calypso meets ‘This is How it I-‘eels'. Any
tracks with a vaguely rootsy feel appear to be
vein of group interplay and dizzying accomplishment on both tenor and soprano sax. (Trevor Johnston)
I Dinah Washington: Dinah ’63 (Roulette)/Nancy Wilson: But Beautiful (Capitol CD) The Washington reissue recorded during the last of her 3‘) years is the kind of orchestrated soul jazz most completely mastered by Ray Charles. but the influential blend of
carnalin and gospel
fervour she brought to the vocal art has been
recognisanydistilled by , the time of the Wilson
makcthc mainstream Blue‘sdebutis Thatmuch-mmcd EMS only-markingtime until ' album. Nancyglidcs ' stand to Emcmiun. (Fiona respectable to the max. all connection is a repeated David next schmaltzy I Ihftlllgllil 196‘) recording Shepherd) Vlllagc green Charm. refrain‘ colour and CXPUSIIIOH on C(llUllliillSnl . 0". lutc mill“ “andards I Latira Ashley-patterned substance to a backing I ()nC Ufld . ("id 2!“ ihC “Huh thc kind ()fgruccn” 0' we (Beggars Banana” delicacy. the tea and track of velvety (Beggars Banquet) other well-worn West ; case and good taste that Gem, I‘m,“ Jezebel cucumber sandwiches arrangements and litlartous sleeve artwork; lndian hobby-horses -- try Anita Baker has embody the classic plight "cm '0‘ 53)" syrupy-smooth vocals. 't CQUldn‘l be "WW I "10 “th Irils'k {UT Shi‘mlmmw 1“ h” "W"- Ufa band with {cwuriginul Bombalurtna‘s tone OfThc Broken“ a” obvious that Mark [-2. I heart-on-slccve ( “CWT John-8‘10") V , Nov; Daniel O'Donnell. Nov; The Christians. 1 Dec. 00‘} OTChesm 0l "18 Age of : 16 Sept; Lontano. 16 Sept; Budapest Ouartet. 19 Nov: * 20-21 Nov; Gary Numan. 17 I EDINBURGH QUEEN’S Enllghleflmefll. 15 OCI: '; BASBWE Conl. 22—24 Sept; SCO. 22 Nov: Sinlonia. 25 I I Mar. HALL 1031 668 2019) The SN0. 18 Oct; SNO. 20 Oct: I Up Your Street. 27-29 Sep. Nov: Delme String Quartet. , ROCK l IGLASGDWSECC(041227 Soup Dragons. 14 Sep. SNO. 27 Oct; London Phil. [GLASGOW THEATRE 3Dec;SCO.150ec;SCO.12 | § 5511)Tina Turner. 14-15 I EDINBURGH USHER 30 Oct; Leiplig I ROYAL (041 331 1234) Jan; ECAT. 14 Jan; SCO. 17 I GLASGOW 2 Sept; Soul II Soul. 25 Sept; HALL (031 228 1155) The Gewandhaus 0'00. 31 001-2 I Scottish Opera Tosca. 20. Jan; SCO. 26 Jan; SCO. 7 l BARROWUNDIMT 225 I The Christians. 3Deo; Blue Nile. 22 Sep. Nov;SNO. 3 Nov; SNO. 10 i 22. 26 Sep. 19 Oct. 1.30 Feb; SCO. 9Feb;Sinlonia. 4679) Black Sabbath. 18 ‘ status 050, a Dec;mxs,1o JAZZ & FOLK Nov; BBCSSO. 14 Nov; SCO. ’ Nov; Les Troyens15_19. 10 Feb; Kirshbaum/ i Sept; Fields olthe Dec; Gary Glitter. 23.24 15 Nov; SNO. 17 Nov; Israel 28.293ep.4_5.30—310ct. Vignoles. 11 Feb; SCO. 21 Nephilim. 27 Sept; The Dec. I GLASGOW PAVILION Phil. 21 Nov; SNO. 22 Nov; 28 Nov; The Vanishing Feb; Ensemble Expose. 27 Pogues.1-2 Oct; Taclthead. I GLASGOW (041 332 1846) Syd 8H0. 24 Nov; BBCSSO. 26 l Bridegroom. 17. 20 Oct. 27. Feb: 3C0, 2 Mar: AUin' 10 Oct; Prelab Sprout. 13 STRATHCLYDE PARK (031 Lawrence Orchestra. 24 Nov; SNO. 1 Dec; SNO. 8 29 Nov; La Boheme. 16.19. String Quartet. 11 March; Oct; New ModelArmy.16 557 5959)The Waterhoys, Nov. Oec;SNO. 13 Dec; SNO. 15 24Jan,12,16,19Feb; SCO. 30 Mar; SCO. 6Apr: Oct;Cocteau Twins. 250m; 14 Sep. IEDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE Dec;SNO. 22 Dec; Fidelio. 29 Jan. 2. 9. 14. 20 SCO. 27 Al"; RNCM Wind The Charlatans. 30 Oct: The I EDINBURGH INGLISTON (031557 2590) Glenn Orchestre De Paris. 16—17 Feb; The Cunning Little Ensemble. 29 April; SCO. 2 BeautilulSouth. 23 Nov; CENTRE(031 557 5959) Miller. 1 Oct. Dec;SCO. 18 Dec;BBCSSO. Vixen. 8. 13. 15. 21.23 Feb: May; Sinlonia. 16Jun. James. 4 Dec. Clash olthe Titans, 12 Oct; , 21 Dec; SNO. 22 Dec; SNO. ‘ Falstaff, 16, 20, 27 Apr, 2. I EDINBURGH USHER IGLASGOW CONCERT aiiiyiuoi, 15031;, I 3Jan; SNO. 5Jan;SNO. 12 22 May; The BarberoI HALL(0312281155) HALLID412275511)The IEDINBURGH PLAYIIOUSE IGLASGOW CITY HALLS Jan;SNO.19Jan;SNO.24 Seville. 26. 30 Apr. 4. 9. 17. SCO. 9 Oct; SNO. 12081; Blue Nile. 23 Sept; Runrig. (031 557 2590) $131,953,113, I (0412275511)Orohestre Jan;SNO. 26 Jan; SNO.2 25 May; Regina. 16. 18. 21. SNO. 19 Oct; SCO. 25 Oct: 22—26 Oct; Chas 8. Dave. 29 14 Sept; Black sabbath, 15 De Lille. 19—20 Sept; LSO. Feb; SNO. 7 Feb; SNO. 9 ' 23 May, SNO. 26 Oct; SNO. 2 Nov; Oct;The Shadows. 8Nov. Sept; Gypsy Kings. 18 Sept; 26 Sept; Pops atthe Phil. 14 Feb; SCO. 13 Feb;SHO. 16 I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE SNO. 9 Nov; SNO. 16 Nov; I GLASGOW PAVILION Iron Maiden. 27 Sept; Bruce ' 01:1;SCO. 19 Oct; SCO. 31 Feb; BBCSSO. 22 Feb; SNO. (031557 2590) Scottish SNO. 23 Nov; SNO. 30 Nov: (041 332 1846) Gary Hornsby. 5 Oct; Prefab OCl; 3C0. 9 NOV; SCO. 21 23 Feb; 3N0. 28 Feb; 8N9. Opera Tosca, 6, 8 Nov; The SNO. 7 Dec; SNO. 14 Dec: Numan. 25 Sept; .1811 Sprout. 12 Oct; Chas a. 1 Nov; Pops At The Phil. 25 2 Mar; BBCSSO. 8 Mar; Trojans. 9. 10 Nov; The SCO. 20 Dec; SNO. 4Jan; Healey. 7 Oct; Elltie Brooks. 03.13.111.15 opt; snakin' l Nov. 28 Dec; SCO. 9Jan; SNO. 9 Mar; SNO. 16 Mar; 2 Vanishing Bridegroom. 7 SNO. 11 Jan; SNO. 18Jan; l 13 Oct; Shakin' Stevens. 15 Stevens, 17 act; Barry SCO. 18 Jan; SCO. 25 Jan; BBCSSO. 22 Mar; SNO. 23 ’ Nov. SNO. 25 Jan; SNO. 1 Feb; ~ Oct; Gene Pitney. 19 Oct; White. 18 Oct; Brendan SCO. 6 Feb; SCO. 8 Feb; Mar; BBCSSO. 5 Apr; SNO. 6 I EDINBURGH OUEEN'S SNO. 8 Feb; SCO. 14 Feb: Lulu. 22 Oct; Sydney Shine, 19 Oct; Tangerine SCO. 27 Mar; SCO. 3Apr; Apr; SCO. 10 Apr; SNO. 13 HALL (031 668 2019) SCO. 6 SNO. 15 Feb; SNO. 22 Feb: Devine. 24—26. 29 Oct; Dream, 31 act; suzanne | SCO. 26 Apr. Apr; SCO. 17Apr; SNO. 18 Oct; smionia, 7 Oct; SNO.1Mar;SNO.8Mar; Rose Marie. 3 Nov; Joe Vega, 2 Nov; The Shadows, ; I GLASGOW CONCERT Apr; SNO. 20 Apr; eecsso. s pmmemeus Ensemble, 3 SNO. 15 Mar; SNO. 22 Mar; Longthorne. 7-10 Nov; 4 Nov; Moiorheau. 19 Nov; ‘ HALL (041 227 5511) Berlin 26 Apr; SNO. 27 Apr. act; Test Dept, 10 oct; sco, SNO. 5 Apr; SCO. 11 Apr; Charley Pride. 13—14 Nov; George Benson. 23 Nov; Phil. 9.10 Oct; 880. 11 Oct; I GLASGOW nsmo (041 a 18 Oct; son. 3 Nov;SCO.10 sun. 12 Apr:800.1880r; The Show Collection. 11 ' The Beautilul South. 24 Bolshoi SO. 12 Oct; SNO. 13 332 5057) Jane Manning. l Nov; sco, 17 Nov; New I SNO. 19 Apr; SN0 26 Apr;
44‘I‘lie List 31 August —- 13 September 1991)