MUSIC
I Queen: Innuendo (EM!)
then. eh'.’ They’ve been around forever and perhaps only they know. What is plain to see is that all their components were in place by the mid-7(1s. and they have been single-mindedly pursuing their vision of rock ever since. a law unto themselves. Other groups have tried to straddle opera and heavy rock; more still have flirted with camp; but none have made them sound like part ofonc grand design like Queen. Here we have fanfares. crescendos. the tender bits — the punters that put ‘.\'essum Dorma' at the top of the charts were well primed by Queen over the years— and you‘ve as much hope ofgetting dearold Barbara Cartland to help you shift some breezcblocks off a lorry as of getting Brian May to exercise restraint on a six-string.
This isn't great Queen— though it shows how great Queen are at being Queen. Great Queen sounds like Greatest Hits or The Game or ‘A Kind of Magic'. Innuendo sounds like they went into
V ALBUMS
What are Queen all about.
the studio to make the definitive great Queen album. but forgot to take any songs with them. Bummer. (Alastair Mabbott)
I Skinny Puppy: Too Dark Park (Nettwerk/Capitol) The opening ‘Convulsion‘ is anominous.head- cracking warning ofwhat lies in wait. Skinny Puppy would dearly like to assault all your senses at once. and it's a great relief that they can only do it aurally. From then on. though. Tor) Dar/r Park is
news last reached this parish. Skinny Puppy were trying to impress upon their audiences the violence we inflict upon animals. Well. this LP is certainly the work ofa
something fairly fundamental. but it‘s hard to figure out what. Lyrically. it appears to be one protracted free-
association rapofbrutal imagery cut up into ten smaller chunks. with no idea sustained longer than a phrase and little variation from one track tothe next. Between that. the recycling of a limited number of ideas on the
Queen: all squased up.
drum and keyboard‘bascd
just uncomfortable. When ‘
group who are upset about -
tracks and the vocalist's Dalek-on-Marlboro rasp. there's little respite. Not much here for your average New Country or Big Country fan to get off on. (Alastair Mabbott)
I Darden Smlth: Trouble No More (Epic) Darden Smith‘s voice adds a Texan husk to his prairie poetry. The press release. namechecking Lyle Lovett and Chris Isaak. hits it on the head: fine voices all. matched by the kind of lyrical eloquence that requires less ofa stirring tune. more something of a sympathetic accompaniment. On Trouble No More. things are strurnmed and stroked rather than being
subjected to anyother form of brutal action.
The primacy ofsong displayed on this. Darden‘s second solo album for Epic. isthe same emphasis so convincingly displayed on his recent collaboration with the Bible's Boo llewerdine. Evidence. released last year. was one long simplistic. spontaneous jam session. Likewise. Boo‘s songwriting and vocal offerings here add a light. decidedly English pop sheen to Darden‘s wide open spaces folk/country inclinations.
As heard on ‘Ashesto Ashes'. with its tripping organ refrain. and ‘Frankie and Sue"s swinging jive bop. there's more to this than just another soft country rock collection. In Darden Smith we find someone of special and archetypal Texan singingisongwriting talents. (Craig McLean) IJim Mullen: Into The90s (6 Strings and a Plank of Wood Records) Regular fans will be pleased to
know that while this rare album as a leader from the Glaswegian guitarist may take him into a new decade. it does so in the style which we have come to expect.
Asparklingif unchallenging fusion of soulful jazz and slick funk. includinga couple of venturesinto guitar synthesizer territory. Into The 90s takes the familiar and highly popular Morrissey-Mullen formula and adds a few twists of its own. although saxman Mornington Lockett seems a little subdued in the studio setting.
The Six Strings Sump/er compilation from the same label features tvvo additional Mullen tracks. Donald Fagen‘s ‘Maxine' and Wayne Shorter‘s 'Angel Eyes'. alongside contributions from Steve Topping. Malcolm McFarlane. and occasional Tommy Smith sideman Paul Stacey. (Kenny Mathieson)
I Bob Marley and The Wailers: Talkin’ Blues (Tull Gong/Island) A very welcome record to kick off a blitz of tributes and releases marking the tenth year since Marley's death. Most of the tracks herein are from a radio session recorded for San Francisco's KSAN station in 1973. just afterBunny Wailer had been replaced byJoe lliggs. the man who taught The Wailers harmony singing in the first place. and they sound so good it's amazing they stayed in the vaults this long. If it's been a while since you heard a Marley record. prepare to be uplifted by the band's deftness and apparent spontaneity -- they had just the touch that reggac's international
ambassador needed. Filling the collection out to album length are four rarities and a charging ‘1 Shot the Sheriff‘ live in London two years later. The short bursts ofMarley interviews between tracks irritate only ifyou let them. (Alastair Mabbott) I Tanlta Tlltararn: Everybody's Angel (East West) The ‘difficult‘ third album. and a more slender Tanita sounds as ‘pained' with life as she ever did. As far as inspiration goes. well. she‘s not writing about the inside 0fthe tour bus yet. but what she does articulate is less than scintillating. Interchangeable sentiments from songto song. minimal shifts of mood- yes. she‘s still steadfastly refusing to develop the precocious but heavy-going talent
displayed on 1988‘s enigmatic debut . Ancient Heart. Titles like ‘1 Love the Heaven‘s Solo‘ (eh?) and ‘Mud in Any Water‘ are clues to the empty world these songs construct. Symbolic. pcrchance. but symbolic ofwhat? Self-indulgence. certainly. Having said that. the whole affair is as astutely produced as ever by the customary team of Pete Van Hooke and Rod Argent. and numberslike ‘Sunfacc‘. ‘To Wish This‘ and ‘I‘m Going Home‘ are pleasant and affecting in a world-weary sort of way. Less tuneful thanAneient Heart. less snappy than The Sweet Keeper. but still worthwhile. Another album as sedentary as this though. and I reckon she‘s in trouble. (Paul W. Hullah)
Tanita Tlltaram.
V BOOK NOW ROCK
I GLASGOW BARROWLAND ((141 226 4679)The Farm. 25 Feb; Jane‘s Addiction. 8 Mar; Jimmy Somerville. 11 MarzThe Big Dish. 13 MarzThe Silencers. 19 Apr; Christy Moore. 4 May.
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL((141 332 3123)The Supremes. 15 Mar: Everly Brothers. 18 May.
I GLASGOW PAVILION (041332 1846) Chris lsaak.4 Mar: Gary Numan. 17 MarzTanita Tikaram. 18 Mar; lnThe Midnight Hour. 2—6 Apr. I GLASGOW SECC ((1-11 227 5511) David Lee Roth. 22 Feb; AC DC. 2(1 Apr; Gloria Estcfan. 23—2-1 Apr; Paul Simon. 31 May—1 Jun; Whitney Houston. 8Jun.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN'S
; HALL((1316682(119)’I'he 1 Big Dish.25 Feszhris
I lsaak.3 MarzThe
I Silencers. 13 Apr.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE . ((131 557 259(1) Freddy Jackson. 1(1Mar; Deep Purple. 11 Marfl‘anita Tikaram. 17 Mar: Judas Priest. 28 Mar; Roy Chubby Brown. 29 Mar: Megadeth. 3(1Marz'l'he Everly Brothers. 26 Apr.
JAZZ & FOLK
IEDINBURGH USHER HALL((1312281155) Edinburgh Highland Reel 6; Strathspey Society. 9 Mar; Edinburgh Gaelic Choir. 23 Mar. IGLASGOW CONCERT HALL((1413323123‘Ilarry Connick Jr. 17 May.
LIGHT
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALLttMl 3323123) Boxcar Willie. 9 Apr;
lloward Keel. 29 Apr: Elaine Paige. 13—14 May. I GLASGOW PAVILION ((141 332 1846) Freddie Starr. 10-18 Apr; BillieJo Spears. 28 Apr; A Sliceof Saturday Night. 27 May—l Jun: Glen Campbell. 15 .lun.
IGLASGOW SECC(()41 227 551 1 ) Tom Jones. 4 Apr: Shirley Bassey. 15 May.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE ((131557 259(1) Shirley Maclaine. 22-23 Feb: Johnny Mathis. (‘h7 Apr; A Slice of Saturday Night. 3.lun;Jamcs Last. 1 1-12 Jun.
CLASSICAL
I GLASGOW CITY HALLS ((1412275511)SC(‘).27 Mar:SC().3 Apr:SC(). 2f).-\pr.
IGLASGOW CONCERT HALL((14I 33231231 BBCSSO. 22 Feb; RSNO. 23 Fch RSNO. 28 Feb: RSN( ). 2 Mar; BBCSSO.
8 Mar; RSNO. 9 Mar; Moscow State SO. 11 Mar; RSNQ. 16 Mar; BBCSSO. 22 Mar; RSNO. 23 Mar: BBCSSO. 5 Apr: RSNO. () Apr; SCQ. 1(1Apr;Oslo Phil. 12 Apr; RSNQ. 13 Apr; SCQ. 17 Apr; RSNO. 18Apr: RPC). 19 Apr; RSNO. 2(1Apr; BBCSSO. 26 Apr; RSNQ. 27 Apr; Concertgebouw ()rch. 21 May: LA Phil. 25—26 May; Tokyo SO. 8 Oct: Leningrad Phil. 21 Nov.
I GLASGOW RSAMD ((141 332 5(157) llerrick Bunney. 22 Feb: SEMC. 22 Feb; Chamber Concert. 28 Feb; Midday Concert. 1 Mar; Mozart From A to Z. 5—6. 8—9 Mar; Midday Concert. 8 Mar: Friends ofthe Samaritans Concert. 8 Mar: Junior Dept Concert. 9 Mar;GCO.1(1 Mar: Choral Concert. 14 Mar; Midday Concert. 15
Mar; Leningrad Exchange Concert. 18 Mar; The Wallace Collection. 21 Mar; Midday Concert. 22 Mar; SEMC (Monteverdi). 22 Mar; Junior Dept Concert. 24 Mar.
I GLASGOW THEATRE RDYAL((141331 1234) Scottish Opera: The Cunning Little Vixen. 23 Feb; Falsmff. 16. 2(1. 27 Apr. 2. 22 May; The Barber()fSei'ilIe. 26. 3(1 Apr. 4. 9. 17. 25 May: Regina. 16. 18. 21.23 May.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHDUSE ((131557 259(1) Scottish Opera: La Boheme. 19.22 Mar; l-‘irielio. 2(1. 23 Mar: The Cunning Little V ixen. 21 Mar.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN'S HALL ((131 668 2019) SEMC. 23 Feb; ES(). 24 Feb; Ensemble Expose. 27 Feb; ESS. 28 Feb; S(.‘(). 2 Mar; Evelyn Glennie. 4 Mar; George
Malcolm and William Bennett. 6 Mar; Meadows C(),1(1Mar;AuriolString Quartet. 11 MilfChlSICVC Martland. 18 Mar; SEMC. 21 Mar; SCO. 3(1 Mar; SCO. 6Apr; Scottish Ensemble. 14. 20 April; SCQ. 27 Apr; RNCM Wind Ensemble. 29 April: SCO. 2 May; Meadows CO. 18 May: Sinfonia.1oJune.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL((1312281155) RSNQ. 22 Feb; RSNQ.1 Mar; RSNO. 8Mar: George Watson‘s School Concert. 14 Mar; RSNO. 15 Mar; RSNO. 22 Mar; BBCSSO. 27 Mar; RSNO. 5 Apr; EYO.7 Apr: Grand Piano Classics. 1(1Apr:SCO.11 Apr; RSNO. 12 Apr; SCO. 18 Apr; RSNO. 19 Apr; Georgian State Symphony. 21. 23 Apr; RSNO 26 Apr; Kevock Choir. 27 Apr; ERCU, 11 May.
j
36 The List 8— 21 February 1991