RECORD REVIEWS MUSIC
I Spacemen 3: Translucent Flashbacks (Fire Records) Way back in the mists of time (1986) before dance music. trip hop and ambient as we know thetn today. there was a band that took loops and mixed them with twanging. bluesy guitars and synth sounds that they electronically processed in a thousand different ways to produce music that was intensely trippy. That band was Spacemen 3. this album is a collection of versions of songs that were previously available only on their first three singles. Halfofthem are excellent feedback head- expanders such as ‘Starship'. a quarter of them are too disjointed and meandering too make any sense. the remainder are so wishy-washy — step forward ‘Transparent Radiation‘ — that it's easy to see why people despise hippies. (Jonathan Trew)
I The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Experimental Remixes (Matador) The Theremin-worrying evangelist sort of Lux and lvy Cramp made a terrific amount of sense when his group splashed down supporting The Beastie Boys earlier this year — and. perhaps. live is where his ‘Bahloos Epr-pl-pl-o- shun' was always destined to make the most sense. given the fixed parameters of the music they make. Experimental Remixes. however. addresses this state of affairs head on. with an inspired selection of remixers opening out the swampy trashabilly to. at times. undreamed-of conclusions — from the 10- fr cutting and pasting of the likes of Beck and the Dub Narcotic Sound System to the extraterrestrial architectural themes evolved at the hands of
.‘x
v29“
Moby. Top butt-shakin' accolades. though. to U.N.K.L.E.. investing ‘Bellbottoms' with a hip inner-city slick string groove unimagined in Spencer‘s (perfect in itself) original. (Damien Love)
I Dreadzone: Second light (Virgin) While Mick Jones. the original white man in Hammersmith Palais. continues his black/white music crossover Big Audio Dynamite in its umpteenth line-up. some of the original BAD boys have gone back to their dub roots.
Greg Roberts is the founder of Dreadzone with two mates; for their second album they are joined by former BAD colleagues Dan Donovan (extra keyboards) and Don Letts (dub doctor). The result is a warm. spacey dub affair that tempers a few harder techno beats with an ambient swirl of female choral vocals. viola and a bucket of electronic reverb.
The BAI) times of ten years ago are referred to on a couple of songs with that trademark voiceover sample which sounds like a World Service continuity announcer. Fun and funky. (Eddie Gibb)
I Boy George: Cheapness And Beauty (Virgin) ‘Course, there‘s always been a glam element to his music . . . so never let it be said that George O'Dowd can‘t surprise his fans now and again. For probably the most unappealing album of his career. he‘s hitched himself to a band that thinks it's a glammier Sex Pistols and proceeds to rock out in a manner that could most generously be described as unbecoming. For a few tracks of this metal sandwich, he's more in his element. relying on
strings and acoustic guitar for tender but biting ballads and springing upon us one jangling. sprightly piece of fiddle- led folk-pop. But then retumeth the turgid
ri f ferama. Clteapness And Beauty smacks of the tie- in. too — a companion piece to his new autobiography. right down to reproducing many of the same photographs and trawling through the same old wounds. Buy the (rather gripping) book instead. (Alastair Mabbott)
I ALT: Altitude (Parlophone) The sleeve is at pains to stress the informal nature of this acoustic set from the Irish-Australian trio of Andy White. Liam O’Maonlai and Tim Finn, but 1 think you could have worked that out anyway. Their rough and ready approach has a fresh spontaneity about it in places. and a throwaway quality in others. Early impressions suggest it‘s pretty much a case of the whole not quite achieving the sum of the parts. but the songs are good, which leads me to suspect that it could be an album that will grow on you. (Kenny Mathieson) I Chris Smither: Op On The lowdown (llightone) Smither isn't exactly a household name. which goes to prove that there ain’t nojustice in this cruel old world. He has been in prime form since returning to recording at the tail-end of the 80s. and the skeletal acoustic band on this evocative session builds nicely on his solo work. His smoky. been- there-and-back vocals are equally effective on his own superb songs and on a couple of covers. all of which are illuminated by his shimmering. funky blues-country guitar picking. Recommended. (Kenny Mathieson)
Concerts listed are those at major venues, for which tickets are on public sale at time 01 going to press.
ROCK
I GLASGOW BARROWLAND (226 4679) Extreme. 30 Jun; Bjork. 7 Jul; Biohazard. 10 Jul; Slash's Snakepit. 11 Jul; Public Enemy. 12 Jul; Terence Trent d’Arby. 31 Jul; Levellers. 18 Sept; Julian Cope. 30 Sept; Pulp. 1 Oct.
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 5511) Simple Minds. 11—13 Sept; Jethro Tull. 18 Sept.
I GLASGOW GARAGE (332 1120) ALT. 14 Jul.
I GLASGOW KING’S THEATRE (227 5511) Fats Domino. 30 Jun.
I GLASGOW PAVILION (332 1846) Buddy Holly Tribute. 1 Jul; P.J. and Duncan, 24 Jul.
I GLASGOW SECC (248 9999) Page and Plant, 12 Jul; Celine Dion. 27 Oct. I IRVINE BEACH (0800 I32 097) Oasis. 14 Jul.
I STRATHCLYDE COUNTRY PARK (0131 557 6969) T in the Park, 5—6 Aug.
I EDINBURGH MURRAYFIELD (557 6969) REM. 27 Jul.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (557 2590) Sheryl Crow. 11 Jul; Del Amitri. 12 Jul.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN’S HALL (668 2019) Steve Howe, 1 Jul.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL(228 1155) Simple Minds, 2—5 Sept; Bootleg Beatles. 16 Dec.
COUNTRY
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 5511) Don Williams, 27 Sept; Joe Longthome. 15 Oct.
‘ " "4' Bifirlr bounces baclt to Glasgow on 7 July
I GLASGOW THEATRE ROYAL (227 5511) Carol Kidd. 30 Jun; Stephane Grappelli, 1 Jul.
I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE (529 6000) Van Morrison and BBC Big Band. 6 Aug; EIJF Gala Concert, 9 Aug.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN’S HALL (668 2019) Edinburgh Acad Dance Band, 2 Jul; EIJF Opening Party. 5 Aug; Fitzgerald Song Book 11. 7 Aug; George Melly. 8 Aug; Martin Taylor. 10 Aug. I EDINBURGH ST GILES (668 2019) Dick Hyman. 7 Aug; Five Blind Boys of Alabama. 11 Aug.
FOLK
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 5511) Clancy Brothers. 30 Jun; Gallagher and Lyle. 2 Jul; Christy Moore. 12 Oct.
1 I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE (529 6000) Christy Moore. 15 Oct. I EDINBURGH USHER HALL(228 1155) Scottish
I GLASGOW SECC (248 - . . ~ 9999) Everly Bros‘ 24 Fiddle Orchestra, 28 Oct. Oct- CLASSICAL
I EDINBURGH USHER I GLASGOW CONCERT
HALL (228 1155) Don Williams. 28 Sep; Joe Longthome. 21 Oct; Everly Brothers. 25 Oct.
JAZZ
HALL (227 5511) Ravi Shankar. 2 Jul; Jessye Norman, 6 Jul; Wadaiko lchiro Drummers, 2 Oct; Opera Gala. 5 Oct; Montserrat Caballe. 6 Oct; St Petersburgh Phil. 3—4
I GLASGOW CONCERT Oct.
HALL (227 551 1) Tony I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
Bennett. 9 Jul; Pasadena THEATRE (529 6000) The
Roof Orchestra. 7 Sept; PVOICCling Veil. 7- JUI-
Syd Lawrence Orchestra. I EDINBURGH —
20 Sept. INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 1995 (225 5756) I3
I GLASGOW MARRIOTT Aug—2 Sept. Tickets for
all concerts can be booked from the Festival Box Office. 21 Market Street. Edinburgh EH1 IBW, by postal application (see brochure for request form), telephone (0131 225 5756). fax (0131 226 7669). textphone (0131 226 5668), or personal
HOTEL (227 5511) Dutch Swing College Band. 6 Jul; King Pleasure. 9 Jul.
I GLASGOW MCEWANS OLD FRUITMARNET (227 5511) Andy Sheppard. 30 Jun; Joe Locke, 1 Jul; FYJO. 2 Jul; Martin Taylor. 2 Jul; Mulgrew
Miller. 2 Jul; Broadway application. Music, 3 Jul; Jazz I SUBSCRIPTION Crusaders. 4 Jul; Bird SEASONS Programme
details and tickets for RSNO, SCO. BBC $80 and CGPO concerts are available from Ticketcentre, Glasgow (227 5511); Usher Hall. Edinburgh (228 1155); Queen’s Hall. Edinburgh (668 2019). Tickets for Scottish Opera from Theatre Royal. Glasgow (332 9000); Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (529 .1 . 4 a.
A 1". ~ 2... no 1‘4. ' J.) "t: v,- . ' I -‘ 5" .fi-l ,-.' "a 3, 1 .;
Lives, 5 Jul; Arturo Sandoval, 6 Jul; Scottish All-Stars. 7 Jul; John McLaughlin. 7Ju1; David Sanchez, 8 Jul; Roy Hargrove. 8 Jul; Jacky Terrasson, 9 Jul; Mingus Big Band, 9 Jul.
I GLASGOW RAMSHORN THEATRE (227 5511) Scottish Jazz Works, 1—2 Jul; Europhonium, 8—9
Jul. fink}; w», '1' 7
5.. - 19v} ' I "
a?” ‘*"*£"3' ‘ ‘
TEA; - -~ :-
v
I I. l' L - . .~ {3"s‘ . .M'il‘i... -
' reliancopomemmmmmetgu
WAGS”!
The List 16-29 Jun 1995 41