music
, Death’ as if afraid anybody might find rECord FEVIeWS it pretentious), The Cranberries, and adopted Irishman Mike Scott. Richard
Harris does a straitth readtiir; from
'Ben Bulben’, while Yeats's own voice
Nick Cave And The Bad is heard in 'The Lake lsle Of Irinisfree'
S d from a wobbly BBC recording A mixed ee 5 bag, but most of it comes off very
The BOaIman'S Call (MUIE) ** * * acceptably. (Kenny Mathieson)
on 18 Wheeler
Year Zero (Creation) 1* * 1hr For those who haven’t heard a note from 18 Wheeler since ‘Steel GUitars', this collection may come as a bit of a shock. To say their sound has evolved . into a dubbed-out heavily-nit hestrated i. ! mish-mash is only the l)(?(}llllllll'7] The - \ claSSIc‘ Single ’The Hours and the ‘ ~ ~— Times' sets a pace whit ii lidtjihly fails . g , to let up thr0tigh to its conclusion 5 \
In these pigeonhole times we live in, this is as close to unclassifiabie as we’re likely to encounter. The Blur sometimes whiney vocals may be t0tigh for some to swallow but this is a Blur (Pallophone) **** minor qwbble. Listen to the glories of You've all rushed out and bought it by now, of course. Blur's New Direction. 'Den Dagen, Den Sorgen' and admire New, improved Blur. Clean slate, fresh agenda, all that stuff. But anyone their nerve (Brian Donaldsim) who caught them on their recent tour and heard again almost-forgotten gems like 'Sing' and ’lnertia' and pogo'd afresh to ‘Advert' will know that this fifth album is still quintessential Blur. Blur has two main strands. There's the short, sharp moshfrenzy one (prime examples: 'Song 2', ’Chinese Bombs') where the entire band run hell-for- leather for the finishing tape and Damon just about manages to articulate something approaching lyrics. Blur have always written songs like this, from 'Day Upon Day’ to ’Jubilee' to 'Globe Alone'. Then there's the quirky, unlikely-but-likeable maverick strand (prime examples: ‘Death Of A Party', 'Strange News From Another Star'). This could be where the trumped-up charges of lo-fi slackerdom originate from, but again Blur have never been exclusively about straightforward indie pop -- you only have to skip back one album to appreciate this.
This is not their best work, though the Beck-ish 'Country Sad Ballad Man' makes a good account of itself. Nevertheless it's still a delight to have such 2 an imaginative and experimental band in pole chart positions. Bless 'em. : (Fiona Shepherd)
He's back And this time it's personal. For his ninth album Cave seems to have temporarily exorcised his most psychotic demons and this work contains none of the garish atrooties that casually littered his last opus, Murder Ballads. Instead, over twelve songs, Cave reflects on love and devotion in both their spiritual and physical fOims The lyrical honesty of the songs is matched in their musical simpliCity. Stark and stripped down, there is no bornbast or fury here, Just Cave’s veice and the most unobtrusive the jou moi; of gentle accompaniments. It won’t
The Journey (Ginga) * it:
Win new fans but old hands Will revel e in it. (Jonathan Trew) , I
- Remember’, 'Rhythm Of The Night’), l ’Sugar Is Sweeter', The Lisa Marie vanous Fiona, my friends sometimes say to l decidedly SOs-sounding chart pop, Experiences ’Keep On Jumpin' and NOW And ll) llme T0 86‘ (Grapevine) me, tell us about the hot new teen ; Boy/one balladry and the occasional Love Tribe's 'Stand Up'. The miXing is ** * combos worth wetting your knickers f swingbeat-influenced number 7- fine as well making this an acceptable I'm not sure about the tunes, but the over. And I usually say, don't ask me, personal fave 'The Sv/ing' has Spice compilation. lyric writer has a certain flair. This I'm too busy listening to my Jean i Girls sass. Overall, it sounds like a
album, the idea of two Journalists with Michel Jarre albums So really 91 l, the no music biz affiliations, contains song boy-band trio once based in Glasgow, girls to go apeshit to »- but, hey! what . . . settings of the poems of W. B Yeats by are not exactly my scene And their MIXEd by Danny Tenaglla (TW'Sted)
(lo/know7 (Fiona Shepherd) **** Irish luminaries like Christy Moore, Van debut album The Journey is a Morrison, Shane McGowan (who perplexing affair With its mix of faithful DANCE ALBUMS New York's deep house merchant intones ‘An Irish Airman Foresees his dance-pop cover versions (“Night To Tenaglia mixes this compilation of Man DJ Kool Records hits. Featured artists include Cevin Fisher on the inspirational ’The Way We Used To Be’ (which pops tip
rather lame soundtrack for teenage Gag Me A Tune
Let Me Clear My Throat (American)
* * * * f0ur times in various gtiises here), Mike DJ Kool picks up on the phenomenal Dunn, Shay Jones and Judy Albanese. sucess of his 'Let Me Clear My Throat’ It's a deep and sexy typical New York
I single -— one of the hype hip hop tunes sound, With a lovely mix of uplifting : of recent months -— \Nllll this collection vocals and funky grooves. of similar old skooI-style tracks, all
recorded live at clubs and concerts, The Mixtape Volume
complete \‘-/llll audience paiticipation . and freestyle rapping Check out 'I MIXQd By FunkmaSler Hex (LOUd)
Got Dat Feelin’ which is even better * * *** than the title track. New York's number one hip hop mixologist Funkmaster Flex returns to Ultra Dance terrorise the turntables With another l
devastating display of deck dexterity. If you want to experience a real hip hop y
Mixed by Boris Duglosch (Ultra)
* ** DJ at work then look no further, this Boris Duglosch (of 'Keep Pushin‘ ' man is the master. He scratches, cuts, fame) makes light work of this vaguely spins and rips his way through over interesting compilation of Ultra forty tracks (covering rap, hip hOp, R Records tracks. There's vocals from 'n’ 8, old funk and disco) in 60 Motivation, Transatlantic Soul (on the minutes. Plus there's exclusive
supreme ’Release Yo Self') and Carolyn freestyles from Biggie Smalls, Puff DJ Kool clears his throat Harding. Biggies include CJ Bolland’s Daddy, Nas and Redman. l
44 THE lIST 21 Feb—6 Mar 1997