compelling (although maybe more to Glass fans). As with Low, his interpretation is a bit bland in places, and a little too romantically showy in others, while the overall feel is less neurotically charged than in the original. Nonetheless, it’s a sneakily enjoyable listen, (KM)
Bartok
Piano Concertos 1—3 (Teldec) * Hi
Pianist Andras Schiff is not the most obvrous source of revelatory Bartok performances, but in their way, that is what he prowdes in shifting the emphasis away from the hammering rhythmic power of the music in favocir of a greater variation of touch, phrasing and dynamics. Those who like their Bartok in full incendiary mode may question these performances (With lvan Fischer conducting the Budapest Festival Orchestra), but it is a fascmating alternative View of this great music (KM)
Chris Smither
Small Revelations (Hightone) * it t *
The man With the blue guitar is one of the great unsung heroes of the American roots music scene, and his latest offering for this estimable Californian label is well up to standard. It’s a typically eclectic mix of blues, COuntry, folk and rock idioms, in which Smither’s dark, smoky, impeccably slurred vocals and sweet guitar-picking are supported by a band. He hardly needs it, though, as he demonstrates on a timely reissue of his 1991 live set Another Way To Find You (Flying Fish). Both recommended. (KM)
The Dead Reckoners
A Night Of Reckoning (Dead Reckoning) at it *
Anyone who has followed the progress of NashVille’s first artist-owned co- operative label Will know that The Reckoners are roots singer-songwriters Keiran Kane and Keyin Welch, feisty fiddler and singer Tammy Rogers, rocking bluesman Mike Henderson, plus the instrumental and vocal contributions of Harry Stinson, Alison Prestwood and Fats Kaplin It's much more than a label showcase — touring and playing together has them coming off like a real band. Worth checking out. (KM)
Cake
Fashion Nugget (Mercury) 1r ‘k a: *
Unfairly dismissed With a fratrock tag, this Californian five-piece put the electric into eclectic With their second album, embracing salsa, country ‘n’ western, hip hop, and good ol’ rock ’n’ roll. Neatly diVided into fourteen m0ist slices, the album is filled with cheery harmonies offset by mean grooves and driving gUitars leavened by Latino horns. Cake’s own songs are rich, dark and laced With irony, but the icing is the cover versions, notably a deadpan ’l Will Survive’ which, stripped of Gloria Gaynor’s disco melodrama, becomes the cherry on top. (A8)
I Cake support Counting Crows on tour in May.
Bawl
He’s All That’s Great About Pop (dependent) * t *
Who is — Demis Roussos, JarVis Cocker, one half of Milli Vanilli? It's not made too clear though Bawl don’t hang around long enough to let y0u in on the secret. This song is made by chirpy happy people for chirpy happy peOple. And what the flip is wrong With that? (80)
Horse Careful —-The Club Remixes (Stress) at
The point behind this release is entirely beyond me. A decent enough song at the time (l99l), the last thing Horse's v0ice ever needed is a twelve and a half minute thumpy dance rehash. And this is the first of a set of updates With titles like ’Sasha 1992 mix’ and ’Brothers in Rhythrn radio mix’ Not great. (BD)
The Charlatans
North Country Boy (Beggars Banquet) **t*
For those who thought the Charlatans may not carry on after the death of keyboarder Rob Collins, their appearance at T in the Park Will be most welcome. As is this Single Which, While it could be described With relish as Charlies by numbers, still gets all the right parts of your body rippling in pleasure. (BD)
Big Wednesday
lvl/y Only Friend (Gravity) at: *
\i iile it’s a treat to hear a moothie in pop music again, this is the sole appeal of ’le Only Friend’, another pleasant if largely uninspiring single from the Scotpoppers. lf bored, a glance at the Single's cover should entertain With its motley array of soap stars and media whores, (80)
Push
Set in Motion EP (Beatroot) * * iii
The cover of this EP dropped hints that it W0uld have more in common With the clubs than the darkest recesses of bedsit-land. The latter is the case. ’HlV’ With its Meat Puppets-esciue intro and Stipe-like ’woah, woah' chorus is its finest moment closely pursued by the plaintive ’4 Chord Love Song'. (BD)
record reviews MUSIC
Big Wednesday: Scotpoppers
SflverSun
Golden Skin (Polydor) * it i * Having set the singles’ pages of the music press alight with both ’Lava’ and ’Last Day’, the Sunnies are marching inexorably towards world domination or at least trying to out-Fanny the boys from Bellshill. Jangly and jineg and as addictive as a particularly sweet cake. To someone with a sweet-tooth and prone to addiction. (BD)
REVIEWERS THIS ISSUE:
Andrew Burnett, Kenny Mathieson, Fiona Shepherd, Rory Weller, Paul Whitehouse.
STAR RATINGS
ii i t t * Outstanding
a» it ii iii Recommended it ii it Worth a try
* at 50-50
* Poor
KENZO BOSS 3U C Cl Rui’iiMAikix (“all "in/an
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,KDSEHd DKNY
FUTURE
Calvin Klein
(illflS'l‘
DOLCEgGABBANA MOSCHINO VERSACT. HAMNETT
The new
designer store 94 George Street. Edinburgh.
CRUISE-
21 Mar—3 Apr l997THE ll8T41