Henry Threadgill
Where's Your Cup? (Columbia) *****
Saxophonist Henry Threadgill has long been one of the nrost exciting and innovative forces in contemporary Jazz, and continues to explore new ground on this album He has always had a liking for simple, folk-like themes, and that is eVident again here, but the way in which the band then develops them is very much in a radical Jazz tradition, albeit wrth an unsual instrumentation of sax and flute, gurtar, and accordion, as well as bass and drums Despite that exploratory feel, this disc contains some of his most accessible and downright enjoyable ritusrc. (KlVl)
Steve Turre
Steve Turre (Verve) 1* tr * it
The first sound you hear on this disc is Turre's trademark conch shells, but it is his electrifying trombone work, and the quality of the band he has assembled for this lari_.;e-eiiserrible outing, that makes this a highly recommended item The music has strong grooves, inventive soloing, imaginative arrangements, colourful textures, and abundant energy to spare from a stellar cast of singers and players, including the great J. J. Johnson, whose own The Brass Orchestra (Verve) is also well worth checking out (KM)
FOLK/WORLD
Natalie MacMaster
No Boundaries (Greentrax) * 1r rir x Scotland’s Greentrax label has taken over lvli'icl.'.aster's output over here, and released an earlier, straight fiddle album and a coinprlatioi‘i No Ber/ridarres is the Cape Bretoner's latest, and sees her lll()‘.lll(] into the, slick domain of the Barra l\1a(N(’llS and the Rankin Fairirly indeed 'Cookre' Rankin sings on this album, as does Cape Breton singer/songwrrter Brut e Guthro It's all well done, the piano/gurtar/bass/clrums clean and polished, the frddle bounc ing happily through some nice tunes played in her distinctive style a true ii‘ic'orpc,ratictri of SCots/lrish/Canadran at cents and ‘.‘Jlll sell by the l)t.‘( ketload to her legions of fairs, but it's a bat too smoothly North Arrierrcan for me (NC) Salsa Celtica
.‘vlonstruos y Demonic-s: Angeis and Lovers (Eclect'c) t r >~ r
Let the present Salsa Celtica, the one
and only Cuban band — from Scotland! It says so on the album, to much hilarity. They do have a bona fide Latino in Chilean gurtar maestro Galo Ceron, and they even have a Scots fiddler in Jenny Gardner, but they’re right, this is Cuban music, albeit wrth a distinctive flavour, and some strong original compositions. This first album adds Spanish speaking session singers to fully round out the sound, but the band's trademark tight percussion, pounding piano, declamatory brass and oblique Jazzy sax are all here. Tight as an Aberdonian purse, the ten-piece outfit play for dancing but give the ear a lot to enjoy Play it LOUD. (NC)
The Deaf Heights
Heart Songs (Smiddymade) * a 1* Long before the world music boom, and long before the caiun vogue, there were the Deaf Heights. Named after a range of hills south of Edinburgh, this foursome have taken their brand of accordion and fiddle-led LOuIsiana dance music to audiences throughout Scotland, and beyond This first part of the album shows off the songwriting skills of Kenny Brady, their fiddling guitarist, but never gurte gets into top gear (the lyricless Rainfall is great), while the remaining nine, before ending in a Hank Williams number, find the band cruising through two-steps, swinging round waltzes and hollerrn’ in Acadran French, much more the definitive Deaf sound. (NC)
mm}- Arab Strap
The Girls Of Summer EP (chmikal underground) * fir * fir
Central belt superstars and Falkrrk's melodic mrserabrlrsts, Arab Strap are back with a clutch of tunes, the like of which threaten to give the Scottish music scene a good name The
baibe s' guaitet moment in ‘Hey' Fever' will soon be legendary Brace yourself (80)
Bedlam Ago Go
Flat 29 (Sony) 1* air it
My guess is that Bedlam's vocalist has been clamping his lugs rather too -")li(‘lt to the recent recordings of a certain lclr Ryder 'i'lat 29' threatens to get very interesting around the one iriiirirte mark hart eventually declines the invitation and reverts to tuneless revelry Spunky and chunky but tiltiiiiately a hit clunky (BDi
Salsa Celtica: monsters, demons, angels and lovers, apparently
record reviews MUSIC
The Verve on the hunt for another camomile tea fix
Coco and the Bean All-Star (Mantra) *
Christ almighty. There are undoubtedly some who wrll View this as a subtle swrnger whose breezmess captures the essence of all that is good about summer and the lovrn' therein. To these ears, this is not so much soft soul as a caffeine-free, diet spread of empty arr, the like of which has rarely been put to disc, Fluffier than an adolescent's top lip (BDi
Monorail
. . . do better (Edel) t ht 1r
'l Know I Must Do Better' chants lvlonorarl’s singer, If they can, then there is much to look forward to with the Monorail ouevre This track is an instantly lrkeable slab of pop which, while threatening to verge on the irritating, succeeds in pulling itself back With its rumbling organ and hate- det'ying chorus (BD)
The Verve
Drugs Don't Work (Hut) t * t * at» Drugs don’t work? Come again, Dicky? Had Crowded House jacked up, smoked puff and chased the magic dragon on a regular basis, they may have sOunded a little like this. That said, this gem of a Single proves what can be achieved with a little breather. Painfully glorious. (8D)
REVIEWERS THIS ISSUE:
Jiin Byers, Norman Chalmers, Brian Donaldson, Alastair tvtabbott, Kenny Mathieson, Craig Reece, Peter Ross, Fiona Shepherd.
STAR RATINGS
l * tr * t * Unmissable
l i it i * Very ood
t it 1i: i Wort a shot
. t t Below average
i it You’ve been warned
2 I ‘
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29 Aug-~11 Sep 1997 THE lIST45