Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone) blend their very different voices into the music, with consistently gratifying results. (KM)
FOLK
Skyedance
Way out to Hope Street (Culburnie) * ‘k ‘k *
Yes, a sign on the Glasgow Underground - which becomes so significant after dropping a tab of acid, or if you're a Californian band looking for an album title. Heard at this year’s Celtic Connections, Skyedance are led by Alasdair Fraser, who is a famous, eloquent exponent of a Scottish fiddle style. The rest of the group is made up of five top players who use keys, fretless bass, percussion, flutes and bagpipes to Create an all-instrumental album that meanders moodily through a Celtic dreamscape. Apart from a reprise of some reels from his 80s album with piano player and current band member Paul Machlis, all the tracks are original, well played and set in a squeaky clean production. They are often dainty, even pretty, sometimes portentous, then qUirky, fleetineg movmg, and occasionally, but not often enough, exciting -. you long for something hairy- arsed. Get rid of the Birkenstocks and mineral water, and get the band into leaky wellies and double Laphroaigs. (NC)
Ossian
The Carrying Stream (Greentrax) ****
It’s Ossian, Jim, but not as we knew it. It’s a second album by the quartet Smalltalk, but they have, well, rebadged themselves. Harp and whistle player Billy Jackson and singer/gUitarist Billy Ross were both in the original OsSian line up, and as the name was dormant, decided to retitle themselves for this album. Similar instrumentation, using acoustic fiddle, pipes, harp, gUitar and whistles, gives an overall equivalent texture to the Ossian of old, but musically this album occupies another space. Less rhythmically assured, there are fewer dynamic highs in a skilful, carefully wrought production, that toms some well known songs and tunes ('As | Cam In By Fisherrow', 'Logan Water’, 'Glasgow Police Pipers') With original compositions that include Jackson’s title track ~ a metaphor for the folk tradition — played solo on the Wire-strung small harp (NC)
Prolapse Autocade (Radar) * a:
A surprisingly calm and melodic single, harking to the glorious shoeqaZing days of Lush. This was ()bVIOUSly a bit of light relief for the band while Krautrock punk mad lvlick was out buying fags Without all the art-rock and screeching it's all a bit directionless. Still they seem happy enough to glide along on a pOintless pop tip Thank God for the 8 sides. (CR)
David Devant & His Spirit Wife
Lie Detector (Rhythm King) * * it * Now this is how pop really should s0und, addictive singalong tunes that sound like they come from Mars Once
ROCK Hurricane #1 Hurricane #1 (Creation) **
Had this album been released about three years ago, it might have been possible to make encouraging noises along the lines of 'shows potential . . . knows its rock classics . . . blah de blah'. But context is everything and the context here is saturation exposure to Oasis, overfamiliarity to and subsequent contempt for anything remotely related to that 905 Beatlesque sound, and the inevitable second best status conferred on any band coming in the Mancunian conquerors' wake, no matter how good the group in question. And so far, Hurricane #1 haven't been very good.
It was the same story with Andy Bell's previous band Ride - over-reverence for their pioneering peers (My Bloody Valentine) but at least they didn't ever sound tired, old-fashioned and unimaginatively traditional.
This debut. featuring Tayside ex-boxer Alex Lowe on vocals, is certainly no chore but it’s no challenge either. Beatles references? Check. Sixties throwback melodies? Check. Rudimentary 'psychedelic’ backwards recordings? Check. Mountainous Zeppelin drumming? Check. This is record collection rock minus an injection of the group’s own personality.
Incidentally, this review is cobbled together using stock phrases and bits of articles found in various publications over the years. But never mind the lack of constructive criticism - dig the grammar. (Fiona Shepherd)
record reviews MUSIC THE
IN TERC l TY ERA WL
GLASGOW
Friday I 9th September ‘I 997
4.00PM - 2.00AM
Tickets £10.00 includes:
It Over 20 great new bands & DJs
at Access to 5 venues including: Art School, Garage, Cathouse, King Tuts, Nice & Sleazy
it Free CD/programme featuring exclusive tracks by the bands
again The Vessel and Co deliver the most stylish brand of weirdness on this side of the galaxy. (CR)
Foul
Don’t Come Around (13th Hour) * Power pop—by-numbers is really getting a bit tired these days Obvmusly any old pub rock band can gather a few over-used riffs and a shout-along
chorus and peddle it as ground- breaking rock. Dreadful. (CR)
Magicdrive On The Soft (Fontana) fir it *
Magicdrive's vocalist DaVid Robertson describes his band as ’Phil Spector on Speed'. It’s almost true, the pace is right, the sounds collide and explode in a rather pleasant mess, but Phil Daniels on Babycham is closer to the mark. See Famespotting. (CR)
El Hombre Trajeado
Logo/Moonunit Manual (Flotsam & Jetsam) * t it 1r
Lovmgly crafted by Glaswegians Hubby, Stef and SteVie, this double A- side shimmers and glides where most would go ape. Like a downbeat FugaZi remixed by Mo Wax. Lovely accented vocals that put the criminally over- rated Arab Strap to shame Buy. (CR)
Portishead
All Mine (60 Beat) * * it
They’re back, well in time to soundtrack the next series of This Life, With, well more of the same Possibly a little darker and only slightly more up- beat. The real gem is the B-side 'Cowboy' where the Bristolians go Wild in suspense rnoVie soundtrack-land
Kylie Minogue Some Kind of Bliss (Deconstruction) ****
Or Kylie and the Manics if you prefer. Really much as you'd expect as far as vocals and tune go respectively, but together they form the kind of classic groove that most showbiz collaborations can only dream of. (C R)
r/-- “ II
“n
I! Elll
Kylie gets mean with the Manics
REVIEWERS THIS ISSUE:
Andrew Burnet, Norman Chalmers, Kenny Mathies‘on, Alan Morrison, Craig Reece, Peter Ross, Fiona Shepherd, Jonathan Trew
DUB PISTOLS FORMULA ONE GROOP DOGDRILL HARDKNOX THE HIGH FIDELITY THE KARELIA LO-FIDELITY ALLSTARS MAGOO MIDGET MONK 8. CANATELLA THE 0 OVERSEER SILVER SUN snow patrol SYMPOSIUM TANYA DONELLY TOPPER ULTRASOUND VELOCETTE VITRO WARM JETS 8. very special guests
DJs Krash Slougth Eusi Barry Dub Pistol
ADVANCE TICKETS from: 23rd Precinct: Ol4l 332 4806, Inside Tickets: Ol 31 477 8222, Ticket Centre: 014] 287 59l0, Ticket Talk: CM] 248 6606, Ticketmaster 0990 344
4444 & all usual outlets.
DAY OF TICKETS available from: Basement Bar, Art School, 168 Renfriew Street, Glasgow.
l7. Sep—25 Sep I997 TIIELIST49