an ultra-modern take on the ancient singing style. Drones, sampled loops, mysterious shimmering modal harmony and a welter of studio effects, masterminded by experimental rock producer Michael Brook, underlay the ancient songs, and the effect is uniquely mesmerising and densely exquisite in its own idiosyncratic way. (NC)

Martyn Bennett

Bothy Culture (Rykodisc) * at a: it

Like Ireland's O’ Lionaird, Edinburgh’s Martyn Bennett attempts to meld ancient tradition and modern popular music forms, a process that can, and often does, sound dated almost immediately, given the ephemeral nature of music technology and most club dance styles. So this album won’t have an infinite shelf life, but it’s a brave attempt to marry his talent on pipes, violin and whistles With his own programmed beats, samples -- and his own v0ice (not singing) ~~ in essentially a home-studio recording. If a lot of it is heaVily riff-based and predictable, there are enough interesting textural and harmonic ideas to keep the attention, and it's all well performed (all his own work), and cleanly produced. Overall, Bennett's second album is a worthy

3 addition to the burgeoning Celtic groove dance scene (NCi

.I mm}- Belle & Sebastian

3 . . 6 . . 9 Seconds of Light (Jeepster Recordings) A i. 4,,

Come JOllT the conspiracy An EP, giving us the opportunity to nominate track

: two, ‘La Pastie De La Bourgeoisie as hero for the fortnight Lasts three minutes and ten seconds Especially recortirriended if

i you harbour a yen for the elegant hum

of the lylonochrome Set's 'Jet Set lunta',

; but more mellow, more drama (DL‘i

: Pacrftca

Landlocked (Polaris Records) 4r 7k

Sounds, for the first eight seconds, like 'Girls and Boys' period Blur, before shifting into soriwething baggier and less dil(.’(llll() There's a dragging about

the tempo, as though each member of PaCifica is aware that they should speed up a bit, but doesn't want to say. Lasts three minutes and twelve seconds. (DL)

United Future Organisation The Planet Plan (Talkin' Loud) it Hr

Many mixes, but we’ll plump for the ’Edit' verSion. UFO cheekily ramming a Jazz James Bond right up the Mission: Impossible. Lasts four minutes and six seconds. Very nice, in that eclectic Nineties way you read about in all the glossies. (DL)

Foxy Brown Big Bad Mamma (Violator/RAL) me

We got as far as 'For the best effect, you've got to use your tongue, find my G-Spot, get me hot, Foxy, Chocolate, Baby, got milk, shake that ass like you JUSl don’t care. . .' before Sister Ruth made us take it off. Lasts three minutes and fifty two seconds. Bounces rather fairly. (DL)

? The Goldenhour

Until I See You Again a: a: sir

Easy to imagine this cropping up on = evening radio, and, indeed the band

getting a slot on TF/ Friday. Make of that what you will. Nicer than a lot of the stuff that does, though, primarily

j because of the Dan Dare and the

Mysterons-type keyboard gluing the whole thing together. A wee bit like early Charlatans, come to think of it. (DL)

(Available by mail order Cheques/PO ~ for [3 made payab/e to M. Da/y, sent

to PO Box 76, G/asgow GI SAD)

REVIEWERS THIS ISSUE:

; Norman Chalmers, Thom Dibdin,

Roger Evans, Damien Love, Kenny Mathieson, Fiona Shepherd, Malcolm

Stewart, Jonathan Trew.

STAR RATINGS

* r it * * Unmissable

it t r: tr Very 00d

1 t * Wort a shot

tr Below average

4r You've been warned

record reviews MUSIC

Jo! Hanlon presents

THE 25th ANNIVERSARY TOUR

PLUS VERY SPECIAL GUESTS

A NIGHT OUT WITH THE BOYS - COULD THIS 8

SECC GLASGOW SUNDAY 14'"! DEC

BOX OFFICE : (0141) 287 7777/0990 661022 TICKETS: £19.50 + booking fee ONLY SCOTTISH DATE

‘Rock Patti Smith

Peace and Noise (Arista) «- v: si- 7:

Patti Smith’s career is now into its third phase; the first represented by four albums she recorded '75-'79, the second being the unfocused years shrouded in rumour and reclusion marked only by the release of the elusively textured Dream Of Life in 1988. Now,

; definitively returned from that

extended period of retirement, Peace and Noise follows last year’s Gone

Again much as Radio Ethiopia did Horses.

I The ground has shifted slightly, we're into a more turbulent frame, the

i landscape sketched even more expressionistically, edges blurring for the likes of 'Spell’ and 'Don't Say Nothing'; crashing down solid and serrated for

’1959' and 'Dead City'. Similarly, again, this is perhaps a less immediate collection than its predecessor, but there is more a feeling of unity, or, more to the point, narrative, about the album as a whole. 'Death Singing’ sounds

i exactly as its title suggests. 'Last Call‘, a cyclic meditation on the Heaven's

(Mercedes Hopper)

Gate cult suicide is among the most affecting of Smith's recordings. And listen to that voice - it’s suddenly become clear that in Patti Smith we have the finest blues singer for a world peering over the millennial edge.

Danny Betcsh and Id Hanlon present

B.B.K|NG

special guests SPUNTER GROUP featuring m fluids mm of W Mac

8.50.0. CLYDE AUOI'I’OIIIUM

FRIDAY 31 ST OCTOBER 0/0: 0141 207 7777/0990 421000

TICKETS £22.50 & £19.50

(subject to booking lee)

A CLUB CUBANA SPECIAL

Sunday 12th October on the Renfrew Ferry 9.30pm 20m Tickets £5/£7

DIRECT FROM CUBA!

Sensational Salsa from

SONORA lA CAllE!

Tickets may be bought in advance from the Ferry Tel. 014] 885 2123 or from Shannon Tel. 0141 339 7546

Sonora Lo Colle were a hit at this year's Fringe. This nine piece band are set to rock the boat with their superb Latin rythms and spectacular dance routines!

Last night of UK tour. NOT TO BE MISSED!

All proceeds to the Scottish Campaign For Cuba's Defence

"(F TRESENTS

file (ill/5

T’LUS S?E(IAL GUESTS~

GLASGOW,

. W

15%

500W

THE. (LYDL AWITORWH

WEDNESDAY 17TH DECEMBER

Tickets: £13.50 C/C Tel: 0141 287 7777 or 0141 339 8383 (24 hours), Personal application to SECC B/O.The Ticket Centre Glasgow. Vir in

Records Glasgow and Edinbur h. Ripping Records Edinburgh an all

T.O.C.T.A. outlets througnou Scotland. (Subject to booking fee).

10 Oct—23 Oct 1997 THELIST47