Sou providers
Once branded arch miserablists, TINDERSTICKS return and they’ve got the funk . . . and the donkeys. Words: Mark Robertson
inderstieks haye neyer done much by the book. 'l‘heir lirst three albums were doubles. they
insist on wearing three-pieee sttits (even under
the muek-stral'ed lights of Reading and Glastonbury l-'esti\'als) and their inttsie —— akin to the likes of lilyis (‘ostello. .\'iek (‘aye and Bjork enjoys an
unelassiliable quality that has kept audiences keen l‘or
eyet'y new release. Their latest ('tm ()lll'1.()\'(’ . . . is their sixth. and is their most eompelling and concise to date.
()l‘ten eonsidered morose Leonard (‘ohen aeolytes. 'l'inderstieks are more abottt romanee than tragedy with a streak ol~ dark hutnour
that makes (‘ohen's world— ‘The heartbreak earner weariness seem so eynieal. The songs has HOW given way t0 heartbreak oi~ earlier songs like a mQre stripped-down
"liny 'l'ears‘ or ‘;\ Night In haye soulful, almost funky
now giy en way to a more striplk‘d—down soull‘til. almost lunky e\eursion. It‘s also more upbeat than anything they‘\ e eyer done. Keyboard play er l)a\id Boulter. on the line from his home in Prague. e\p|ains the group‘s new-found optimism. WVe’re on a new label. Beggars Banquet. so it‘s kind ol‘ a new start l‘or its. [1 was hard to feel down in the
excursion.’
studio and that's rei'leeted in the tnusie here. ()ne of
the reasons that it‘s a short album la sueeinet 45 minutesl is beeause some ol‘ the traeks we recorded didn't hay e that t'eel tbout them and didn‘t lit in. We were just enjoying ourselyes. There are some slow down songs on here but they still haye an optimistic l'eel.‘
The band haye just linished a series ol‘ the dates in Brussels to launeh the reeord with speeial guest l).ls. l’ilms. exhibitions and a different set iron] the band every night. 'liaeh show was dil‘l‘erent: one with strings. one with a brass seetion and backing singers. an acoustic one and a roekier one.‘ says boultet'. ‘\\'e lind it really hard to .switeh oil and do the same set for seven weeks. We work best doing things in short bursts and that ineludes touring.~
In addition to the new album. the band hay e also composed a lilm soundtraek. ’l'mu/i/t' livery [My is their second l'ot' (‘lait‘e l)enis al'ter l‘)‘)(i‘s .Vt'llt'llt' (-1 Bani. The lilm .s‘tttt's Vincent (iallo and Beatrice l)alle and the soundtrack l.l’ eomes otit alongside the tilm in July. ‘lt‘s a weird sort of lilm: it's about an illness people get whieh giyes them a huge appetite l‘or violent sex.‘ Despite the extreme subject matter. Boultet' elaims soundtracks are easier than anything the band haye eyer produced. ‘lt‘s easier in some ways as you‘re working to someone else‘s ideas and emotions and they lead you: it's not like you ha\ e to fill the screen yoursell‘. it‘s hall-lull already. The strong Visllttl eletnent gi\ es you a guide straight away.‘
Aside trom the musical qttailites worth enthusing about on (an Our Low . . .. the album is surely yying tor album eoyer (ii. the year its it sees 'stieks singer. Stuart Staples snuggling tip to a donkey. Boultet' takes tip the story. '\\'e're neyer keen on haying Us on the eoyers but we needed photos done and had no strong ideas. Stuart had been to the donkey sanetuary in Dunn that summer and he loyed the place. so we got in a ear and went down there. .\lost of the photos didn‘t work as we were just stood around in a big barn full of donkeys. That one
.lttst worked.’ And the cover star‘s name‘.’ ‘Bobtail‘.
Tindersticks play the Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Wed 6 Jun; Can Our Love . . . is out now on Beggars Banquet.
Surface noise
MUS/c news now
GIG ON THE GREEN HAVE added The Cult. hed (p.e.). Queens Of The Stoneage. The Strokes and South to the bill for 25 & 26 August. They are also looking to find unsigned bands to open their second stage at the festival. To be a part of this send your demo to “Gig on the Green Search for True Music“, Radio Forth, Forth Street. Edinburgh, EH1 3LF or Radio Clyde, Clydebank Business Park, Clydebank, G81 2RX. Tapes must be in by Friday 1 June, and winners will be announced one week later. i‘.’l i-‘ it fit-3 i but
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EDINBURGH HAS TWO NEW music nights for unsigned talent. The Full Moon Club is every Thursday, and is situated in Cafe St James above the St James shopping centre and intends to showcase new talent, (see rock listings for more details) while El Barrio, the Latin bar in West Port is inviting all comers for a new Thursday night open slot.
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'. 2‘. ' ,.' .r ' THE LIST 45