Records
on the most solid of rocking blues roots . . . honest. Changing Faces contains the proof. bar room brawls have never had a better backing track than tunes like ‘Had Me a Real Good Time'. ‘Pool Hall Richard' and ‘You Can Make Me Dance. Sing or Anything'. Stewart's better earlier solo work is also well represented here in the whisky- choked medleys of ‘Mandolin Wind' and ‘Gasoline Alley‘.
More problematic are the first of two supermarket bound anthologies of classic American ballads: It Had to be You has old perma-tan tackling the classics — 'You Go to My Head'. “These Foolish Things' and ‘For All We Know“ among others. The man's singing voice
is still in fine fettle even if it does seem to have travelled up about a fifth of an octave. but it's his timing that seems off. These tunes are more or less indestructible but Rod does manage to render them fairly anodyne. (Paul Dale)
ROCK
THE CREATURES Hai!
(Sioux) COO
Siouxsie Sioux has been successfully fighting her musical corner for around 25 years. managing to retain a level of dignity and integrity that her punk contemporaries have long abandoned. Her latest collaboration with drummer and paramour Budgie is an intriguingly stripped down collection of experimental tracks that show a heavy
influence of Japanese minimalism.
Some of the results are powerful and compelling. such as ‘Around the World‘ and ‘lmagoro' in which Sioux pronounces urgently over slowly building percussion. A lack of variety rather renders the whole package a bit of a doomy headache. but' 3Hai! is worth purchasing for the standout tracks.
(Allan Radcliffe)
ROCK JAZZ
AN PIERLE Helium Sunset (Helicopter) .000
There's always been a strange interface between adult orientated rock and the avant- garde — just ask Peter Gabriel or Kate Bush. Pierle‘s second album (and first UK release
proper) is such a beast — a dark and fascinating
record. full of thoughtful vocals. ducking piano motifs and crashing cymbals. lt's pleasingly
' contrary. achingly
spacious one minute
and close as a chloroform rag the next.
It occasionally feels clumsy and occasionally
feels contrived. but
elsewhere Pierle's profoundly atmospheric fusion of jazz and rock is different enough to jolt
; and familiar enough to ‘ work its way into the
hidden places of head and heart.
‘ (James Smart)
ROCK ELECTRO THE DEVILS
Dark Circles
(Tape Modern) .0
Since quitting Duran Duran in 1979 (and being replaced by one
Simon le Bon). Stephen Duffy has perfected the role of pop also-ran, with incarnations as Tin Tin, Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy. Duffy and Lilac Time. but only one hit single — 1985's ‘Kiss Me' — to his name. Now Duffy has joined up with Durannie pal Nick Rhodes to produce ‘the album they would have made as Duran Duran'. The result when listened in today's 80s conscious environment often sounds like a low-rent Zoot Woman, all fucked- up vocoders and dirty synths, and despite the majestic electro of the title track and ‘Barbarellas‘ appealing space age prog. these melodies are too listless to relaunch a career. (James Smart)
DOWNTEMPO DOLPHIN BOY Gateaux Youth (Tummy Touch) 000.
The debut album from Edinburgh's favourite cetacean DJ has finally arrived and, as anyone who has ever heard him spin in cosy Black Bo's
on Blackfriar’s Street will attest. it's everything we have come to expect. Gateaux Youth exposes his proclivity for gentle beats. subtle grooves and a good pop hook, drawing in strands of funk, jazz and soul with neat production sawy. Andy Levy is already well known in Auld Reekie but, as the ripples expand from this slinky torpedo. you can be sure that the Dolphin will be swimming in much warmer waters than Scottish ones. (Andrew Richardson)
ELECTRONICA DAVID BOWIE Club Bowie
(Virgin) 0..
Doesn't David Bowie (pronounced Boo-ie) look like he‘s had cosmetic surgery
album out now j 7~ . i. includes the tracks: _. " i g the-ideal llciljht questions and answers and eradicate the doubt =
lliiiv [lure are currently shakino up notions—oi what can be achieved by outtarbands' - Band”
'llstonndluu' - Bock Sound T v ‘
'lln album of complexities and ambition. m A , enerou and adroitlu administered reflections .
where everutbiuo centres around a constant V
Y
musical lilevolution' - llenauo!
'Tbrilllno' ' lllllE
‘luoolino anger with adoration. biifv cluro
talre indie sensitivity and emboldeu it with blisterlnu rock furu‘ - The Buaidian
also available blackened slur
annulment-all
autumn-i
l 1 Dec 2003-8 Jan 2004 THE LIST 125