weren't all that bad. This lot are a different matter, however. Formed from the fragments of the former. (guitarist Stuart Evans and bassist Keith Graham). 69 Corp have made the all-important transition to being good. They've clearly had their eyes opened by the experience of working with Howie B — with whom they released a bowel-troubling 12 inch Of electro dub some months back.
While their debut album boasts the same solid simplicity. the filthy club feel has given way to the atmosphere of the morning-after-the- binge-before much like Spirituali/ed or Electric Music AKA. Replete with gorgeous melodies and
sumptuous production (55) Corp is a further sign that Scotland is now the world home of dirty synth pop.
(Tim Abrahams)
AH T ROCK OOIOO
Kila Kila Kila (Thrill Jockey) COO
Y'know the Flaming Lips album. Yoshi/iii Batt/es the Pink Robots? Well this is album is by Yoshiini. battling apparently not the roseate zitit()iitzit()iis; ()f li(2r latter days but every post-rock cliche she can find. Clearly something of a legend in the Thrill Jockey- centric art-pop circles. she plays drums. keyboard and the trumpet in the Boredoms and drummed in Kim
A defining collection of timeless
tracks from the 408 and 508. newly
recorded by artists including Tori Amos, Seal, Lisa Stansfield, Celine Dion,
Gordon's band Free Kitten. However. her own band OOIOO (pronounced oh-oh- eye-oh-oh. Christ) are an altogether more welcoming outfit. Giving a defiantly skewed Japanese take to rolling free-jaw rock. Yoshimi here strays free of the navel ga/ing thanks largely to its superb percussion and joyfully naive vocals. (Tim Al_)rahamsl
ROCK
THE WILDHEARTS Coupled With (Gut) O.
The Wildhearts hit big in the mid-90s when the frenetic good-time punk of album PHUQ almost shot them into rock's major league. Their second comeback album in
M THE
i s
Macy Gray and Kelly Rowland
Also includes the new Elton John track
“The Heart Of Every Girl”
seven months — after a below-par follow—up. a greatest hits record. a few missing bandmembers and a brief split —- suggests evolution is not high on their agenda. This is lively but hackneyed stuff. kicking off with the grimy apocalypse of ‘Stormy in the North. Karina in the South' before heading into a fun but forgettable cover of the Cheers theme tune. It's not a bad record. But from a band who once seemed to define raucous rock'n'roll. it's really not enough. (James Smart)
INDIE
THE CRIBS The Cribs (Wichita) COO.
They may dress like the Ramones and the fifth
MOT
mena
ON PI
| ’ ':Wum‘» * V
(lea ‘Smlle
track 'Things You Should Be Knowing“ may s0und like a Strokes cover band but Yorkshire band the Cribs' debut is a promising reappraisal of the US independent spirit. Aping New York cool, old or new. is not what they are generally about. They are more interested in the stuff that came between. 'Learning How to Fight' would sound like Dinosaur Jr were it not for the fact that twins Gary and Ryan can sing and the band as a whole has that admirable ‘Me-l'in- cool-but-also—a-bit- crap' Northern English indie poise.
('Tim Abrahams)
ELECTRONICA Astronomy for Children (Highpoint Lowlife) .0.
N.Ln is the electronic project of San Franciscan Nyles Lannon and Astronomy for Children is a wonky but charming wee
18 tvlar— ‘.
Records
record. lvlost flavours of electronica are touched on. Lannon proving himself to be an adept musical magpie with a. distinct ear for melody.“ So opener ‘This Morning' is like a half- arsed Boards of Canada. ‘Spoke Words’ starts off as the Blade Runner soundtrack before heading off in a vaguely electroclash direction and ‘I Never Heard' is an ambient glitchathon of analogue synths and oddball blips and stutters. Never likely to transform the world. this is nevertheless quietly elegant stuft. and would make the perfect background music for that veeery. veeery strange dinner party you've always siad you‘d have.
(Doug Johnstone)
CTURE
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THE LIST 105