ROCK GARBAGE Bleed Like Me (WarnerS) 0.
It isn’t really surprising to learn that Garbage were originally formed as a side project by record producer Butch Wg, as too often they sound like an indulgence rather than a passion. A passion stuck in a time when the concept of electro rock was a new and shiny one. Now in a world teaming with a whole new set of cocky little fuckers clogging up the charts, Garbage’s sound seems
meanly unprogressive.
This is their fourth album of grafting pop hooks and metronomic electronics onto grunge’s sorry carcass and when it rocks, it rocks commendably. Ultimately however, despite the high gloss production sheen and Shirley Manson’s best efforts to inject some spit and bile into the mix, Garbage remain completely bereft of soul. Even Dave ‘drumsticks for hire' Grohl's rumbling rhythmic contribution to ‘Bad Boyfriend’ is hemmed in by Vig’s chugging
machine backbeat.
Only in its more reflective moments does Bleed Like Me manage to replicate any of the energy locked away in so many of the bolshy delights on their 1995 debut. The stomp of single ‘Why Do You Love Me’, the ethereal glow of album closer ‘l-lappy Home’ and the creeping melancholy of both ‘Bleed Like Me' and “All Over but the Crying' overcome their stylistic shackles to shine. But these are just too few moments of perspiration in a cold, clinical and underwhelming
world. (Mark Robertson)
AVANT GARDE FOLK PINKIE MAOLURE AND JOHN WILLS Cat's Cradle
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Anglo-Scots duo Pinkie MacLure and John Wills (ex-Loop fella) produce folk music after a fashion. but it sure ain't easy listening strumming. MacLure's voice is an
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72 THE LIST 14—28 Apr 2005
extraordinary thing for a start: weird. resonant. other-worldly and not always likeable but always noticeable. This
collection of tunes has her wailing and howling Over hypnotic. droney. claustrophobic. gothic folk, as if a delta blues Singer has gotten trapped in a Highland fiddle fight and can't escape. Which would all be fantastic. except there is something so earnest. so wonhy and ponentous about the music as to take the shine off proceedings 8 little. (Doug Johnstonei
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It takes someone With scant regard for the rules to come up With something truly fresh sounding and Maya Arulpragasarn's lunging. throbbing rattling debut comes as a pleasant surprise. The galloping, Jarr'ing rhythms jack While MIA chants on in her own unique. mildly demented style. On first listen it's something of an audio assault course but as the rolling ragga loops and old school electro beats slowly irnbed in your temples it becomes impossible to extricate them.
Like Tricky's Maxrnguaye (no. it isn't as good but read on anyway) it captures a Singular delirious atinOSphere. M.|.A.'s vocal delivery swaggers unselfconsCiously between ‘Lan-dahn‘ patois bravado and wailing hip hop Kate Bush, giVing what could be grimy, grime-y dancefloor muSic a beWiIdering and childish edge. Aru/ar is uncompromismg, irritating and bewrtching. often in the same beat. (Mark Robertson)
ELECTRONICA THE BOOKS Lost and Safe (Tomlab) O.
‘AnCient texts Cross- pollinate readymade vocals while sticks and stones eXCite the resonant frequenCies of bendy straws and altered furniture.' Makes a nice change from ‘three chords and the
tar." as a manta e" ‘ Sf'il‘.'.8 "it. the'e’s son‘etf‘ at: Odd . ‘Qr‘.e"t.c"a. attest t'te Becks f"'f.l arm“. a "‘ixttif‘? U" St‘t‘mif‘ .‘.t".l samples winch get tedious t'te’ofe O'XI. and de'icate .o‘ais .-.'ii<"‘ disappear all too soon 'Ceci nest pas .ine pipe crops up as a ‘.'l:‘ on one track E luail» this albun‘ is not rr‘usit; this is an imitation of hlusit‘. Hey. beat the pretentious. you have to l()ll‘i 'ein iErnina Newlandsi
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CYANN & BEN Happy Like an Autumn Tree (Gooom Disguesi OOOO
This is the second album from this secret little French band (who include Cyann and Ben among their four members). and it is a lush, heartfelt and inventive trawl through the best parts of 70s rock as well as the finer indie and post-rock from the last ten years. Tender SWings and sWIshes of SOund abound in a record that is sensmve Without being fey, antheinic Without being bland, With whiffs of Pink Floyd or Radiohead scattered around. ‘A Moment of Nowhere' is Grandaddy meets Hakaind. while closer 'Obsessmg and Screaming Voices in a Shell' is Mogwai backing the Carpenters. And if that don't float yer boat, well. then you're Sunk. (Doug Johnstone)
HIP HOP
DJ FORMAT
If You Can't Join 'em . . . Beat 'em (Genuine) 000
Both the title and artwork here pOint to a harder edged return for this mature B-Boy. and While maintaining a comedic funk stance. that's just What yOu're
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"Kt'w‘tl tir‘tli” ,‘\ti.lo'r‘.ina‘3; 1§ltllltjt.l'i‘ rhymes fl.\‘.‘. Ull‘t‘t] 1» Canadian (‘dtiiitv't‘iirt [‘ SISHN. illilixi‘ t. it another ;.i set that r‘ertaiiilx delixert; it n. ~‘. at;l\‘tlliil:; li‘strtiinental shenanigans are f.l't” but more (1(‘x7l)llljltliilltttl, the blistering strut of .Tht‘ liirniiid Point' being among the standout album tracks. and oxerall the standard If; llltlll, Indeed it it; only in the shadov. of his previous output that Forrhat's latest might lose its sheen. (Mark t:drnundsoni
POP Rock MELANIE C
Beautiful Intentions (Red Girl) 00
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Yeah, Beautiful /nt<—2nlions. the road to hell is tarred Willi them, and Melanie C (the artist formerly known as “If,- she-gay? Spice") is paying it.
You've got to hand it to her on one le/el: at least she"; making a concerted effort to break With Spice tradition and create a solo work that anyone. ahw/here might give nalf a toss about. Super Furny Animals producer Greg Haver is behind the desk, there are real people playing instruments. and she's actually spent her own money setting up the record label.
While ‘Next Best Superstar . “Take Your PleaSure' and their MOR rock ilk aren't dreadful. the element of surprise that would make us sit
ALL COS WERE WERE REVIEWED ON A SYSTEM SUPPLIED AND INSTALLED BY LOUD 8: CLEAR