FUNK
FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS Livin’ in the City (SanctuaryDiFontainel O
And we thought they'd slinked off With at least a shred of dignity left intact. In bygone days Fun Lot/in" Criminals were pretty cool. Huey languidly OOZing New YOik Wide'DOy charm in every performance. But their shtick has worn awfully thin. From the opening note this feels redundant. and by track fOur you'll think
i. same. t..i"t'fir?*~ti, J
Jamiroduai sound like authentic funk action. What's supposed to be chilled lounge muSIC straight from the back rooms of NYC is the SOund of the middle- aged and middle- famous thinking the\,”re still down With the kids while keeping a sly eye on the retirement fund. (Henry Northmorel
SOUl. THE ISLEY BROTHERS
Summer Breeze - Greatest Hits (Sony BMGI COO
Kicking back to the singles history of the Isleys makes clear their almighty breadth of ViSion; over the three decades covered here the shifting family line-up were master carvers on the changing face of sexy US SOUI. After seventy odd minutes of Ronald Isley's killer vocals riding high on his brothers' tight 608 soul. 70$ funk. psychedelic folk and smooth 80s ballads. there's no doubt these guys were blessed. However. amongst COuntIess greatest hits compilations and with last year's all encompassing The Essential. . . collection and Taken To The Next Phase remix [)FOjSCI it's hard to see where the Wider merit of this release lies. (Mark Edmundsonl
ALTROCK BARDO POND Selections Volumes l—IV
(ATP) 0...
This repackaged. remastered and re- released selection of some of the esoteric Philadelphians' muSical experimentations isn't instantly acceSSIble. but give it time and let it ease into y0ur conSCiousness. Gtiitar-wrought soundscapes tWist their way around yOLir psyche. slowly constricting. pushing hypnotic pulses of noise through yOur pleasure centres. Tracks rarely clock in at under five minutes. Often nudging the 15 or 20 minute mark. their closest relatives Sonic YOuth or Mogwai. This is drone rock. its intricacies hidden in layers of distonion. It requires patience but its subtle sonic dystopia is reward in Itself.
(Henry Northmorel
SOUL DUB FAT FREDDY’S DROP
Based on a True Story (Kartell CO.
A more contemplative effon than the KIWI dubsters' celebrated 12s. Based on a True Story still harbOurs a feel of the lam seSSion. Initially they serve up yearning s0ulful vocals floating on a gentle sea of dub. the seven-piece Cultivate a SOund not far removed from the promise of a yOung U840.
Surely few WOLiId Wish them a Similar fate however. nor do they show lame pop leanings as the album inches into more mournful. acetistic territory before the closmg track 'Hope' sees their dub tub drift ever more quietly over the thFI/IOD.
(Mark Edmundson)
JAZZ TREVOR WARREN
Disassembler (33 Records) 000
Guitarist Trevor Warren recruited UK Jazz's man of the moment. Aberdeen-born
drummer Seb Rochford.
and his band mate in Polar Bear. saxophonist Mark Lockheart. for this sessron. It was recorded last summer before Rochford's Current level of expOSure With the award-Winning ACOListic Ladyland ftilly kicked in. but if Warren's disc benefits from additional attention as a result. it Will be no more than it deserves. The guitarist is heaVily influenced by
rock in both his playing and writing. and his collaborators — which also include Dudley Phillips on bass and Loz Speyer on trumpet — respond in creative and energised fashion. (Kenny Mathieson)
INDIE SUPERGRASS
Road To Rouen (Elvtl) 000
Once darlings of the Britpop and sideburns scene. this trio have taken a path that all self- respecting muSiCians stroll down at a certain age and turned a bit experimental. So gone are the days of the soaring power pop choruses that made Supergrass one of the best modern British Singles bands. replaced instead by a fifth LP of acoustic gLiitars. piano tinkles. strings. horns and a rather bizarre attempt at punk funk. In places it works. such as catchy first release ‘St Petersburg' and the achingly melancholy ‘Roxy'. but more often than not it scunds rather bland and like babies playing With the big boys' toys. A few more years of booze and break-ups. chaps. and perhaps yOu'll sound more conVinCing. (Camilla Pia)
plus very special guests
IDLEWILD
TEENA GE PAHGLUB
+ My Latest Novel
EDINBURGH Meadowbank Stadium Sunday 28th August
DF CONCERTS IN
ASSOCIATION WITH X-RAY
ALISON KRAUSS and UNION STATION
HiA'I'URINC} jliRRY II(')I,l(}I,AS
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 3/0 0870 606 3424
Wednesday 7th September GLASGOW CLYDE AUDITORIUM 8/0 0870 040 4000 Thursday 8th September
.' w M r": r n El: 5:9 lite ti Z uf
1' SATURDAY 5m NOVEMBER
and In assomation wrth PCL
‘ , a.
T w;
STERE" gang-3.25% Mcs * * 2 NIGHTS - DIFFERENT DJs v~ I," .— + HEADLINER EACH NIGHT
. 7 GLASGOW umu Thursday 1st & Friday 2nd September
III_;I*II I8, '/~Iltltf... (Mi/II I I, ‘1'; If; I llll ..
m r r cuscow Tickets Scotland, onu, vargth‘négé'st'or‘e. minutiae“
Ripping, Tickets Scotland, Virgin Megastore, and all ficketmaster Ticket centres. I; it; I I». I www.ticketmaster.co.uli
'8 Add .‘.\‘:‘ THE LIST 31