RECORD REVIEWS MUSIC
I The Trillids: In The Pines/Calenture/Bom Sandy Devotional/The Black Swan/Stockholm (Mushroom) A worthy mid-price reissue programme. and one that latecomers to this awesome Australian band would do well to take advantage of. Frontman David McComb was known to bring strong men to their knees with his stirring pop brilliance. Take ‘Bury Me Deep In Love' from ('ulwitiire. for instance. a stunning tune that invites you to check the songwriting credits to see which of the greats they're covering. But nope. all McComb‘s own work. And behind him. a band that played like they knew no limits. The songs
The Triltlds: big in Belgium needed scope and The Triffids. who got halfway to becoming a country band before they decided better of it. had the vision and versatility to provide it. By The Black Swan. they were bursting out in all directions. The Triffids split in I989. critics' darlings and big in
Belgium. Makes you
weep. (Alastair Mabbott)
f I David Vanian And The
Phantom Chords: David
; Vanian And The Phantom
Chords (Big Beat) Let's
get one thing straight from the start: this is not a
snotty Damned album.
There are shades of the
old punk lags lurking in the shadows of tracks like
‘Big Town‘. the riffs and
: vocals echoing past ' funereal glories but
Vanian has sensibly moved on and produced an album that is really rather enjoyable. The CD swings from the measured rockabilly strut of ‘Screainin‘ Kid' to the punchy menace of ‘This House Is Haunted' which brings The Specials' “Ghost Town' to mind. Vanian‘s vocals are the package's strong point — sepulchral and whisky- sodden. they sound like a fiery old lush ranting in a graveyard having got lost on the way home from the boozer. (Jonathan Trew) I Morphine: Yes (Rykodisc) Hailing from Boston. Morphine have a unique line-up: two-string slide-bass. drums and saxophone — a formula which may sound potentially restrictive in its capacity for depth and range of expression. but is. on this their third album. used to frequently stunning effect. It's a night-time city sound Morphine make. Not too comfortable a night. It's a bit too hot. and soniething’s bound to happen. From the opening sax flun'ies of ‘Honey White‘ to the dying lament of ‘Gone For Good‘. this is a trail through obsession. passion. guilt. violence and regret. iii places vaguely reminiscent of Lou Reed. Tom Waits or Richard Hell. Without the guitars. Sultry listening. (Damien Love)
I Four Men And A Dog: Doctor A’s Secret Remedies (Castle) Co- produced by Aaron I. Hurwitz (the Doctor A of the title. who also dips in with piano. organ and accordion). this album. by the most upfront of the current top Irish bands. ends up being, well. laid- back. A musical meeting with some ofThe Band brought an invitation to our four heroes to record at Levon Helm‘s studios in Woodstock. New York State. and the result is a wonderful synthesis of American folksiness. country rock. quality production values and the Four Men's strong Celtic streak of instrumental virtuosity. There are the expected passages of ferocious fiddle. but the songs. with Kevin Doherty taking most of them. and a couple from bodhran player Gino Lupari. define the mood of the album.
I Dr Didg: Out of the Woods (Hannibal) This guy can play. and I don‘t just mean on the hollow log from Down Under. Graham Wiggins was born in America. took up
' didgeritloo at the
beginning of the 80s while taking a physics PhD in Boston and formed the
; fusion band ()utback in
London. A spell in the Australian outback
; studying with the 3 Aboriginal masters came
next and last year. with the new trio recorded here. he opened at Glastonbury. Dr Didg employs his own jazz/funk keyboard talents on the underrated little Hohner melodica and with innovative electronic sequencing and sampling. percussion and guitar. has created a unique sound round the looping. whirling. guttural rhythms of the didgeridoo. at once primitive and futuristic.
I The Poozies: Dansoozies (Hypertension) The follow-up to their first album. (‘liuiitrmricsu isn't a dance album. but more of the same front the four women; a sort of neo- Britisit popular folk- derived music. The musical talent in the group means that there are many beautiful passages. atmospheric interplay between the harps. poignant accordion and some carefully wrought and powerful vocal
' harmony. but the band
swrngs sometimes self- consciously. and the occasional song in Gaelic or Scots can sound affectedly twee. Singer Sally Barker‘s own songs steer round the eternal problems of relationship. but a powerful song by Hedy West. a picaresque tale by Townes Van Zandt. a couple of Kerry polkas and trip to Spain keep the spirits up. I lain MacFadyen: lain MacFadyen, World’s Greatest Pipers. Vol 7 (Lismor) An album of straight Highland piping. no frills. no bongos. no keyboards. no false fingerings. Straight in the sense of being the style that has dominated competition piping for generations. and MacFadyen is a competition piper par excellence. Formerly in the Cameron Highlanders. his military background sings out in the perfectly executed marches. Most of the tunes are well known. but there's an attractive jig. Neil MacEachren. and a couple of piobaireachd. 'COiTienessan‘s Salute'. and my favourite track. a beautiful rendition of ‘The End OfThe Great Bridge'. (Norman Chalmers)
Effie»
TULIANA HATFIELD
GLASGOW GARAGE WEDNESDAY nth APRIL
plus special guest
I i l CHANGE o 8 Mon VENUE-
IN‘G
GLASGOW BARROWLAND - WEDNESDAY 261'" APRIL
+f0 r/ 6/
int; lllEti
GLASGOW
GARAGE FRIDAY 28th APRIL
UCKETFUL OF BANDS
BABY CHAOS
TI'flVISSHRIEK
DELGADOS \X/AH \X/AH JACK BLISTERS GLASGOW BARROVLAND SUNDAV 7TH MAY 2PM-IOPM
TICKETS FROM VLRGIN UNION ST. TOWER. TOCTA 031-557 6969, FIRST CALL 041-556 5555
The List 7-20 Apr 1995 41