music
record reviews
ROCK/POP
Tricky
luxtapose (Island) idnhhk
Tricky has joined forces with DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill) and Grease (DMX) to take his trademark claustrophobic clanks to new levels. After the unrelenting bleakness of Angels With Dirty Faces, he appears to have dealt with some demons, but lost none of his intensity. Striving for different sound sources, he has dipped into the 805 for inspiration; but he‘s bastardised it and created something more distinct and, ,at times, eerie.
His guest stars excel. Rapper Mad Dog is a revelation, whilst singer Kioka is very reminiscent of the fabulous Martina and therefore amazing. Tricky has managed to make a pioneering hip hop album which absorbs its American influences but never resorts to mimicking them. The future. (MR)
Superchunk
Come Pick Me Up (Merge) at“: Time was when all you needed was a Fender Telecaster, a self-deprecating manner and Kim Deal's number scrawled on a beermat in the pocket of your plaid shirt, and the world was your Kleenex. Back when Courtney had her own nose and Kurt had only the biologically necessary number of holes in his head, Superchunk resided in the middle echelons of the grunge aristocracy, and their voluptuously belipped bassist Laura Ballance had a peculiar effect on male journalists. Now they're back. With the same wussy songs about girls, fuzzy-but- melodic guitars, whiny sub-Malkmus vocals, bounce-along drums and general grubby good humour. It won’t change your life; nor will it induce you to throw your cat against a wall. All it might do is raise a nostalgic smile, or induce you to dust off your framed pictures of Evan 'n' Juliana, if you did your stint in the moshpit in 1991. (HM)
Mercury Rev Goddess On A Hiway (V2) 91-h”
Re-release of a spine-tingling nursery rhyme. A delicate piano line and gorgeous vocal melody bleed into layers of silvery guitars, splashy drums and general eccentric elves 'n’ wizards jangle; somehow the effect is crisp and exhilarating, and not mouldy hippy's wee. In fact, a friend of mine has a favoured hangover cure which entails
’ :1, .'_ " . '. g .2 r, (v, .
121 TIIEUST 12—19 Aug 1999
going to a supermarket and putting one's head in a freezer compartment, and this song feels a bit like that. (HM)
deerstlcks
Can We Start Again? (This Way Up)
it 11: ‘k * it
It‘s nerve-racking, approaching a new ’Sticks release. One fears, every time, that the inevitable decline will begin, that they will run out of timeless classics and finally reveal themselves to be human and not divine. Well, not yet. This is one of their most gorgeous moments ever; hooked on a flirtatious exchange between a lugubrious Stuart Staples and some backing singers pinched off a Northern Soul floorfiller, it's sad, sweet and summery, a thing to be treasured forever. (HM)
Texas Summer Son (Mercury) *‘k
Fringe in eyes. Necklace made of Brussells sprouts. Admirably groomed armpit on display. The song? Since when were Texas’ songs anywhere near as interesting as the ongoing deluge of exotic Spiteri cover shots? This is the usual smooth, soulish background noise, overproduced and polished to the extent that Her Gorgeousness sounds like she's singing through a mouthful of cream. Oh for goodness sake, calm down. (HM)
Apollo Four Forty Stop The Rock ink-
Enormous, fat, foolish novelty anthem with metal guitars and mental beats. Blokes will lurch around dancefloors to this while full of ale. Cheerful in a hideous, Freshers' Week kind of way, but basically pointless. (HM)
Spring Heel Jack The Sound of Music EP inki‘k
As if it wasn’t tragic enough that Julie Andrews may never sing again, her finest work is being sabotaged by cheeky pop monkeys. 'My Favourite Things' becomes an atonal, nightmarish travesty that suggests Maria Von Trapp running amok with an axe; ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain' gets doomy sound effects and hysterically distorted strings. A thing of creepin brilliant, David Lynchesque weird- appeal. (HM)
Lights
Dare to Dream (Backyard) *
Lenny Kravitz meets Reef in a bar and they chat long ’n' gruff into the night about how damn hard life is. Excuse me, I must dash, there's some paint drying over there and it's looking pretty interesting . . . (HM)
REVIEWERS THIS ISSUE: Hannah McGill, Mark Robertson
Goddess worship: Mercury Rev
rock & pop
listings
Gigs are listed by date. then by ci . Performances Will be listed, provi ed that details reach our offices at least eight days before publication. Rock and pop listings compiled by Fiona Shepherd (Glasgow) and Rodger Evans (Edinburgh).
Ticket information
Tickets for most mediumllarge concerts can be bought from the following:
Virgin. Argyle Street, 204 5151 Credit card bookings from: Ticket Link: 287 5511.
EDINBURGH
Virgin Princes Street, 220 3234. Ripping Records South Bridge, 226 7010.
Assembly Rooms George Street, 220 4349
THURSDAY 12 Glasgow
I Nerve. HFS and Flu Jag King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £3.50 (advance), £4 (door). Catchy punk pop from local lads Nerve.
I Aereogramme, Vera Cruise and Akira The 13th Note Club, Clyde Street, 243 2177. 9pm. £3. Vera Cruise are a country- tinged combo featuring members and ex- members of The Ranters, AC Acoustics and Thrum. Plus Optimo DJs.
I Control Room The 13th Note Cafe, King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. Live drum & bass.
I The Charm, Supervision, Revolver and Little Miss Strange Strawberry Fields, Oswald Street, 221 7871. 9pm. £3.
I Jam Session Samuel Dow’s, Nithsdale Road, 423 0107. 8.30pm. Free.
I Live Music Kilkennys, John Street, 552 3505. 9pm. Free.
Edinburgh
I Andy Neate Common Grounds, 2/3 North Bank Street, 226 1416. 7.30pm. Free I The Dales Finnegan’s Wake, Victoria Street, 226 3816. 8pm. Free.
I John Burgess's Contemporary Jazz Trio Jazz Joint, 8 Morrison Street, 221 1288. 10pm—5am. £4/£3. Top quality contemporary jazz from the Joe Henderson stable.
I Cha Cha Cohen, Suckle and The Zephyrs Planet Pop, Attic, Dyers Close, Cowgate, 225 8382. 8.30pm. £4.50/£3.50. Cha Cha Cohen share a label with The Delgados and have been compared to The Breeders and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Suckle feature Frances McKee of Vaselines fame and The Zephyrs hint at Galaxy 500 and Gene Clark.
I Big Eyed Beans Whistle Binkies, Niddry Street, 557 5114. 11pm. Free.
I Pollen The Bongo Club, 14 New Street, 558 7604. 10.25pm—5am. £5. Trance jazz.
Glasgow
I The High Fidelity King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £5 plus booking fee. See preview for the space age p of The High Fidelity.
I El Hom re Trajeado The 13th Note Cafe, King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. £3. Mainly instrumental rhythmic odysseys from one of Glasgow’s best exponents of Krautrock-descended music.
I Meridian Soul, Sleepy House and The Blend Fury Murrys, Maxwell Street, 221 6511. 9pm. £4, including entry to post-gig club.
I Abba Disco Party Bourbon Street, George Street, 552 0141. 7pm. £5 (£14.50 with dinner). lneluding an Abba tribute band as part of the entertainment.
I Wild Horses Grand Ole Opry, Paisley
Road T011, 429 5396. 7.30pm. £2.50 (£1.50 members). Country vibes.
I The Hellfire Club McChuills, High Street, 552 2135. 10pm. Free. Local country combo, not to be confused with the fetish club of the same name, unless you’re really kinky.
I The Ducks McChuills Way Out West, Kelvinhaugh Street, 221 5569. 9.30pm. Free. High-octane 605-influenced garage sounds from The Ducks.
I Bronx Samuel Dow’s, Nithsdale Road, 423 0107. 8.30pm. Free. 7OS-influenced outfit.
Edinburgh
I Monk 8: Cantella and Scientific Support Dept Planet Pop, Attic, Dyers Close, Cowgate, 225 8382. 8.30pm. £5/£4. Weird mix of hip ho and thrash metal.
I M stery Juice, P easure Beach and Brig t Blue Gorilla The Bongo Club, 14 New Street, 558 7604. 10.25pm—5am. £7/£5. Blues, jazz and folk.
I Holly Tomas Common Grounds, 2/3 North Bank Street, 226 1416. 7.30pm. Free. I Absent Friends Finnegan’s Wake, Victoria Street, 226 3816. 8pm. Free.
I Midnight Blue Band Midnight Blue, Cafe Graffiti, Mansfield Place Church, Broughton Street, 557 8003. 10pm—2am. £5
I Groove Diggas Jazz Joint, 8 Morrison Street, 221 1288. 10pm—5am. £5 (£4). Heaviest soul funk
outfit this side of the border.
I Orbital Flux, Princes Street Gardens, 220 4349. 8pm. £12.50/£10. The launch of Flux 99 with the kings of electronica. ’See them in a big field soon’ says the NME — perfect.
SATURDAY 14 Glasgow
I astrid and Angelica King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £4.50 plus booking fee. See preview for more on the sunny melodies of astrid.
I Milestone and Drift Nice ’n’ Sleazy, Sauchiehall Street, 333 9637. 8.30pm. £3. Multi-media extravaganza featuring the above live bands, plus films by local artists and DJ Chrome Plate setting the tone.
I Silhouettes Bourbon Street, George Street, 552 0141. 7pm. £5 (£19.50 with dinner). Covers band.
I Robbie Earl Band Grand Ole Opry, Paisley Road T011, 429 5396. 7.30pm. £2.50 (£1.50 members). Country.
I Kudu McChuills, High Street, 552 2135. 10pm. Free.
I Open Stage The Halt Bar, Woodlands Road, 564 1527. 4—8pm. Free. Showcase for local musicians.
I The Hellfire Club and Francis Anthony And The Underworld The Halt Bar, Woodlands Road, 564 1527. 9pm. Free. See Fri 13 for Hellfire Club.
I Pop Fiction Kilkennys, John Street, 552 3505. 9pm. Free.
I The Sound Waxys, Candleriggs, 552 8717. 9pm. Free.
I Kong The Wharf, Yoker Ferry Road, 959 2016. 9pm. Free.
I Live Music McChuills Way Out West, Kelvinhaugh Street, 221 5569. 9.30pm. Free.
I Live Music Samuel Dow’s, Nithsdale Road, 423 0107. 8.30pm. Free.
Edinburgh
I Snow Patrol, 1 Am Scientist Planet Pop, Attic, Dyers Close, Cowgate, 225 8382. 8.30pm. £5/£4. Burning melodies and barbed vocals from Jeepster recording artists Snow Patrol (see preview page 89). I Crannachan Finnegan’s Wake, Victoria Street, 226 3816. 8pm. Free.
I Lizzard Lounge All Stars Lizzard Lounge, Cafe Graffiti, Mansfield Place Church, Broughton Street, 557 8003. 9.30pm—3am. £6/£5.
I Sister Soul Jazz Joint, 8 Morrison Street, 221 1288. 10pm—Sam. £5 (£4). A triple bill of sultry soul courtesy of Subie Coleman, Nicky King and Cathie Rae.
I Ivor Cutler Flux, Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 220 4349. 3pm. £11. The great humorist and poet makes a welcome return to Edinburgh. He may not seem very rock