Gomez
“In Our Gun”
(Hut/Delabel)
From their early recording sessions in a garage in Southport (the Northwest of England’s sunniest seaside town), Gomez crafted their prestigious Mercury Music Award-winning debut album “Bring It On.” That was in 1998. Just two years later, they were already compiling their “best of” LP, “Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline,” which gave a teasing glimpse of what was to come in the future. And this is it. Marrying rock, pop, blues and a whole lifetime’s worth of musical influences, the “five-piece” have eschewed the norm of post-Britpop bands — who opt for Ashcroftian introspection — and have stuck to their (blues and country) guns. Much remains the same as before, but they have moved on nonetheless. The opener “Shot Shot,” is a volley of bass and sax licks, fired in a more rock’n’roll direction than their usual chugging blues numbers. The title track starts off on a more customary note — acoustic strumming and troubadour vocalizing — but climaxes with warped programming and sequenced beats. By “Army Dub,” it’s clear Gomez have been manufacturing technological inroads to their sound. But don’t crank out the hackneyed Radiohead comparisons just yet — it’s a subtle effect deployed with discretion and taste. Much like “In Our Gun” itself. Out Mar 19
Smith & Mighty
“Life Is …”
(!K7/ Pias)
Bristol. Whatever kind of music this once sleepy city conjures up in your mindset — whether it be the (what’s now known as) trip hop of Massive Attack or the explosive drum’n’bass of Roni Size — it’s unlikely that Rob Smith and Ray Mighty’s downbeat dub will figure high on your list of “Made In Bristol” genres. But for those who like to dig a bit deeper and cast their minds back further than the rest, this duo will signify more than a faint rumble in your bass bins. Stretching back to the 1980s, their career has witnessed many musical promotions and demotions. Authors of the Fresh Four’s breakbeat classic “Wishing On A Star,” they were but a semi-quaver away from musical star status, but unfortunately, their first album was shelved by their label. Ten years down the line, detached as ever from their peers, “Life Is…” shows what the duo who nearly made Bristol famous can do with a pinch of dub, a dash of hip hop and a smattering of soul. To some it may sound dated — ragga-tinged, bass-laden beats with a variable cast of unknown vocalists offering semi-prophetic, new-age lyrics to a generation of post-club sheep on drugs. But to others, it will take them back to the days when b-lines were maternal and Bristol Rovers were unheard of. For Smith & Mighty live... see the Voice’s concerts agenda. Out soon
Capitol K.
“Island Row II”
(XL/Delabel)
Born in Malta, raised in Borneo and educated in England, Kristian Craig Robinson’s upbringing is almost as eclectic as his music. Following the release of “Island Row” in 2000, the London-based knob-twiddler has reworked his original opus into a schematic, architectural masterplan, quite different from the original. Interstellar rock chords, cut-up pop melodies — spliced with all manner of analog effects and electronic noodling — make sure that this new album transcends the slightly more conventional sound of its predecessor.
Fashioning elements of rock and electronica may no longer be as revolutionary as the KLF made it back in the early ’90s, but Robinson’s ideas bear a darker outlook. On a cover of Prince’s “Dance On,“ there’s no fear of exploiting the innocent pop element, but with the euphoric, vocoder-ed ether of “Soundwaves” and the growling guitars and fragmented breaks of “Capitol Beats Sticky,” it starts to sound like an aural orgy with 808 State, Goldfrapp and Slipknot. Interesting, innovative, but not something you’d give the kids. Out Mar 19
The Herbaliser
“Something Wicked This Way Comes”
(Ninja Tune/Pias)
The Herbaliser are to British hip hop what The John Barry Orchestra were to James Bond. And with their signature, instrumental jazz-funk loops and live horn sections, they sound pretty similar too. Formed by turntablist Ollie Teeba and bass player Jake Wherry in the early ’90s, their sample-driven tunes first took inspiration from London’s acid-jazz scene, joining the dots between a struggling underground hip hop movement and the up-and-coming generation of mix and match scientists like Coldcut. This release is their fourth and features guests such as Iriscience, Blade and Wildflower, who all lay down rhymes in their own distinctive styles. Nothing though, can steer the ear away from the funky breaks, catchy samples and nifty scratching which form the backbone of The Herbaliser’s sonic ID. Out Mar 18
Earl Zinger
“Put Your Phazers On Stun Throw Your Health Food Skyward”
(!K7/ Pias)
Embarking on a journey that would see him become one of the greatest musicians of modern times, Earl Zinger started his career in 1940s New York. A reputed crooner, his voice took him to far away places, most notably Jamaica, where he discovered a singer/songwriter called Robert Marley. In London, he introduced a young Malcolm Mc Laren to the Sex Pistols and back in New York he discovered Eric B and Rakim. Then he started to organize parties at The Loft. By 1989, he had moved to Detroit and pioneered techno. Then, in Ibiza, he introduced Paul Oakenfold to the music he’d been making with Derrick May…
Okay, none of the above is true, but the point is made. Earl Zinger is actually Rob Gallagher, formerly of Talkin’ Loud act Galliano and “Put Your Phazers On…” is a humorous send-up, poking fun at today’s music scene. The songs, as you would expect, are all over the place. Blur’s “Song 2” is put through the dub mixer and comes out sounding like Peter Tosh cooing the Birdy Song — “Ooh ooh.” Similarly, Badly Drawn Boy is cross-fertilized with “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music, while “Escape From Ibiza” portrays a worryingly accurate fortnight in San Antonio. All in the name of irony though… Or is it? Out Mar 4
