ALBUM REVIEW: Primal Scream
- Posted on July 14, 2008 2:56 PM
- 0 comments
Primal Scream
Beautiful Future (B-Unique)
Review by Chris Todd
Being a Primal Scream fan is equal parts satisfying as it is damn frustrating. They have the ability to electrify with scorchers such as Swastika Eyes but have a habit of boring immensely -(all of 2006s 'Riot City Blues' album).
Throughout their career they have never managed to make two great albums in a row and their output from this decade has diminished the reasons for which we loved these guys so long.
After the highs of 'Exterminator' you got 2002's 'Evil Heat' which despite being recorded with the brilliant Jagz Kooner and Andy Weatherall at the helm, proved to be 'Exterminator 2' without the best bits. As for 'Riot City Blues', this is one of the worst albums ever, let alone by Primal Scream. It was the first time they were truly regressive, they followed the crowd and made an album even The Stones would think was too generic.
The tour for this album had them for the first time looking like they lacked danger, creativity and ideas. They have always done it; thrown in a couple of bad rock ’n’ roll songs on all their albums. 'Riot City Blues' was that one bad track copied ten times; it would have been easy to write them off there and then.
Free of the shackles of being Sony's performing rock ’n’ roll bitches, new label B-Unique has allowed the Scream to be the Scream again and the results are exciting and at times, vital.
The omens weren't good. They released a free track ('Urban Guerrilla') recently which angrily shouted about something or other and was on an equal low as Madonna grinding her pensionable bits down Justin Trousersnake’s leg. Thankfully, it finds no place on the album.
Like The Charlatans with this year’s 'You cross my path' album, the Scream have also gone down the pop route and made a sparkling album which at times is a joy to behold.
The opener and title track is optimistic pop with an almost Kaiser Chiefs style edge whilst the first single; 'Can't go back' is classic Scream gusto with a swarming attack of guitars from Andrew Innes and new guitarist Barrie Coddigon.
Elsewhere, 'Uptown' is a cynical attempt at disco punk solely made for some make-up advert featuring Kate Moss or the backing music for fashion shows when they do their 'rock chic' section and is all the more brilliant for it especially the sweeping strings which are a note for note copy of the strings from disco classic 'Funky Town'. It shows up Ting Ting's atrocity that is 'Shut up and let me go' for being just that.
Even better is the throbbing 'Glory of Love', with its hard house influenced offbeat bass line and seedy slurred vocals. It sounds like T-rex being sung by Elvis in a dive bar, this is pop at its purest, so poppy in fact you could easily imagine Gillespie being replaced with Kylie to sing it.
'Suicide Bomb' is dark Jesus and Mary chain style sleaze whilst CSS' Lovefoxx appears on 'I Love to Hurt (You Love to Be Hurt)' which is possibly the best song she will ever appear on. Downbeat electro sleazebeats back Gillespie and Foxx's ode to S and M which is electro scuzz for dirty sex with a soundtrack of the Scream playing at being Depeche Mode in their darkest most depraved hour, it's fantastic.
Of course with the Scream, the album has its minus points, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Over and Over' with Linda Thompson although is sweet enough, is throwaway and pointless and 'Zombie Man' is a disgraceful pastiche of disco rock even Scissor Sisters wouldn't stoop to a level so low. It's like when you go to a friends house and chuck your ipod on shuffle to impress them with your cutting edge selection only to find Crystal Castles (or whatever the kids have been told is cool this week) is followed by Take That...this has happened to everybody right?
All in all, a triumphant return, there's life in the ole dogs yet!
Primal Scream’s eagerly awaited new album ‘Beautiful Future’ is finally coming out on the 21st July
Related links:
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