The Curious Window, Otherworld (Bandcamp)
But What Time Is It Really?, Cabaret Voltaire (Memetune)
Armigedeon Time – When Punk Met Dub 1978-84, Various Artists (Cherry Red)
Rose of Nevada Original Score, Mark Jenkins (Invada)
Imagine Hawkwind doing Jackanory and you have the start of Otherworld’s new album The Curious Window. Oz Hardwick’s gently spoken narrative intro gives way to psyched-up/psyched-up space-rock with plenty of sonic guitar freakouts, synthesizer riffs and endless rhythmic sequencers. One track is aptly called ‘Astral Journey’, and the journey is indeed an exhilarating rollercoaster ride through echoing musical galaxies with noisy diversions to the outer limits of the universe. I wish there was more storytelling actually, it puts a new spin on what is otherwise an energetic if somewhat predictable alien rock visitation.
Cabaret Voltaire’s surprise reformation and tour last year – Steve Mallinder and original member Chris Watson, now that Richard Kirk is no longer with us (plus Eric Random on keyboards and guitar, and Oliver Harrap on electronic drums and percussion live) – has resulted in a live album and another tour in the offing. But What Time Is It Really? revisits mostly mid-late period classic Cabs tunes with one solo composition by Watson, in a rather lacklustre manner. Everything is crystal clear, with instruments precisely separated but to these ears rather over-produced. There is not enough tape hiss and extraneous noise here, everything feels a bit frozen and lifeless, and it’s all a million miles from the intriguing lo-fi analogue experiments of the band’s early years. Yes, it’s funky, intriguing music but only in the penultimate ‘Nag Nag Nag’ is there any sense of punk rawness and energy, although ‘Do Right’ comes close with it’s step-down synth riff and clattering percussion.
For a real fix of raw energy we have to turn to Armigedeon Time – When Punk Met Dub 1978-84, a 3 CD anthology of music from the late 70s and early 80s that focuses on the collision and collusion of dub and punk music, with its wide net also catching some ska, pop and funk. Dub reggae stalwarts Aswad, Mad Professor, Prince Far I, Steel Pulse are here along with dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson; as are the likes of the Pop Group, Jah Wobble and friends, The Slits and 23 Skidoo. Even the appallingly bland UB40 are almost made listenable on their ‘Present Arms In Dub’ here, but much better are surprisingly reinvigorated and deconstructed versions of tracks from XTC, The Good Missionaries, The Jam, Thompson Twins, Fashiøn and The Members. Stand outs include PIL, The Flying Lizards and an amazing 12″ Dub Version of The Boomtown Rats’ ‘House On Fire’. It’s a lively, varied and clever compilation with a deep groove throughout.
A different kind of mood is at work on Mark Jenkin’s Rose of Nevada album. Like the film it soundtracks, it is spooky, melancholic and at times noisy and unnerving. It’s slow pace draws you in and time unwinds, only to then interrupt your reveries with the sound of storms, bad weather, the scrape of metal and ominous echoes and vaguely discernable background noise. If you haven’t seen Rose of Nevada at the cinema yet, I urge you to – it’s haunting and visually stunning, but in the meantime check out this ambient landscape album.
.
Rupert Loydell