This album has as much fable to it as it's title, simply because of how well it was received, and then how quickly it faded into oblivion. So goes the plight of heroin addict brothers a la Driveshaft, Mick and John Head. After many failed attempts, both in previous bands and albums (Mick even received props from Bunnymen Ian McCulloch for his group The Pale Fountains), the band had one last shot at stardom, and this was it.
The album itself is rather nicely produced (Youth), giving a rather Britpop feel with nice baroque strings and such added for feeling. And yet, it isn't quite Britpop, but has a little more of that American West Coast glean, especially in songs like "Since I Met You." Most notably is the gravel in the vocal work, the snarl of a drug-deformed body trying to find its way to its next fix.
Was the work a triumph? Considering the band's prior loss, yes it is. But we forgot about this album, not because it is a lost gem, but instead, because we forgot to care about all the bands that sound fairly similar to this. So, let us build a memorial for Shack, and then let us move on.
Rating: 7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment