fri 22/11/2024

CD: Primal Scream - More Light | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Primal Scream - More Light

CD: Primal Scream - More Light

Has Bobby Gillespie come up with the sound of austerity Britain?

Gillespie - powerful but not for everyone

Post-Screamadelica, there's a general consensus that Bobby Gillespie’s acid rockers have been gently sliding downhill (their nadir being the dad-rock of "Country Girl"). Those who believe this may feel better disposed towards More Light. It's not their best, but it's significantly better. The album is an eclectic, angry mix of stoner rock, industrial sounds, rave and rock’n’roll

More Light may also be one of the most evocative recession albums so far. There’s nothing particularly illuminating in what Gillespie actually sings. The lyrics apparently include nonsense like "police station crackhouse zombies", but you'd be hard pressed to hear it, or indeed most of the words. It doesn't matter. It's how the album’s gauche slogans are delivered that imbues it with a palpable sense of dispossession and frustration.

The record starts off like a jam session from 1981. “2013” is an epic nine minutes of swampy bass, psychedelic keyboards and sax riffs, glued together with Kevin Shields’s fat guitar. The bleak mood turns even more sinister with the cinematic “Tenement Kid”  whose vocals are spat out as if by a 21-year-old. “Goodbye Johnny”, a couple of tracks on, is reminiscent of one of Matt Johnson’s cantankerous songs for The The. Then a few lacklustre numbers later we get “Relativity”, which, after 55 minutes, sounds like it might provide some chill-out relief. Instead it turns out to just as bitter, disaffected and discordant.

This vibe won’t be for everybody. Gillespie's personal vision of austerity is a little relentless, and goes on too long. Still, “Walking With the Beast” does eventually deliver some of the “Damaged”-style prettiness beloved of more casual fans. Dip-in dip-out Screamers may also appreciate the easy "Movin' On Up" stylings of the first single “It’s Alright, It’s OK". But these are anomalies. The other 60 minutes have persuaded us that it’s not alright - in fact, it's rubbish. If you hate the Coalition, you’ll love this album.

 

Watch the video for "2013"


 

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters