Reviews January 2008 Reviews Page 5 Alabama 3 - M.O.R. (One Little Indian) Famous the world over for that song, and adored by festival crowds, it’s an enduring mystery why the Alabama 3 remain more cult attraction than stadium act. There may be a limit to how far the appeal of acid-country-rave music might stretch of course; or it could simply be that their lack of radio-friendly songs and consequent low media profile has prevented them from making the necessary step up. ‘Exile on Coldharbour Lane’, their first (and arguably most accomplished) album was crammed full of wicked tunes such as ‘U Don’t Dance 2 Tekno and ‘Ain’t Going to Goa’, as well as ‘Woke Up This Morning’, most of which remain staples of the live set, but it’s hard to see their like being on heavy rotation on the nation’s airwaves. With M.O.R. that could all change. There is a danger that many of their hard-core fans are going to be disappointed with the new material. The Southern Preacher Style and the general quirkiness that they’re rightly loved for has been toned down in favour of a lighter, more easily listenable, yet hugely enjoyable collection which won’t dominate their shows but could easily throw up a slew of hit singles. There’s a musical repositioning away from gospel married to techno beats and towards a lighter jazz funk, beefed up variously by a touch of blues (‘Amos Moses’) or doses of raga and rap courtesy of several guest artists. Admirers of the inestimable Ms. Devlin Love will greatly appreciate her being in excellent R&B voice on her own featured track, ‘Fly’. The humour and the cod debauchery hasn’t gone altogether, but the stories are generally more low key than before, emphasising the personal rather than the global. To be fair, if this shift of emphasis gives the 3 (all eight of them) a taste of the fame and riches regularly thrown at much less deserving causes then we shouldn’t really begrudge it them. Let’s make this the big one for Larry! Neil B. Also recommended: Alabama 3 - Exile On Coldharbour Lane (Elemental) - Erdem Helvacioglu - Altered Realities (New Albion) I’m not altogether sure of the size or voracity of the Turkish electronic scene, but I do know that at its forefront is Erdem Helvacioglu. In fact, when he’s not composing for some project or film, or performing at an international festival, he’s invariably winning awards from prestigious arts organisations from around the world. It’s not too difficult to understand the appeal. For the most part on 'Altered Realities’, Helvacioglu approach is both gentle and engaging. There’s a temptation to describe the style he employs as ambient, something that engages mood rather than the ears, but that would do it a disservice. There’s no ignoring the music that Hevacioglu is making, and the listener is always consciously involved with the twists and turns of sound. I’m very impressed and will definitely be investigating further. www.erdemhelvacioglu.com Rob F. Also recommended: Erdem Helvacioglu - A Walk Through The Bazaar (Locust) - Gordon Monahan - Theremin in the Rain (c3r Records) Arthouse sound sculptor come electronics geek, Gordon Monahan delivers a fine curio of ‘Recordings from a theremin controlled sound installation consisting of amplified water drops and long piano strings vibrated by motors, solenoids and pneumatic cylinders’. Emphasis shifts throughout between the sombre and frenetic as well as between spectral oscillations of theremin, eerily sounding piano string and water drops, even oriental sounding ramshackle percussion joins the mix during ‘Fluid Dynamics’ and ‘When it Rains’. A well planned (sketches and illustrations of electronic circuitry as sleeve notes), high concept recording that would most definitely benefit from being experienced as the performance piece as intended. www.c3r.ca Will F. - Delta Saxophone Quartet - Dedicated To You... But You Weren’t Listening: The Music Of Soft Machine (Moonjune) The Delta Saxophone Quartet have come up with something quite special on this record. As the liner notes explain, this isn’t a straight-up covers collection of the Soft Machine’s better known material, but rather a 'representation of what might have been if these two groups had ever met’. That’s an intriguing approach to any project of this kind, but when it’s two groups such as these, it’s fair to expect musical fireworks. Surely, no one’s disappointed. The DSQ bring something quite unique to the table. While they smooth out many of the rough edges that the Soft Machine used to revel in, they break down the passages to reveal music which is nothing less than beautiful. ‘Dedicated’ and ‘Everything Is You’ are both wonderful examples of their delicate touch, and both can be found on the group’s Myspace page. www.myspace.com/deltasaxophonequartet Rob F. If you’d like to buy the album directly from the band, please check out the other sellers list on Amazon. - Kristin Andreassen - Kiss Me Hello (Independent) A few of you will recognise Kristin Andreassen’s name from Uncle Earl, recently, one of the few Americana bands to find real success in the UK. She’s also the curator of The Wild Dead photo collection, which all small sensitive children should be made to see before they turn 5 (link below, parents...). Anyhow, back to the music. ‘Kiss Me Hello’ is a cool, traditional sounding, string band record, with great playing and an abundance of songs you’ll remember long after it’s finished. Perhaps the sound is a touch rawer than on the Uncle Earl albums, but is no less enjoyable for that. Various folk from the Mammals, Crooked Still and the Duhks provide musical support. www.yellowcarmusic.com Rob F. Next Past Reviews: March 07, April 07, May 07, June/July 07, Sept/Oct 07, Dec07