From: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org (idealcopy-digest) To: idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Subject: idealcopy-digest V8 #252 Reply-To: idealcopy@smoe.org Sender: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk idealcopy-digest Monday, September 19 2005 Volume 08 : Number 252 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [idealcopy] Profile ["Keith A" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 00:25:54 +0100 From: "Keith A" Subject: [idealcopy] Profile I thought I'd live with Profile by Githead for a while, before committing pen to paper, but here - finally - is my 2p... Githead must be one of the most mis-leading monikers in music. As soon as Wire singer Colin Newman announced his new band of that name, it seemed fair to assume that Githead was going to see Mr N continuing in the same loud shouty fashion of latter-day Wire. So last years Headgit ep proved something of a surprise  capturing as it did Newman in altogether more melodic mood than he had been of late. Sure there were still those distorted guitars, but overall those distortion pedals felt like they were taking second place to a somewhat more chimy sound reminiscent of the late 80s version of Wire. It was an excellent release, revelling in an altogether more sprightly production than of late. So expectations were running high, which may partially explain why Profile was something of a disappointment on early listens. There seemed something ploddy and pedestrian about it [1]  the percussion seemed leaden in my opinion  to such a degree that it was diverting my attention from what else was going on. Still, repeated listens have paid dividends because theres a lot to love here  Newman has always had a way with a tune and his melodies inevitably end up worming their way through your defences. This is typified immediately by the Theres always one thing or another chorus on the opening Alpha, a superb track that suits the spacious production afforded by its lazy, lolloping beat. My LCA (Little Box Of Magic) follows and was one of the most disappointing tracks on first play for me - though admittedly this was mainly because Colin wasnt singing, it was his wife, Malka. Sacrilege!! It was like his buying Double Fantasy to hear what Lennon was up to and hearing Yoko bloody Ono wailing on about whatever Yoko used to wail on about before she became a smart be-suited businesswoman, I thought. WRONG! Because Malkas voice is ideally suited to My LCA. And whats more, its a gem. Disarmingly simple, even bordering on the trite, its a great little pop song delivered with an almost Flying Lizards degree of deadpan. I firmly believe that prior to these post-Fame Academy times, it could have been a surprise hit  in my day it would have reached number 8, son! The next track Cosmology For Beginners is even better though. If some people have reduced the songwriting of Kurt Cobain to a quiet verse, shouted chorus description, then Id describe Colins as shouty verse, great pop chorus. And CFB is almost archetypal Newman  it has a borderline mad rant about Marsupials, Ambulances, and, er, sticky back plastic for a verse before the altogether more calming chorus soothes us down. I love it, especially when we get those lovable cockney yelps that Newman does so well, interjecting over the swoonsome melody and chugging little beat. It wouldnt feel out of place on A-Z or Not To, and is one of the best tracks on Profile for me. The instrumental Antiphon follows and opens with a bassline that is so like Public Image that I half expected that strange, strangulated voice to pop in and announce that theres two sides to every story, but it soon visits a totally different place. Theres a real dub feel to it and is interesting percussively, in that its got a more clattery, rattley sound than the more meaty effect used elsewhere. Soso far so good then, but They Are is where things slip up for me  and not because its got a, gasp!, acoustic guitar on it (at the risk of sounding some post-modern retired colonel, I dont buy CN records to hear unplugged bloody instruments!), but because it goes on and on without getting anywhere. After several minutes of hearing Colin saying they are this and they are that, Ive got admit I wasnt interested in who they were at all, what they were doing, or what they had for breakfast. I know Wire members read these pages from time to time and the last thing I would want to do is upset one of my heroes, but this is surely the worst song Newman has ever released. Option Paralysis follows and is another one that sounds like PIL - if Antiphon nicked the bass riff of Public Image, I think its fair to say that this has half-hitched the opening guitar line. OP was also one of the worst offenders when I thought the album sounded ploddy, and its the one where I still feel the criticism is valid to some degree  whilst sticking the drums high in the mix and lowering everything else generally gives a track a more spacious feel I guess that the downside of is that any deficiency in these stakes is magnified. Which is a shame because melodically its a decent enough song, with delicious woos in the background, great chiming guitars, and some nice touches production-wise. Fans of Silk Skin Paws will love it. This also probably as good a time as any to mention Malkas contribution to Githead as theres some great driving basslines on the album, quite apart from this descending beauty. (Scanners contribution is less obvious because virtually all of the guitars here sound like they could be the work of Newman). Still, I cant help wishing that a certain Mr Gotobed had put his shovel and his runner beans down and used those nimble fingers on this one. Wallpaper is another great Newman pop song, and one which demonstrates that Newman doesnt just have a natural ability with a melody but has developed a real craftsmans touch. I really like the incessant, simple beat on this one, too - I guess its what they used to call a real toe-tapper! But if that wasnt enough, Raining Down is even better. Its great! Starting off like a sinister electro The Slider, this is right up my street and I could have gladly have listened to this steady beat and heavy throbbing bass for hours. And it seems like its heading that way as it continues on its merry way, punctuated only by some slashing guitars that feel like small stabbing pains in the chest and the couple of piercing guitar notes that rear their occasional heads, so its something of a shock when this great psychedelic sounding chorus pops in from nowhere  especially as its not the most seamless of transitions. Indeed, everything seems to fall away. However, as they later move from pounding beat to chorus far more seamlessly later I can only conclude that the initial falling away in the instrumentation was deliberate, just to add to the shock of hearing a melody burst in after almost 4 minutes! Actually, as a concept, it reminds me of when Dr Feelgood had an empty 12 bars in Down At The Doctors and later revealed that it was the piano break should have been, as I cant help wondering if Newman ditched the verse on this one because it does have an unusual structure, sounding like extended intro, chorus, intro break, chorus, and end. But far from leaving me thinking wheres the bloody verse gone, it works. Probably my favourite track of the album. The album ends with Pylons, which is perhaps something of anti-climax after the magnificent Raining Down, being little more than a short chiming instrumental mish-mash, but its harmless enough and I guess its an enjoyable enough way to end proceedings. So, whilst Profile is maybe not the Newman classic I hoped for, theres enough here for anyone who ever liked Wires more melodic moments to delve into. And for all my initial reservations, its one Ive been delving into a lot. An awful lot, in fact Keith [1] I thought Id indulge in a bit of A Walkingshaw-like parenthesis to pose the question which band would you most like to hear described as pedestrian? Pavement? The Streets? The Walkmen? ------------------------------ End of idealcopy-digest V8 #252 *******************************