From: owner-seven-seas@smoe.org (seven-seas-digest) To: seven-seas-digest@smoe.org Subject: seven-seas-digest V2 #307 Reply-To: seven-seas@smoe.org Sender: owner-seven-seas@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-seven-seas@smoe.org Precedence: bulk seven-seas-digest Saturday, May 24 2003 Volume 02 : Number 307 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 09:23:46 -0600 From: "K. F. Smith" Subject: seven-seas Seattle Weekly http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0319/music-cdreviews.php As the oblique, cocky frontman of Echo and the Bunnymen, Ian McCulloch decorated the band's dark, meandering, psychedelia-tinged pop with a cool, dramatic air. He leaped octaves with a seemingly effortless flair and painted his velvety vocals over the highly imaginative guitar work of Will Sergeant. Ah, the '80s-and, sure, the '90s and the '00s too, but I think we're all in agreement about which of those decades saw the band's best work. At any rate, having long since ditched his iconic mop of frizzy hair and black trench coat, Mac is back with his third full-length solo album, and this time he's got Coldplay's Chris Martin singing backups on the first single. "Love in Veins," like most of the songs on Slideling, is far more triumphant and optimistic than trademark Echo tunes like "Killing Moon." The years have been good to McCulloch; he's reflective and content, and, if "Baby Hold On" is any indication, he's also very much in love. And, it would seem, more enamored than ever of the keyboards. Cheri James' often simplistic lines are almost always placed up front, often ringing with a thick vintage warble, other times wavering thinly like a wedding reception band's electric piano. Crisp and streamlined, these songs have been carefully crafted to fit within regulation pop standards. While "High Wire" smacks of the Wilco/Billy Bragg collaborations and "Kansas" might be a direct descendent of Oasis' "Wonderwall," more obvious references points like latter-day Elvis Costello and Leonard Cohen are never far from mind. LAURA CASSIDY ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 09:28:55 -0600 From: "K. F. Smith" Subject: seven-seas RewiReviews.com http://www.rewireviews.com/IanMcCullochSlideling.asp As nice as it's been to have Echo & The Bunnymen back a third time around, apart from a smattering of brilliant singles, 1999's What Are You Going To Do With Your Life? is the band's only consistent return to glory, and guitarist Will Sergeant has proclaimed it as basically an Ian McCulloch solo album. So, perhaps what we've been waiting for after all is a resumption of Mac's solo career. Because regardless of whether he's co-opting shades of Lou Reed in the gritty and chugging riffs of album opener 'Love In Veins' and the sliding 'Sweet Jane' bass of 'Baby Hold On' or roping in Coldplay's Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland to give 'Arthur' an ominous OK Computer modernity, McCulloch remains one of the most distinctive voices in the business. If things start to drag in the direction of the Bunnymen's Flowers, Mac kicks the chorus into high gear in his trademark croaky and wheezy fashion ('Another Train'). And on 'High Wires' the rhythm section snaps in a way that it hasn't since Les Pattinson and Pete de Freitas were still in the fold. 'She Sings (All My Life)' is classic Bunnymen, the blueprint that the Jesus & Mary Chain must have tapped into when they wanted to clean up and find some sunshine circa Stoned & Dethroned. And leave it to McCulloch to have the balls to save the best for last (and not even list it on the back cover): 'Stake Your Claim' rivals the aforementioned Mary Chain in postpunk swagger, piling on layer after layer of controlled distortion and Sergeant-like 'Lips Like Sugar' riffs, and ups the ante on uplifting album finales like 'Ocean Rain' and 'All My Life' as about five McCulloch's sing in the round, "Know what I want now/ know what I want now". Ah, so do I: more of this. 8. - -sfenn/may 2003 Further listening: Mysterio (1992) 7. Candleland (1989) 9. ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 09:33:28 -0600 From: "K. F. Smith" Subject: seven-seas Billboard Magazine http://www.billboard.com/bb/reviews/album_article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id= 1894153 The best Ian McCulloch solo moment is still the 1992 single "Lover Lover Lover," and that was a cover of a Leonard Cohen song. Depressingly, the extended Echo & the Bunnymen reunion has also yielded more wishful thinking than any true rock'n'roll sparks. Doing nothing to disturb this trend, Slideling is tastefully produced, temperately performed, and utterly forgettable. Coldplay's Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland add characteristic touches to two songs, "Arthur" and the title track, although that does little to lift those numbers above the wan level of the rest. There is nothing on this bloodless, even tuneless album that would indicate that it's the product of the poetic rocker who once sang the Bunnymen's thrilling "The Back of Love" and "Killing Moon."-BB ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 09:37:45 -0600 From: "K. F. Smith" Subject: seven-seas Eye [Toronto] http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_05.22.03/music/ondisc.html Ian McCulloch's career has had its doldrums, but when he gets to the bottom, he gets back to the top of the slide. While taking time off from Echo & The Bunnymen, Will Sergeant is spacing out with atmospheric guitaronica and Mac has cast off his trenchcoat, enlisting friends like John Simm (from 24 Hour Party People), Jonny Buckland and Chris Martin (from Coldplay, the "second greatest band in the world," says Mac) to make an engaging, summery record. He gives full vent to his fondness for Leonard Cohen and (especially) Lou Reed on worldly, jangly tunes; he may not be as self-consciously crafty a wordsmith as either, but he more than makes up for it by singing figure eights around both. "Light up my lonely life," croons Mac; on Slideling, there are enough chiming guitars, arm-waving choruses, ba-da-bas, doo-doo-doos and la-la-las to do just that. MIKE DOHERTY Ian McCulloch plays Lee's Palace May 24. ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 14:52:47 +0100 From: "Shaz" Subject: seven-seas Re: [villiers-terrace] BRIGHTON just got mine (and BM)......... :-)))))) you can come with us loo (and Nano if you're going)... Shaz ----- Original Message ----- From: looloo To: villiers-terrace@yahoogroups.com ; Stuart Bird ; Stevie G ; Smurfy_Boy ; Shaz ; Seven-Seas ; Red ; Raj Patel ; Peter Tebutt ; Martyn White ; Manuel Quiroga ; Jon Hickmott ; Fintan Stephens ; Caroline Johns Sent: Friday, May 23, 2003 1:02 AM Subject: [villiers-terrace] BRIGHTON OK anyone else interested in going to Brighton on 26 june for a bunny gig cos kev wont & i dont want to be alone !!!! looloo Mail Me If You're Going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT *********************************** (HAPPY?) What are you gonna do with your life? Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ End of seven-seas-digest V2 #307 ********************************