review by daniel

The verdict from those who liked “First Utterance” is unanimously bad. Still, I needed to hear it myself. How can it be bad with Pip Pyle and Lindsay Cooper (of Gong and Henry Cow, respectively) on board, in addition to the gifted people who produced the predecessor, I figured (name one good “super group” you fool!). It is quite bad, I am afraid.

If you get past the disappointment (you will probably not) of not getting more of the frantic folk you expected, you might find a few decent pop songs. The only thing that is left from what made “First Utterance” brilliant and unique is a slight silliness in the singing (those female helium voices pop up from time to time). The male madmen-voices are unfortunately not there to contrast them (now I realise how important that contrast was on the previous album). The hand-drum cacophony, the intense flute- and violin playing and the dark and twisted atmosphere are gone as well.

The album basically consists of some decent pop songs and a couple of strained attempts to get radio play (too bad you would hardly notice them if they succeeded). Handclap instead of hand-drum madness, if you will.