John Cale "Mercy" (2023)

Mercy

release date: Jan. 20, 2023

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,74]

producer: John Cale, Nita Scott

label: Double Six / Domino - nationality: Wales, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Mercy" (feat. Laurel Halo) - 2. "Marilyn Monroe's Legs (Beauty Elsewhere)" (feat. Actress) - 3. "Noise of You" - 6. "Moonstruck (Nico's Song)" - 8. "Night Crawling" - 9. "Not the End of the World" - 11. "I Know You're Happy" (feat. Tei Shi)

17th (or so?) studio album by John Cale following M:FANS (2016) - which by many isn't really considered an actual new album as it's a redrawing of songs from Music for a New Society from 1982, although, from my perspective it's still a new album containing newly re-arranged songs. A new studio album doesn't necessarily mean new compositions; however, his last to feauture newly written material was Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood (2012).

Cale was 80 years old when he recorded this album, and you could ask yourself if his high age would show on this album - it doesn't! Actually, the album is a most wonderful combo of soft art rock, singer / songwriter and subtle but noticeable electronica. Several tracks are collaborations - the most prominent artist is probably Weyes Blood (on "Story of Blood"). For the moment, I just feel that is one of the weak songs here, but you can't really put a finger on anyone's contribution that lifts this from Cave's shoulders. Through and through, it's the successful product in the spirit of the artist himself.

The album has been met by positive reviews, and I must confess that it strikes me as one of his better and more coherent studio albums. Since the relase, Cale has been on a world tour with the new album.

The album is still new to me - I rate it just under 3,75, but it might just grow stronger during the following months.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍Pitchfork 7,8 / 10, Mojo 4 / 5, Uncut 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Gist "Embrace the Herd"

Embrace the Herd

release date: 1982

format: cd (2007 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]

producer: Phil Legg

label: Cherry Red - nationality: Wales, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Far Concern" - 2. "Love at First Sight" (4 / 5) - 3. "Fretting Away" - 4. "Public Girls" - 9. "Carnival Headache" - 10. "Concrete Slopes" - 11. "The Long Run"

Studio album debut and only album originally released on Rough Trade is by Welsh band, The Gist, formed after the disbandmentment of Young Marble Giants by the two Moxham brothers, Philip and Stuart with the latter being credited almost all songs and playing most instruments on an album of twelve songs. The trio Young Marble Giants released Colossal Youth in Feb. 1980 to fine reviews, and the album went as high as number #3 on the UK independent albums list. The Gist is often mentioned as a band when in fact it may just be regarded as a one-man project of Stuart Moxham. His brother Philip plays bass on three compositions, guitarist Dave Dearnaley features on another three, Stuarts girlfriend Wendy Smith lends her voice on two tracks and former band member of YMG, Alison Statton, sings on one song, but apart from only few people contributing here and there, the album is entirely made alone by Stuart Moxham.

Stylistically, it's quite simple and yet it incorporates various styles to form a highly original stripped down soundscape. Some tracks points toward later jangle pop and twee pop styles, whereas other songs seem more bonded to a synthpop version of 70s art rock, e.g. music influenced by Brian Eno.

Embrace the Herd hasn't achieved the same status as the debut by Young Marble Giants, and it's quite likely that it goes down in music history books as the album, which includes the hit single "Love at First Sight", which also was my entry to the band after finding it on the compilation album Rough Trade Records / MNW (1983). Several songs on the album stick out as original music, and especially the composition "Concrete Slopes", which was probably inspired by Eno, however, listening to this early electronic piece only makes me think of The Prodigy and the formation of big beat electronica in the 90s.

This very album may point in many directions, and it's not a collection of memorable harmonies but it's still a quite simple and unique construct and one of musical historic interest.

Julian Cope "Interpreter" (1996)

Interpreter

release date: Oct. 14, 1996

format: digital

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: Julian Cope

label: Echo - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I Come from Another Planet, Baby" (4 / 5) - 2. "I've Got My TV & My Pills" - 3. "Planetary Sit-In" - 5. "Cheap New-Age Fix" - 7. "Arthur Drugstore" - 9. "Re-Directed Male" - 12. "Dust"

12th studio album (some file it as his 13th and probably include his collaboration album Rite) by Julian Cope is like its predecessor 20 Mothers (Aug. 1995) released on Echo, as his final on another company after which he should only release his music via his own labels. Alledgedly, Cope had rejected to perform in the US, which made Echo cancel their work with Cope. The incident was perhaps the last straw, which made Cope turn his back on the established music industry and from hereon take full control of everything he would do. The album follows more or less the same musical paths as his '95 album, albeit as a stylistically narrower release, where the compositions are Cope's own neo-psychedelic mix of glam rock, beat, folk rock, space rock, and pop. Thematically, it varies between the cosmic, about space travel, and the more down-to-earth stories, but especially strong political positions are noteworthy, which take their starting point from Cope's commitment as an environmental campaigner. There has also been room for his 'Neolithic hobby', although it's only reflected in a poster and the album front cover.

Musically, this appears quite complex with a certain grandiosity, but still with a strict simplicity in the harmonies, as an echo of 70's nostalgia.

The album was not commercially successful, briefly peaking at number #39 on the UK albums chart, and with two singles - tracks #1 and #3 both peaking at number #34 on the singles chart.

Personally, I think there's too much room for distorted guitars, heavy rock attitude, orchestral arrangements, and a repetition of naïve choruses, but still: it's probably part of his fascination of space rock. On the whole, there is a lot of recycling without much originality and at times I find myself wondering if he had either Lou Reed, David Bowie, Tom Verlaine, Scott Walker, or Neil Young on his mind when he wrote and recorded individual tracks. However, it's not only in the somewhat more distant music history that he finds his inspiration. At times he takes completely different paths when incorporating new styles with electronic or a synth-pop touch - and wherever he moves, Cope's strength is to write songs and to speak his mind, even if the messages occasionally drown a little in pompous and odd mixtures of styles. And you really have to give it to him: despite pulling all kinds of stuff from his musical shelves, there's still a remnant of presence and strong universal musical skill at stake - a Copesque charm and completeness, which manages to elevate the album to anything but copycat and mediocrity.

The album was Cope's final on Echo and all of his subsequent music has been self-released either through his own label Head Heritage or through his internet site, carrying the same name, and where he has commented on this and that up until Mar. 2014 when he made his final post. However, he has kept releasing and issuing new albums via Head Heritage since.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "20 Mothers" (1995)

20 Mothers

release date: Aug. 28, 1995

format: cd (ECHCD 5)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: Julian Cope

label: Echo - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Wheelbarrow Man" (live) - 2. "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" - 3. "Try Try Try" (Top of the Pops performance) - 4. "Stone Circles 'n' You" - 10. "Adam & Eve Hit the Road" - 15. "Senile Get" - 16. "The Lonely Guy"

11th studio album by Julian Cope is like the one year old predecessor Autogeddon released on the Chrysalis-owned sublabel Echo. With the album, Cope returns to his 'habit' of releasing extensive albums - 20 Mothers is nearly 72 minutes long and is divided into four 'phases', as was also the case with Peggy Suicide (Apr. 1991). His new album is similar to his most recent concept albums without it' being absolutely obvious where the focus lies, because it's more of a unifying album for all of Cope's thematic interests: climate and environment, the condition of our planet, consumerism, cars, religion, prehistoric cultures, and then as a more recent theme of his: stories from one's own lived life about family relationships. In the same way that themes are diverse, the music aspect is even more varied than on most of his other albums. Yes, there is the usual neo-psychedelia and space-rock, and then you'll also find indie rock, funk, and tracks with a clear folk touch, but also elements taken from Europop, synth-pop and rock & roll - in other words, the range is w--i---d----e, and the seemingly conceptual title, supported by the cover featuring family members - wife Dorian and friends, all of whom are actually mothers (as mentioned in the inlay) - then the album basically covers everything, and in that way it comes across as a bit of an all sorts mix - on all levels.

20 Mothers is by no means a bad album, the best side to it being Cope's stories, but at the same time it's somewhat incoherent and occasionally odd to listen to in its entirety.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

 

back cover: 
Julian with his
two daughters

inside:
Julian with family and friends
(wife Dorian on Julian's right)

Underworld "Drift Series 1 - Sampler Edition" (2019)

Drift Series 1 - Sampler Edition

release date: Nov. 1, 2019

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,94]

producer: Rick Smith

label: Smith Hyde Productions - nationality: Wales, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Appleshine" - 2. "This Must Be Drum Street" - 3. "Listen to Their No" - 4. "Border Country" - 6. "Schiphol Test" - 7. "Brilliant Yes That Would Be" - 9. "Imagine a Box" - 10. "Custard Speedtalk"

[ 40 tracks playlist ]

10th studio album by Underworld following three years after Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future (Mar. 2016) is much more than 'just' another studio album. Actually, Karl Hyde and Rick Smith has produced the album on the basis of their one-year project named "DRIFT", initiated Nov. 2018 through Oct. 2019, which saw the duo release new videos and new tracks each week as free-downloads via Underworld's official website. The result was released simultaneously with this one-disc outtake from no less than a 40 tracks digital album, or: a 5 cd + 1 DVD box-set of nearly 6 hours new music. The 'Sampler Edition' is a fine coherent collection of some of the tracks, which for the occasion has been edited to fit a one-cd format of approx. 57 minutes.

With this, Hyde and Smith more than anything demonstrate they're alive and kicking. The entire 40 tracks Drift Series 1 is actually a splendid and most impressive release, but to think of that as their tenth studio album appears too overwhelming if not somewhat contradictory.

Stylewise, the duo investigates various stylistic corners of house, trance, downtempo, techno - and with a the delicate use of progressiveness that has come to shape (nearly) all of their previous albums from Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1994) and via subtle variations up until present day.

Highly recommended.

[ Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5, UnderTheRadar 8 / 10, PopMatters, The Music, Clash 9 / 10 stars ]

Young Marble Giants "Colossal Youth" (1980)

Colossal Youth [debut]

release date: Feb. 1980

format: cd (1994 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Dave Anderson, Young Marble Giants

label: Les Disques du Crépuscule - nationality: Wales, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Searching for Mr. Right" - 2. "Include Me Out" - 4. "Eating Noddemix" (4 / 5) - 6. "N.I.T.A." - 8. "Music for Evenings" - 12. "Salad Days" - 13. "Credit in the Straight World" - *18. "The Clock"

*Bonus track on '94 reissue taken from Testcard E.P. (ep) (1981)

Studio debut and only album by Walesian post-punk trio, Young Marble Giants, originally released on Rough Trade Records. The band was founded by the Moxham brothers, bassist Philip and primary songwriter, composer, and guitarist, Stuart, together with vocalist Alison Statton. In the course of band's early lifetime also keyboardist Peter Joyce took part in the formation, but here they have been reduced to a trio, where Stuart is also credited organ.

Style-wise, this is something quite orginal at a time when punk rock was still alive and new styles emerged on the music scene while no one understood new potentials in indie pop and jazz pop, but Young Marble Giants were pioneers. Unfortunately, they dissolved as early as 1981 after which Stuart amd Philip Moxham continued briefly as another remarkable act called The Gist - a single album, Embrace the Herd made almost single-handedly by Stuart was released in '82.

Colossal Youth is truly an album to know of.

[ allmusic.com, Blender 4,5 / 5, The Guardian, Uncut 5 / 5, Pitchfork 9,3 / 10, Rolling Stone, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]

Julia Cope "Autogeddon" (1994)

Autogeddon

release date: Aug. 9, 1994

format: cd (ECHCD 1)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]

producer: Julian Cope

label: Echo - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Autogeddon Blues" - 3. "Don't Call Me Mark Chapman" - 4. "I Gotta Walk" - 6. "Paranormal in the West Country (Medley): i) 'Paranormal Pt. 1', ii) 'Archdrude's Roadtrip', iii) 'Kar-ma-kanik' " - 7. "Ain't But the One Way"

10th solo album by Julian Cope follows The Skellington Chronicles (Jun. 1993) but is seen as the natural sequel to Jehovahkill (Oct. 1992). Also, following the '92 album, he released the collaboration album Rite (Feb. 1993), made with Donald Ross Skinner. The album is the first issue on the newly founded sublabel Echo, a division of Chrysalis Group.

Autogeddon [whose title is a play on the Christian term 'Armageddon' for the annihilation of the Earth] is on the one hand his final part of a trilogy, but at the same time it appears very much as a fairly independent release, as it doesn't contain a smilar extensive tracklist as the other two albums - it comes with 'only' eight tracks but stil has a total playing length of 46 minutes - and then it's not divided into phases either. Musically, focus is also on other styles. The cosmic space rock and the German krautrock have been reduced and / or replaced by an indie rock style mixed with neo-psychedelia and progressive rock. The compositions are longer but not unusually long - with the exception of two songs: "West Country (Medley)" consisting of three parts, i) "Paranormal Pt. 1", ii) "Archdude's Roadtrip" and iii) "Kar- ma-kanik" with a total running length of 8:30 minutes, and the song "S.T.A.R.C.A.R." running 11:28 minutes. Common to all tracks is an overall theme of car culture as an image of (especially) Western consumerism and Cope's perspective on the destruction of the global environment - which in this way adds the album to his main theme in the trilogy. A greater focus has crept in on progressive compositions at the expense of more catchy songs, which nearly always were part of his albums. Perhaps Cope has simply adjusted to his own mindset of getting messages across instead of following the record companies' desire for sales ability - this new perspective on music is emphasised by giving the individual tracks an explanation in the inlay, rather than the regular reproduction of the song's text (also seen on Peggy Suicide).

Autogeddon received a mixed reception but still sold well and is ranked as Cope's second best solo album with a number #16 in the UK, only surpassed by Saint Julian (1987). Despite good sales figures, the album appears as less accessible, where focus has been accentuated on musical originality and perhaps especially on the message, which in any case may also be seen as an increased demand for the listener's attention and his / her willingness to come to terms with the actual meaning of the songs as something other than just pure musical enjoyment.

Shortly after this, Cope and Thighpaulsandra released the instrumental album Queen Elizabeth (Nov. '94) under the same name.

[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "The Skellington Chronicles" (1993)

The Skellington Chronicles

release date: Jun. 1993

format: digital

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,26]

producer: Julian Cope

label: Ma-Gog - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: [see Skellington 1] [from Skellington 2] 13. "Electrical Stormgirl" - 16. "I've Got My T.V. & My Pills" - 25. "London Underground"

9th studio album by Julian Cope chronologically following Jehovakill (Oct. '92) with certain reservations, as the album here contains the entire original lo-fi album Skellington from '89 in its original version and in addition to that, the continuation Skellington 2 or: Skellington 2: He's Back... and This Time It's Personal! All 25 tracks are contained on a single CD with a total playing time of just over 71 minutes. As the first part, Skellington 2 was also recorded over just two days and here released on Cope's own company Ma-Gog. However, the most recent release with Cope is the album Rite (Feb. '93), credited Cope & Donald Ross Skinner.

Musically, it's 'just' more of the same - mainly Cope alone accompanied by acoustic guitar and with contributions from Donald Ross Skinner and Mark 'Rooster' Cosby in a mix of folk rock and psychedelic folk with tracks of varying length - however, half of the songs are just under two minutes.

The album was re-released in '99 on Cope's label, the former Ma-Gog Records, now Head Heritage, under the name Ye Skellington Chronicles [except one track of more than 8 minutes with a slightly different style containing more distinct krautrock and space rock, and instead added a newer live track and an uncredited version of "Trampolene"]. In 2018, Skellington 3 followed ('only' with twelve new tracks) with the subtitle "The All-New 21st Century Adventures of Skellington" as the provisional end of the Skellington series.

The album serves as an example of Cope's idea of creating music in the moment as flowing ideas and musical improvs - which you will also find on Rite - but it is rather far from contemporary albums like Jehovakill (1992) and Autogeddon (1994). The second part of the "Skellington" series is, albeit recorded in the same spirit, an even more experimental continuation, which probably appeals more to hardcore fans.

This album can't be recommended as a start, but it contains quite fine moments.

Skellington 2: He's Back...

Julian Cope & Donald Ross Skinner "Rite" (1993)

Rite

release date: Feb. 1993

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]

producer: Donald Ross Skinner

label: Ma-Gog Records - nationality: England, UK

1st album by Julian Cope in an official collaboration with musical friend Donald Ross Skinner, who has featured on Cope's solo releases since Fried (1984). The album is the first on Cope's own label Ma-Gog, which later became Head Heritage.

Musically, there is not much that ties this to previous albums from Julian Cope. The only common feature is Cope's experimentation with styles, and he has previously found inspiration from krautrock and elements from electronic styles, but the album here consists only of long instrumental ambient compositions with the shortest track running 9 minutes whereas the longest clocks in just below 25 minutes. With a release on their own label, Cope and Skinner have ultimate freedom to do whatever they feel like, regardless of fans and others. And well, here they have thrown themselves into something completely different, like a playground of theirs.

The result may not quite live up to expectations for an album by Julian Cope, who has guaranteed quality music of original content since the early 80s. Most of all, Rite sounds like a soundtrack to a non-existent film, or like a mix of music from funk of the 70s and electronic forays of the early nineties, but apparently, also without great renewal. Still, don't expect to find tracks here that resemble anything Cope has released before. Some of the music may be found on the BBC documentary "The Modern Antiquarian (A Megalithic Road Trip)" from 2000 [better version here] based on Julian Cope's book of the same name. The documentary demonstrates Cope's interest in Neolithic finds and is an extensive field trip with Cope as tour guide to various interesting prehistoric finds in Southern England, Scotland, and Orkney. With images of the magnificent nature and ancient stones, the music comes into its own right - which again shows us that this music is suitable as an accompaniment to a visual side that the album itself lacks.

If nothing else, Rite shows some of Cope's sources of inspiration with ties to a more experimental side, which at the same time points in the direction of the perhaps more exciting collaboration with Thighpaulsandra (aka Tim Lewis, who later should become an essential part of the space rock band Spiritualized), and together they form the duo Queen Elizabeth, who released the homonymous debut album in '94.

Not recommended.

Julian Cope "Jehovahkill" (1992)

Jehovahkill

release date: Oct. 19, 1992

format: digital

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]

producer: Julian Cope & Donald Ross Skinner

label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Soul Desert" - 2. "No Hard Shoulder to Cry On" - 4. "The Mystery Trend" - 5. "Up-Wards at 45º" - 6. "Know (Cut My Friend Down)" - 10. "Poet Is Priest..." - 11. "Julian H. Cope" - 12. "The Subtle Energies Commission" - 13. "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fine" - 14. "Fear Loves This Place"

8th studio album by Julian Cope follows only two months after Cope's first best of album Floored Genius - The Best of Julian Cope and The Teardrop Explodes 1979-91 and 1½ years after Peggy Suicide (Apr. 1991) is also Cope's final on Island Records.

The album follows closely the style of the '91 album, although with a stronger influence from krautrock. Thematically, you'll also notice several similarities, as this has also been divided in phases - here three of a kind and with a total of 16 tracks and playing length of just over 70 minutes, this is yet another relatively extensive album, where Cope dwells on themes of global environment, modern lifestyle, and religion, which undoubtedly are his major subjects at this point. The album is sometimes referred to as the second in Cope's trilogy about Mother Earth - with Autogeddon (1994) as his final - and with all three releases delivering their specific perspective on the conditions of the planet. Jehovakill mainly touches the theme of religion with focus on the paradoxically huge importance that Christianity has acquired [the title: Jehovah = Christ with the addition of 'overkill', literally meaning 'too great importance' on the subject] in relation to 'our' older origins in the form of early pagan faith - which is reflected in the front cover depicting the outline of the rock formation "Callanish Stones", which seen from above takes shape of a [Christian] cross but is dated to approx. 3.000 years BCE. Originally, Cope intended to name the album "Julian H. Cope" with reference to "Jesus H. Christ", but the record company objected, just as they weren't exactly happy on the recorded material, so Cope had to add several (more) acceptable tracks to an album that still ends up evoking memories of Skellington (1989) and Droolian (1990), and probably more than Island Records cared for, which ultimately caused the company to break with Cope.

Much like Peggy Suicide the new album was met by positive reviews and also peaked at number #20 on the UK albums chart, Cope's second highest ranking (only bettered by Saint Julian and its position as number #11). Still, the sales figures weren't enough for Island, who perhaps focused more on the international reaction, and the album didn't perform that well outside Britain. The only single released from the album was "Fear Loves This Place" peaking at number #42. Incidentally, Cope never landed a top-10 single, and his highest-ranking single of all time remains "World Shut Your Mouth" with its number #19 - a song taken from Saint Julian.

Jehovakill is an exciting acquaintance, which both contains an incredible variation of styles and genres, but which nevertheless appears as a whole. You'll find energetic short songs with focus on rock, quiet ballads cut across folk rock and a singer / songwriter scene, neo-psychedelia mixed with krautrock and funk, and then there's also rave, ambient, experimental bits and improvs at large. Needless say, it's a pretty complex album, where Cope has a lot on his mind. At a first listen, you're invited in one direction, and on later visits you may feel taken to a completely different place. In that way, you'll find music for many hours, yet Cope ties it all nicely together. Overall, it comes across as his second best, and it probably deserves more than the praise it has received anyway.

Jehovakill is highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Select 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Underworld "Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future" (2016)

Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future
release date: Mar. 16, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Rick Smith, High Contrast [aka Lincoln Barrett]
label: Beat Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I Exhale" - 2. "If Rah" - 3. "Low Burn" - 5. "Motorhome" - 6. "Ova Nova" - 7. "Nylon Strung"

9th studio album by Underworld released after three live albums [including a part as musical directors at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London], two compilations and a soundtrack, and who knows how many collaboration works, all following 5½ years after Barking (Sep. 2010). Apparently, the obscure title refers to what Hyde's father said to his wife, Barbara, shortly before passing [see The Guardian review below]. It seems with this album that Rick Smith and Karl Hyde once again have regained some of their curiosity concerning progressive house and moved away from techno influences.
The album is perhaps at a more experimental level than I believe the two have ever found themselves at before. I think, the album may silence critics who have argued that Smith and Hyde wouldn't know how to appeal to their fans after Darren Emerson left the band, although, I think they already proved that with A Hundred Days Off (2002). Anyway, this new album clearly is an improvement from their two most recent studio albums. The album has been met by critical acclaim, which also brought the duo a Grammy nomination.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, Mojo, The Guardian, Spin 4 / 5, PopMatters 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "Floored Genius - The Best Of..." (1992)

Floored Genius - The Best Of... (compilation)

release date: Aug. 1992

format: digital

[album rate: 4 / 5]

producer: diverse

label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

1st best of album by Julian Cope and the Teardrop Explodes with the full title: Floored Genius - The Best of Julian Cope and The Teardrop Explodes 1979-91 released on Island Records and issued two months before Cope's eigth studio album Jehovakill on the same label.

The album is finely structured in temporal phases starting with 'Phase 1' consisting of six tracks from the early period together with The Teardrop Explodes - a band who only managed to release the two full studio albums Kilimanjaro (1980) and Wilder (1981) before Cope initiated a solo career. The album is pushed to the limit in terms of running length for the CD format with a total of twenty compositions and a total running time exceeding 77 minutes. 'Phase 2' through to 'Phase 4' (tracks #7-20) are all Cope as soloist and listed chronologically up to and including three tracks from Peggy Suicide (1991).

This album could be a mighty fine place to start if you don't know much about Julian Cope, and it was also a release that garnered quite fine reviews, and which probably contributed to Cope gaining greater recognition - and which generally helped drawing a different and more positive image than that of an LSD-stricken megalomaniac, which some described him as. The album paved the way for a whole series of "Floored Genius" releases, including Floored Genius 2 - Best of the BBC Sessions 1983-91 (1993), Floored Genius 3 - Julian Cope's Oddicon of Lost Rarities & Versions 1978–98 (2000) , and Floored Genius 4 - The Best of Foreign Radio, Rare TV Appearances, Festival Songs & Miscellaneous Lost Classics 1983-2009 (sic) (2009), all followed with covers in the same style, although only the first best of album is released on Island Records.

Highly recommended.

Julian Cope "Peggy Suicide" (1991)

Peggy Suicide
release date: Apr. 22, 1991
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: Julian Cope, Donald Ross Skinner
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Pristeen" - 3. "East Easy Rider" (4 / 5) - 5. "Hanging Out & Hung Up on the Line" - 6. "Safesurfer" (4 / 5) - 7. "If You Loved Me at All" - 12. "Head" - 14. "Beautiful Love" - 17. "The American Lite" - 18. "Las Vegas Basement"

7th studio album by Julian Cope released on Island Records officially follows My Nation Underground (1988); however, in between these, Cope released the two lo-fi albums Skellington (1989) and Droolian (1990), which may be regarded as his protest to the record company's desires concerning the promotion and the artistic direction following his '88-album. In that regard, these two parenthetic releases may be seen as the necessary valves / extremes paving way for a new charachteristic sound and style for Cope.

With 18 tracks and a total running time exceeding 75 minutes Peggy Suicide simply stands as Cope's most fascinating album to date. It feature a vast bunch of musicians - some of which are reappearing guests from previous albums and some usual suspects, such as Donald Ross Skinner, Mark 'Rooster' Cosby and Ron Fair, and apart from these the album also sees former The Smiths' drummer Mike Joyce on three compositions.

The style manifested here (for the first time) is Cope's own original blend of alt. rock incorporating psychedelic rock, space rock, and neo-psychedelia are all traits of his music following this very release. The album contains beautiful ballads, hard rock energy, and complex arrangements - altogether held in place by fascinating stories and / or catchy hooks. Furthermore, the stylistic cocktail builds on traditionel rock & roll, blues rock, and glam rock, and the whole album is a genuine conceptual manifest, thematically touching on religion, spirituality, women's rights, ecology, global critisism and consumerism. 'Peggy Suicide' is Cope's image and conception of Mother Earth after humans has ravaged the planet. All themes are a compound, which he brings with him on successive albums.

It's quite a strong statement, alone in how it's all staged together but also in the way the single tracks are arranged in relation to one another. And the compositions are all treated with textual explanations by Cope in the included cd-inlay and in place of lyrics. You'll notice clear elements of progressive rock here and there, but more than speaking of specific styles, the whole album appears as a narrative with chapters, repeating motifs and themes already revealed, after which they resurrect in new contexts.

Quite understandably, Peggy Suicide is included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", as Cope's only. The album is no less than his best ever and naturally highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "Droolian" (1990)

Droolian

release date: 1990

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]

producer: Ron Fair

label: Zippo Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Sqwubbsy" - 3. "Unisex Cathedral" - 5. "Safe Surfer" - 7. "Jellypop Perky Jean"

6th studio album by Julian Cope is his second sel-released album to follow his pompeous and disowned My Nation Underground (Oct. 1988). The album follows closely on the same path laid out with Skellington (1989) despite both pointing back on the '89-album as a kind of leftovers and at the same time laying out his future fully-formed style, which comes to full blossom on the successor Peggy Suicide (Apr. 1991) .

Droolian is a peculiar mix of spontaneous fanciful ideas - appearing as improvs and quite subtle arrangements. Cope demonstrates original ideas, although, he may have followed an urge - as a result of the lawsuit tried by Island Records [see Skellington] - just to record and release a complete album without the proper finish, which could have resulted in something closer to Peggy Suicide. As a curiosity Droolian contains "Safe Surfer", which on the '91-album is rearranged to "Safesurfer". Some tracks sound like complete improvs and at times Cope appears as an artist, who is about 100% on some (acid?) trip, which often create unconventional, not seldom quite funny, but also easily forgotten moments.

All in all, Droolian is funny, different, and flawed, and nevertheless worth a moment of your time.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "Skellington" (1989)

Skellington
release date: 1989
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: Julian Cope
label: Copeco / Zippo Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Robert Mitchum" - 5. "Out of My Mind on Dope & Speed" - 6. "Don't Crash Here" - 9. "Great White Wonder"

5th studio album by Julian Cope marks a big change of style. The album was recorded after Cope's disillusions with what he saw as an over-polished and over-produced My Nation Underground (Oct. 1988) before that album was even released. He did not like the end result and initiated his work with musical collaborator Donald Ross Skinner on Skellington, which was recorded over a span of only three days. Island Records refused to release the album, so Cope established his own label Copeco in order to release the album, later reissued on Zippo Records (Apr. 1990). He then ran into a legal law suit with his record company, Island Records, for neglecting his contractual obligations; however, Cope only released another lo-fi album Droolian, this time on the independent label Mofoco, and Island called it a day.
Skellington is anything but polished mainstream and over-produced pop / rock aimed to satisfy the same audience who had been targeted with the predecessor. It's neo-psychedelia above anything. Secondly, it's also an alt. rock and singer / songwriter album with the addition of a certain amount of satire with only Cope, Skinner and drummer Rooster Cosby performing on the album. A track like "Out of My Mind on Dope & Speed" perhaps says much about Cope's situation at this point of his career. The satirical element sometimes makes Cope sound like the closest one ever gets to a British version of Frank Zappa.
I think, its immediate strength is a spontaneous lightness of catchy tunes and hooks - it's playful and reflects the exact opposite of self-consciousness, in contrast to My Nation Underground. Above anything, it's quite interesting much like the successor, but still with some distance from being great.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "My Nation Underground" (1988)

My Nation Underground
release date: Oct. 1988
format: vinyl / digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,02]
producer: Ron Fair
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "5 O'Clock World" - 3. "Charlotte Anne" - 5. "China Doll"

4th studio album by Julian Cope continues where Saint Julian (Mar. 1987) ended only introducing a bit more neo-psychedelia to stronger orchestrated arrangements of mainstream pop / rock closely related to David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, and Tom Verlaine.

To me, My Nation Underground is without much originality or interest, and in imho it's simply his least interesting album. Although, his very first solo album with Island Records, Saint Julian and this one are his so far commercially best-selling albums, Cope himself apparently has disowned this as no less than an artistic mistake. It's also clear that the successive albums showed a very different side to his talent, and thankfully so.

[ allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

Lou Reed & John Cale "Songs for Drella" (1990)

Songs for Drella
release date: Apr. 24, 1990
format: vinyl (7599-26140-1) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Lou Reed and John Cale
label: Sire Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 3. "Style It Takes" (live) - 4. "Work" - 6. "Starlight" - 7. "Faces and Names" (live) - 10. "It Wasn't Me" (live) - 11. "I Believe" (live) - 15. "Hello It's Me" (live)

Collaboration album by Lou Reed and John Cale released in memory of Andy Warhol (who passed away Feb. 1987), and who also went by the moniker 'Drella'. The collaboration work of the two is their first since 1968.
The album is a fine collection of narratives - some strange and experimental, others more straight-forward pop / rock-styled but all with focus on lyrical content. Warhol's funeral had brought the two back together and for a period of time, 4-5 years, in which they (actually) managed to work together. The Velvet Underground were even brought back to life with Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker, but eventually, around 1993, they once again decided - never ever - to work with one another again. Anyway, this is a fine and very interesting album.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

[ collectors' item ]

Julian Cope "Saint Julian" (1987)

Saint Julian
release date: Mar. 2, 1987
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Warne Livesey, Ed Stasium
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Trampolene" - 3. "Eve's Volcano (Covered in Sin)" - 4. "Spacehopper" - 6. "World Shut Your Mouth" - 8. "Pulsar"

3rd solo album by Julian Cope who has now signed with Island Records. The album is alt. rock but also a turn to a slightly more mainstream pop / rock glam pop style as proposed by the new label, but it is nevertheless one of Cope's lesser neo-psychedelia albums.

It basically reeks of a typical 1980s production sound with its heavy drums' sound. Island Records put more effort in promoting the album, which was launched as an intended commercial breakthrough, and although it did reach #11 on the national albums chart list as Copes best-charting solo album, it didn't gain same popularity on an international scale. "World Shut Your Mouth" is the best song here, and "Spacehopper" and "Trampolene" are fine, the latter probably being his biggest hit (ever), but the album as such is not really a big favourite of mine, and I find it a too obvious attempt of selling Cope as a Brittish Tom Verlaine.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Underworld "Barking" (2010)

Barking
release date: Sep. 13, 2010
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: various
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: England, UK

8th studio album by Underworld is succeeding Oblivion with Bells (Oct. 2007) thus following the near usual three years in between studio albums. On this the duo has progressed into drum and bass electronic and returned to trance, which was one of their initial styles back in 1994.
Frankly, my initial feelings about the album was a rather boring release and I have to admit that I didn't really play it that many times. I always ended up skipping tracks and by putting something else on in the end. To me it was the disappointing continued journey into earlier and already known territory, however, I did continue to return to the album. Just to try to understand on one hand my rejection 'cause I really enjoy several of their other albums and on the other hand to see if I could find the band's fascination and intentions. And luckily so, I did! I have ended up seeing this from a much more positive perspective. It took me a long time to get there, but after enjoying their 2016 album I returned to the albums, I somehow had rejected as detours, and what I found here is the same distinct fingerprint that simply says 'Underworld'. It's a take on the electronic genre with clear evidence of their fascination of progressiveness. Sometimes they incorporate techno and trance but there are always hints of more danceable styles like drum & bass and house, which in the end has become their distinctive style. And although, this is more techno than breakbeat it's also simply more experimental progressive electronic as such, and with a will to understand it does contain fine compositions and music that matters despite not being an album of single wonders.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, NME 2,5 / 5, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Julian Cope "Fried" (1984)

Fried
release date: Nov. 1984
format: cd (1990 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Steve Lovell
label: Mercury Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Reynard the Fox" - 2. "Bill Drummond Said" (4 / 5) - 3. "Laughing Boy" - 5. "Sunspots" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Bloody Assizes" - 9. "Holy Love" (4 / 5)

2nd solo album by Julian Cope released only eight months succeeding the release of his debut album is also his final album on Mercury.
The style here has already changed somewhat. In a way, it has become more original in the way that it's a more coherent whole, though it's still neo-psychedelia. Perhaps the post-punk and new wave styles have subsided on account of a stronger pop / rock and singer / songwriter profile. There's clearly a link to the first [musical] Brittish invasion exemplified by The Beatles and The Kinks, and therefore also to modern contemporaries like XTC, Robyn Hitchcock, and Echo and The Bunnymen.
The album was met by poor reviews and likewise sales. Apparently, Cope's original neo-psychedelia blend was out of tune with time and the album only shone a decade later, but the poor sales led to Mercury dropping Cope after this album.
In retrospect, the album is a stronger release than his more introvert debut, and it bonds nicely with the music of The Teardrop Explodes.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]