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)

Papir "VI" (2019)

VI

release date: May 10, 2019

format: digital (4 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: Lars Lundholm [rec.]; Troels Bech [mast.]; Papir [mix.]

label: Stickman Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "VI.I" - 2. "VI.II" - 3. "VI.III" - 4. "VI.IV"

6th studio album by Papir following two years after V is like that recorded by Lars Lundholm and released on Stickman. The trio remains unchanged with guitarist Niklas Sørensen, bassist Christian Clausen, and drummer Christoffer Christensen.

VI are four untitled tracks with a total running time at just under 40 mins. and stylewise, Papir explores their new-found original blend of post-rock, space rock and prog rock with hints of this and that but still held together on their own musical path.

VI also continue a new fine level demonstrating individual qualities as well as insight in musical realisation. My only 'complaint' is the end-track, which to me sounds like something they composed earlier with too much improvisation and too much unorganised space rock, whereas the first three all appear more contemporary and better arranged. That said, this new distillation is still more than a worthwhile listen.

Small recommendation.

[ bandcamp ]

[ Musikreviews.de 13 / 15, SputnikMusik 3,7 / 5 stars ]

Papir "V" (2015)

V

release date: Aug. 18, 2017

format: digital (7 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]

producer: Lars Lundholm [rec.]; Carl Saff [mast.]; John McEntire [mix.]

label: Stickman Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "V.I" - 2 "V.II" - 3. "V.III" - 4. "V.IV" - 5. "V.V" - 7. "V.VII"

5th studio album by Papir following almost 3½ years after IIII (Feb. 2014) is the band's first on German label Stickman. They hold on to the formula of keeping compositions without other titles than a succession of numbers, but apart from that this new album actually reveal a progression in the band's soundscape, as opposed to what you may experience on their most recent three studio albums. The album consists of seven compositions - in physical form it has only been issued as double vinyl (with tracks #1-6) and a 2-cd release with a total running time exceeding 94 mins.

Musically, the band still embark the space rock and krautrock starship, but on this they have now established room for more diversity without loss of direction. It appears the change to a larger label has crystalised in narrowing in how to come through as a band on a mission. Some tracks would easily go as obvious post-rock beginnings, middles, or endings, but Papir just include various stylistic elements in a broad combo. Here, you'll notice bits of shoegaze and dreampop but everything is cleverly incorporated with their talent for colouring and in that way V is easily the band's so far most successful album, and in my mind, an album of international value.

Worth more than a listen.

[ bandcamp ]

[ SputnikMusic 4,2 / 5 stars ]

Papir "IIII" (2014)

IIII

release date: Feb. 11, 2014

format: digital (4 x File, FLAC - Impetus Series 09)

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

producer: Jonas Munk [recorded by]

label: El Paraiso Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "IIII.I" - 2. "IIII.II" - 3. "IIII.III" - 4. "IIII.IIII"

4th studio album by Papir following one year after III seems like the continued series of instrumental space rock, prog rock, and post-rock releases on El Paraiso, again with recording engineer Jonas Munk and with artwork by Jakob Skjøtt.

Even the album title and the track titles differ little from the 2013 album giving a minimalist variation, and you could argue that also the soundscape remains intact with little progression from the two previous albums. In fact, the Papir has played more or less the same instrumental and experimental prog rock founded on 70s krautrock and progressive psychedelic rock and then to some extent: more contemporary post-rock influences. "IIII.I" appear as a strong post-rock compositions, whereas the following tracks repeat the pattern from the 2013 album by being more like jam session-oriented. The final track "IIII.IIII" does, however, again point to a more original melodic universe. The album is in every detail a close new chapter in an ongoing journey that could use some more variation. That said, I still find this band of skilled instrumentalists a rather fascinating acquaintance.

[ bandcamp ]

Papir "III" (2013)

III

release date: Feb. 11, 2013

format: digital (5 x File, FLAC - Impetus Series 07)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]

producer: Jonas Munk

label: El Paraiso Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "III.I" - 2. "III.II" - 3. "III.III" - 4. "III.IIII" - 5. "III.IIIII"

3rd studio album from Danish space rock instrumentalists Papir is like the predecessor Stundum (Nov. 2011) released on El Paraiso and produced by Jonas Munk and comes with artwork by Jakob Skjøtt.

III is much like a new chapter in a predictable sequel of instrumental space rock with prog rock and krautrock elements as well as more modern post-rock traits. The album feature five compositions of varied length running from 4:55 mins. (track #3) to 15:21 (track #5) with a total of just under 44 mins.

The first two tracks both have a stronger post-rock touch, appearing as the most interesting music, whereas the three following compositions tend to feel like studio improvs of more unfocused space rock.

The band still still evolves, at times you hear an unmistable influence from Hendrix but mostly it's out-of-space prog rock. I rate this one a little better than their previous effort, and what I fundamentally find is better here is the instrumentation. Guitarist Niklas Sørensen has grown and simply demonstrates a Hendrix-fascination that never goes too close to the original, and also bassist Christian Clausen and drummer Christoffer Brøchmann goes nicely hand in hand with their flawless rhythm-section.

[ bandcamp ]

Papir "Stundom" (2011)

Stundom

release date: Nov. 28, 2011

format: digital (6 x File, FLAC - Impetus Series 03)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]

producer: Jonas Munk

label: El Paraiso Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Sunday #1" - 2. "Saturday" - 3. "Monday" - 4. "Sunday #2" - 5. "Tuesday #1" - 6. "Tuesday #2"

2nd studio album by Danish instrumental rock-trio Papir is produced by Jonas Munk from the (Danish) band Causa Sui (the artwork is by Jakob Skøtt, drummer of Causa Sui), and the album is released by the label founded by Munk and Skøtt: El Paraiso. Stundum is the follow-up to the one year old debut, and 'stundum' is arcaic Danish corresponding 'occasionally', and all tracks have titles after weekdays. Where the 2010 album contained four tracks and had a total running time just above 30 mins, this one comes with six tracks and a total running time almost touching 80 mins.

Where the debut basically was experimental krautrock, I would argue that this second attempt has a much more apparrent experimental post-rock feel on top of the prog rock foundation, which in my mind makes it a bit more interesting. At times it becomes too jam-oriented - the style takes a fusion rock turn, probably due to studio improvs, but nevertheless, some parts tend to sound like free-associations, and then a new theme is picked up and a forward movement is taking place. It's difficult to sum up, but it's like a fascinating trip, and all you have to do, is to go along, let it unfold and see if it takes you somewhere. Overall, I think it's bettering the debut - only, I wish they would be more focused.

[ bandcamp ]

Papir "Papir" (2010)

Papir [debut]

release date: Dec. 1, 2010

format: digital (5 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]

producer: Troels Bech [masterered by]

label: self-released - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Kurl Te Pow Ralise" - 2. "Lykk Trep-R Hi-Losé" - 3. "Une Frensal N-Erit" - 4. "Rogter Sot Oe Koft"

Studio album debut by Danish space rock and prog rock trio Papir consisting of guitarist Nicklas Sørensen, bassist Christian Becher Clausen, and drummer Christoffer Brøchmann Christensen. The band was founded in Gladsaxe, Copenhagen around 2008. The album consists of four instrumental pieces, and it was originally released on vinyl by independent label Red Tape, and later made available as downloadable via the band's bandcamp profile. The album mentions no producer credits, but Troels Bech is credited mastering and the band is credited mixing.

Stylewise and musically, the band explores experimental progressive rock with bonds to 1970s krautrock and German prog rock band Can in particular.

The album is not an immediate favourite but it definitely isn't without talent. There's both something disturbing, something fascinating, and a great deal of originality to these four compositions.

The Church "Hologram of Baal" (1998)

Hologram of Baal

release date: Sep. 8, 1998

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]

producer: The Church

label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: Australia

*Track highlights: 1. "Anaesthesia" - 2. "Ricochet" - 3. "Louisiana" (official video, short version) - 4. "The Great Machine" - 5. "No Certainty Attached" - 6. "Tranquility" - 7. "Buffalo" - 8. "This Is It" - 9. "Another Earth" - 10. "Glow-Worm"

*[all tracks]

10th studio album by The Church, which here consists of Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes, Marty Willson-Piper, and Tim Powles. The album follows the critically acclaimed Magician Among the Spirits from 1996. Koppes had left the band back in '92 after the release of Priest = Aura due to disagreements with Kilbey and Willson-Piper, and the band continued until '97 when the trio of Kilbey, Koppes, and Powles released Pharmakoi / Distance-Crunching Honchos With Echo Units as The Refo:mation founded without Willson-Piper. Subsequently, Kilbey decided that The Church should release just one more album before finally disbanding. The Church therefore embarked on a farewell tour in Australia, which was surprisingly quite successful, and the last grand finale in Sydney convinced all members to give it another shot in the studio. For the first time, they found themselves in full control of the production assisted by the band's new drummer Tim Powles, and with him at the helm as sound engineer and mixer, they managed to combine the band's original strengths with a new distinctive set of traits. Powles is also mentioned in several places as the person who managed to shelve old internal tensions between Kilbey, Koppes, and Willson-Piper and make them all look ahead. The album was released in Australia on the label Festival Records, in Europe on Cooking Vinyl, and for the North American market by Thirsty Ear and True North. After the release, the band went on their first world tour for many years, which led the group to New York, where Kilbey was arrested and sentenced to community service for buying heroin.

The album garnered generally positive reviews and is one of the band's most coherent and better albums, which clearly wins for a special feeling for a whole cast rather than individual strong compositions. There are no fillers and the 'featured highlights' above are all ten tracks.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

org. Australian cover

The Refo:mation "Pharmakoi / Distance-Crunching Honchos..." (1997)

Pharmakoi / Distance-Crunching Honchos... [debut]

release date: 1997

format: digital

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

producer: The Refo:mation

label: Phantom Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "Don't Move" - 5. "All See It Now" - 10. "Get Over It" - 11. "Take Your Place" - 14. "Stop"

1st and only album by The Refo:mation, whose full title is Pharmakoi / Distance-Crunching Honchos With Echo Units may almost be considered a studio album by The Church, but there is a particular reason why the album isn't credited the better known band. After the critically acclaimed but financially disastrous Magician Among the Spirits (Aug. 1996) both Steve Kilbey and Marty Willson-Piper were preoccupied by their own solo careers as well as collaborative projects, and they remained physically separated as both Kilbey, Peter Koppes, and Tim Powles were in Australia, while Willson-Piper was living in Sweden busy saving recordings for the fifth album by All About Eve, which in '97 was released under the title of Seeing Stars, but he was also writing songs for several artists in '96 and therefore couldn't find time for Australia nor The Church, so Kilbey, Koppes, and Powles decided to release these new tracks under the project name The Refo:mation.

Stylistically, the band has moved more into an electrified rock universe, as a counterpart to the more experimental '96 album. Powles' technical skills as a sound engineer and mixer may be heard in the production, which gives contributes with a more dynamic expression. The album points in many directions, but there is still a balance, and although the album doesn't fall directly into the back catalog of The Church, there is no doubt that the group has found new paths with this album, which later will be heard on the albums Hologram of Baal (1998) and After Everything Now This (2002) by The Church.

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 "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 ]

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 ]