Friday 17 January 2014

MICK FARREN & ANDY COLQUHOUN: Black Vinyl Dress Review

Farren, Mick - Black Vinyl Dress
Review by: Daniel Pavlica

Year: 2013
Produced by: Andy Colquhoun
Label: Gonzo Multimedia

Tracks:
1. Black Dogs Circle
2. Cocaine + Gunpowder
3. Black Vinyl Dress
4. Venus On Her Shell
5. Dark Matter
6. I Don't Like It Here
7. Pick Up The Scissors And Run
8. If I was A Hun On My Pony
9. Cigarettes
10. Beautiful Women
11. Ak47
12. Humidity On The 7th Floor
13. AK47 (Reprise)
14. Tomorrow Never Knows

"I'm a lousy singer but an excellent rock star”. These are the wise words reflected in “Black Vinyl Dress” the last bow of poet, activist, anarchist, and street politician Mick Farren.

Needless to say the spotlight remains firmly set on Farren’s poetry, making “Black Vinyl Dress” predominantly a spoken word affair. Farren dices with different styles and tones, switching back and forth as suggested by his frame of mind. “Cocaine + Gunpowder” finds him engaged in some kind pseudo Indian ritual, with the spirit of Jim Morrison keeping an eye on the proceedings. And he’s bursting with ambition. On “If I Was a Hun On a Pony” he uncovers those naughty inner doubts that might have annoyed the average blood thirsty Hun during his daily routine. The title number draws attention with its theatrical character, while “Cigarettes” and “AK47” draw in vivid post punk memorabilia.

On the other hand the words are brought up in a remarkably unstable musical environment, governed by recklessly assembled arrangements and rhythmical samples that make the Pistols sound like Dream Theater. Immediate bursts of thin sounding guitar work add additional color to this highly distinctive, sometimes even hilarious atmosphere. Brilliant it ain’t, but then that’s not what this album is about. Looking at it from that perspective you might just scrape by unbruised.

6 out of 10

A review copy of this album was provided by Gonzo

AVAILABLE AT GONZO:

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