Primal Scream - Beautiful Future (2008)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
This is a cd I had been waiting for and had no idea what to expect. The first listen was a bit disappointing but after a few more it really started to grow on me. If you were expecting loud and angry electro-rock well its not here. Same goes for stripped down Stones rock and roll. No Acid House party music or dub style chill out either. Its new territory for Primal Scream and one that is refreshing.
The first song "Beautiful Future" is upbeat with church bells and a toe tapping beat. Track 2 "Can't Go Back" sounds more like PS and pulls from XTRMNTR era with its heavy beats and thick texture. What differs tho is the lightness of the music. Track 3 "Uptown" is a bit weak with the electro-funk but does showcase Mani's amazing bass skills. There are no lyrics just Bobby Gillespie repeating Uptown over and over at certain points of the song. Track 4 "The Glory Of Love" has a subtle Asian feel reminiscent of early Cure. Track 5 "Suicide Bomb" features lots of reverb and fuzzed out guitar but tends to be too repetitive. At almost 6 minutes it's a pretty long instrumental that tends to drag on. Track 6 "Zombie Man" harks back to the Screamadelica era and is full of stupid lyrics and house party dance beats. If the lyrics were not so bad the song would be much better. Track 7 "Beautiful Summer" is downright amazing. You may think its Depeche Mode upon first listen but the tone and atmosphere created here is perfect. The next few songs tend to blend together but also sound the most Primal Scream. The cd closes with track 10 "Necro Hex Blues" an upbeat, rock and roll song covered in a thin layer of electronic sheen. This is Primal Scream's Pop record and a direction the band has never really ventured down. It's not their best nor is it bland and boring. The band are mixing it up but at the same time providing a clear and concise direction. Depending on my mood dictates what PS cd I like most. Each one has brilliant tracks followed by weak ones. If I had to pick one cd it would probably be Vanishing Point followed by Evil Heat.
Posted by mardenhill 7/29/2008 09:07:00 PM
Labels: Music
