singles

Rip It Up, Issue 217, 1 September 1995, Page 35

singles

A two month pile-up of the customary whiteassed rock ’n’ roll awaits, so it’s straight into the Jesus and Mary Chain's ‘I Hate Rock ’n’ Roll’ (WEA). The Reid Brothers have returned to their beloved buzzsaw guitar distortions and delirium for an invective on the commercial failings of the wonderful world of rock: ‘I love MTV / I love it when they’re shiftin’ on me.’ Sheer poetry. Also of note on the EP is ‘33’, a crackling hymn to disintegration and despair. Next is Butch Vig’s Garbage, who start with the malevolent might of t'Vow’ (White). The fairly predictable tread of ‘Subhuman’ just doesn’t take off, but, thankfully, ‘Number One Crush’ recovers the danger count. Staying Stateside for a while, and Pearl Jam prove that they’re becoming dab hands at penning classic, rolling guitar ballads with intensity and feeling, on ‘lmmortality’ (Epic), and Butch Vig gets his name in lights again, this time as producer of Soul Asylum’s anthemic, FM air-punching ‘Misery’ (Columbia). Meanwhile, Mudhoney continue their quest to perfect literate, deadpan garage, on the just fine ‘Generation Spokesmodel’ (WEA), and Belly keep turning out four track, gatefold EPs, passable riffs and animated Tanya Donelly vocal deliveries, like ‘Super-Connected’ (4AD). Faith No More continue to lift their best songs from the patchy King For A Day, and this time it’s the semi-controlled frenzy of ‘Digging the Grave’ and ‘Midlife Crisis’, and an airing of the sensitive ‘I Wanna Fuck Myself. Go ahead. To conclude the American part of the programme, there’s a couple of scratchy, sonic,

awkward little cusses on LA’s indie Dry Hump label. They go by the names of Flourescein, whose ‘Fall Out’ is controlled abrasive pop, while Vim knock out persistent garage riffs. Not bad. To the crusty isles, where there’s been a certain smugness since the decline of grunge, as they believe they’ve wrested the rock ’n’ roll initiative from the Yanks. There's nothing this month that will confirm that, although Scotland’s 18 Wheeler take the innocent disillusionment of ‘Boddha’ (Creation) from their excellent second album, Formanka, and follow it with the even more charming title track of the album. Sweet. ‘Dance, drink and screw / ‘Cause there’s nothing else to do,’ wails Jarvis Cocker, on Pulp’s ambivalent ‘Common People’ (Island). Cocker can’t help but hide a hint of loathing in this risingly insistent social study. Tired of waiting for chief La Lee Mavers to get his finger out, bassist John Power has formed Cast, and the big things expected get close to early realisation in the full blooded, guitar-driven hook of ‘Fine Time’ (Polydor). Sleeper’s Louise Wener could even live up to her reputation, as there’s plenty of potential on the Blur-styled examinations of London life on the mundane but lively three track EP, ‘lnbetweener/Little Annie/Disco Duncan' (Indolent). Finally, New Order’s classic crossover of melancholia and disco, ‘Blue Monday’ (London), gets even more treatment. The new mixes are too fast and empty-headed, making the fortunately included original 12 inch version sound even more regal. See ya.

GEORGE KAY