SINGLES

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Saturday 28th Nov 1998.

SPACE: The Bad Days EP (Gut Music) -- These crafty Scousers seem to have a nice little earner planned. Knock out a racy version of an old Animals classic , let it run on a TV car advert for a few weeks, then release it, sit back and watch the readies roll in. Actually, these scallies manage a fair version of We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, along with two other 60s-influenced tunes. (8/10) PB

THE ROTTENTROLLS: The Rottentrolls March (The Hit Label) -- It's not often that I feel I'm too old for this job but when I saw The Nab Twins , stars of the Rottentrolls, on the cover I realised I knew nothing about them. What is surprising is that these kids' TV characters choose to make such a ruthless heavy metal racket. The riff this song is built on is one that Anthrax or Faith No More would be proud of. Perhaps it's explained by the fact that ex-Zombie Rod Argent is one of the people behind their sound. It makes the Teletubbies look like big girl's blouses. (7/10) PB

DARK STAR: Graceadelica (EMI) -- Fast motoring loops and tensed-up bass form a nervy background to the slipping, sliding vocal line. Guitars burst like rocket boosters and The Crow Song is a serious heavy guitar noise. New Model Worker leans towards heavy metal, sung partly through a distortion mic, and Solitude Song slides down to end soothingly. (10/10) WT GRAND MAL: Whole Lotta Nothing (Slash) -- A superb pop song which weighs in like a megaton blast with a fantastic hook, ferocious voice and solid guitars. After this, half the population will be walking the streets singing "A Whole Lada Nothing." (8/10)WT

ALBUMS

ICE CUBE: War and Peace Volume One; The War Disc (Priority Records) -- America's most wanted steps over to the dark side, spitting out growls using heavy metal guitar to set the tone. Gone are the days when Ice Cube was a chilled-out homie kicking laid-back rhymes with a strong message. He's hitting the vibe that Ice T used when he teamed up with Slayer, although the heavy metal side doesn't extend as far as setting up his own band. This is war but I'd rather wait for volume two and a little peace. (6/10) PB

JAMES BROWN: I'm Back (Eagle Records) -- The godfather of funk returns to rework some of his more upbeat numbers. Brown steers clear of his hit singles, with the exception of a jazzier version of Papa's Got A Brand New Bag. He even throws in an all-new number with the sweaty funk groove Funk On Ah Roll, which shows he hasn't lost the old magic. The energy levels stay high until the eighth track, Lucky Old Sun, an old-fashioned ballad. An education in how things should be done. (9/10) PB

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.

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