Customer Reviews

Bastard

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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Colin Newman's original band Wire started off making highly influential, subversive guitar-driven post punk, disbanded for a few years, and came back with an interesting, subversive synthesizer/sequencer-driven post new wave sound. Newman's own solo career has shown rampant experimentalism-- his underrated (and sadly out of print) "Provisionally Entitled the Singing Fish" can safely be called one of the first ambient recordings of the 80's released on a major label, while "Commercial Suicide" had Colin working with a chamber orchestra. So it comes as no surprise that "Bastard" continues the artist's envelope-pushing ways. What strikes me most about this disk is its integration of the "old" and "new" Wire sounds: slashing, brittle guitars, real sounding drums, and lowdown bass pepper the electronica throughout, bringing some joyously unexpected twists and turns to the proceedings. Try as I may, I can't get into "pure" techno/electronica-- far too sterile, monotonous and predictable for these ears, but I can see "Bastard" at home on the CD racks of both recovering 30-something punks, and today's club hopping techno kids looking for a little soul with their sequencing. Leave it to Colin Newman to come up with a techno album with a human touch.

This album is a disappointment for all Wire- and Newman-fans, who like Colin's typically British understated way of singing. Further, is an uneven, thrown-together collection of drum&bass-tunes with some rocky guitar-sounds. There are some interesting songs here, but Colin has done this much better on his clubby "Immersion" and "Oracle" releases.

I'm a bit surprised to see that the US issue of this album only contains a single disc. "Bastard" was released throughout Europe as a double-CD-set, including the fantastic "Voice"-EP, which was previously only available on vinyl! This EP comprises four songs, alternating between futuristic techno-pop and gentle ambient, and offers a far better example of Newman's sound.

...I have always liked it. Being a Wire and Colin Newman fan, I had to hear this. And while it is not much like his other work, I found it worthwhile. If you've heard and liked Seefeel, for example, you will probably like this.

Repetitive riffs dominate. Some reviewers have called this dance music, but I wouldn't physically dance to this, nor expect to hear it in a dance club. But the hook-like samples, slowly evolving background, and interesting percussion can make the mind dance. There are no vocals, but I didn't miss them.

Again, not everyone's cup of tea, but mine and maybe yours if you like listening attentively.