Customer Reviews

Black Acetate

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3 star:		(2)
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John Cale's career has covered quite a lot of musical genres. A classically-trained musician, he begun in the United States working with Aaron Copeland and John Cage. This translated well into the contributions he eventually would make as a charter member of The Velvet Underground. From there, Mr. Cale launched a solo career, which ranged from pop tunes, to hard rock and roll, to soundtracks for movies, which incorporated everything that has gone before.

He is perhaps most famous for a period in the mid-1970s known to many as the Island Years (the lable for which he recorded a number of hard rock albums). While any recording from John Cale is welcomed, many have yearned for a return to this particular style. Well, here it is. First off, one is struck by how similar the sound of this release is compared to those years, right down to the instrumentation. And, it moves from one track to the next much like it did in previous years... a mix of sweet sounding melodies, to some very dark tunes, to straight out rock, all of which Mr. Cale is famous for.

Perhaps one of the most interesting revelations is the very catchy single from the album, Perfect. Truly, if this were to get airplay, it would chart as it has that "anthem" quality necessary for popularity. After hearing it, it will play in your head all day. Check out his website for a preview.

This album has been called a follow-up to Hobo Sapiens, and in a way it is. However, it is also quite different from its predecessor, taking what started there and throwing in the Island Years style. Overall, a must-have for any Cale fan and a great introduction to those who are not familiar with his music.

It's hard to know whether the uninitiated will enjoy this album as much as the long-time John Cale fan. His rich history adds to the experience, helping one's understanding and appreciation of what's to be heard. Regardless, 'Black Acetate' is a wonderfully varied, emotional, intellectual and, most importantly, enjoyable contribution to the world's catalog of recorded sounds. Exciting, too, in that it explores and expands the existing musical universe, and even points to a few spots outside. Tour de force, big daddy. Thanks!

In my opinion this is one of John Cale's greatest albums and my favorite. I am a big fan of his albums Paris 1919, Fear, and Slow Dazzle. I think that anyone who likes these albums or his material like Fragments or Walking On Locusts will enjoy this album. I really liked most of the material on 5 Tracks and Hobosapiens, but Black Acetate feels like it's a stronger record and more melodic. As well as being unpredictable and varied like much of Cale's material, this album also features some of his strongest vocal work and greatest songs: Gravel drive, Sold-Motel, Perfect, Mailman(The Lying Song)....

Definetely check it out.

John Cale seems to have been revitalized in the past few years with respect to pop music-- "Black Acetate" is the followup to 2003's "Homo Sapiens", just two years later. In the 18 years prior to that, Cale had recorded but one pop album (1996's "Walking on Locusts").

One thing is clear about this album-- at 63, Cale is still not standing still and he's not "maturing" into an adult contemporary environment-- the album finds him again flirting with electronica and alternative music. The sheer level of diversity of the material is stunning, Cale covers chugging pop (falsetto-rendered "Outta the Bag"), spoken-word sample-driven electronica ("Brotherman"), minimalist po (the stunning "Graveldrive") and explosive alternative (the downright fierce "Turn the Lights On"). In fact, there's precious little on here not to like (closer "Mailman" with its downright irritating backing vocal is probably the best example).

Admittedly, this album is not going to win over any new fans, but old ones will probably find a lot to enjoy-- Cale's audiences seem to respect his evolution, and this one is a continued growth. Recommended.

For two nights in January 2006, (the 18th and 19th, to be exact), I was there with hundreds of other John Cale fans to witness the opening of the European tour, in support of Cale's newest album, Black Acetate.

As a big, but not obsessive, Cale fan (I have to confess I prefer Cale's Velvet Underground partner, Lou), I expected a lot - but I got more than I bargained for.

Backed with three musicians young enough to be his daughter's boyfriends, Cale, armed with guitars (electric and acoustic), keyboards, and his trademark electric viola (sadly only for one song - the Velvet's "VENUS IN FURS"), delivered a 2 hour something set, that was better then we had any right to hope for.

Covering everything from Velvet Underground Classics (the aforementioned Venus, as well as Nico's Femme Fatal, delivered in a weird Jazzy version and mixed with another song) to Primal Punk songs (the brilliant, murderous and hillarious 'GUTS'), from experimental avant-guard music ('HUSH', 'VIRGIN MARY') to beautiful Ballads - 'BUFFALLO BALLET', 'CLOSE WATCH' (Introduced with the classy "This is a love song, so hold on to someone you love"). Cale's show featured Pop ('THINGS' from his comeback album 'Hobosapiens', 'PERFECT' from 'Black acetate'), Punk jams ('GUN' utterly deconstructed, and 'PABLO PICASSO', a set closer, merged with 'Mary Lou'), and straight to the bone Rock'n'Roll ('DANCING UNDERCOVER', from 'Walking on Locusts', was one of the highlights, as was the second night's closing tune, 'DIRTY ASS ROCK'N'ROLL').

Considering how much I enjoyed the concerts brought upon by the album, how could I possibly not love it? 'Black Acetate' is not as good an album as Cale's 'Hobosapiens' - but that was one of the best albums of Cale's career. 'Actate' has its share of duds - OUTTA THE BAG is a silly pop tune, BROTHERMAN a spoken word tune with too much synthesizers, HUSH is experimental but slight, and while SOLD MOTEL works well live, the Studio version is not nearly as menacing.

That said, there is still a lot for the Cale fan to love here: TURN THE LIGHTS ON, the first single, is a hard rockin' tune with a catchy lyric, while WOMAN, another live favorite is a menacing track about a woman who "wants me in a prison".

Right now, my favorite tracks are the oh-so-poppy PERFECT ("I can't help it/You're Perfect for me"), with a strange chorus in an otherwise completely Popular tune, and IN A FLOOD, which manages to convey the feeling of them blues, without actually being a blues song.

"Black Acetate' is the kind of album in which you will still discover new meanings years after you first listen to it. I'm sure I will. It Ain't Perfect, but it's great John Cale.

To me, Black Acetate offers more sonic variety, melodic appeal and memorable moments than its predecessor Hobo Sapiens. It opens with the funky Outta The Bag where Cale sings falsetto; if it weren't for the gritty guitars it could have been 1970s disco singer Sylvester. On the mid-tempo ballad For A Ride, a segment of distorted vocals and delicate experimental sounds create a spectral air whilst Brotherman is a bit messy and ultimately forgettable. Obviously I miss the subtler nuances of Cale repeatedly intoning that he "writes reams of this (excrement) ever day".

The first highlight comes in the form of Satisfied, a graceful, melodious ballad reminiscent of those on his Paris 1919 album. Likewise, In A Flood is a masterpiece, a blend of enigmatic lyrics and brooding instrumentation; the banjo reminded me of Last Day on Earth, Cale's collaboration with Bob Neuwirth. The mournful Gravel Drive is an atmospheric gem with sublime background vocals and chiming guitars, a poetic expression of loss and nostalgia. Embellished with cello, Hush has an edgy feel and funky undertone, in the same vein as Outta The Bag but without the falsetto falsetto and with female backing vocals. George Clinton would have been proud.

The album's catchiest song is titled Perfect, an uptempo rock number with a driving beat and plenty of hooks, like something from Cale's creative peak during The Island Years. The turn to rock continues on Sold-Motel with its spellbinding guitar textures and Woman which is characterized by a complex arrangement and sonic patterns that bring the avant-gardist Varese to mind. There are frequent tempo variations and dissonant vocals balanced by an appealing chorus that keeps the song cohesive.

The love song Wasteland has a lovely tune, flowing arrangement and sparkling piano flourishes. Then the nervous edge returns with Turn The Lights On, a lilting guitar-driven rock number, and the album concludes with Mailman (The Lying Song), a churning mid-tempo ballad with noteworthy viola and a tonal similarity to the songs Set Me Free and Circus on his 1996 album Walking on Locusts.

In brief, Black Acetate leans towards the more accessible side of John Cale with at least five outstanding tracks in the form of Satisfied, In A Flood, Gravel Drive, For A Ride and Perfect, a lot that is good like Woman, Wasteland and Turn The Lights On, and some experimental indulgence. Overall it's a welcome return to form and an essential work for his fans.

I love this record, but I won't belabor what others have stated. I just want to add to the other voices of praise that "Wasteland" is one of the most emotionally satisfying songs Mr. Cale has ever recorded. Beautiful string arrangement, evocative piano flourishes, stirring vocals.

I go back to 1975 (I think) with Helen of Troy, then I backtracked and got Vintage Violence, etc. I've seen Cale twice - once in 1978, and once last year. Both concerts were absolutely fantastic... religious experiences both times.

This album comes as close as anything (to me) of a true "John Cale" experience.

His background is seemingly what propels him to a truly remarkable creator of music. Classically trained on the viola, growing up in Wales, stints with John Cage, Copeland, the whole Velvet Underground thing (I must say I find Lou a tad boring), Cale has conflicting music coursing through his veins. His choices are limitless, and yet he produces (figuratively and literally) on this album individual compact songs which seem to explore their way to completion.

Some rock, some ballads, some of this, some of that. All of it good, and plenty to bite into.

"Art is never finished; simply abandoned." Cale "stopped" perfectly on each and every song. How does he do that?

Like all great things, Cale may be an acquired taste... but the rewards are lifelong.

Buy this album.

This album is one of the best John Cale's I have (granite only 6).
If I was a dancer in the clubs, this would be a fave, but it is just as good to sit down, late at night (preferably) and take this album in one song at a time, much like "Fear" (though much longer)... Anyway, if you dig Cale, this is one I think any fan would enjoy, I was extremely suprised how good it is, he doesn't seem an ounce of his age! - Geoff

I have to say that i did not care too much for the latest Cale
album. But you know...after a few listens...i have grown to LOVE
every song form track 7 on. Yes, the second half of the album is
one rockin' EP. Thank you John Cale. The guitarist IS awesome too. (need to look up his name)