Customer Reviews

Doctor Syntax

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I came to Edwyn Collins via "Girl Like You", but I really liked the rest of Gorgeous George. I was less enthralled with the followup I'm Not Following You, but still hopeful.

Collins has a good voice, intelligent lyrics, and an interesting singing style. Unfortunately, Doctor Syntax mostly doesn't make use of those strengths. The first half of the album is forgettable, meandering, and somewhat pointless. It's only in the last few songs (starting with Johnny Teardrop) that the album begins to pick up. 20 Years Too Late and It's a Funny Thing might have been good middle of the road songs on a stronger album, but here they're just too weak to hold up the entire album on their own.

Why haven't you bought it yet? The man labored well over 5 years to get this thing right, and boy did he ever. This album flows, shimmers and entertains. Even the underhanded "tribute" the to the beatles (named appropriately enough "the beatles"), works wonders. The production as always is impeccable. Bonus tracks are great, too.

This album is yet more beautiful pop from the master himself, Edwyn Collins, whose songwriting seems to have only become more sublime and lyrical wit more subtle on this album. For those who haven't bought it yet, though, I'd suggest waiting a little longer: I've heard that we can expect a stateside release in the beginning of 2003...

GREAT SONGS HE'S A REAL TALENT.DON'T MISS THIS CD.

On his fifth solo release, Doctor Syntax, the deep-voiced Scotsman Edwyn Collins trades the eclectic messiness of his previous work for the unifying focus of a subtle groove. Yet the musical tradeoff hasn't dimmed his iconoclastic touch. There is still that strange hiccup in his voice (it often sounds like a defect on the CD). And his love songs are fraught with anxiety and indecision. "No Idea", "Johnny Teardrop", "Splitting Up" - there's not a lot of cheer in Collins' world. Yet Doctor Syntax is never a stone drag. And the three extra tracks for US release are more than just filler -they make a good album better (especially the duet with Bernard Butler, "Message for JoJo").

This witty, sardonic masterpiece can be summed up in two words: Bitter sophistication.