Customer Reviews

Riot City Blues

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Fans seem to be split on this album. Overall I really like it. I wouldn't call it a throwback to earlier Primal Scream albums but it's definitely got that flavor. If you like the first single, Country Girl, then you'll probably like the rest of the album.

One thing that should be noted is that the Bonus Tracks listed on Amazon and the CD itself are incorrect. The actual tracks are Gimme Some Truth, Country Girl (live), and Suicide Sally & Johnny Guitar (live). Stone Ya To The Bone is not on the album.

the scream is a bizarre creature. a Byrds-esque band that reinvented itself as dance acid-house (practically creating the genre with Screamadelica), then nearly ruined their careers after trying out the Rolling Stones - bare bones, rock 'n roll thing with Give Out. then of course they rebounded with the tripped out Vanishing Point, and the skull-crushing club monsterpiece XTRMNTR.

now they're trying the Rolling Stones thing again. are the results different? yes, mainly this disc is much more raw, and less produced than it's glossy predecessor. also, the songs are more focused, and less jangly - thanks to producer Youth, of Killing Joke fame. but at the same time they still manage to crossover into their acid-dub ways with "little death", a hornier version of XTRMNTR's "keep your dreams". "suicide sally" must be an amazing experience live, if it's as good as they played on zane lowe's bbc show. and the album closes with the true stunner, "sometimes i feel so lonely". think Death In Vegas' "23 Lies" as done by Lee Hazlewood.

the scream have proved they can pull of just about anything. so what's next?

I've been waiting for Primal Scream to make an album like Riot City Blues and they finally did it. They tried couple of times before with their second self-titled cd and Give Out But Don't Give Up cd but couldn't pull it off with consistency. I wish Riot City Blues was a double album though because the songs are so good. I think every song on this cd is great. It's just a fun cd to listen to and these guys can really play their instruments. This album is a mixture of the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Country music, Glam rock, pyschedelic, etc. Unfortunantely, Primal Scream is so good at making futuristic, electronic, intense garage-rock that most fans love(including me) that they might not like this style of music; but they just need to accept these songs for what they are because they are amazing. I hope the boys continue in making this style of music but knowing them, they're going to go back to making XTRMNTR and Evil Heat type of songs to please their fans. I urge Primal Scream to continue on making all kinds of music for music sake, not to sell cds but the music business is all about money so we will have to wait and see. No matter what though, Primal Scream will always be one of my favorite bands and it's too bad they are not popular in the U.S. because they are truly amazing and I just love their rebel image.

The negatives that dog this band always amaze me. (See the 'official' Amazon review on this page, for an example.) Anything but the most casual listen would confirm that Primal Scream are without doubt THE hottest, most butt-kicking rock band in the world today. And Riot City Blues is possibly their strongest effort to date.

Perception is everything. Some people still think PS sold out when they stopped being punk. Or that they were too laid-back in their Screamadelica psychedelic period. Or that they cloned the Stones with Give Out But Don't Give Up. Cloned??? They made those aging gasbags look like the pathetic has-beens they really are. The Stones only WISH they could sound this fresh, hot and downright clever.

When it comes to Riot City Blues, many listeners will be deceived by the extra-loud heavy-metal sound. But just stop and read through all the lyrics. These are amazingly intelligent songs. Some, like the deceptively bouncy Country Girl and the more overt 99th Floor tend towards the cynical. But this isn't just nihilism; it's intelligent comment. Poetry, even. And always redeemed by incredibly soulful singing from Gillespie and infectiously melodic composition. Not to mention a deep-down integrity; these guys are singing to please themselves, not to net a bigger paycheck, or to please some music-industry dweeb.

If I had to list the most important albums of the 21st Century so far, Riot City Blues would be very high on the list. And if I were listing the most important bands (not to mention the most under-appreciated by snooty, pretentious critics, who can't really remember what rock 'n' roll was all about), Primal Scream would be a strong contender for top spot.

With tracks that range from country-esque to stompin' crankers, this CD is well worth the money. While the music is diverse, almost every track stands on its own.

A huge fan of "Sreamadelica" back in the day, I nearly gave up on the band after the "Vanishing Point" CD, and I viewed "EXTRMNTR" as a very uneven work (flashes of brilliance intermixed with headache-inducing nonsense). But if you liked "Give Out But Don't Give Up" (I love that CD), then you should be happy with this one. Again, very diverse stuff, but rock solid all aound.

Primal Scream came up with an interesting idea to mix a bit of their "Give Out But Don't Give Up" album with some of their newer material and then try to make it sound a little like "Exile On Main Street" by the Rolling Stones. Sounds like a great idea seeing that both the Stones and Primal are two of my favorite bands. And I like both Primal's older and newer stuff (Give Out But Don't Give Up probably being their best album to date). But what sounds like a good idea and looks great on paper somehow just didn't come out right with this album. Overall not a bad album (I give it 3.5 stars) but it just doesn't have that mystique, edge, catchiness, or whatever you want to call it to make it a great or classic album. Quite boring at times and even a little cheesy in some parts (look at the song titles). "Country Girl" is one of the highlights of the album.

The below reviewer, "svgtom", is correct, the track listing is incorrect. The song "Stone Ya To The Bone" is not on the album.

I'm not sure what version the other reviewer got, but the one I bought matches the Amazon tracklisting exactly.

As for the music, I found Primal Scream by way of Death in Vegas, which I found by way of the Blair Witch 2 soundtrack... it's a funny web that music weaves. Anyways, I found this CD to be quite a surprise after hearing the singer's vocals on Death in Vegas' "Soul Auctioneer". I'm still sort of getting a feel for it, but everything I've heard so far, I've liked. Also, reading reviews of their other albums, it seems they change genres a lot, which is a feature I enjoy in bands. So further investigation is required.

EDIT:
The other reviewers are correct. Here's why I was confused:
The actual liner notes with my CD match amazon, and that's where I got that from. The tracks that are physically on the disc though, are different. Here's how mine ends:

10. Sometimes I feel So Lonely
11. Gimme Some Truth
12. Country Girl (live)
13. Suicide Sally and Johnny Guitar (Live at XFM)

Anyways, still a fantastic CD. The only way to listen to it is full blast with your windows rolled down.

forget about any negative reviews on this album. this is a great guitar-based rawk'n'roll album. i too like the scream in their psychedelic versions but this is a pleasant twist in their catalogue. i wish the stones can put out albums like this nowadays.

While certainly not their best album (Screamadelica, Vanishing Point and XTRMNTR, depending on your point of view) it is a pretty good rock n roll album and much better than Give Out But Don't Give Up. This is basically their 2nd attempt at the southern boogie sound of the 70's and for fans of their dark dub/electronica it will be frustrating. The best songs on it are Country Girl and Dolls, which ROCKS regardless of your opinion of their direction on this record.

I am a fan of Give Out but Don't Give Up, so I enjoyed this album. Primal Scream is one of the most interesting bands around today. From their trippy earlier albums to their turn at Industrial/ Dance, they are constantly open to creating new sounds, instead of recreating their "hits" as so many other bands do nowadays. While this album is nothing radically new, I did enjoy it much more than say, XTRMNTR or Evil Heat. The first track "Country Girl" seems to have gotten the most airplay, but think that my favorite track is "Sometimes I Feel So Lonely," a slower, more soulful track. This album is very "country rock," but it's also very accessible to both new Primal Scream listeners and long-term fans. Enjoy!