When People Stared in Jagger’s Eyes and Scored
The only thing Primal Scream alter more than musical styles is members, with lead vocalist Bobby Gillespie as the singular mainstay. The ensemble roster is frequently complete with seasoned talents from various English bands past. Latest album Riot City Blues abandons the electronica and acid house that helped Primal Scream ride the 90s Brit Pop wave, garnering acclaim with the notable Screamadelica . Their new sound is a resurrection of 60s blues rock in the vein of Faces and the Rolling Stones. Gillespie does his lukewarm Jagger impersonation, but rather than being inspired by the era he tries to duplicate it. Yet, Primal Scream are triumphant imitators.Full of nasty riffs, jangly melodies and 12-bar blues formulas, the album is rich with solid musicianship. “Suicide Sally and Johnny Guitar” executes a mean guitar solo, which is overshadowed only by the fact that the song is a precise Mick Ronson/ “Suffragette City” rip-off. Single “Country Girl” is the standout track, a ditty that fuses gospel and bluegrass, complete with banjo and mandolin. If it weren’t known that this band once was on the periphery of the English Madchester scene, it would be believable that these chaps were homegrown in Tennessee. “Sometimes I Feel So Lonely” is a lovely roots ballad highlighting a harmonica and R&B backing choir singing a grand melodic chorus.
One must salute Gillespie’s musical courage to buck an expected trend and venture off in another territory. Unfortunately, it has already been charted. To capture another space and time appears to be a youthful fantasy, and an indulgent replica is the result.
Leave a Comment