Primal Scream – Come Ahead – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Primal Scream are just gas.  They are all over the place, from jangle pop (1987’s Sonic Flower Groove) to amphetamine skronk (1989’s self-titled), to Madchester rave (1991’s Screamadelica), to classic rock (1994’s Give Out But Don’t Give Up) and to fuck knows where (2000’s Xtrmntr).  They worship Iggy and Aretha, Curtis and Keef in equal measure.  They take you through a journey of all the music they are into.  This time around their minds are very much on the dancefloor.

The album opens with a gospel choir singing “When my time finally comes I’ll be ready” before launching into full-on disco of Ready To Go Home with female backing vocal ‘aahs’ and sweeping strings.  It doesn’t get much more pastiche than Love Insurrection an excellent, addictive slice of 70s funky disco.  Lyrics are the usual bollocks of “in the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king”, accompanied by more soaring strings.  Although emerging too late to be a true summer anthem, it’s brilliantly rendered.

A total change of tack for the blissed-out Heal Yourself, a gorgeous slice of gospel before Innocent Money lurches into view, another disco track for doped-up oul fellas to dad-dance to.  High-pitched disco voices abound, with shades of Swastika Eyes stylings thrown in.  The sweeping ballad Melancholy Man has a wonderfully cheesy saxophone solo and a très old-fashioned guitar axe-hero style solo.

As usual for Primal Scream the album is a bit spotty.  They go rock ‘n’ roll on Love Ain’t Enough with an awkward guitar riff and highly dramatic strings.  Circus of Life is almost like a 70s funk crossed with Radiohead/Smile knotty song.  Neither track quite works but they sound like they’re having a great laugh while doing it.  The band stretches out on the lengthy, chilled-out False Flags, there is the most terrific drum sound on the pumping electro-anthem Deep Dark Waters, and giddy relentless acoustic guitar-driven dance on The Centre Cannot Hold.

The closer, Settlers Blues is unlike anything Primal Scream has released before.  A nine-minute tale of the English colonisation of Ireland, Bobby Gillespie’s draggy, drawled vocals over gloriously moody guitar and strings.  There’s a complete lack of coherence on this album.  It’s gloriously messy, over the top, and…. fun!

Love Insurrection