Porcupine, Echo & the Bunnymen's third album, has garnered a reputation for being as prickly as its namesake.
Although the record is lined with jagged guitars and is arguably the band's darkest offering, these aspects suit the Bunnymen just fine.
Ian McCulloch, in particular, sounds right at home on this brooding set of songs; his deep, Jim Morrison-esque vocals perfectly convey his intriguing, shadowy tales.
Porcupine is front-loaded with its two key singles: the startling "The Cutter" and the strangely grand "The Back of Love." Both songs benefit from the dramatic string playing of Shankar, who also also lends an ominous drone to "Heads Will Roll."
Throughout the album, McCulloch conjures up vivid lyrical imagery with his powerful voice, from the demonic depths of "My White Devil" and "Higher Hell" to the soaring heights of "God Will Be Gods" and "In Bluer Skies." Expanded editions include five alternate versions of album tracks, along with the excellent B-side "Fuel" and the much-loved single "Never Stop (Discotheque)," rounding out a record that holds its own with other revered Bunnymen outings.
This album had me nearly instantly hooked with its odd combination of high energy guitars, pulsing, danceable bass, and a neat inclusion of acoustic guitar to give it a more natural sound compared to its synth-y contemporaries, striking against a dreary atmosphere and that odd vocal delivery you can't help but tune in to.
Its as if you're being forced to dance to something you'd never think to fance to, yet you can't help but have a good time. This feeling permeates throughout the A-side, into the B-side, but unfortunately does not stick the landing, with the energy and tempo slowing going down, but not shockingly enough to keep your attention, rather just kind of ween you off the record before its over, that way you aren't really dying for more, but you had a good time while it lasted.
The songs are fundamentally propelled by the same post-punk energy that fuelled their first couple of records. However, this time around they litter the songs with way more paraphernalia.
Ian McCulloch's vocal presence is huge on this one. He is self-assured and the theatricality is definitely turned up but, for me, he manages to pull it off. The sheer confidence in the delivery is hard to deny. Will Sergeant's guitar is adventurous and fascinating.
Full of energy and curious approaches. The tracks are also scattered with all kinds curious additions - horns, Indian strings, celeste, effects drench guitars, marimba, eerie percussive sounds, strange synths, zither etc. - that add to the richness of the sound and the weird, psychedelic feel of the album.
The sound here is huge. Literally 'big music'.
It's like if their first two albums, early U2 and Berlin era Bowie all got sent flying down some endless black hole into a deep psychedelic void. The band use dissonance very cleverly and there is also a creepy, exotic, eastern element in a bunch of these songs.
It creates this alluring 80s gothic take on psychedelia. Intoxicating and dangerous.
Side A
A1. The Cutter - 3:50
A2. Back Of Love - 3:12
A3. My White Devil - 4:30
A4. Clay - 4:10
A5. Porcupine - 5:55
Side B
B1. Heads Will Roll - 3:28
B2. Ripeness - 4:46
B3. Higher Hell - 5:00
B4. Gods Will Be Gods - 4:10
B5. In Bluer Skies - 5:55
- Echo & the Bunnymen
with:
- Technical
- Ian Broudie – producer
- Dave Bascombe – engineer
- Paul Cobald – engineer
- Colin Fairley – engineer
- Dave Woolley – engineer
- Steve Short – engineer
- Steve Presige – engineer
- Brian Griffin – photography
- Martyn Atkins – cover design
Notes
Release: 1983
Format: LP, Vinyl
Genre: Post-punk, neo-psychedelia
Label: Korova
Catalog# 240027-1
Vinyl: Goed (VG)
Cover: Goed (VG)
Prijs: €10,00
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