ADD N TO (X)s fourth album (My God! Where does the time go?) is being touted for its' eclecticism, as pigeonholing is something to be avoided at all costs by the 21st Century musician, right?
Well, ye-es, in theory, I suppose. The trouble is, "Loud Like Nature" more often represents the sound of falling between stools, as this strange trio seem hellbent to tour half-finished ideas over a cohesive whole.
This writer tends to feel apprehension when he encounters albums recorded over lengthy sessions in a number of cities, as this in itself suggests internal harmony is low, and sadly "Loud Like Nature" - recorded in Sheffield, London and New York - bears this line of thinking out. The 13 tracks are usually supplied by one individual songwriter and generally seem the product of purely that person's imagination.
Admittedly, when Steve Claydon, Ann Shenton and Barry 7 can be bothered to see an idea through to its' logical conclusion, the end results are satisfying enough. Opener "Total All Out Water" is a case in point with the band making like The Timelords careering between Glam and the ultimate Castlemorton rave. It's heady indeed, as is "Sheez Mine": a crazily infectious analogue synth romp impregnated by some hilariously OTT six-stringery by guest ex-Pulp man Richard Hawley.
There are other sporadic examples of something within walking distance of genius too. The oddball sonic cut-ups of "Invasion Of The Polaroid People" feature an authentically arcane spoken word piece from legendary US scenester/producer Kim Fowley, and - despite the obvious attempts to up the shock ante ("he's shooting up in the boy's room!") - he sounds convincingly unhinged. On a completely different tip, meanwhile, "Up The Punks" amalgamates both elements of Bacharach & David's sunny "Walk On By" and a loping, dub-like backing not dissimilar to some of Cabaret Voltaire's earlier Western Works experiments. Astonishingly, the marriage works a dream.
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Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the remainder. New single "Take Me To Your Leader" is merely a club-footed attempt to revisit the Glitter Band-isms of "Total All Out Water"; tracks like "Large Number" are just frantic, dashed -off and too 'will this do?' to ring true and - worse - the likes of "Party Bag" and "Quantum Leap" are single-hook electronica desperately searching for somewhere to hang. Forgettable, in a word.
Quite probably, large chunks of "Loud Like Nature" are meant to be taken with outsize pinches of salt. ADD N TO (X) have always adopted a mischievous and subversive slant (remember the gig in a disused Scottish nuclear bunker?), so this is probably to be expected.
However, ironic slant or no, a worryingly large portion of "Loud Like Nature" unhappily sounds like Zeitgeist-chasing electronic whimsy. With extensive editing there's a dynamite EP here, but all too often the emotion evoked here is confuison. And that's not even remotely good enough. (5/10)
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