BARRY ADAMSON

BARRY ADAMSON
OEDIPUS SCHMOEDIPUS (1996)
320 KBPS

After some releases with more of a beat-heavy pop feel, Adamson moves back — sort of — into the land of noirish soundtrack. Unlike Moss Side Story, it's not really a soundtrack with repeated themes and motifs. A lot of pieces establish soundtrack-like moods, but the flow never builds up momentum of its own. As individual soundscapes, though, the tracks (largely instrumental) are reasonably impressive, whether it's burlesque-type fare, a takeoff on Miles Davis, or lounge jazz. If noir is what you want, "It's Business as Usual" is especially creepy, with its neurotic answering machine messages nearly buried under waves of disquieting sounds; achieving a similar effect; in an entirely different manner, is "Vermillion Kisses," a fairytale narrative with a morbid ending. Nick Cave adds a guest vocal to (and co-writes) "The Sweetest Embrace"; Pulp's Jarvis Cocker can be heard (and co-writes) another cut. Adamson's skill in layering and devising unusual sound textures still qualifies him as one of experimental rock's more imaginative composers and producers. But on the more rock-oriented pieces, he's using too many of those damn beat boxes for his own good.

1. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Pelvis
2. Something Wicked This Way Comes
3. The Vibes Ain't Nothin' But the Vibes
4. It's Business as Usual
5. Miles
6. Dirty Barry
7. In a Moment of Clarity
8. Achieved in the Valley of Dolls
9. Vermillion Kisses
10. The Big Bamboozle
11. State of Contraction
12. The Sweetest Embrace
13. Set the Controls Again