Perhaps more of a fashion statement than a musical movement (or so it seems sometimes) there has been somewhat of a revival in the fortunes of goth over the last few years. Record shops now divide their inventory by genre - rock, folk, blues, dance, etc - and there is a separate category for goth, even if it's just populated by endless albums by The Mission, Sisters of Mercy and Fields of Nephilim.
While goth still seems to be trading on past glories, newer exhibits who come in under the neo-goth label include American oddity Marilyn Manson who, even though he may be rejected by the purists, has managed to focus a bit of attention on the distinctly English musical style. And believe it or not, a reformed Bauhaus are playing to thousands of people on a US tour. There's also the use of related goth topics in much of today's music: recent albums by Massive Attack, Tricky and Garbage are as bleakly epic as anything goth produced in its 1980s heyday. Back then, goth's pre-eminent position as a music and lifestyle of choice was quickly usurped by techno and the whole dance thing, but now that "rave" is about as popular as prog rock, the goths are regrouping - and especially around Dublin, where they've always been a small but highly visible subculture.
Adjectives like "baroque" and "Wagnerian" are unavoidable when talking about goth, such is the mordant feel of the music. Equally unavoidable is the "fashion": all jet-black, back-combed hair and whiter-than-white face make-up, above an "any colour you like, so long as it's black" uniform. There's a bit more variety to the genre than you would think: from the post-punk of Theatre Of Hate to the slide-guitar rock of Fields Of Nephilim and the industrial/mechanoid noise of Alien Sex Fiend. It's a given fact that all goth bands deliberately distance themselves from the genre - so much so, in fact, that the only way you know if a band is goth or not is if they vigorously deny it in interviews.
A new Goth compilation, unimaginatively titled Nocturnal, has roped all the goth greats together for the first time - much to their "but we're not goth" annoyance, probably. Skipping over the less than edifying efforts of also-rans like March Violets and Danielle Dax, the heavy-hitters like The Mission, Cult, Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus provide a few memorable moments. The most intriguing thing about the album, though, is its choice of acts. While there isn't a peep from The Cure or Siouxsie And The Banshees, there is room for tracks for such ungothic acts as The Jesus And Mary Chain, Soft Cell, The Virgin Prunes, The Cocteau Twins, Depeche Mode, Dead Can Dance - and even The Smiths.
Nocturnal is available on the Procreate label.
A far more cohesive set of albums is to be found in The Best Hip-Hop Anthemz Ever! and Decade Of Game (The Ruthless Records Tenth Anniversary Collection). The former is a double CD that takes in early stuff by Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC and Herbie Hancock in tandem with later material from Coolio, Bone ThugsN-Harmony (doing great vocal harmonies on Tha Crossroads) and Busta Rhymes (on the exuberant Woo-Ha - Got You All In Check). With only about two dud tracks out of 38, it's an excellent greatest hits package. The Ruthless Records compilation carries an "Explicit Content" warning (always a good sign in a rap album) and focuses mainly on the work of the label's biggest sellers, Niggers With Attitude, and the various solo work of members Ice Cube, Dr Dre and EazyE. Also of interest on the distaff side of the rap world is Michel'le (with No More Lies) and Hoez With Attitude. 23 tracks long and a bit edgier than the hip-hop compilation.
Briefly: the best album I've heard in a good year or three is the new one from Mercury Rev called Deserter's Song (if you only buy one album all year, buy this - it's stunning). Mercury Rev come in to play The Mean Fiddler on October 20th . . . The Velure/Strictly Fish people, who have never disappointed in the past, have come up with a spiffing new club for Saturday nights. With "comfort" and "space" being their watchwords, they've come up with The Good Life which is on at Life, Lower Abbey Street every Saturday from 9 p.m. until late. It's fab.
