The Shirehorses: "The Worst Album In The World Ever . . . Ever!"(East West)
The legendary stars of Glastonbury '97 dig deep into the pile of poo which is their back catalogue, and have uncovered some cover versions which would have been best left buried, like Baby Bloke with their endearing tune, You're Gormless, and of course Po-Fasis with Cum On Skweeze Me Boilz. The Shirehorses are actually radio personalities Mark Radcliffe and Marc "Lard" Riley, and their humour is firmly locked in the region of the Loaded lavatory. Wisecracks about bottoms and beer bellies abound, but there are two inspired moments: the oldie's revenge of Doofergrass's Feel Like Shite, and the fab footie commentary of Dick Cave & The Bad Cheese's Ballad Of Franny Lee.
By Kevin Courtney
Black Grape: "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid" (Radioactive)
It's amazing that Shaun Ryder and his Grape gang haven't disintegrated in a swirl of joint smoke; the rock'n'roll reprobates return with another grab-bag of hazy beats, shouty raps, and mischievous samples. It's no less raucous than their debut, It's Great When You're Straight . . . Yeah!, the songs coming hard and fast, and riding shotgun on the guitar licks of Paul "Wags" Wagstaff and the drums of Ged Lynch. The tune isn't always there, but the enthusiasm is unfettered on songs like Squeaky, Marbles and Dadi Was A Badi. Ryder is helped out on vocals by his cronies Kermit and Psycho, but it's the programming skills of Danny Saber (who also cowrote the songs) which gives the album its rolled-up shape.
By Kevin Courtney
"Faith of Our Fathers 2" (RTE Records).
Faith Of Our Fathers was a social rather than a musical phenomenon. It gave form to the previously silent cry at the heart of those countless thousands of people who ache to go back to a time when the nation was united by hymns. And it served that purpose magnificently. However, Faith of Our Fathers 2 is a travesty, which comes across as a coldly-calculated attempt to capitalise on the success of the first album. Many tracks were recorded "live in concert" at The Point earlier this year, though evidence of spirited life is sadly absent. The selection also leaves much to be desired, as in "classic" hymns that really do haul us back to a bygone era. Sweet Sacrament Divine and God Of Mercy And Compassion do, but Ave Maria and Panis Angelicus, hardly. And as for Lady Of Knock ? Do I hear the rather indelicate sound of someone scraping the bottom of a barrel? Sometimes albums are like dates. Once is enough.
By Joe Jackson
