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Monomania
Adventures in Stereo (LP)
Bobsled Records
It's easy to understand how Primal Scream went all dark and anarchic after Jim Beattie left the band, clearing them out of every last trace of indie-schmindie. Just listen to 'Monomania', Adventures in Stereo's third LP. It's dead unlikely you'll be able to imagine Beattie within several miles of anything called "Kill All Hippies". Oh no. Ditties about raindrops, sunshine, and cute widdle birdies that could drive less-hinged members of society to commit horrendous crimes of unspeakable evil are much more Beattie's style. It's just so bloody...NICE. Not that there's anything patently wrong with nice; vocalist Judith Boyle's honey-sweet, breathy sighs surely provide ample fodder for self-fiddlage during cold and lonely bedsit evenings. But sometimes you wish she'd give just one good, hard BELLOW from the diaphragm. Or something.
That being said, aside from the ill-advised alt.country tweeness on "International", much of 'Monomania' is quite lovely, actually. It has all the components: the Beach Boys and Byrds-like harmonies, the tinkly flutes, and the tickly Hammond. "Running" sounds like the Ventura Highway relocated to Glasgow, and there's some wonderful fuzzy guitar moments on "Dust To Ashes" and "Touch The Rain". "We Will Stand" sounds a bit like the Poni Tails (a 1950's girl band - remember "Born Too Late"? No?). It's like a Senior Prom where the queen doesn't get drenched in pigs' blood and no one dies. But, like Halloween candy, it's too much sweetness to digest all in one go.
So, "Monomania" then: nice, but couldn't eat a whole one.
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