From Rgeary2 Sent Thu, Oct 8th 1998, 04:55
U.N.K.L.E.: Psyence Fiction First off: no, it's not the Second Coming. It's close, though, especially for those of us who worship at the temple of beats headed by high priest DJ Shadow. The early buzz on UNKLE was that it was to be James Lavelle's brainchild, the landmark album and flagship project of Mo' Wax, Lavelle's UK label. Expectations soared higher and higher as the project was delayed, Mo' Wax gained more and more cred, and DJ Shadow exploded all over with Endtroducing. So many have come to this record with the expectation that it will turn the entire musical scene on its' head. Well, it won't. But it's a damn good album anyway. In reality, it's a new Shadow record (read the production credits carefully- Lavelle seems to have put more time into his extensive thank-yous than anything else). This time out, Shadow's newfound popularity and the background presence of Lavelle have thrust him into the spotlight. Shadow, as his very name suggests, is the proverbial rabbit in your headlights, and recoils from the stage as any good director does. To balance the behind-the-scenes presence of Lavelle, this time Shadow wraps himself in a terrifying science-fiction vision of the future, the compound identity of UNKLE, and a thick layer of high-profile guests. The move is akin to Tricky's reaction to his post-Maxinquaye instant fame, where he put together a similar project (even darker in tone, as befits the increasingly alienated Tricky Kid) named Nearly God, referring to the collective talent held together by Tricky. No doubt more attention will be lauded on the guests on this album, but in reality they are denizens of a world created by Shadow. Throughout, Shadow's beats, soundscapes and compositions evoke a futuristic world that can only be survived by pooling the talents of rappers, samplers, live players, Britpoppers, and beatmongers. Is UNKLE exactly the music of the future everyone seems to want? No. Is UNKLE the stunningly accurate blueprint of where good music is more than likely headed? A resounding Yes. A little more on the feel: The album is dark, even to the point of existential dread. Richard Ashcroft puts his finger right on the aspect of dread that runs throughout the album when, in the epic "Lonely Soul," he sings "I'm gonna die in a place that don't know my name" to the accompaniment of sweeping strings and a thunderous drumbeat that sounds simultaneously militaristic and resigned, but has a hint of UNKLE's method of salvation: funkiness, soul, and anger channeled through music create life. My favorite tracks are the lead, "Guns Blazing" that features the legendary Kool G. Rap styling over a furious, futuristic soundwar, and "Rabbit in Your Headlights," where Shadow cooly plays a light backbeat to complement Thom Yorke's pretty, strangely frail vocals. So was all the hype worth it? Yes and no. The short answer is that all the hype is almost never worth it, but the reality is that Lavelle and Shadow, as UNKLE, have produced a deep, complex and challenging album that doesn't provide the instant gratification everyone wanted, but seems like it will stand the test. It so far has passed my test: I like it more with each listen. -rob!