TINDERSTICKS – BLACK SMOKE (LUCKY DOG)
In a rare moment of happiness Tindersticks manage to put down a relatively upbeat tune championing the after affects of being blown out (shot down). With it comes a pulsing and almost euphoric take on proceedings where Staples’ delivery occasionally reminds of Lou Reed’s barbed vocal method where lines sound like statements and accusations thrown out amongst the bitterness.
The Tindersticks aren’t necessarily a singles band. Years ago Mark And Lard did a skit where they posed as the band releasing a Christmas album of pub sing-along to which the joke was not very well received. And in many ways rightfully so as this is a band plainly with a vision and intent, a message that is pure and need not mockery as their own humility offers enough self depreciation alone.
As the protagonist talks about going to the river you begin to wonder for the wellbeing of the narrator. The black smoke in question sounds poisonous stuff, stuff that I can very much identify with. As the river in the story changes meaning a new degree of urgency and betrayal appears offered to the track and it begins galloping to the defeat line. If the Velvet Underground had been from Nottingham the city would still have been a shit hole.
Towards the end as Staples tells of “making love in the afternoon” the saxophones take over adding a strange air to proceedings. And then it is all over. It’s a mucky mucky world that we live in. It is not necessarily Coltrane.
On the other side of proceedings “Just Drifting” offers up the Tindersticks take on Psychic TV. I am positive the Genesis version never sounded as silky as this.
This is the world we live in.
Thesaurus moment: burnt.
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