Search - Shamen :: Phorword (+ Bonus Tracks)

Brilliant CD from the boys from Aberdeen

filterite | Dublin, Ireland | 06/06/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Time has been cruel to The Shamen in Britain . Cruelly mocked for their number 1 single Ebeneezer Goode they've never quite recovered their status as one of Britain's best dance rock fusionists .This was made before any " Eeezer goode " anthems had graced the nation . And what a great album it is too ! We start off with the groovy You Me And Everything ( Else ). We are lead into a track were we here pilots giving orders and reporting their progress in a war torn area set behind the synths . Next song is Negation State which is a furious Will Sinnot rap over the state of politics and how they will blanket everything that's going on in day to day life . True the Scottish accent may not be everyone's cup of tea but I think it sounds goodNext up is a remix of Raptyouare cunningly title Reraptyouare . We are lead into another remix - this time of Strange Days Dream which is good as it adds to the original . Phorward is a nice little track . It sounds slightly sinister but it's worth itThe S&N sessions are next on the list and you are given a rework of Happy Days with Colin Angus on vocals . Then we are given Knature Of A Girl which is equally great . In fact that track shows you how much The Shamen went through a total transmutation . It's hard to believe that from Drop we had these Echo & The Bunnymen/Syd Barrett influenced psychedelic rockers to these techno hybrids making strange new music .We then are given Darkness In Zion and this is a very harsh and unsettling track which jars the nerves of most listeners . A strange end to an albumSo why four stars ? Well it feels a little too short for my liking . I have the feeling they could have put more in but I won't complain - it's a great album that everybody should listen to if they are open minded about these things . It's only a pity some people will always remember them for Ebeneezer Goode - they had much more to offer"