Happy Mondays
Bummed (Elektra) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)
One excellent reason to buy this British band`s American debut is the production work of Martin Hannett, the Manchester studio guru who a decade ago helped sculpt the sound of Joy Division and New Order. Hannett`s murky, echo- laden mix on ”Bummed” recalls a `60s psychedelic jam, but the songs never wander off into tedium. The best of them are as corrosive, sarcastic and edgy as anything on the `80s alternative scene. Shaun Ryder`s wobbly voice is buried in layers of guitars and keyboards, like a lost soul looking for an exit sign in limbo. ”Wrote for Luck” captures the band at its best (a dance remix is available on CD), a 6-minute drone/trance with an insidious groove.
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Poor (STAR)
