Echo And The Bunnymen
Meteorites

Year 2014, the new Bunnymen album is out! Or is it Ian McCulloc's new solo album? Will Sergeant "only" played as a musician on these 10 tracks, without writing anything, "limiting" himself to arranging the work done by Ian? Detractors might speculate on these statements to an enviable level of neurosis... So, do we listen to this Bunnymen album or not, knowing that they might not be the same Bunnymen from the start of their career?

Well, I belong to the "what matters is the music" party and not the speculations surrounding it, so:

1. I blindly buy the CD. I love the Bunnymen, so at worst it will just be part of my collection

2. I simply listen to it, without any prejudice or preconception

It starts with the song that gives the album its title and immediately feels like being at home: Ian's voice is as splendid as ever and the melody that accompanies it is in pure Bunnymen ballad style.

"Holy Moses" brings me back down to earth. It's not an inspired song. I'm sorry to say it, but it's filler made of fillers: the annoying "wa wa wa" and "ye ye ye" in the chorus shatter my expectations.

The following "Constantinople" is another slightly more "cordial" filler than the previous one, but it makes me fear that the worst is yet to come.

And the worst... doesn't come! Yes, I was presumptuous despite my initial good intentions. With "Is This A Breakdown," I start hoping that I've left the worst behind.

I have my definitive confirmation when I reach track no. 6 "Lovers On The Run." What a sound... wonderful! One of the most beautiful Bunnymen songs, surely from the last 20 years.

The melancholy of "Burn It Down" is a dear plunge to the heart for the times that were. A precious emotion that reaches its peak of expression in the concluding and splendidly refined "New Horizons."

Yes, I did well to buy this album.