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Rating: The year was 1982, and Barry Andrews on keyboards (former XTC), Dave Allen (legendary bassist of the first two Gang Of Four albums), and Carl Marsh on vocals formed Shriekback. "Oil And Gold" is their third LP and has now become a classic. Ten hard-funky tracks mixed with others that are slowed down and atmospheric. All seasoned with decadent and disorienting keyboards, sometimes with an oriental flavor. From this point of view, Shriekback could be compared to Japan. Their sound was more danceable than Sylvian's group, but above all, it was occasionally tinged with soul due to the presence of soft female choirs, but the aesthetic interpretation of rock shows several points in common. Especially the use of electronics is very similar to Richard Barbieri's nocturnal visions in the slowed-down tracks.
The opening "Malaria", known in the trendiest clubs at that time, is an exhilarating avalanche, an engrossing ultra-danceable funky track thanks to Marsh's singing, who duets with a female gospel choir. Electronics are always very present and blend beautifully with guitar distortions. Undoubtedly a great piece.
The following "Everything That Rises Must Converge" certainly doesn't give you time to catch your breath, insisting on metallic and edgy bass figures. Needless to say, the backbone of this art-funk is the rhythmic section, as powerful as few, present, and incisive.
But as hinted above, the album also thrives on atmospheric moments, the best example being the long ballad "This Big Hush", 6 minutes of splendid dreaminess. Marsh's voice becomes warm and sensual, reciting his psalm accompanied by a languid female voice. In the background, a misty electronic carpet stretches seductively, accompanied by slow drum machine strokes. One of the most evocative tracks of its decade.
The Arabian dance of "Hammerheads", marked by the buzzing of electronic mosquitoes and Caribbean percussion, represents the hybrid between their "slow" pieces and their wild funk impulses, completing an important, well-played, engaging, and sometimes surreal album. A language that has elevated danceable music to high peaks and will remain a splendid example of art-funk. Recommended.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Fish Below the Ice (04:24)
Well the mouth is open
And the noise comes out
Ain't no reason for it
Just a need to shout
It's malnutrition
We could fall apart
It's never delicate
Just something from the iron age
We shake it up
And we break it down
The sound of a satellite
Saying get me down
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
Hear the voice of America
In your home town
Well the film is forming
'Til the film runs out
There's no point of focus
It zooms in and out
It's information
And it leaves no mark
It's just as permanent
As painting in the iron age
I'm plugged in and loaded
Don't forget to phone in
The self destruct is holding
I'm counting, I'm counting, but only to three
We get it right sometimes
We shine a light sometimes
We see the fish below the ice sometimes
Stand up and fight sometimes
We get the fright sometimes
How will we ever pay the price this time
We shake it up
And we break it down
The sound of a satellite
Saying get me down
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
It's east European, west European
It's moving so fast
It goes all the way round
We shake it up
And we break it down
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
Yeah we shake it up / Yeah he's on a mission from god
And we break it down / But he don't know whose and he don't know why
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
Yeah we shake it up / Says I'm not a light in the darkness
And we break it down / More like a shadow on the lungs
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
Yeah we shake it up / I'm balanced here on the edge of anger
And we break it down / I'm standing here on an empty page
Yeah we shake it up / Sooner or later I'll start receiving
And we break it down / I've been standing here for days
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
Hear the voice of America
In your home town
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
It's east European, west European
It's moving so fast
It goes all the way round
We get it right sometimes
We shine a light sometimes
We see the fish below the ice sometimes
Stand up and fight sometimes
We get the fright sometimes
How will we ever pay the price this time
We shake it up
And we break it down
The sound of a satellite
Saying get me down
Yeah we shake it up
And we break it down
It's east European, west European
It's moving so fast
It goes all the way round
We get it right sometimes
We shine a light sometimes
We see the fish below the ice sometimes
Stand up and fight sometimes
We get the fright sometimes
How will we ever pay the price this time
We get it right sometimes
We shine a light sometimes
We see the fish below the ice sometimes
Stand up and fight sometimes
We get the fright sometimes
How will we ever pay the price this time
We get it right sometimes
We shine a light sometimes
We see the fish below the ice sometimes
Stand up and fight sometimes
We get the fright sometimes
How will we ever pay the price this time
We get it right sometimes
We shine a light sometimes...
06 Nemesis (03:45)
In a jungle of the senses
Tinkerbell and Jack the ripper
Love has no meaning, not where they come from
But we know pleasure is not that simple
Very little fruit is forbidden
Sometimes we wobble, sometimes we're strong
But you know evil is an exact science
Being carefully correctly wrong
Chorus
Priests and cannibals, prehistoric animals
Everybody happy as the dead come home
Big Black Nemesis, parthenogenesis
No one move a muscle as the dead come home
We feel like Greeks, we feel like Romans
Centaurs and monkeys just cluster round us
We drink elixirs that we refine
from the juices of the dying
We are no monsters, we're moral people
and yet we have the strength to do this
This is the splendour of our achievement
Call in the airstrike with a poison kiss
Chorus
Priests and cannibals, prehistoric animals
Everybody happy as the dead come home
Big black nemesis, parthenogenesis
No-one move a muscle as the dead come home
How bad it gets, you can't imagine
the burning wax, the breath of reptiles
god is not mocked, he knows our business
Karma could take us at any moment
Cover him up.....I think we're finished
You know it's never been so exotic
but I don't know, my dreams are visions
We could still end up with the great big fishes
Chorus
Priests and cannibals, prehistoric animals
Everybody happy as the dead come home
Big black nemesis, parthenogenesis
No-one move a muscle as the dead come home
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