24th February, 1997

A quiet week.

Single of the Week

"The New Pollution" by Beck

Another melee of guitar, backbeats, samples, slacker vocals and off-kilter crazeeness from Beck. An upbeat, poppy number haunted by weird slices of guitar feedback and stylophone doodlings, "The New Pollution" sees Brit-award winner Beck cutting a rug with sharp and groovy style.

On the b-side is an Aphex Twin remix of "Devil's Haircut" called "Richard's Hairpiece", placing the original song in a drum and bass fairground run by Papa Smurf, through which a twister is blowing. Mental. The other extra track is the previously unreleased "Electric Music And The Summer People", which echoes Stereolab or Tiger in a pulsing electronic pop song.

An EP of weird and eclectic noises, which sums Beck up nicely.

Rating: 9/10

The Rest

"Hush" by Kula Shaker

Ok, I've had enough of this lot. "Tattva" and "Govinda" were almost allowable - despite the embarrassing and patronising foreign-language lyrics - but this sub-Stone Roses guitar dross is not good. If this is the sound with which Hunt and his band wish to bring in the new millenium which they keep wibbling on about then, in the words of Fraser from Dad's Army, "we're all doomed".

B-sides..."Raagy One (Waiting For Tomorrow)" is a bit better, incorporating the Eastern psychedelic noises that the band seem to love. "Under The Hammer" is more painful histrionics masquerading as music, and a live version of "Govinda" closes a coaster of a CD.

Very poor.

Rating: 3/10

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