Review Of Lemon Jelly - 64-95
Track listing:
'88 AKA Come Down On Me
'68 AKA Only Time
'93 AKA Don't Stop Now
'95 AKA Make Things Right
'79 AKA The Shouty Track
'75 AKA Stay With You
'76 AKA The Slow Train
'90 AKA Man Like Me
'64 AKA Go
North London duo Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen AKA Lemon Jelly return with their unique brand of downbeat madness, melody and whimsical humour.
They've come a long way since 2000's debut album "KY", a compilation of their first three limited 10" vinyl EP's. A rapidly expanding fanbase and the release of 2002's "Lost Horizon's" were quickly followed by a Brit and Mercury Music Prize nominations. All of this would have undoubtedly piled the pressure on for their next album release, '64-'95, built around a selection of samples spanning those very dates.
The boys appear to have been up for the challenge delivering a wholly traditional Lemon Jelly album but unlike one we've seen before. Whilst there is still the abundance of annoyingly catchy piano loops, samples and simplistic melodies that have served them so well in the past, '64-'95 immediately appears more mature. Whilst not as instantly likeable as "Lost Horizon's" this ensures greater longevity and is probably all the better for
it.
Long, slow-building tracks like "Only Time", "Don't Stop Now" and the aptly titled "The Slow Train" are interspersed with Lemon Jelly's own guitar anthems, "The Shouty Track" which samples Scottish punks The Scars and the Chemical Brother tribute track "Come Down On Me" which uses samples from the now defunct heavy-metallers Master of Reality. Additional contributions from Terri Walker and Star Trek's very own William Shatner ensure that the boys deliver the kind of eclectic album we've now come to expect and love.
This is the first album they've made with an accompanying DVD, lovingly created by Airside, the design company consisting of 50% Deakin. All very incestuous but it really does work well. Now, in addition to the previously unique "Jelly" packaging & artwork, we are given visuals to enhance each track. How nice of them!
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