St Vitus Dance - Glypotheque
by Anthony Strutt
published: 5 / 3 / 2008
Label:
Probe Plus
Format: CD
intro
Energetic second album from Irish band St Vitus Dance, whose honey-voiced singer Noel Burke replaced Ian McCulloch for a while in Echo and the Bunnymen in the early 90's, and who have returned after 20 years away
‘Glypotheque’ is the second album from St Vitus Dance, the Belfast Band that relocated to Liverpool back in 1987. Their first album, ‘Love Me, Love My Dogma’, which was released originally that year, was given a CD remaster treatment in 2005. That album was fast and furious but this new album is a very different animal in its colours. The six piece band still all these years on has five of the original members of the group which appeared on the first album. ‘Glypotheque’ opens with ‘Winners All', which has a jangly, rockabilly sound. Noel Burke's vocals drip like honey as they always have, and when for a while in the early 90’s he replaced Ian McCulloch as the singer in Echo and the Bunnymen at which time “Mac” was in the midst of his long ten year sabbatical from the band. The guitar solo here has a Shadows sound. ‘The Stakeholder's Lament’ is a low key number It is somewhat easy listening in its style and is very smooth, perfect hangover or late evening/early morning music. ‘Gamblin' Man’ has an Irish pub rock flavour and is a jangling fun number, while ‘Fevered Ego’ is a fast-paced acoustic number with a fabulous ending which recalls the fury of their older material. ‘Human Interest Story’ is a soft and acoustic number. It has a slow pace, a great rhythm to it and tells a superb story, while the title track is much faster with a stunning groove, a fine solo and is a near perfect song in every single way. ‘Stupor Mundi’ is softer in tone and has an easy-on-the-ear flow to it. ‘Not a Good Time’ is again jangly in sound, a combination of the Shadows and the Bunnymen.‘Seriously Listing’ is meanwhile reflective in tone, while ‘Spend Love’is very perky and upbeat. 'Whither Litherland’ and ‘Retake’ are both acoustic-based. The former is slow and thoughtful, while the latter is more upbeat. It ends with ‘Longfinger’ which starts off sounding very dark, almost Gothic, but then slowly becomes more acoustic and ends up both jangly and reflective with an accordion being added for extra bite.
Track Listing:-
1 Winners All2 The Stakeholder's Lament
3 Gamblin' Man
4 Fevered Ego
5 Human Interest Story
6 Glypotheque
7 Stupor Mundi
8 Not A Good Time
9 Seriously Listing
10 Spendlove
11 Whither Litherland
12 Retake
13 Longfinger
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/St-Vitus-Dance-171969426217817/Label Links:-
http://www.probeplus-store.co.uk/https://www.facebook.com/Probe-Plus-Records-282266208481556
http://www.probe-plus.co.uk/
interviews |
|
Interview (2008) |
|
| Irish band St Vitus Dance have released after an absence of over twenty years their second album, 'Glypotheque'. Singer and guitarist Noel Burke speaks to Anthony Strutt about it and his time in the intervening years fronting Echo and the Bunnymen |
soundcloud
reviews |
|
Bystanders (2013) |
|
| Strong third album from Liverpool-based Irish band St Vitus Dance, whose singer Noel Burke replaced Ian McCulloch in Echo and The Bunnymen in late eighties and early nineties |
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