Half Man Half Biscuit - CSI : Ambleside
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 7 / 5 / 2008
Label:
Probe Plus
Format: CD
intro
Sublime, witty indie rock on eleventh album from Peel favourites, the ever unique Half Man Half Biscuit, which finds front man Nigel Blackwell including among his targets the world wide web
Saving money on buying non-organic food is without a doubt the rightful way to fund zoo tickets for the entire family and this notion is just one of the many useful insights rendered on 'CSI: Ambleside', the new Half Man Half Biscuit album. Half Man Half Biscuit once shook the Wirral, plus the rest of the world, and could have made it to 'Top Of The Pops'. But the Birkenhead band's greatest ever claim to fame remains to be that of being the sole band ever to see chart success and to deny the subsequent TV show invitation. No other band has preferred instead to go and see a local football club game. A Tranmere Rovers home game it was. Up there in heaven John Peel would be smirking, as he would be going through a most joyous phase now; checking ahead with new LPs both from the Fall as well as from Half Man Half Biscuit. Thanks to the track '50 Year Old' and the wisdom it portrayed, the Fall already knew how to grab hold of the elderly share of the market. Thus leaving aside, as a blind spot as it were, the CSI Ambleside region. It's where Nigel Blackwell's dry wit can be called up under the red button and the sarcasm comes free of charge. Ambleside functions as a mere reference point to the places that comprise the Half Man Half Biscuit Universe. Random, anecdotal evidence as it were notwithstanding, the band touch on deeper truths. 'National Shite Day' refers to misplaced British pride just as much as 'Fat Children' did on the probably equally unsuccessful Jarvis Cocker album, whilst Gordon Brown would agree to neither of those songs' content. Unwantonly 'CSI: Ambleside' has the mark of a turning point. Quintessentially English, with ideas for songs deriving from newspaper clippings as he has done in the past, Nigel now also aims his guns at the world of the world wide web with for example 'Bad Losers on Yahoo Chess'. Almost unnoticedly the band developed into the tightest pubrock machine presently around, one that can easily give the Wedding Present a good run for their money. Even further proof of the band's advancement is 'Took Problem Chimp To Ideal Home Show', a song that deals with youth culture and, from it, have incorporated a trick or two. As the chosen subjects of Nigel's words cover such a wide range, the band simply has to follow in his path and on 'CSI: Ambleside' they do so most amazingly.
Track Listing:-
1 Evening of Swing (Has Been Cancelled)2 Bad Losers on Yahoo! Chess
3 Took Problem Chimp to Ideal Home Show
4 Ode to Joyce
5 Blue Badge Abuser
6 Totnes Bickering Fair
7 King of Hi-vis
8 Lord Hereford's Knob
9 On the 'roids
10 Petty Sessions
11 Little in the Way of Sunshine
12 Give Us Bubblewrap
13 National Shite Day
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Half-Man-Half-Biscuit/52535858893Label Links:-
http://www.probeplus-store.co.uk/https://www.facebook.com/Probe-Plus-Records-282266208481556
http://www.probe-plus.co.uk/
features |
Ten Songs That Made Me Love... (2014) |
In our series, in which our writers write about ten songs that made them love a favourite band or artist, Anthony Dhanendran writes about his favourite songs by satirical rockers and John Peel favourites, Half Man Half Biscuit |
reviews |
Urge for Offal (2015) |
Exhilarating combination of skiffle punk and wit on latest album from Half Man Half Biscuit |
Trouble Over Bridgwater (2001) |
Editor's Recommendation (2001) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
most viewed reviews
current edition
Serious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning DewRod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Marika Hackman - Big Sigh
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart