Another excursion with the atmospheric (occasionally) film music of former Magazine and Bad Seed member, Barry Adamson. This one doesn't get aired as often as many others, suggesting it's one which didn't make as immediate impression as others.
Opening with a preface, entitled Preface, a mixture of dialogue and mood music, we're quickly into Split, a moody piece, with a lyrical of Disney and Sir Arthur Sullivan, over a dirty sounding trumpet, working very successfully. There are a couple of unremarkable instrumentals before A Gentle Man Of Colour, a disturbing narrative tale of a lynching. It's back to accomplished but forgettable instrumentals for the next few, although the Satie-like Reverie is lovely, followed by the strange child vocals of Un Petit Miracle. and a tale telling of a Jamaican James Bond (007, A Fantasy Bond Theme), moving into a reggae version of the famous theme. But from there, only On The Edge Of Atonement, a wonderfully laid back tune, makes an impression.
For me, this isn't one of Adamson's more immediate albums, nor one of my favourites, but there's still lots to reward the listener.
3* - a very listenable album, which never really sets the heart alight.
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