A super band that delivers on its promise

The Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst brings good people together for a long, challenging trip.

Two renowned drummers from the new wave (or post-punk, if you prefer) work together with Lol Tolhurst and Budgie. The first played for years with The Cure, the second with Siouxsie Sioux. On this ambitious, well-thought-out album they play with Jacknife Lee and vocalists such as Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream), James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) and guitarist The Edge (U2). In thirteen sharp tracks, the super band creates a dark world with splitting guitar work, homeless electronics and, above all, many hypnotic, tribal rhythm tracks.

‘I don’t need your atmosphere/ I’m better alone’, shouts Murphy in the manic ‘Los Angeles’, after which Gillespie sounds menacing and desperate at the same time in ‘Ghosted at home’. But in ‘Bodies’ harpist Mary Lattimore gets rays of beauty in the soundscape, in which Lonnie Holley unleashes his devils. Although it takes some getting used to, this apocalyptic record sounds better with every listen, because the core trio already produces strong basic tracks – it was initially an instrumental record – and the guests really add value. Great to see so much experience coming together to creative flourishing. (corporate corporation)